Coahuila admits to delays in Pro Aire one year before the program concludes

One year after the implementation of the Pro Aire 2017-2026 program, the Coahuila Environment Secretariat acknowledged that much remains to be done, although several areas are being addressed to contribute to improving the state's air quality.

The head of the SMA, Susana Estens de la Garza, reported that there are currently five air quality monitoring stations in several cities across the state, which comply with the Official Mexican Standard that regulates the management and operation of this equipment.

In this regard, he noted that these are expensive and delicate pieces of equipment that require continuous and periodic inspection, maintenance, and constant replacement of consumables required for their operation. The state government also invests in the cost of calibrations and replacing sensors when they break down.

For maintenance work, specialized personnel must be brought in from Mexico City, although an agreement was recently signed with the Technological University of Coahuila (UTC) in Ramos Arizpe to provide training for students in the Environmental Engineering program taught at this school in the field of monitoring centers and assist with their maintenance.

Estens de la Garza stated that "there is always room for more stations." to measure air quality in the entity, after recognizing the operation of those in charge of the municipalities , as is the case in Torreón, where the General Directorate of the Environment has equipment that is providing important information regarding pollution levels.

The law mandates the measurement of five criteria pollutants: particulate matter smaller than 10 and 2.5 microns (PM10 and PM2.5); ozone, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen dioxide. According to measurements taken at the monitoring station of the José R. Mijares Cultural Center in this city, air quality in the city has been very poor.

The Secretary of the Environment in Coahuila said that based on the results of the monitoring stations managed by this agency, a diagnosis was prepared and, from there, some actions were developed that are currently being worked on.

"We have made progress, but not as quickly as we would like," he said regarding the Pro Aire program, after noting that this information served to determine the origin and movement of some pollutants, to identify the source of pollution and implement the necessary measures to reduce emissions.

Another project under development is to integrate an air basin with Saltillo and Monterrey, given the proximity of these two cities. Discussions are underway with authorities in the capital of Nuevo León for this purpose. Initially, a network of low-cost sensors was established in Saltillo to determine the source of some pollutants, but the idea is to work together between the two cities, as they share this problem.

The program was implemented starting in 2017 and projected to 2026. It outlines strategies, measures, and actions to regulate and control emissions from fixed sources of pollutants, reduce emissions from mobile and area sources, and promote health protection, environmental communication, and education, among others.