ORANGE — Selectboard members voted unanimously on Wednesday not to participate in an outdoor air quality sensor program after learning the data collected would not directly benefit the town.

The Hitchcock Center for the Environment, located on the Hampshire College campus in Amherst, received a grant to acquire sensors and is now in need of spots they can be installed, Health Agent Ashley Gough informed the board. She mentioned that, if the Selectboard opted to participate, the town would have to select someone to monitor the function of any sensors on municipal property.

But the suggestion was immediately met with skepticism from Selectboard members.

“So, essentially, the Hitchcock Center is doing a project and they want us to collect the data for them,” board member Jane Peirce said, adding that she had initially believed the sensors would monitor air quality inside town buildings.

Town Administrator Matthew Fortier said this program is at least two years old and was discussed at a Board of Health meeting when he was the health agent. Peirce, who also sits on the Board of Health, said she recalled wondering what good this program would bring to Orange.

“The answer is, it doesn’t,” she said. “It’s one more thing for us to do and I wish there were a benefit for us, more directly, because we’re already strapped for time to do things.”

Fortier noted one of these air quality sensors is on a building in Athol. He said any expense involved with having any in Orange would be “the cost of a nominal amount of electricity,” as the necessary network is already in place.

Gough said the Hitchcock Center’s plan is to collect air quality data for one year.

“They want to have better notification systems for people if there’s poor air quality,” she explained.

Gough noted she believes there is a plan to install a sensor at the Orange Innovation Center at 131 West Main St.

Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-930-4120.