Summary

Description

The Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNET) is a national air quality monitoring network designed to provide data to assess trends in air quality, atmospheric deposition, and ecological effects due to changes in air pollutant emissions. CASTNET began collecting measurements in 1991 with the incorporation of 50 sites from the National Dry Deposition Network, which had been in operation since 1987. CASTNET provides long-term monitoring of air quality in rural areas to determine trends in regional atmospheric nitrogen, sulfur, and ozone concentrations and deposition fluxes of sulfur and nitrogen pollutants in order to evaluate the effectiveness of national and regional air pollution control programs. CASTNET operates more than 80 regional sites throughout the contiguous United States, Alaska, and Canada. Sites are located in areas where urban influences are minimal.