Archived Environmental Articles
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"State drops delay to air cleanup deadline"
Following sharp criticism, the California Air Resources Board has retracted a recent proposal it made to extend the cleanup deadline for dangerous diesel soot and other airborne debris in California by five years. Catherine Witherspoon, executive director of the air board, suggested the deadline extension in a March 12 letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; the two air districts that are struggling to meet the current 2015 deadline objected to the proposed extension, saying it would unwisely relieve pressure on state and federal officials to help in reducing pollution.
The Fresno Bee – Mark Grossi, March 21, 2007
www.fresnobee.com
"Texas utility TXU is sold in boon for environmentalists"
TXU Corporation, the largest provider of electricity and related services in Texas, has announced that it will be the object of a $45 billion buyout by a group of private corporate investors. More significant than the dollar amount, however, are the conditions that call for environmental reforms and responsibility on a scale heretofore unseen at such a large energy company.
Los Angeles Times – Janet Wilson and Peter Pae, February 26, 2007
www.latimes.com
"2 new voices to join air board. Fresno has representation for first time in 13 years"
Two minority candidates, Fresno City Council Member Henry T. Perea and Arvin Council Member Raji Brar, have won an election for seats on the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District governing board. Perea’s election marks the first time in 13 years that Fresno – the largest city in Central California – is represented on the Board. Local air activists called the elections a major victory after weeks of campaigning for minority candidates who emphasize health issues and alternative energy.
The Fresno Bee – Mark Grossi, February 23, 2007
www.fresnobee.com
"More delay is not okay"
In this editorial, the Stockton Record argues against the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District’s plan to request an extension from the Environmental Protection Agency to clean the Valley’s air. While the Record agrees with district officials that they face “an immense challenge...You don’t just pile delay on top of delay and label it progress.”
Stockton Record – Editorial, February 11, 2007
www.recordnet.com
"Report: Cleaner valley air possible by 2013"
According to a recently released report, cleaner air that meets federal smog standards in the San Joaquin Valley is achievable by the current deadline of 2013. The report challenges a plan released by the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control district that claims it will take until 2023 to come into compliance with the federal air standard. The independent study was conducted by the International Sustainable Systems Research Center, and funded by The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
The Bakersfield Californian – Stacy Shepard, February 6, 2007
www.bakersfield.com
"Revving up air district"
In this editorial, The Fresno Bee argues that California’s San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District Board needs to become more aggressive in efforts to clean the Valley’s air. It notes that most of the achievements that it has presided over have been driven by outside influences, usually by lawsuits by environmentalists, or legislation from Sacramento.
The Fresno Bee – Editorial, January 28, 2007
www.fresnobee.com
"Fresno again passed for seat"
Central California’s largest city may not get a seat on the local air district governing board after 12 years of waiting. Clovis, a neighboring city five times smaller than Fresno, had its mayor recommended for a seat on the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District governing board ahead of Fresno City Council Member Henry T. Perea. The recommendation frustrated air quality advocates who want some of the 11 air board members to represent large cities and minorities, as well as to have health or science backgrounds.
The Fresno Bee – Mark Grossi, January 24, 2007
www.fresnobee.com
"Panel urges officials to spare air in Valley from big dairy pollution"
At a recently held public forum aimed at county officials who are weighing additional regulations for new and expanding dairies, a broad spectrum of people came to urge greater regulation of the incoming facilities for Fresno County. Among the San Joaquin Valley’s eight counties, Fresno County is the only place where there is no formal screening process for new dairies. Valley Air officials consider dairies to be the biggest source of smog-forming volatile organic compounds.
The Fresno Bee – Mark Grossi, January 18, 2007
www.fresnobee.com
"EPA sued for Valley air ruling"
Environmental and community groups are suing the federal Environmental Protection Agency, claiming it ignored data showing high levels of airborne dust, smoke and soot in the San Joaquin Valley when it ruled in October that the region met clean air standards. Plaintiffs are asking the San Francisco-based 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals to review the EPA’s findings that the Valley’s air was no longer polluted by PM-10; the plaintiffs said they also plan to file a separate petition with the EPA asking the agency to reconsider its own finding.
The Fresno Bee – December 29, 2006
www.fresnobee.com
"Study links pesticide to learning disorder"
A study by Columbia University scientists has established a link between learning disorders in children and the insecticide chlorpyrifos. Marketed as Lorsban, the insecticide was banned for residential use by the federal Environmental Protection Agency in 2001 after tests showed adverse effects on lab animals and other tests found traces of the chemical in children’s blood samples.
The Palm Beach Post – John Lantigua and Christine Stapleton, December 25, 2006
www.palmbeachpost.com
"Heavy agenda: Valley air district has much work ahead of it in the new year"
In this editorial, The Fresno Bee notes that 2007 is slated to be a busy and difficult year for the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. In addition to its efforts to secure additional state and federal funding to combat air pollution, the Valley air district will also have to deal with a problem concerning representation on its governing board. Five of the 11 members of the board must be chosen, and questions and controversy over the selection process have begun to surface.
The Fresno Bee – Editorial, December 10, 2006
www.fresnobee.com
"Clean air could save Valley $3.3b in ‘07"
According to scientists speaking at the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District’s annual symposium, Valley residents would save $3.3 billion in costs for health care and suffering if the air met California’s health standards. “We would like to think that making the air safe and healthy for people is enough to get everyone’s attention,” said Jane Hall, a California State University at Fullerton researcher. “But the truth is that the bottom line probably drives it just as much.”
The Fresno Bee – Mark Grossi, December 7, 2006
www.fresnobee.com
"Advocates cry foul on air vote"
Clean-air advocates say the public was excluded from an important vote to determine who fills a seat on the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District Governing Board. The Fresno-based Central Valley Air Quality Coalition has publicly requested that the nomination by the California League of Cities be rescinded. “We are disturbed that public members were denied the right to participate and be present,” the air quality coalition wrote.
The Fresno Bee – Mark Grossi, December 6, 2006
www.fresnobee.com
"Construction pollution linked to illness"
According to a report release by the Union of Concerned scientists, the bulldozer, backhoes and excavators building up Bakersfield are pumping noxious fumes into the air that contribute to illness, asthma and early death. The study found that air pollution from construction equipment in California’s growing cities contributed to more than 1,100 deaths statewide last year, including at least 50 in the San Joaquin Valley. “Construction pollution is taking a heavy toll on the health of all Californians,” said Don Anair, author of the study. “The construction equipment being used to build our hospitals shouldn’t be filling them up."
The Bakersfield Californian – Stacy Shepard, December 5, 2006
www.bakersfield.com
"Some fear pollution’s rise on the import list"
A report released last week by a coalition of clean-air groups says freight transport will cost Californians $200 billion in health care over the next 15 years. Residents of predominantly low-income neighborhoods adjacent to the busiest transportation hubs are the ones who suffer most. With an anticipated fourfold increase in the amount of shipping statewide, including a planned expansion at the Port of Stockton, many feel that the companies that move freight through California should shoulder a greater responsibility for those health effects.
Stockton Record – Alex Breitler, November 25, 2006
www.recordnet.com
"Activists seek to join defense of air quality"
Three clean-air activist groups announced that they will join the legal defense of an air quality rule that will bring in millions of dollars from builders to reduce pollution from city sprawl. The groups – Fresno-based Medical Advocates for Healthy Air (MAHA), Environmental Defense, and The Sierra Club – support the local air district against builders and other groups that sued the district last June over the Indirect Source Rule. “I see children and adults every day who are suffering from lung disease aggravated by the region’s air pollution,” said Kevin Hamilton, co-founder of MAHA. “We can’t continue to stand by and do nothing.”
The Fresno Bee – Mark Grossi, November 1, 2006
www.fresnobee.com
"Group disputes EPA air ruling"
San Joaquin Valley air authorities have been accused of ignoring pollution violations in their haste to acknowledge a milestone cleanup of dust and soot. Earthjustice, an Oakland-based legal watchdog group, threatened a lawsuit over recent Air District findings that the Valley has not violated the dust and soot standard in three years. Earthjustice lawyer Paul Cort said authorities disregarded readings last November that showed violations in Bakersfield and Corcoran. “When the data is inconvenient, they run away from it,” he said.
The Fresno Bee – Mark Grossi, October 22, 2006
www.fresnobee.com
"Air board will do the real work on global warming"
The legislation California enacted last month in the fight against global warming is only the beginning of what will likely be five years of intense, behind-the-scenes battles over just how to reduce greenhouse gases to 1990 levels. AB 32, titled the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, establishes the goal of reducing the state’s greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent below levels now projected for 2020. Most of the heavy lifting will be done by the state’s Air Resources Board, which has been granted extraordinary powers to set policies, draw up regulations, lead the enforcement effort and levy fees to finance it all and fines to punish violators.
The Sacramento Bee – Editorial, Daniel Weintraub, October 5, 2006
www.sacbee.com
"$7.5b price tag put on cutting pollution"
San Joaquin Valley air officials recently proposed a hefty new cost to clean up the Valley’s biggest pollution culprits – $7.5 billion to help replace polluting cars, trucks and other vehicles by 2013. Community activists criticized the cost estimate as a scare tactic to delay the federally set smog cleanup deadline of 2013. Advocates noted that residents will pay much more if the air is not cleaned up soon, referring to a 2006 study that showed Valley residents pay $3 billion annually over air pollution-related illness, suffering and death. “Why isn’t that cost reflected in the price tag?” asked Carolina Simunovic of Fresno Metro Ministry. “We need real solutions that get us clean air.”
The Fresno Bee – Mark Grossi, October 4, 2006
www.fresnobee.com
"New EPA rules on soot, dust under fire"
Rejecting the recommendations of its own scientific panel, the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced new rules for controlling particulate matter (PM, or soot) in California that environmental and public organizations quickly decried. The agency strengthened the standard that governs people's daily exposure to PM, but did not change one that deals with annual exposure. The EPA abandoned another standard for coarse particles that are found in dust. Two of 22 members on the EPA’s scientific panel wanted tougher standards due to the impacts of soot pollution on human health.
Los Angeles Times – Janet Wilson, September 22, 2006
www.latimes.com
"Valley air comes clean"
San Joaquin Valley air quality officials announced that the region no longer violates the federal health standard for PM-2.5 (particulate matter). However, the celebration was premature, given the federal government announced the next day that the existing 24-hour PM-2.5 standard does not protect public health. With undeniably more work to be done to clean up the air, Valley officials now have a much higher threshold to meet.
The Fresno Bee – Mark Gross, September 21, 2006
www.fresnobee.com
"California tightens rules on emissions. Supporters hope law will spur federal action"
California’s Legislature recently approved the broadest restriction on carbon dioxide emissions in the nation, marking a new stage in the accelerating drive for a more aggressive national response to global warming. The California bill requires a 25% cut in carbon dioxide pollution produced within the state’s borders by 2020 to bring the total down to 1990 levels. "I really believe the effort to curb global warming is a bottom-up effort in this country," Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez (D), who is a co-author of the bill, said in an interview. "For us, this is not just about California. This is about making a push from the bottom up to get the Congress to take action."
The Washington Post – Juliet Eilperin, September 1, 2006
www.washingtonpost.com
"Farmworkers sickened by fungicide in Kern County"
Twenty grape farmworkers were recently poisoned by pesticide drift when a fungicide from a neighboring vineyard drifted over them south of Bakersfield. Most of the workers, who became nauseous, vomited and complained of irritated eyes and throats, were treated at the scene, but several were taken to the hospital.
The Bakersfield Californian – August 31, 2006
www.bakersfield.com
"A new smog war"
This San Francisco Chronicle editorial focuses on SB 999, a state bill that for the last few years has sought to re-shuffle the makeup of the San Joaquin Valley’s smog control board. The measure followed a series of other laws aimed at reining in emissions, sprawl and pollution exemptions that have saddled the state’s farm country with filthy, toxic air. In the past, industry lobbyists successfully convinced nervous legislators that the bill would jeopardize the Valley’s economy, and the bill stalled. A new version of the bill, SB 999, was back for legislative approval this year; the Chronicle commented that this bill is a small step in the war on air pollution, which legislators should help the state take.
San Francisco Chronicle – Editorial, August 29, 2006
www.sfgate.com
"A better air board"
In this editorial, The Fresno Bee calls for support for SB 999, sponsored by Senator Michael Machado (D-Linden), which would expand the 11-member board of directors of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District by adding permanent representatives from the cities of Fresno, Stockton and Bakersfield, as well as two public members.
The Fresno Bee – Editorial, August 28, 2006
www.fresnobee.com
"California builders fight air pollution fee"
Developers and air quality regulators are locked in a legal battle over new construction fees for California’s San Joaquin Valley intended to reduce the region’s chronic smog problem. The fees are part of a new regulation by the regional air district requiring builders of commercial and residential projects to use energy-saving technology and traffic-reduction features in their projects, or pay a fee into a fund for pollution control efforts. The fees went into effect in March of this year and are the most far-reaching in the country in their effort to link development and air pollution.
The New York Times – Carolyn Marshall, August 27, 2006
www.nytimes.com
"Residents air pesticide complaints at workshop"
The California Department of Pesticide Regulation recently held a workshop in Parlier to gather public comment about the Department’s strategy to cut air pollution emissions from pesticides. Representatives of the Department heard from farmworkers complaining of chronic pain from agricultural overspray, those who blame pesticide companies for the problem, and a grower who defended his industry. By the Department’s estimate, pesticides are the source of 6.3% of volatile organic compounds that dirty San Joaquin Valley air.
The Fresno Bee – Jim Guy, August 15, 2006
www.fresnobee.com
"Group protests pesticide drift"
According to a coalition of scientists and concerned citizens, residents of Lindsay, California, are breathing air laced with unsafe levels of chlorpyrifos. Chlorpyrifos, a neurotoxic insecticide, is linked to a number of health risks including headaches, slow heartbeat and breathing problems, and accounts for almost 9 percent of pesticide emissions in the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District.
The Porterville Recorder – Aaron Burgin, July 19, 2006
www.portervillerecorder.com
"New air rule for dairies targeted"
Air quality activists have sued over a rule targeting dairies, arguing the rule calls for “phantom” pollution reductions while ignoring plumes of methane and ammonia. The suit, filed by the Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment on behalf of the Association of Irritated Residents, asks a Fresno County Superior Court judge to order the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District to rescind the rule and write a new one in six months. “The public suffers tremendously from air pollution in the Valley,” said Kern County resident Tom Frantz, president of the Association of Irritated Residents. “The district chose to break the law by favoring dairymen over our children.”
The Fresno Bee – Mark Grossi, July 18, 2006
www.fresnobee.com
"Clovis mayor is poster boy for bad air"
Fresno Bee Columnist Bill McEwen takes Clovis Mayor, Nathan Magsig, to task for his role in a recently-filed lawsuit against the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District for its approval of an Indirect Source Rule. The rule requires developers to pay fees when building new construction or reduce fees by making environmentally-friendly mitigations at those sites. McEwen writes: “There's a huge need for more affordable housing in the Valley, but the issue is separate from air quality. We need them both.”
The Fresno Bee – Bill McEwen, June 29, 2006
www.fresnobee.com
"Air district’s baby steps"
A new rule regulating dairies adopted by the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District Governing Board will “do little to roll back the Valley’s pollution.” Rather than requiring large confined animals facilities (LCAF) to do more to meet air quality standards, the new regulation reinforces the “status quo.” As a result of legislation passed in 2003, the District was required to pass the LCAF rule. The San Joaquin Valley is the state's biggest source of livestock emissions. “The air district clearly could have set the bar higher…” as it approved the LCAF regulation.
The Fresno Bee – Editorial, June 17, 2006
www.fresnobee.com
"Large animal farms should meet smog rules"
In this editorial, Lebec resident Linda MacKay articulates why San Joaquin Valley residents need to be concerned about proposed exemptions for large animal facilities from federal laws that require air quality monitoring, as well as from financial responsibility for any pollution cleanup resulting from their operations.
The Bakersfield Californian – Linda MacKay, May 18, 2006
www.bakersfield.com
"State pesticide curbs ordered"
State regulators have failed to meet their legal obligation to crack down on airborne pesticides and must do so now, a Sacramento federal judge has ruled. The regulators broke a 1994 promise to reduce smog-forming emissions from pesticides by 20 percent from 1990 levels by 2005; instead, the problem has only worsened.
The Sacramento Bee – Denny Walsh, April 28, 2006
www.sacbee.com
"San Joaquin tops list for worst smog"
IThe San Joaquin Valley has risen to the top of the nation’s worst-air chart at the American Lung Association. The rankings are the first in six years of annual “state of the air” reports to dethrone the Los Angeles basin as the nation’s king of smog.
The Sacramento Bee – Chris Bowman and Elizabeth Hume, April 28, 2006
www.sacbee.com
"EPA looks to nix rural clean air protections"
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s most recent proposal to overhaul pollution regulations includes de-regulating coarse-particle pollution in urban areas with less than 100,000 residents as well as in areas with population densities under 500 per square mile. Critics say the new regulations would violate constitutional and Clean Air Act mandates by discriminating against rural areas that are more vulnerable to the pollution generated by mining and agricultural activities. “If the goal was to protect two industries – mining and agriculture – from having to be regulated, then that’s what these proposals do very well,” said Janice Nolen, director of policy with the American Lung Association. “But they do not do what they’re supposed to do, which is protect public health.”
The NewStandard – Michelle Chen, April 21, 2006
www.newstandardnews.net
"Study puts a price tag on smog. Health impacts said to cost $1,000 a person in San Joaquin Valley"
In a recently released report by a team of economists at California State University, Fullerton, the annual cost of not attaining the federal health-based standards for ozone and fine-particle pollution was estimated to be more than $3 billion for the San Joaquin Valley. While the Valley has made some clean-air gains from emission controls, its rate of progress has been relatively flat compared with Sacramento and Los Angeles, said Frederick Lurmann, one of the report authors. “It means you really need to adopt more aggressive and more effective (pollution) controls.”
The Sacramento Bee – Chris Bowman, March 30, 2006
www.sacbee.com
"Critics dust off an EPA panel. Plan would roll back monitoring of soot, dust in small cities."
On March 8, 2006, dozens of witnesses testified at a San Francisco Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hearing against a new proposal to drop federal monitoring for dust and soot in communities with fewer than 100,000. The EPA hearing was 1 of 3 held around the country, and was intended to gather responses to the proposed adjustment. The residents who testified were joined by scientists, medical experts, environmentalists and air regulators in assailing the proposed change. The EPA’s own scientific review panel opposes the proposal.
The Fresno Bee – Mark Grossi, March 9, 2006
www.fresnobee.com
"Exposure to fine particle air pollution linked with risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases"
A study in the March 8 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) indicates that exposure to fine particulate matter air pollution increases a person’s risk for hospital admission for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. According to the researchers: “Our findings indicate an ongoing threat to the health of the elderly population from airborne particles and provide a rationale for setting a PM 2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standard that is as protective of their health as possible."
Science Daily – March 8, 2006
www.sciencedaily.com
"Air rule may raise building costs"
The San Joaquin Valley Indirect Source Rule (ISR), passed by the air district board earlier this year, requires Valley builders to make their projects more environmentally friendly or pay financial penalties. The regulations are aimed at indirect sources, like construction-related pollution, that contribute to the region’s pollution problems. With rising asthma rates in the Valley, the ISR is hailed by air quality advocates, while builders consider the rule unfair.
Visalia Times-Delta – March 1, 2006
www.visaliatimesdelta.com
"Study finds no safe level for ozone"
According to a nationwide study to be published in the April edition of the journal Environmental Health, ozone, the principal ingredient in smog, increases the risk of premature death even at very low levels. According to Michelle Bell, lead investigator on the study and assistant professor of environmental health at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies: "Our findings show that even if all 98 countries in our study met the current ozone standard every day, there would still be a significant link between ozone and premature mortality."
Science Daily – February 16, 2006
www.sciencedaily.com
"Keeping up with cows"
In this editorial, The Fresno Bee applauds Fresno County’s recent decision to begin studying the growing dairy industry’s environmental impacts. While every other county in the San Joaquin Valley has taken steps to at least understand the impacts from having such high cow concentrations, Fresno County officials had maintained for years that the county’s dairy industry, dwarfed by that of adjacent Tulare County, wasn’t large enough to merit attention. While Fresno’s herd is only 20% of Tulare’s, it is still in the Top 10 nationally.
The Fresno Bee – Editorial, February 8, 2006
www.fresnobee.com
"Town Hopes Pesticide Study Will Bear Fruit"
A pesticide-monitoring project in the Central Valley town of Parlier will examine pollutants for one year to determine to what degree pesticides are linked to increased asthma in children. The California Department of Pesticide Regulation project will monitor 40 pesticides as well as other airborne pollutants with a goal of assessing what levels damage children’s health. In 2003, commercial growers applied 249 chemicals – 2.4 million pounds of them – to crops within a five-mile radius of Parlier.
Los Angeles Times – Lee Romney, January 28, 2006
www.latimes.com
"True Grit"
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently proposed new dust and soot rules, which include a higher standard for cities and a less protective one for rural areas like California’s San Joaquin Valley. According to The Sacramento Bee Editorial Board, “Such a distinction is unprecedented, unwarranted and unfair.” The health of citizens in rural regions will be jeopardized by the new rules while mining and agricultural interests will benefit. The EPA’s dust proposal “can and should be withdrawn. All of us breathe the same air. We should all have the same protection.”
The Sacramento Bee – Editorial, January 27, 2006
www.sacbee.com
"Groups gasping over air proposal"
Local air officials are concerned that people in the Central Valley might breathe dirtier air if a proposed rule ends federal dust monitoring in rural areas. The Bush Administration proposal, through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, would establish a new dust standard and provide a national exemption for farming and mining in rural areas. According to Brent Newell, staff attorney at the Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment, “If this proposal goes through, rural residents will have lesser protection under the law than urban residents.”
The Modesto Bee – Michael G. Mooney and Mark Grossi, January 19, 2006
www.modbee.com
"Is It Warm in Here?"
Scientists now believe that new habitats for butterflies are early effects of global climate change, but unless that environmental phenomena affects one’s personal life, humans aren’t likely to change their behavioral patterns. Some researchers believe that the severe drought conditions in the Amazon are irreversible, and this frustrates scientists who predicted more than 20 years ago that global warming was real and dangerous. The author concludes that the U.S. may be “all but ignoring the biggest story in the history of humankind” by not recognizing the tragic consequences of climate change.
The Washington Post – David Ignatius, January 18, 2006
www.washingtonpost.com
"States Adopt California's Greenhouse Gas Limits"
Despite auto industry opposition, Massachusetts has joined Oregon, Connecticut and five other states in adopting California’s landmark greenhouse gas emissions rules, which restrict the amount of carbon dioxide and other gases from vehicles. California’s rule – signed into law in 2003 and approved by the California Air Resources Board in 2004 – takes effect for the 2009 model year and requires a 30% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2016. If California is allowed by the Environmental Protection Agency to impose the new regulations, the federal Clean Air Act enables other states with poor air quality to adopt California's rules after Agency approval.
The Washington Post – Sholnn Freeman, January 3, 2006
www.washingtonpost.com
"EPA Issues New Plan to Limit Soot"
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed new standards for fine particulate matter, which many critics say will do little to prevent thousands of Americans from dying prematurely. The proposed rules are substantially weaker than those recommended by the agency’s own staff and scientific advisory panel after their review of approximately 2,000 new studies on the pollutant’s health effect.
Los Angeles Times – Miguel Bustillo and Marla Cone, December 21, 2005
www.latimes.com
"Another small step"
In this editorial, The Fresno Bee explains why the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District’s decision to impose fees on new construction is good for the region. “It’s another small, but important step, in the long struggle to clean up the dirty air we all breathe.”
The Fresno Bee – Editorial, December 17, 2005
www.fresnobee.com
"Pollution fees fall to builders"
The San Joaquin Valley became the first region in the nation to tackle air pollution created by city sprawl. After over four hours of deliberation, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District Governing Board approved unprecedented rules that will charge fees for new construction on the edge of towns. These fees, estimated to raise $103 million in the next three years, will buy clean-running buses and street sweepers, as well as pay for other fixes to reduce the smog, dust and soot that make the Valley one of the worst air basins in the country.
The Fresno Bee – Mark Grossi, December 16, 2005
www.fresnobee.com
"Air rules target Valley sprawl"
The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District Board of Directors is considering a controversial rule that would place fees on new housing, businesses, and commercial buildings. The Building Industry Association is opposed to this Indirect Source Rule (ISR) saying that all homeowners – not just new ones – should pay fees for development. The ISR would require builders to “make air-quality-friendly developments or ante up fees for pollution coming from the additional traffic.” Environmentalists support the rule saying that it will help the Valley address its severe air pollution problems by better regulating sprawl.
The Fresno Bee – Mark Gross, December 12, 2005
www.fresnobee.com
"Fresno’s cow count rising. As dairies arrive, expand, county isn’t following area’s lead in regulation"
Despite having the third-highest dairy growth in the San Joaquin Valley in comparison to other counties in the region, Fresno County leaders are doing little to address this threat to environmental and human health. “Fresno County is in the Stone Age when it comes to protecting residents from dairy pollution,” says lawyer Brent Newell of the Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment. “When you have one in six children carrying inhalers for asthma, it’s neglect of their duty for the county to look the other way.”
The Fresno Bee – Mark Grossi, December 5, 2005
www.fresnobee.com
"Hot on Parkinson’s Trail"
Scientists have amassed evidence that long-term exposure to toxic compounds, especially pesticides, can trigger Parkinson’s disease. While several pesticides have been implicated in Parkinson’s symptoms in animals, hundreds of agricultural and industrial chemicals probably play a role. Researchers are trying to obtain more data on this link by studying populations in agricultural regions such as the San Joaquin Valley which suffer disproportionately high exposures to pesticides.
Los Angeles Times – Marla Cone, November 27, 2005
www.latimes.com
"Haze dims hope of clean air milestone"
Over the Thanksgiving week, the San Joaquin Valley’s air became especially bad, causing violations of the PM-10 standard – particulate matter including dust, soot and other microscopic debris. Even for adults with sound lungs, the air was considered unhealthy through most of the eight-county Valley from Stockton to Bakersfield. If the Valley had remained clean until the end of the year, it would have achieved the standard for the first time.
The Fresno Bee – Mark Grossi, November 24, 2005
www.fresnobee.com
"Winter may be setback for air"
On November 1, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District will begin its third season enforcing wood-burning restrictions. Given the forecast for higher-priced heating bills and $3-a-gallon-plus gasoline, air quality authorities are concerned that an expected increase in fireplace usage this winter will wipe out the Valley’s chances of achieving the federal health standard for PM-10, tiny specks of ash, soot, dirt and chemicals. If there are no violations between now and December 31, the Valley will achieve the standard for the first time since its existence.
The Fresno Bee – Mark Grossi, October 30, 2005
www.fresnobee.com
"Got Milk"
This Terrain Magazine article explores how the San Joaquin Valley, described as the birthplace of industrial agriculture, has become the largest dairy region in the world, and notes that the Valley concurrently became the most polluted air basin in the country.
Terrain Magazine – John Gibler, Fall 2005
www.terrainmagazine.org
"Air-quality fee causes furor"
The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District has spent two years refining a complex formula that would determine how much money to collect from new commercial and residential development. These indirect-source rules, mandated by California’s Clean Air Act of 1988 and Senate Bill 709 adopted two years ago, are gaining national and international attention as the fees would be the first of their kind adopted by a large air district and might serve as a model elsewhere. A coalition of builders, businesses and anti-tax groups has mounted a campaign to block the adoption of these fees on most new buildings from Stockton to Bakersfield. If the fees are approved on December 15, 2005, builders would start paying in February.
The Modesto Bee – Garth Stapley, October 24, 2005
www.modbee.com
"Pesticide Case Is Upping the Ante"
The March 2004 poisoning of an agricultural worker in Oakdale, California, triggered California’s first criminal prosecution in a pesticide-related matter in 14 years. The trial is scheduled to begin next month, as regulators and farmworker advocates press for stricter and more consistent pesticide enforcement.
Los Angeles Times – Lee Romney, October 10, 2005
www.latimes.com
"Diesel Fumes From Ports Raising Cancer Risk in Region, Study Says"
According to a new study, diesel fumes from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are elevating the risk of cancer not only adjacent to the ports, but many miles inland. The study concludes that potential cancer risk from port-related diesel fumes exceeds 50 additional cases of cancer per million people for residents within 15 miles of the two ports. According to Jerry Martin, spokesman for the California Air Resources Board, with two million residents in the study area, that results in 100 individuals “who are going to have cancer for no other reason than the diesel pollution from the ports.”
Los Angeles Times – Deborah Schoch, October 5, 2005
www.latimes.com
"Bad air, bad health show stronger ties"
Recent air pollution studies illustrate that the San Joaquin Valley has new impetus to clean up its air. One University of Southern California (USC) study indicates that pollution is causing more premature deaths than previously thought (see "Air Pollution Found To Pose Greater Danger To Health Than Earlier Thought” below). A second USC study describes how children who live next to busy freeways are more likely to suffer from asthma. Children living one quarter of a mile away from a freeway had an 89% higher risk of asthma than those living one mile away from the heavy traffic.
The Fresno Bee – Barbara Anderson, September 21, 2005
www.fresnobee.com
"Air Pollution Found To Pose Greater Danger To Health Than Earlier Thought”
A new University of Southern California study indicates that scientists have been underestimating air pollution’s role in causing early death. American and Canadian researchers studied 20 years’ worth of data on Los Angeles metropolitan area residents and found that pollution’s chronic health effects are two to three times greater than earlier believed.
Science Daily – September 21, 2005
www.sciencedaily.com
"Polluted paradise"
Sequoia-Kings Canyon has become America’s most polluted national park, with more smoggy days than in Atlanta or New York. While the federal Clean Air Act designates Sequoia-Kings Canyon as a “Class 1 Airshed,” which gives the park service some control over big emitters within 90 miles of the park, most of the pollution that reaches Sequoia comes from many sources outside and inside the San Joaquin Valley. Hundreds, if not thousands, of small sources such as cattle feedlots, household chemicals, boats, pain fumes, diesel trucks, unpaved roads, pesticides, petroleum refining, manufacturers, small businesses and auto tailpipes are polluting Sequoia’s blue skies.
Los Angeles Times – Gary Polakovic, September 13, 2005
www.latimes.com
"San Joaquin Valley battles state’s worst air. Community works to make the mountains visible again and let everyone breathe easier"
This San Francisco Chronicle articulates how Valley residents are mobilizing in a way they haven’t in the past. “Five years ago, there was nothing. No Central Valley Air Quality Coalition. We didn’t have a program,” says Mark Stout, an air quality consultant for Fresno Metro Ministries.
San Francisco Chronicle – Greg Lucas, August 30, 2005
www.sfgate.com
"Air quality monitoring OK’d"
Assembly Bill 841, authored by State Assembly Member Juan Arambula (D-Fresno), has passed the Assembly on a 51-22 vote, and now goes to Governor Schwarzenegger for his signature. The bill would require local air officials to start monitoring pollution in western Fresno County. While nearly 30 monitoring sites operate in the San Joaquin Valley near big cities and in the east, no sites are currently located in the 230 miles between Tracy and Taft on the west side.
The Fresno Bee – Jennifer M. Fitzenberger, August 30, 2005
www.fresnobee.com
"Changing air board is worth a try"
In this endorsement of California Senate Bill 999, authored by State Senator Mike Machado (D-Linden), The Bakersfield Californian notes that the bill would give more clout to the southern San Joaquin Valley in deciding air cleanup strategies by securing a permanent seat for the city of Bakersfield on the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District governing board. In addition to giving permanent seats to the Valley’s three largest cities, the bill would also add a physician and air quality scientist to the board.
The Bakersfield Californian – Editorial, August 24, 2005
www.bakersfield.com
"FOLLOW-UP: A cleaner smog board"
As a follow-up to an August 7 editorial, the San Francisco Chronicle reminds readers why it believes the California Assembly should pass Senate Bill 999 authored by State Senator Mike Machado (D-Linden). This legislation would expand the membership of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District Board of Directors from 11 to 15 members in order to include additional representation from urban areas and members of the public. Supported by the Central Valley Air Quality (CVAQ) Coalition, of which the Kirsch Foundation is a member, SB 999 would broaden the voices setting regional air quality policy and put the region on a path to solving its air quality.
San Francisco Chronicle – August 17, 2005
www.sfgate.com
"Bill seeks to shake up valley air board"
A controversial bill is currently pending with California lawmakers that would shake up the San Joaquin Valley’s Air Pollution Control Board by giving permanent seats to the Valley’s three largest cities and adding a physician and air quality scientist to the board. The bill’s author, Senator Mike Machado (D) from the Stockton area, says the current air board has failed in its responsibility to protect Valley residents from the smog that has been blamed for an epidemic of asthma and other health problems.
The Bakersfield Californian – Vic Pollard, August 13, 2005
www.bakersfield.com
"Where are the smog police?"
In its forceful endorsement of California Senate Bill 999, authored by State Senator Mike Machado (D-Linden), the San Francisco Chronicle has joined the media chorus in support of this critical legislation. SB 999 would expand the membership of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District Board of Directors from 11 to 15 members in order to include additional representation from urban areas and members of the public. The Chronicle's editors write: "It's time to broaden the voices and the debate over cleaning the valley's air."
San Francisco Chronicle – Editorial, August 7, 2005
www.sfgate.com
"In San Joaquin Valley, Cows Pass Cars as Polluters"
The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District recently announced its estimate for volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions from cows. According to the new estimate of 19.3 pounds of VOCs per cow per year, the region’s bovine population is the single biggest source of smog-forming gases.
Los Angeles Times – Miguel Bustillo, August 2, 2005
www.latimes.com
"Some balk at blaming dairy cows for Valley air pollution"
Five university scientists say local air authorities could be making a major mistake in a new estimate that makes dairy cows the San Joaquin Valley’s biggest source of one smog-making gas. The local air district is expected to make its estimate of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) final on August 1, 2005, increasing the amount of VOCs credited from cow waste by more than 60% over the old estimate.
The Fresno Bee – Mark Grossi, July 15, 2005
www.fresnobee.com
"Reading, Writing & Human Experimentation"
In this Environmental News Network guest commentary, a Los Angeles-area high school student explains why AB 405 (Montañez) is important. Currently, California law allows pesticides that have not received full health, stability and efficacy tests to be used on school campuses. This oversight in the law exposes school children, teachers and other members of the public to unreasonable and unknown health risks. AB 405 would close this loophole, prohibiting the use of experimental pesticides in schools.
Environmental News Network – Brandon Stirling Baker, July 12, 2005
www.enn.com
"Possible interstate status stirs fears"
California's Highway 99, which at times carries four times the number of cars and trucks as Interstate 5, is currently under consideration to become an interstate. While the issue has divided the Central Valley, leaders have agreed to let state and federal officials begin discussing the interstate move.
The Bakersfield Californian – Sarah Ruby, July 4, 2005
www.bakersfield.com
"Dairy built without permit"
A former Chino dairyman faces a federal lawsuit seeking a $15 million fine for allegedly building his new Tulare County dairy without an air permit. The lawsuit was filed by the Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment on behalf of San Joaquin Valley advocates. "It's about time dairies start doing their part," says local resident Tom Franz, president of the activist group Association of Irritated Residents, the plaintiff. "We will not subsidize the dairy industry with our lungs."
The Fresno Bee – Mark Grossi, June 20, 2005
www.fresnobee.com
"Official smog season begins"
The San Joaquin Valley, which typically leads the nation in daylong smog violations, officially begins smog season. Although the air has not recently been particularly bad – the Valley has only five bad air days so far this spring, about a quarter of last year's total to date – the clean spring does not necessarily mean easy breathing in summer.
The Fresno Bee – Mark Grossi, June 7, 2005
www.fresnobee.com
"Study links asthma, freeway proximity"
The closer children live to a freeway or major thoroughfare, the more likely that they will develop asthma, say researchers from the University of Southern California. Presented at the American Thoracic Society's annual meeting on May 23, 2005, this conclusion resulted from a study of the health of 5,300 children in 13 communities. Study investigator Dr. Rob McConnell believes the report is important "because about 15 percent of our population lives within 80 yards of a major road and one-third live within 160 yards."
The San Diego Union-Tribune – Cheryl Clark, May 24, 2005
www.signonsandiego.com
"Valley air board needs strength of new voices"
The Modesto Bee joins The Fresno Bee in endorsing California Senate Bill 999, authored by State Senator Mike Machado (D-Linden), which would strengthen the leadership of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District Board of Directors. The Bee editorial board writes that the region's air creates a significant health hazard for area residents and "it needs to be an urgent concern for everyone in the Valley."
The Modesto Bee – Editorial, May 16, 2005
www.modbee.com
"The public interest – Expanding air district's board will limit special interests' power"
The Fresno Bee endorses California Senate Bill 999, authored by State Senator Mike Machado (D-Linden), which would "strengthen the leadership" of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District Board of Directors. By adding members representing medical, scientific and environmental fields, the Bee argues that these "useful changes" to the Board's makeup will help clean up the Valley's dirty air.
The Fresno Bee – Editorial, May 3, 2005
www.fresnobee.com
"Air board needs to embrace the truth"
Fresno Bee Columnist Bill McEwen criticizes the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District Board of Directors for its opposition to California Senate Bill 999 authored by State Senator Mike Machado (D-Linden). This legislation would add six public members, including experts in air quality, health, and land use/transportation. With 1 in 6 of the Valley's children suffering from asthma, McEwen argues that SB 999 is critical to solving the region's pollution problems.
The Fresno Bee – Bill McEwen, May 1, 2005
www.fresnobee.com
"Florez backs pesticide warnings"
This Fresno Bee article highlights issues surrounding two bills dealing with pesticide use in California. SB 509, authored by State Senator Dean Florez (D-Shafter), requires agricultural commissioners to notify people within one mile of a pesticide spray at least 24 hours before the application. SB 879, authored by State Senator Martha Escutia (D-Whittier), requires fines to be levied against violators of pesticide laws and speeds up the investigation process. The state's San Joaquin Valley ranks the highest statewide for pesticide use, with hundreds of violations annually but few penalties assessed.
The Fresno Bee – Jennifer M. Fitzenberger, April 20, 2005
www.fresnobee.com
"Bus fumes worse for kids on board"
In a study published in this month's journal of Environmental Science & Technology, researchers have determined that children riding buses in the L.A. Unified School District inhale as much, or more, bus exhaust than the rest of the city's population. Exhaust from the buses, particularly older vehicles, was found to leak into the cabin.
Los Angeles Times – Shari Roan, April 18, 2005
www.latimes.com
"Grants aimed at addressing air quality"
A series of recent grants from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation will help fund environmental advocacy work and air pollution monitoring in the San Joaquin Valley. The Hewlett Foundation's New Constituencies for the Environment program will fund efforts by grassroots organizations such as Fresno Metro Ministry and Latino Issues Forum to raise awareness of the serious public health impacts of air quality.
Fresno Bee – Barbara Anderson, March 13, 2005
www.fresnobee.com
"Air district issues alert over high level of pollution"
The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District issued an unhealthy air quality alert last week in response to an unexpected spike in particulate matter (PM) levels. Levels of PM 2.5 – the smallest form of the fine particles that can irritate lungs and exacerbate breathing problems – exceeded 153, meaning the air was unhealthy for everyone. During such spikes, the Air District recommends that individuals limit outdoor activity.
Bakersfield Californian – March 12, 2005
www.bakersfield.com
"In Search of Farm Equipment to Lessen Air Pollution"
Legislation approved last year in California to regulate agricultural pollution has prompted San Joaquin Valley farmers and growers to seek innovative solutions to the regional air quality problem. Alternative products and methods, such as wood chippers that eliminate the need for burning waste, have led to reduced emissions from smoke, dust, pesticides, and fertilizers.
Los Angeles Times – Jerry Hirsch, February 12, 2005
www.latimes.com
"Bush's 'Clear Skies' Plan Is a Step Back, Report Says"
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) predicts the Bush administration's "Clear Skies" proposal could set back environmental protection laws for over 25 years, according to the Los Angeles Times. The NAS interim report, written by a panel of university professors and researchers, found that new regulations would significantly weaken air pollution controls currently in place under the existing Clean Air Act.
Los Angeles Times – Miguel Bustillo, January 14, 2005
www.latimes.com
"Can a divided world tackle global warming in 2005?"
The Financial Times explores why global warming will be a key dividing issue in 2005. Prime Minister Tony Blair plans to push the issue on the G8 agenda, but he faces opposition from President Bush and other worldwide leaders whose countries have refuse to ratify the Kyoto Protocol. Business groups and conservatives in the US are skeptical of scientific evidence for climate change, while employers in the UK have welcomed government action to reduce emissions.
Financial Times – Fiona Harvey, January 3, 2005
www.ft.com
"Catching our breath"
Two years ago, The Fresno Bee published "The Last Gasp," which extensively profiled the San Joaquin Valley's air quality woes. With this update, the author writes: "The air in America's most productive farm belt often remains more dangerous than the nation's two dirtiest metropolitan areas, Los Angeles and Houston." The article focuses on asthma impacts, legal actions, and regulatory compliance in the Valley.
The Fresno Bee – Mark Grossi, December 19, 2004
www.fresnobee.com
"Governor names state EPA chief"
California Governor Schwarzenegger announced this week that Dr. Alan Lloyd, chairman of the state's Air Resources Board, would serve as the new secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency. He will replace Terry Tamminen whom Schwarzenegger recently promoted to Cabinet Secretary. Lloyd brings a wealth of experience on environmental issues, with a focus on air pollution and vehicle emissions laws.
San Jose Mercury News – Paul Rogers, December 17, 2004
www.mercurynews.com
"Schwarzenegger Vows to Defend Emissions Law"
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has vowed to fight a lawsuit filed by the nine major automakers this week to block the state's new vehicle emissions law. According to The New York Times, the auto industry is suing in federal court arguing that the law is preempted by federal authority to regulate fuel economy. Environmental groups disagree and say they are prepared to defend the new law in court.
The New York Times - Danny Hakim, December 8, 2004
www.nytimes.com
"Cleaner cars, cleaner air for R.I."
Rhode Island may soon join Massachusetts, Vermont, and New York in adopting the California vehicle emissions standard. According to this Providence Journal op-ed, Rhode Island consistently ranks among the worst states for smog pollution and risk of cancer development from air toxics.
The Providence Journal – Matthew Auten and Margaret Kane, November 15, 2004
www.projo.com
"Peering at the Sticker on a Cleaner Car"
Environmental groups and the auto industry disagree about how much cars will need to change to conform to California's new air quality standards requiring manufacturer's to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Tom Austin, consultant for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, found that proposed modifications would cost $4,361 for each vehicle and would result in less attractive cars. Louise Bedsworth, representing the Union of Concerned Scientists, argues that the changes could be accomplished for around $1,000 per car through modifications in aerodynamics, tire tread, engine efficiency, and air conditioners.
The New York Times – Danny Hakim, November 2, 2004
www.nytimes.com
"Respiratory Ills in Kids Linked to Traffic Pollution"
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that a recent Bay Area study was the first in the United States to evaluate the health risk to children from traffic pollution. The survey monitored the respiratory symptoms of 1,109 children and found evidence that contaminants from busy roadways contributed to moderately higher levels of asthma and bronchitis-related illnesses.
San Francisco Chronicle – Jane Kay, October 20, 2004
www.sfgate.com
"Pressure points"
Scientists recognize that climate change could have a devastating effect on fragile ecosystems around the world. This article describes a dozen of the most threatened places where global warming could have serious impacts on land, air, water, and wildlife. Among the places listed: the Sahara desert, Amazon forest, and Greenland ice sheet.
The Guardian (UK) – Ian Sample, October 14, 2004
www.guardian.co.uk
"Too Young to Die, Part Two: Toxic Legacy"
In Part 2 of a 5-part series on infant mortality, the San Francisco Chronicle describes high rates of infant death in communities impacted by pollution. In the Central Valley, Kern County contained ten ZIP codes with the highest rate of infant death for 1992 through 2001 and the Hispanic infant-mortality rate was twice as high as it was for all of California. The article cites air pollution, agricultural waste, and pesticides as potential causes of permanent health problems for mothers and babies.
San Francisco Chronicle -- Reynolds Holding and Erin McCormick, October 4, 2004
www.sfgate.com
"Putting the heat on: New regulations could help forestall frightening changes from pollution."
This Fresno Bee editorial urges the California Air Resources Board to maintain pressure on the auto industry in the effort to limit greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles. The Board is meeting this week to consider recommendations from its staff for new regulations for passenger cars, light trucks and SUVs in the state. Environmentalists generally support the draft regulations, while automakers continue to raise objections.
Fresno Bee – Editorial, September 19, 2004
www.fresnobee.com
"Smog harms children's lungs for life, study finds"
The Los Angeles Times reports that despite decades of cleanup efforts to reduce smog, the amount of air pollution still found in parts of Southern California can stunt lung growth in children and lead to a lifetime of health problems. According to the study to be released by the New England Journal of Medicine this week, children breathing dirty air were nearly five times more likely to grow up with weak lungs than children in less polluted communities. The damage was similar to what is found in kids whose parents regularly smoked around them.
Los Angeles Times – Miguel Bustillo, September 9, 2004
www.latimes.com
"Warning about warming – state faces dire impacts of inaction"
The Sacramento Bee editorializes about California's future "based on a continuation of today's head-in-the-sand political waffling at the national level over global warming." A new study published in the National Academy of Sciences journal illustrates that fossil fuel emissions and deforestation cause climate change. California's weather patterns are expected to change dramatically in future years, with increasingly higher average temperatures, unless greenhouse gas emissions are reduced. California must set the bar for the rest of the country by passing and implementing laws and regulations that halt these trends.
Sacramento Bee – Editorial, August 19, 2004
www.sacbee.com
"A broader view: Expanding the board of the Valley's air district makes plenty of sense"
This Fresno Bee editorial urges the California Legislature to support SB 999, authored by Senator Mike Machado, which would remake the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District board of directors so that it becomes more regional. The Bee argues that the current narrow-minded view of the board is not effective given the region's air quality woes. SB 999 would expand the board to include three public members with air quality expertise, making it "more responsive and less parochial."
Fresno Bee – Editorial, August 1, 2004
www.fresnobee.com
"Good climate fight: state vs. carmakers"
California is again leading the nation by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from new vehicles. This Mercury News editorial points out that the new state regulations will save consumers money in addition to fighting global warming.
Mercury News – Editorial, June 21, 2004
www.mercurynews.com
"EPA approves Valley plan to clean up air"
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved a proposed plan to clean up the San Joaquin Valley's particulate matter air pollution. The plan, however, would extend deadlines to clean up the air and provide no clear path to ensure that the predicted reductions are realized.
Fresno Bee – Mark Grossi, April 30, 2004
www.fresnobee.com
"Valley now has worst air in nation"
Based on the Environmental Protection Agency's evaluation of the U.S. under a new health-based smog metric, California's San Joaquin Valley is now officially the smoggiest region in the country. While the new standard has resulted in new cleanup deadlines, advocates of clean air are pushing to retain smog deadlines created under the old rules as well.
Fresno Bee – Mark Grossi, April 15, 2004
www.fresnobee.com
"We did nothing; now we must pay"
Because automakers opposed modest increases in fuel economy for the past 25 years, they will eventually have to face a government mandate of significant major mileage increases, according to this Automotive News op-ed. The author argues that if manufacturers had embraced continuous gradual fuel economy increases, both the economy and the environment would be better off.
Automotive News – Keith Crain, April 5, 2004
www.autonews.com
"Carbon Dioxide Levels Rising Faster; Buildup Sets Record"
According to a high-altitude atmospheric observatory in Hawaii, the rate of carbon dioxide accumulation in the atmosphere is accelerating. Carbon dioxide is one of the major greenhouse gases contributing to global warming. The United States is the largest emitter of carbon dioxide in the world.
LA Times – AP Newswire, March 21, 2004
www.latimes.com
"Insurer warns of global warming 'catastrophe""
Swiss Re, the world's second largest insurance company, has warned the public that the amount of damage caused by climate change will be $150 billion per year by 2014. The company's new report urges governments to take action to avert massive loss of life and property in the near future.
CNN - Reuters, March 4, 2004
www.cnn.com
"Science group accuses Bush administration of twisting research"
According to an open letter from 60 scientists, including 20 Nobel laureates, the Bush Administration regularly eliminates and ignores government scientific data that does not support its policy decisions. The letter outlines a number of cases, including the Administration's removal of global warming analyses, over the past three years.
Mercury News – Seth Borenstein, February 19, 2004
www.mercurynews.com
"Air plan closes in on EPA approval; But environmental group threatens to sue if plan advances"
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) signaled its intent to approve a proposed particulate matter clean up plan for the San Joaquin Valley. Advocates of clean air argue that the proposal lacks tangible measures to improve air quality and will likely sue the EPA for a stronger plan if approved.
Fresno Bee – Russell Clemings, January 29, 2004
www.fresnobee.com
"Panel of Experts Finds That Anti-Pollution Laws Are Outdated"
The National Research Council of the National Academies concluded that today's air pollution laws are inadequate to protect public health. The panel found that without significant action taken immediately, substantial increases in pollution would occur in the future due to economic and population growth.
New York TImes – Andrew C. Revkin, January 30, 2004
www.nytimes.com
"Lawmaker wants gas guzzlers to pay more for registration"
In a bold environmental proposal, an Arizona Republican State Senator proposed a vehicle registration system to incentivize clean vehicles. Sen. Slade Mead's approach would account for the societal costs of pollution and road wear in larger vehicles through increased registration fees. That revenue would be used to lower registration fees in clean fuel-efficient vehicles.
Arizona Daily Sun – Howard Fischer, January 14, 2004
www.azdailysun.com
"District seeks air quality downgrade"
The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, unable to meet federal standards by 2005, has applied for the nation's dirtiest air designation, extreme. Joining Los Angeles, the only other city in America to carry such status, the Valley will have more time to clean its air, but will put itself under a stricter penalty and cleanup schedule.
Oakland Tribune – Dave Myhra, December 19, 2003
www.oaklandtribune.com
"Court Blocks U.S. Effort to Relax Pollution Rule"
A federal appeals court has issued a temporary injunction against the Bush Administration's efforts to relax power plant pollution rules. The Environmental Protection Agency's proposed new rules would have allowed power plants to expand without having to upgrade their clean up technology.
New York Times – Katharine Q. Seelye and Jennifer 8. Lee, December 24, 2003
www.nytimes.com
"Bay Area's air flunks standards; EPA says region violates new federal clean-air rules"
The San Francisco Bay Area did not meet a new health-based clean air standard for 2003, according to this San Francisco Chronicle article. As a non-attainment region, the Bay Area must create a plan to clean up its air or face sanctions under the federal Clean Air Act.
San Francisco Chronicle – Jane Kay, December 5, 2003
www.sfgate.com
"Funding Studies to Suit Need"
Large polluters, particularly oil companies, have silently become major funders of research initiatives crafted to protect themselves from liability. Pointing to studies ranging from the dangers of large jury awards to the non-existence of global warming, companies are paying for research with the goal of bringing obscure theories that support their business models into the mainstream.
Los Angeles Times – Alan Zarembo, December 3, 2003
www.latimes.com
"Better Energy Legislation"
In this editorial, the Washington Post discusses the shortcomings of the failed federal energy bill and advocates for its wholesale rewrite next year. Characterizing the legislation as a handout to special interests, the editorial board suggests that a successful measure would best be written by removing incentives for fossil fuels and allocating those funds toward research in clean technologies.
Washington Post – Editorial, November 29, 2003
www.washingtonpost.com
"Valley smog season worst in 14 years"
California's San Joaquin Valley now holds the title of the smoggiest region in the United States due to its number of days in violation of the eight-hour ozone health standard. According to air district records, the Valley has had unhealthy levels of smog for 128 days thus far in 2003.
Fresno Bee – Mark Grossi, November 2, 2003
www.fresnobee.com
"U.S. Senate Preempts California's Curbs on Small-Engine Smog"
The Senate has approved an amendment weakening the Clean Air Act by removing states' ability to require cleaner burning small engines. By inserting a trailer amendment in an unrelated appropriations bill, the Senate was able to pass a bill that significantly hinders California's ability to clean its air.
Los Angeles Times – Elizabeth Shogren and Gary Polakovic, November 13, 2003
www.latimes.com
"Lockyer rips EPA on Clean Air Act"
In response to the federal Environmental Protection Agency's ruling that global warming gases are not pollutants and its refusal to regulate them as such, California and eleven other states filed suit against the EPA. Bill Lockyer, California's Attorney General who initiated the lawsuit, expressed his disappointment in the EPA's lack of commitment to environmental protection and committed to persevere in the case to protect the public health of all residents.
Sacramento Bee – Jim Sanders, October 24, 2003
www.sacbee.com
"Global Warming Deaths on the Rise"
Global warming causes the deaths of approximately 160,000 people every year according to this article in Wired. Effects ranging from disease to famine are responsible for the numbers, and could double by 2020 if global warming pollution is not reduced.
Wired – September 20, 2003
www.wired.com
"Study Finds Net Gain From Pollution Rules"
A cost-benefit analysis by the Federal Office of Management and Budget has found that environmental regulations hold significant net benefits to society that far outweigh their initial cost to industry. The Washington Post reports that such environmental laws yield payoffs of five to seven times the cost of their implementation.
Washington Post – Eric Pianin, September 27, 2003
www.washingtonpost.com
"The polluter's EPA"
In this editorial, the Sacramento Bee examines the revolving door between industry lobbyists and EPA employees in light of recent regulatory relaxations. After the Bush Administration eased rules governing power plant emissions, several of the officials responsible left to work for the industry they previously regulated. The editorial board uses this example to highlight the continuing erosion of environmental laws by industry representatives working within the federal government.
Sacramento Bee – Editorial, September 6, 2003
www.sacbee.com
"Electric vehicles are far from a 'disaster'"
The Kirsch Foundation's Vice President, Public Policy, Susan Frank, defends zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) and their positive impact on air quality in this letter to the editor. Ms. Frank provides evidence of the enormous success of California's ZEV program and urges continued support of the fight for clean vehicles.
Mercury News – Susan Frank, August 18, 2003
www.bayarea.com
"Taking care of No. 1: Children come second for some Valley pols"
