Community environmental monitoring
Community data, collected carefully and published with its limits.
The ClawFiles is developing small, transparent environmental-screening projects in southeastern Massachusetts. Each project will have its own question, budget, method, participation policy, privacy rules, and public report.
Air particulate monitoring
The first project is a community air-monitoring pilot designed to document particulate patterns over time. It will use community-grade equipment selected after protocol review.
This is particulate screening—not crystalline silica testing, regulatory monitoring, or a health diagnosis.
Private-well testing
Well-water testing is a future concept, not part of the air-monitoring budget. Any project would require a separate question, certified laboratory, sampling protocol, chain of custody, homeowner consent, privacy plan, written laboratory quotes, and its own funding decision.
Air-project money will not be used for well testing without a new, clearly disclosed authorization.
Project standards
Every public result carries its method and its limits.
- Purpose.The project states the question before equipment is placed or samples are collected.
- Capability.The public report says exactly what the instrument or laboratory method can and cannot measure.
- Quality.Equipment checks, maintenance, downtime, exclusions, corrections, and outside technical review are documented.
- Privacy.Participants, private addresses, candidate sites, and active deployment locations remain protected.
- Funding.Budget, equipment ownership, compensation, processing fees, and unused-funds policy are published before donations open.
- Independence.Results are reported whether or not they support the concern that prompted the project.
Updates and partnerships
Join the project without exposing a private location.
The project is interested in hearing from residents who want updates, environmental and air-quality professionals, laboratories and industrial-hygiene professionals, community organizations, and potential fiscal sponsors.
Do not send a street address, medical information, source identity, candidate site, or sensitive evidence in the first note. Town-level context is enough.
Contact the monitoring project