Brown University releases first air quality reports for communities across Mississippi and Alabama

JANS – The Community Noise Lab (CNL) at the Brown University School of Public Health, officially launches the first air quality reports from their Mississippi and Alabama Environmental Monitoring Network (MAEMN). The five initial reports detail air quality in Gloster, Jackson, Pascagoula, and Quitman, Mississippi, as well as Epes, Alabama – communities who have had their air quality monitored for at least two months. These one-page reports summarize average daily concentrations of PM2.5, ozone, and volatile organic compounds for each community, in addition to hydrogen sulfide for the city of Pascagoula. 

CNL also provides a separate report comparing daily averages across all communities. These reports were created by Sage Lefebvre, a Research Assistant at Brown University School of Public Health, and are freely available for download on Community Noise Lab’s website: https://communitynoiselab.org/community-air-and-noise-monitoring-network/.

This air quality network, spanning across both Mississippi and Alabama, is designed to supplement the current air quality stations managed by the Environmental Protection Agency and Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. The Community Noise Lab’s goal is to make community-level air and noise quality data accessible to all.

“Using state-of-the-art monitoring equipment, we are measuring both traditional and non-traditional air quality measurements, including community noise levels, hydrogen sulfide, and volatile organic compounds,” states Dr. Erica Walker, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at Brown University and founder of Community Noise Lab. “We are also making this data publicly available to all so that rational, data-driven conversations can be made and not emotional ones.”

Walker wants to let the community know that CNL is not a political organization with an axe to grind. They are here to provide objective data directly to the communities they serve. This includes residents, industry, local government, and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ). Additionally, given that CNL also runs a children’s health study in communities with air quality sensors, they will also share these reports to study participants via email or postal mail. All reports will also be available to download on CNL’s website.

According to Mrs. Barbara Weckesser of Cherokee Concerned Citizens, the Pascagoula Community is glad to have the data provided by Brown University and other partners on this project. “Our fence line community in Pascagoula has dealt with major issues,” says Weckesser,  and our reports to MDEQ,  EPA, have fallen by the wayside so this data is important to us.” 

“By having access to accurate, real-time, and accessible air quality information, residents, local governance, and industry are better equipped to engage in conversations about environmental policy,” says Dr. Cristina Nica, a Research Scientist and Program Supervisor at Community Noise Lab. 

Dr. Walker shared with the Jackson Advocate that while she is excited that her lab has released the reports as promised, there is a lot of work to be done and a lot more data to be analyzed. The MAEMN currently consists of eleven (11) air, noise, and meteorological stations in 10 counties across the states of Mississippi and Alabama. The next steps for Community Noise Lab include providing reports for all of the communities in the network and holding to their schedule to release reports every three months. Further, CNL’s upcoming reports will incorporate additional air pollution, noise pollution, and meteorological data.

“Data transparency is so important, and making this information accessible to everyone, especially to those living in the communities with monitoring sites, is crucial. By providing accessible air quality reports, we’re able to help contextualize more subjective observations and feelings about the environment with data and numbers,” says Sage Lefebvre, a Research Assistant at Brown University School of Public Health.

Running in parallel with this air quality data collection is an ongoing health study in each of the communities hosting a monitoring network. The Mississippi and Alabama Adolescent Environmental Health Study is interested in understanding how these air and noise quality metrics may impact children’s health throughout their life course. In the future, Dr. Walker’s team will also provide de-identified summaries of key health findings for each community.

Community Noise Lab is also looking for feedback and suggestions to improve their air quality reports. If you have any questions or feedback, you can contact Dr. Erica Walker at erica_walker@brown.edu. 

Funding for this project is provided by the National Institute of Health (1R01ES036565-01) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. You can download all air quality reports for Mississippi and Alabama at https://communitynoiselab.org/community-air-and-noise-monitoring-network/. Reports will be available by August 15, 2025. You can email Dr. Walker for copies now. 

If you are interested in enrolling in the adolescent health study, please contact Adrian Roberson at adrian_roberson@brown.edu.