Resident urges county to measure ultrafine particles near Aspen airport; commissioners ask for transparency

Summary

Ellen Anderson told the board April 22 she and community volunteers measured ultrafine particles near the Aspen airport over four days and said counts rose when the airport was open; she asked the board to hold a work session with consultants and to allow public presenters to use county projection equipment. Commissioners asked for more measurement details and said the matter merits further transparent discussion.

At the start of the meeting April 22, Aspen Village resident Ellen Anderson presented a small dataset of ultrafine particle measurements taken four consecutive days in April and asked the board to (1) convene a work session with county consultants to discuss ground‑level airport air pollution and (2) remind staff that public presenters should be permitted to use county equipment to display materials during public comment.

Anderson said she was accused of inaccuracy after earlier outreach but added that Mike Solon told her her data were accurate; she cautioned the board that four days do not make a scientific study but described an observed pattern: 'Airport closed, ultrafine's down. Airport open, ultrafine's spike.' Anderson said volunteers from Aspen Flywright and friends funded and conducted the short monitoring campaign, and that she had been denied staff help to post slides on the meeting room screen and to place monitors on county fences.

Commissioner Clapper and others said the board intends to continue discussion and asked Anderson and her group to provide more details about monitor locations and dates so the data can be interpreted; Clapper said the board seeks transparency from all sides before scheduling a broader public discussion. No formal staff action or study was announced at the meeting.