INFORMATION
Director: Vicki Fisher
Division Manager: Curt Bechtel
Air Quality Specialist: Michelle Tech
Main Office:
300 Sixth Street
Rapid City, SD 57701
Telephone: 605-394-4120
Fax : 605-394-6636
Click to see the current Air Quality Index
The Air Quality Division goals are to maintain compliance status with the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards, and to prevent adverse health and environmental effects that result from fugitive dust emissions and smoke from wood burning and open burning. These goals are achieved and maintained through the development and implementation of programs of education, air pollution prevention, abatement and control.
The Rapid City area is located in the high plains and is subject to periods of droughts and high winds. These are the main ingredients for fugitive dust problems. Fugitive dust is identified as dust from mining activity, gravel roads, construction activity, street sanding operations and wind erosion. Fugitive dust is the main air quality problem in the Rapid City area. A Natural Events Action Plan for high winds was developed for Rapid City to control fugitive dust emissions within the Air Quality Control Zone.