Team Number 1
Team Members: Grant McNulty and Evan Johnston
Section: 01
Search Terms: “air pollution,” “air particulate,” and “particulates”
Sample Size: 213
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Report Information from ProQuest
March 17 2013 23:03
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17 March 2013 ProQuest
Table of contents
1. SMOG IN L.A. IS STILL TOPS IN NATION; The metropolitan area averages more than 140 days a
year
with dangerous ozone..................................................................................................................................... 1
2. Small railroad is on track to go green; A $6.7-million state grant helps a Modesto firm buy
locomotives
with lower emissions........................................................................................................................................ 2
3. CALIFORNIA; Port pollution limits sought; Air quality board seeks to enforce voluntary reductions
and
impose fines..................................................................................................................................................... 4
4. CALIFORNIA; Traffic pollution speeds hardening of arteries; Study finds artery walls thicken twice
as fast
in people who live near freeways.................................................................................................................... 6
5. EPA proposes tough new smog rules.......................................................................................................... 7
6. Santa Monica Airport a major pollution source............................................................................................. 9
7. THE NATION; EPA agrees to set air pollution rules by 2011; Oil- and coal-fired power plants would
be
forced to reduce mercury emissions................................................................................................................ 11
8. A CLOSER LOOK: AIR POLLUTION; Spewing out some more bad news; Consequences of breathing
polluted air include appendicitis and ear infections, new studies indicate.......................................................
13
9. EPA proposes new rule to help curb smog; The regulation, to be the focus of a hearing in L.A. today,
would increase monitoring of nitrogen dioxide................................................................................................ 15
10. CALIFORNIA; Concerns about smog drop in state; A smaller proportion of residents, especially in
L.A.
County, see air pollution as 'a big problem,' a poll finds.................................................................................. 16
11. THE NATION; U.S. and California rules will reduce ship emissions; The required use of cleaner
fuels is
expected to improve coastal air quality........................................................................................................... 18
12. Bill aims to improve local air quality............................................................................................................ 20
13. CALIFORNIA; Bakersfield is No. 1 in fine-particle pollution....................................................................... 22
14. Downturn a boon for China's air quality; The shutting of factories and drops in production have
kept
alive pollution gains made during Olympics.................................................................................................... 23
15. EPA wants cuts in air pollution from ships.................................................................................................. 25
16. Medicine; There's a chance of migraine in the forecast............................................................................. 27
17. Low-level ozone exposure found to be lethal over time; An 18-year study links long-term
pollution levels
to a higher annual risk of death from respiratory ills........................................................................................ 28
18. TRANSPORTATION; Cleanup at ports starts to pay off; Older polluting trucks are being barred or
fined
and electric ones rolled out as emissions plan gains momentum................................................................... 30
19. The Nation; Cleaner air seen boosting life span......................................................................................... 32
20. CALIFORNIA BRIEFING / SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY; Environmental groups sue EPA..............................
34
21. THE REGION; Pollution saps state's economy, study says; Deaths, illnesses linked to particulates
and
ozone cost $28 billion yearly, Cal State Fullerton report shows...................................................................... 35
22. PORTS; Agency objects to clean truck program; The Federal Maritime Commission seeks to
eliminate
parts of the anti-pollution effort........................................................................................................................ 37
23. THE REGION; State rules aim to drive down big-rig pollution................................................................... 39
24. The World; Pollution still shrouds its moment in the sun............................................................................ 40
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25. Lovely, but loaded with pollutants; Fireworks displays spew metals, carbon, fuels and other toxics
that
can linger for days or even longer................................................................................................................... 42
26. EPA's air tests to be challenged; Environmental groups plan to sue in an effort to get air quality
monitored along Southland freeways.............................................................................................................. 45
27. More deaths in state are linked to air pollution........................................................................................... 47
28. Pittsburgh tops L.A. in one pollution measure; But a new report shows Southland still ranks high
in foul
air..................................................................................................................................................................... 48
29. Plant said to emit toxic dust; Air regulators believe a cement factory near Riverside is the source
of a
potent carcinogen............................................................................................................................................ 50
30. Ports unveil cleanup plan; A $19-million proposal seeks to cut pollution by persuading shippers
to burn
cleaner fuel near the coast.............................................................................................................................. 53
31. Train, ship pollution targeted by EPA......................................................................................................... 55
32. Pollution rules will put a damper on fireplace use...................................................................................... 57
33. THE NATION; Limits on ship exhaust rejected; Appeals court says California needs U.S.
permission to
regulate pollution from ports of L.A. and Long Beach..................................................................................... 59
34. Study to gauge LAX's role in pollution; Unprecedented project will examine cities around the
airport...... 61
35. Long Beach port faces suit threat; Two environmental groups say the facility must reduce diesel
emissions in 90 days to avoid federal court..................................................................................................... 63
36. It's worse than dirty Dirty air has toxic components; L.A.'s notorious air pollution is hardest on
kids. The
closer to a freeway they live, play or attend school, the more likely it is that their developing lungs'
capacity
will be reduced................................................................................................................................................. 65
37. Do your part to breathe easier, indoors and out; Protective measures include checking the air
quality,
keeping the windows closed and driving less often......................................................................................... 69
38. Long Beach joins port ban on old trucks.................................................................................................... 71
39. SOUTHLAND BLAZES: AIR QUALITY; FEDERAL RESPONSE; The air won't do you good; Anyone
planning outdoor activities should think twice. Small children are particularly
vulnerable............................... 73
40. SOUTHLAND BLAZES: ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES; Southland residents waiting to inhale;
Unhealthful
air is expected to hang around even after fires and winds die. Stay indoors, experts advise.........................
75
41. SOUTHLAND BLAZES; Wherever the fire, Long Beach gets smoke; Santa Ana winds carry
pollution
even from far-off inland flames to the coastal city........................................................................................... 78
42. Brown to broaden fight over dirty air; The attorney general and environmental groups will ask
the U.S. to
regulate the emissions of ocean-going ships................................................................................................... 79
43. Hearth healthy; The wood-burning fireplace is taking a back seat to gas as pressure mounts for
cleanerair
standards.................................................................................................................................................... 82
44. Black-hearted ruling; The latest in a series of decisions gutting coal mining regulations will
devastate
mountain ecosystems...................................................................................................................................... 85
45. Ozone obligation; The EPA should follow its own scientific panel's recommendation and tighten
airquality
rules...................................................................................................................................................... 86
46. Vote could speed 11 new power plants in Southland; The AQMD allows developers to buy credits
to
offset pollution released by the facilities. Critics call the plan a sellout........................................................... 88
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47. Air board cracks down on diesel; State regulators adopt tough rules requiring huge cutbacks in
fumes
from construction industry equipment. Next up: big trucks.............................................................................. 90
48. Pollution-cholesterol link to heart disease seen; The combination activates genes that can cause
clogged arteries, UCLA researchers say......................................................................................................... 92
49. Keep the home fires burning...................................................................................................................... 94
50. Clean air plan OKd by Southland regulators; If fully implemented, fireplace use could be severely
restricted. Several officials express reservations about those parts of the proposal.......................................
96
51. The State; Plan to clean air may kill ambience; Regulation would limit wood-burning fireplace
construction and use....................................................................................................................................... 98
52. Judge strikes down tough rules on diesel; The Southland's smog- fighting agency had ordered
railroads
to cut emissions, but is told that it lacks the authority to do so........................................................................ 100
53. 2 ports aim to slash diesel exhaust; Such pollution by trucks on trips near the L.A. and Long Beach
facilities would fall 80%, draft plan says. Industry fears business may drop...................................................
102
54. State air board requests extension of federal deadline to reduce soot; Critics say the request for
five
more years -- to 2020 -- will mean more asthma and other health problems for
residents.................................... 105
55. The World; Asian air pollution affects our weather; Scientists report more clouds, stronger
storms in the
Pacific region................................................................................................................................................... 107
56. Train, ship soot to be cut 90% by 2030; The EPA proposes tougher regulations on nitrogen oxide
and
fine particulate matter, but the AQMD is critical of the long phase-in..............................................................
109
57. Rick Wartzman / CALIFORNIA & CO.; Airing a pollution solution for the ports..........................................
112
58. Mobile lab to scope out air hazards; A specially equipped car will measure pollution levels in
several
South Bay communities to help fill gaping holes in environmental data..........................................................
114
59. FREEWAY AIR DAMAGES YOUNG LUNGS; Children living nearby show signs of lifelong harm, USC
study finds........................................................................................................................................................ 117
60. Region seeks more power to fight pollution; The South Coast air board says state and federal
regulators are not doing enough to clean up trains, cargo ships and
airplanes............................................................... 119
61. As you live and breathe.............................................................................................................................. 121
62. EPA shortens science reviews, angering some......................................................................................... 123
63. Dire health effects of pollution reported; Diesel soot from construction equipment is blamed for
illnesses
and premature deaths..................................................................................................................................... 125
64. Another Hollywood production: smog; UCLA report says the movie and TV industry is a major
generator
of Southland pollution. An economist cautions that more rules may drive filming out of
state........................ 128
65. Trucks targeted in clean-air drive; Bond funds may boost a plan by the Long Beach and L.A. ports
to
replace older diesels, but more money is needed. Who will pay? It's still a bit hazy.......................................
129
66. EPA Criticized for Not Toughening Soot Law; Up to 24,000 lives could be saved annually in the
U.S.,
and savings on healthcare and in other areas would outweigh the costs, a panel says.................................
132
67. New EPA Rules on Soot and Dust Set; Widespread criticism greets the standards for human
exposure
to particulates. Some say ideas from scientific advisors were ignored........................................................... 135
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68. Natural Gas From Overseas Sources Is Raising Concerns; Critics say imported LNG burns hotter
and
pollutes more than the domestic product......................................................................................................... 137
69. California's dust bowl; Left in the Dust How Race and Politics Created a Human and
Environmental
Tragedy in L.A. Karen Piper Palgrave Macmillan: 224 pp., $24.95................................................................. 140
70. Skies Clear, EPA Rules; The agency says soot levels in the Central Valley have fallen and no new
cleanup is needed. Activists and others are skeptical..................................................................................... 143
71. Plan May Ease Air Pollution at Ports; Stricter international freighter rules would make L.A. and
Long
Beach facilities safer........................................................................................................................................ 145
72. Once Rivals, Local Ports Clear Air in Partnership; With a joint plan to stem pollution, Long Beach
and
L.A. harbors chart a new cooperative course.................................................................................................. 148
73. United on clean ports.................................................................................................................................. 151
74. Shipping Line Acts for Cleaner Air at L.A. Harbor; Maersk, with the busiest container terminal,
breaks
with the industry by saying all of its vessels calling at state ports will use low-sulfur
fuel............................... 153
75. THE NATION; On a Clear Day, You Can't See the Pollution; Views are improving at some national
parks as ozone is worsening. Grand Canyon, Sequoia and Death Valley are among those affected............
155
76. Suit Demands GE Modify Its Romoland Power Plant................................................................................. 157
77. A Trade Boom's Unintended Costs; Neighborhoods such as West Long Beach seek a balance
between
a thriving port and health concerns................................................................................................................. 158
78. THE WORLD; Mexico City a Living Laboratory for Smog Study; Atmospheric scientists are
studying the
reach and repercussions of pollution in the capital, thought by many to have the dirtiest air in
world............ 162
79. A Valley's Smog Toll Tallied; In the San Joaquin, resulting health costs are $3.2 billion a year, a Cal
State Fullerton study finds. That much would be gained by cleaner air..........................................................
164
80. Study Doubles Estimate of Smog Deaths; USC researchers amass measurements of lethal
particulate
matter from hundreds of locations in the L.A. Basin. State may raise its official figures.................................
166
81. Refineries Lose Appeal of AQMD Rule; Court tells Southland's biggest oil facilities to install new
controls on soot. Compliance will be costly and have little or no benefit, a group
says................................................ 169
82. Unique Power Plant Called Dirty; A poor Riverside County area would be hurt by the project now
under
construction, says a coalition filing notices of intent to sue............................................................................. 170
83. Curbs on Dust in the West Targeted; The EPA wants to drop the clean- air rules for rural areas. An
official with the air quality district for Owens Valley calls it 'outrageous.'.........................................................
172
84. The State; Gov.'s Growth, Clean Air Plans Said to Clash.......................................................................... 175
85. EPA Issues New Plan to Limit Soot; Critics say the revised standard is too weak to properly
protect the
public from health dangers caused by breathing particulates......................................................................... 177
86. Study Links Diesel Fumes to Illnesses; State air board focuses on the cargo industry -concentrated
around major seaports -- and proposes spending billions to cut
emissions....................................................... 180
87. State Seeking Ways to Speed Cargo; Officials in Sacramento are working on a plan to move
products
more swiftly through the state while also addressing pollution concerns........................................................
182
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88. Diesel Fumes From Ports Raising Cancer Risk in Region, Study Says; Pollution from L.A. and Long
Beach harbors is cited in findings released by Air Resources Board.............................................................. 184
89. THE STATE; L.A. Could Use Breath of Fresh Air...................................................................................... 187
90. New Harbor Panel Aims to Cut Pollution While Expanding Port................................................................
189
91. Study Links Freeways to Asthma Risk; USC research adds to evidence that air pollution can cause
respiratory problems........................................................................................................................................ 191
92. Outage Sparks New Air Quality Worries; A long-running debate over pollution is intensified when
oil
refineries lose power and burn gases as a safety precaution......................................................................... 193
93. Wines Fail the ... Smog Test?; Controls are proposed to curb ethanol, a pollutant, from San Joaquin
Valley vintners................................................................................................................................................. 196
94. 2 Ports Split on How to Clear the Air; L.A. and Long Beach share a bay but fight pollution in
different
ways. Environmentalists and area residents express their concerns.............................................................. 198
95. CALIFORNIA; Panel Backs Plan to Curb Pollution at Port; Industry and regulatory representatives
meet
to address emissions from ships, trucks and trains......................................................................................... 201
96. Port Clean-Air Plan Nearly Set; Experts ready proposals for pushing pollution back to 2001 levels
with
strict rules, growth cap..................................................................................................................................... 203
97. It's Not All Blue Skies for Drilling Project; Expansion of gas wells in Rocky Mountain states will
degrade
the air at several national parks....................................................................................................................... 205
98. Los Angeles; Plans for L.A. Port Focus on Pollution; Mayor's task force hears several
environmental
measures designed to cut levels of toxic emissions........................................................................................ 208
99. Plan to Cut Port Smog to Be Unveiled; Potential new rules and initiatives to reduce air pollution
could
require widespread changes and cost billions of dollars................................................................................. 210
100. Drugs May Offer Shield From Pollution's Harm; Researchers find that two types of medications
taken
for high blood pressure can apparently block the deadly effects of air contaminants.....................................
213
101. Study Finds Smog Raises Death Rate; Scientists researching pollution's short-term health effects
in 95
U.S. urban areas link mortality rates to higher daily ozone levels................................................................... 215
102. BEHIND THE WHEEL; Stuck on the Freeway? Here's Something Else to Fume About; Recent
studies
suggest that exposure to air pollution in stop-and-go traffic could increase cardiovascular
risks................... 217
103. The State; State Money Helped Dairies Dirty the Air; Angelides freezes future loans after saying
bonds
were used to build bigger, smoggier farms...................................................................................................... 219
104. Air Quality Improves Markedly; Officials credit cooler weather for less ozone. But Southern
California is
still failing to meet federal standards............................................................................................................... 223
105. AQMD Critical of Port Plan to Grow; The agency says Long Beach officials have underestimated
the
amount of smog likely to result from added berths.......................................................................................... 225
106. Los Angeles; Port's Effort to Cut Smog Is Criticized; Some Long Beach council members react
after
residents say that a report on an expansion project underestimates emissions.............................................
227
107. Kids Face Danger in the Air...................................................................................................................... 229
108. Smog Harms Children's Lungs for Life, Study Finds; Eight years of research yield the most
definitive
evidence yet that dirty air stunts lung growth.................................................................................................. 231
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109. Los Angeles; Long Beach Port Goes "Green"; The pollution-reduction program, thought to be the
first
in the U.S. for visiting oil tankers, aims to switch them from diesel to electricity.............................................
234
110. The State; State May Put Time Limit on Idling Trucks; Pollution officials are expected to pass a
rule
barring large diesel- powered vehicles from leaving engines running more than five
minutes........................ 236
111. Los Angeles; Ships Are Single Largest Polluter of Air at Port of L.A., Study Finds.................................
238
112. Clean-Air Order Undercut......................................................................................................................... 240
113. Regulators Order L.A., Orange Counties to Cut Fine-Particle Pollution...................................................
242
114. THE STATE; Court Upholds Imperial County Clean Air Rules; U.S. justices reject contention by
farmers and the EPA that Mexico is source of pollution.................................................................................. 244
115. AQMD Moves to Corral Cow Pollution..................................................................................................... 246
116. The State; As Smog Thickens, So Does the Debate................................................................................ 248
117. The Region; Smog District Will Not Back Down in Pushing Fleet Rules; Air pollution officials say
court
ruling does not prevent them from imposing standards on publicly owned and contractor
vehicles............... 251
118. Study Details Port Pollution Threat; Environmental groups' U.S. report, which ranks L.A. and
Long
Beach in the middle, calls for stricter regulation.............................................................................................. 253
119. Trains Are Targeted in Smog Fight; As more cargo leaves ports by rail, the AQMD seeks fines on
dirty
locomotives. Railroads tout voluntary plans for cleaner engines..................................................................... 256
120. The Nation; EPA's 9/11 Air Ratings Distorted, Report Says.................................................................... 259
121. The State; San Joaquin Valley Air Board OKs Plan to Reduce Diesel Smoke, Dust; In submitting
the
rules to state regulators, the panel says it had to act to meet federal deadlines. Activists say they are
not
tough enough................................................................................................................................................... 261
122. The Region; Plowing Under Southland Dairies Gets Environmental Agencies' OK; Regulators
welcome
removal of farms that produce noxious fumes in combination with the pollution produced by
traffic.............. 263
123. Air Particles Linked to Cell Damage; An L.A.-area study finds the tiniest pollutants disrupt basic
cellular
functions, likely causing a host of diseases..................................................................................................... 265
124. Farm Loyalist's Proposal to Curb Smog Is Heresy to Big Agriculture......................................................
268
125. Debris Fire Burns Unchecked in Fresno; Schools keep students indoors as blaze casts a smoky
pall
over city. State, U.S. agencies join efforts to douse it..................................................................................... 271
126. Hold Firm on Diesel Rules........................................................................................................................ 273
127. Los Angeles; Solis Seeks Better Monitoring of Pollution From Gravel Pits; Citing a new
congressional
report, legislator calls for closer scrutiny of the mining operations' effects on air and
water........................... 275
128. Clearing the Air at the Ports..................................................................................................................... 277
129. SUNDAY REPORT; A Bumper Crop of Bad Air in San Joaquin Valley; Growth brings more smog
and
health woes. Cleanup seems a low priority for officials................................................................................... 278
130. NAFTA; Emissions by the Truckload........................................................................................................ 285
131. Asia's Wind-Borne Pollution a Hazardous Export to U.S.; Air: Dust, chemicals travel a long way.
'We're
a small world,' one scientist says..................................................................................................................... 287
132. 2nd Suit Filed Over Air From S.F.Bay Area Smog................................................................................... 290
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133. Ventura County Had Few Smog Days This Year; Pollution: Region exceeded federal ozone
standard
on two days, down from 122 in 1974............................................................................................................... 292
134. Cozy Domestic Symbol Takes Heat in Berkeley; Air: New law aims to stem pollution from
fireplaces,
wood-fired ovens. Critics protest infringement on a way of life........................................................................ 293
135. Air Pollution Harmful to Babies, Fetuses, Studies Say; Health: Smog is linked to stillbirths, infant
deaths and low birth weight............................................................................................................................. 296
136. The State; San Joaquin Valley Placed on List of Smoggiest Areas; Air: Under the threat of
lawsuits,
the EPA says the region has made inadequate progress in tackling the
problem................................................ 299
137. THE STATE; EPA Blames Emissions From Mexico for Dusty Air in Imperial County; Pollution:
Agency's decision spares area growers from sanctions. Environmentalists sharply criticize
ruling................ 301
138. AMERICA ATTACKED; ENVIRONMENTAL NIGHTMARE; Experts Differ on Peril From Smoke;
Health: EPA says the cloud rising from the ruins is not toxic, but others aren't so sure. Rescuers are
most at
risk for possible ill effects................................................................................................................................. 303
139. THE NATION; State Losing Ground in War on Dirty Air; Environment: Growth, lax enforcement
are
blamed for rising smog levels in some areas.................................................................................................. 305
140. THE NATION; A Shroud on Sequoia's Scenery; Pollution: The park's air quality is among the
worst in
the national system. Evidence suggests that plants and animals are being harmed......................................
308
141. THE STATE; The New NIMBYs Are Taking Back Their Back Yards--and Their Air................................
310
142. Inland Empire Activists Seek to Curb Warehouse Boom; Business: Group says fumes from trucks
serving distribution centers imperil health. Others say job creation cuts commutes.......................................
313
143. California and the West; As Las Vegas Grows, 'Sin City' Looks More Like 'Smog City'; Pollution:
Rapid
growth, lax enforcement of environmental laws and its desert location give the metropolis some of
the
dirtiest air in the West...................................................................................................................................... 316
144. There's Hope in the Air; L.A. Is Winning the Smog War, Though Battles Remain...................................
319
145. California and the West; U.S. OKs Rules to Cut Diesel Fumes by 95%; Smog: The national order is
a
breakthrough for clean air advocates and a boost for truckers, who already face tough standards in
California.......................................................................................................................................................... 323
146. Study Links Deaths to Airborne Particles; Health: Dust and soot contribute to toll of 20 to 200
people
daily, researchers find, in examining urban areas........................................................................................... 325
147. Driving in Front on Diesel Control............................................................................................................. 327
148. Diesel's Free Ride Is Ending.................................................................................................................... 329
149. Pollution Rules Tighten Squeeze on Power Supply................................................................................. 330
150. California and the West; State Plan Would Require Diesel Soot Traps; Pollution: Air board calls
for
ordering the costly retrofitting of 1.25 million engines. A trucking group endorses the
proposal.................... 332
151. THE CUTTING EDGE: FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY; Auto Industry Teams With Clean- Air Groups to
Cut Sulfur in Diesel.......................................................................................................................................... 335
152. Fleets to Stop Buying Diesel Buses, Trash Trucks; Pollution: Board order affects MTA and other
agencies. Panel to reconsider if engine emissions are slashed...................................................................... 337
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153. California and the West; Central Valley Looking for Ways to Fight Air Pollution; Environment:
Officials
begin a $44.5-million search for solutions to smog that grips a vast area. Seven of the nation's 20
dirtiest
spots are in the region..................................................................................................................................... 339
154. Studies Link Heart Attacks to Moderate Air Pollution; Health: Particles apparently can alter
rhythms in
weak or diseased hearts, even at levels common in L.A., other cities............................................................ 342
155. California and the West; Supreme Court to Decide Fate of Clinton's Anti-Smog Plan; Ecology:
Panel
decides to hear case next year on proposal to force a 10% reduction in air pollution....................................
345
156. Diesel Buses: a Step Backward............................................................................................................... 347
157. California and the West; EPA Calls for Trucks, Buses to Be Smoke- Free by 2007; Energy: New
standards for cleaner diesel fuel unveiled by Clinton administration would dramatically reduce
emissions.
Oil companies oppose
plan................................................................................................................................... 349
158. Air Pollution Is Stifling Precipitation, Study Finds; Weather: Tiny particulates inhibit rain and
snowfall,
with major implications for the Southland, experts say.................................................................................... 352
159. World Perspective; ENVIRONMENT; Little by Little, Breathing Easier in Mexico City; The air in
1999
was the least dirty of the decade. Data suggest that even Third World cities, with determination, can
clean
up..................................................................................................................................................................... 354
160. Emissions of Coke Dust Spur Probe, Lawsuit; Industry: D.A. investigates whether facilities at
ports are
violating pollution standards. Meanwhile, a Terminal Island customs worker takes his case to
court............ 356
161. Vehicles Blamed for a Greater Share of Smog........................................................................................ 358
162. Plan to Require Cleaner Diesel Trucks Unveiled..................................................................................... 361
163. California and the West; Tire Fire Casts Worrisome Pall in Central Valley Town; Air quality: A
sooty
blaze in a mountain of scrap rubber has citizens concerned about health......................................................
364
164. California and the West; Tire Fire Spews Hazardous Smoke; Pollution: Mammoth dump catches
fire in
northern San Joaquin Valley. Residents are warned to stay indoors.............................................................. 366
165. Rapidly Growing Phoenix Finds Dust Unsettling; Sprawl: Development run amok is leading to
dirty air,
creating serious health and environmental problems...................................................................................... 368
166. Smoke From Wildfires Chokes N. California; Health: Smog levels, respiratory problems and
energy
use soar. High temperatures compound difficulties......................................................................................... 372
167. The City With the Grittiest Air on Earth; China: Breathing in Lanzhou is like smoking a pack of
cigarettes a day. Officials have started to realize the costs............................................................................. 374
168. California and the West; Burning of Waste by Farmers Raises Concerns; Ecology: Few people
complain, but air quality experts say the time-honored torching of plant material is polluting the San
Joaquin
Valley............................................................................................................................................................... 377
169. Air Board OKs New Limits on Pollution in Harbor Area; Environment: Measure seeks to curb
emissions
of coal, coke and sulfur. Impact on industry could reach $65 million.............................................................. 379
170. Air Inside Cars Found Dirtier Than Outside.............................................................................................. 381
171. SUNDAY REPORT; Diesel--the Dark Side of Industry; Emissions from trucks, trains and machines
pose a serious threat, clogging lungs, damaging airways and triggering allergies. But regulating the
problem
is a contentious issue. Series: DIRTY EXHAUST: America's Unhealthy Reliance on Diesel . First of two
parts.. 384
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172. Air Quality Standards Rejected by Appeals Court; Environment: EPA construed Clean Air Act too
loosely in setting rules for smog and soot, judges say. Ruling is seen as setback for Clinton
administration. 389
173. COLUMN ONE; Fouled Air a Major Pet Peeve for Mexico City; In the Federal District alone, 2
million
dogs deposit 353 tons of waste a day. The dried dust mixes with other particulates to form a vicious
brew
that contaminates food and scars lungs.......................................................................................................... 392
174. Arco Discloses Development of Decisively Cleaner Diesel Fuel.............................................................. 395
175. Smog Study of Children Yields Ominous Results.................................................................................... 397
176. CALIFORNIA; EPA Seeks Same Rules for Light Trucks; Pollution: Proposal, echoing state's
measure,
would equalize emission standards and require cleaner gasoline by '04........................................................
400
177. California and the West; CALIFORNIA ELECTIONS / PROPOSITION 7; Should Tax Breaks Help
Clean Air?; Smog: Backers say incentives will help reduce old diesel trucks and buses from the road.
Detractors say it will take away from other programs...................................................................................... 402
178. Nothing to Sneeze At; Air--free of smog or alergens--is a precious commodity in L.A. Here's
where
home buyers can find
it.............................................................................................................................................. 405
179. California and the West; Board Declares Diesel Soot a Cancer-Causing Pollutant; Health: The
compromise comes after a years-long debate. It sets in motion a process to try to figure out how to
deal
with the emissions of the toxic
particulates............................................................................................................. 408
180. California and the West; Accord Near on Hazards of Diesel Exhaust; Pollution: Panel is expected
to
declare soot a carcinogen rather than targeting all exhaust components.......................................................
410
181. California and the West; Crestline's Air Quality May Take Breath Away; Pollution: Surprisingly,
the San
Bernardino mountain community reigns No. 1 in the area on AQMD's ozone charts.....................................
413
182. The Color of Summer............................................................................................................................... 415
183. Fires Shroud Mexico in Hazardous Haze; Environment: Smoke exacerbating pollution, health
woes
has spread to U.S............................................................................................................................................ 418
184. Air Board Targets Utility Vehicles, Minivans, Pickups; Pollution: Unprecedented state proposal
would
require them to adhere to passenger car emission standards by 2004. Auto industry attacks plan at
workshop......................................................................................................................................................... 420
185. A Quiz For Deep Breathers...................................................................................................................... 423
186. California and the West; Air Officials Urge Smog Alerts at Lower Pollution Levels.................................
425
187. Study Correlates Smog to Heart, Lung Ailments; Health: L.A. Basin study finds that
hospitalizations
rise along with pollutants, especially coarse particles, in the air..................................................................... 427
188. SMALL BUSINESS; Firms Push for Some Breathing Room.................................................................... 429
189. California and the West; Fire's Ash Poses Hazards for Those With Ailing Lungs....................................
431
190. Dithering Over Dirty Air............................................................................................................................. 433
191. Pollution Link to SIDS Is Probed; Health: Government research indicates that tiny particulates
may
contribute to deadly syndrome. Babies in highly polluted regions could be at greater
risk............................. 435
192. L.A. Loses Battle With Owens Valley; Pollution: Board orders city to mount costly campaign
involving
return of water to curtail severe dust storms from dry lake. Officials here vow to sue....................................
437
17 March 2013 x ProQuest
Table of contents
193. New Smog Rules Easier--and Harder; Air: A key deadline will be extended and a major pollution
limit
will be raised. Nonetheless, the region faces an enormous challenge............................................................ 441
194. California and the West; Mayors Oppose EPA's New Smog Limits; Conference: They adopt a
resolution against stricter standards that they believe will harm business. Clinton is expected to
decide soon
on the proposal................................................................................................................................................ 443
195. Soot Cleanup Is Essential; EPA must consider science first in new air particle rules..............................
445
196. Tougher Air Standards Pose Quandary for White House; Pollution: It is caught between
environmental
officials holding line on limits and GOP lawmakers and business pressing for less stringent
rules................ 447
197. Experts Split Over Peril of Particulates..................................................................................................... 449
198. Beijing Is New 'Air Apparent' as Smog Capital......................................................................................... 453
199. The Logical Next Step.............................................................................................................................. 456
200. AQMD Rule Makes Dust-Busting a Must; Air: Cities to improve street sweeping, control particles
on
unpaved roads................................................................................................................................................. 458
201. EPA Chief Says Air Rules Won't Jeopardize Backyard Barbecues......................................................... 461
202. EPA Proposal to Toughen Air Quality Rules Faces Strong Opposition...................................................
463
203. Proposed Clean-Air Standards Kick Up a Storm in Congress.................................................................. 464
204. AQMD's Smog Plan for L.A. Basin OKd; Air: Environmentalists criticize scaled-back plan as being
too
weak. The rules are designed to cut emissions by targeting a variety of pollution
sources............................ 466
205. Clean-Air Debate Pits Economics, Science.............................................................................................. 468
206. AQMD adopts disputed plan for clean air................................................................................................. 470
207. 9 AQMD advisors quit in protest of new smog plan.................................................................................. 472
208. AQMD to drop several anti-smog regulations........................................................................................... 475
209. Grit in L.A. air blamed in 6,000 deaths yearly........................................................................................... 476
210. Smog plan would shift emissions to winter............................................................................................... 477
211. Stricter curbs on tiny airborne particles sought........................................................................................ 479
212. Regulators shift focus to tiny air pollutants............................................................................................... 480
213. Smog agency seeks to put lid on restaurant broilers................................................................................ 481
17 March 2013 xi ProQuest
Document 1 of 213
SMOG IN L.A. IS STILL TOPS IN NATION; The metropolitan area averages more than 140
days a
year with dangerous ozone.
Author: Roosevelt, Margot
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 28 Apr 2010: AA.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: A proposed ballot initiative, sponsored by oil companies and conservative activists, would
suspend the
state's climate law, which targets carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases but could effectively
curb
traditional air pollutants such as ozone and particles.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Metropolitan Los Angeles, extending to Riverside and Long Beach, remains the smoggiest
city in the
United States, with an average of more than 140 days a year of dangerous ozone levels, the American
Lung
Assn. reported Wednesday in its annual assessment. All of the nation's 10 smoggiest counties are in
California,
with San Bernardino, Riverside, Kern, Tulare and Los Angeles leading the pack. And the state's cities
and
counties, with their ports, refineries, power plants and crowded freeways, rank near the top for
particle pollution.
"This is not just a nuisance or a bother," said Bonnie Holmes-Gen, the lung association's California
policy
director. "Thousands of people are being rushed to emergency rooms. Thousands of people are dying
early as
a result of air pollution. . . . It is a crisis." The report comes at a time of conflict over the state's efforts
to slash
emissions. Citing the recession-battered economy, trucking and construction firms are seeking to
delay
California's rules to limit diesel pollution from operating big-rigs, forklifts and other equipment. A
proposed ballot
initiative, sponsored by oil companies and conservative activists, would suspend the state's climate
law, which
targets carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases but could effectively curb traditional air
pollutants such as
ozone and particles. Jane Warner, president and chief executive of the California branch of the lung
association, urged state officials to maintain proposed curbs on diesel emissions and to step up
efforts to
promote electric cars. "We also call on Californians to reject the Texas oil companies' attempt to undo
California's clean air and clean energy laws," Warner said. The ballot initiative to delay AB 32, the
Global
Warming Solutions Act, is spearheaded by San Antonio-based Valero Energy Corp. and Tesoro Corp.,
which
operate major refineries and hundreds of gas stations in California. Despite its grim overall statistics,
the report
took note of remarkable progress in some areas: The number of high-ozone days has dropped by
25% in
metropolitan Los Angeles and by 57% in metropolitan San Francisco, which includes Oakland and
San Jose,
since 2000. Ground-level ozone, or smog, forms when nitrogen oxide gases and volatile organic
compounds,
such as gasoline vapors, react in the sunlight and heat. Inhaling ozone, which is colorless and
odorless, can
cause asthma and shorten lives. Particle pollution, also known as fine particulate matter, combines
soot, dust
and aerosols and often contains mercury and other toxic substances. It causes respiratory disease,
heart
attacks and premature deaths. The report found that high air pollution levels threaten the health of
175 million
people, about 58% of the population. But in California, the proportion is far higher: 91% of state
residents, more
than 33 million people, live in counties with poor air quality, especially in Southern California and the
Central
Valley. Annually, California's dirty air is estimated to cause 19,000 premature deaths, 9,400
hospitalizations and
300,000 respiratory illnesses. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is weighing tighter limits on
ozone and
particles, and Congress is considering Clean Air Act amendments to further cut emissions from coalfired power
plants. Other issues under consideration: whether federal construction projects should use only
clean-diesel
equipment and whether the federal government should finance retrofits of operating diesel trucks, as
California
has. Only two cities appear on all three of the lung association's lists of cleanest cities -- for ozone, for
year17 March 2013 Page 1 of 483 ProQuest
round particles and for short-term measures of particles: metropolitan Fargo, N.D., which also
includes
Wahpeton, Minn.; and Lincoln, Neb. The report is interactive: readers can go to www.state
oftheair.org, type in
ZIP Codes and find out how neighborhoods rank. -- margot.roosevelt@latimes.com Illustration
Caption:
GRAPHIC: Smoggiest California cities; CREDIT:Los Angeles Times; GRAPHIC: Unhealthful;
CREDIT:Los
Angeles Times
Subject: Coal-fired power plants; Greenhouse gases; Industrial plant emissions; Air pollution; Smog
Location: Los Angeles California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: AA.1
Publication year: 2010
Publication date: Apr 28, 2010
Year: 2010
Section: LATExtra; Part AA; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 193750890
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/193750890?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2010 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-07-21
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 2 of 213
Small railroad is on track to go green; A $6.7-million state grant helps a Modesto firm buy
locomotives
with lower emissions.
Author: Sbranti, J N
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 13 Apr 2010: B.4.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The U.S.-made locomotives, which have energy-efficient engines that spew far less pollution
into the
air, are replacing all the railroad's old locomotives. [...] they arrive, the M&ET is leasing five lowpolluting
engines, which went into service this winter. Besides their precise handling and smooth ride, what
makes the
new R.J. Corman Railpower 2,000-horsepower diesel genset locomotives so special is their energyefficient
17 March 2013 Page 2 of 483 ProQuest
design, DeYoung said.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: The Modesto &Empire Traction Co. is being called the "greenest" short-line railroad in
North America.
The century-old, locally owned railroad is completing the purchase of five new "ultra clean"
locomotives, funded
largely by a $6.7-million state grant. The U.S.-made locomotives, which have energy-efficient engines
that spew
far less pollution into the air, are replacing all the railroad's old locomotives. Until they arrive, the
M&ET is
leasing five low-polluting engines, which went into service this winter. "We retired all of our old
stinkers made in
the 1940s and 1950s," Chief Executive Joe Mackil said. "The old ones just belched the junk out. These
new
things are very clean." The switch will make a difference in air quality, which is what persuaded the
state to pay
for the replacements, said Todd DeYoung, program manager for the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution
Control
District. "The impacts will be immediate," he said. "The benefits will be realized locally. It's very costeffective in
terms of the emission reductions we'll get." Each new locomotive costs about $1.5 million, of which
$1.35 million
will come from the state's Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program. The
M&ET will cover
the rest of the price tag. DeYoung said it's good news for the northern San Joaquin Valley to get state
money to
pay for the locomotives: "We're always fighting for the valley's share of statewide funds." The new
engines cost
less to operate and maintain, reducing the cost of doing business in Modesto, Mackil said. The old
locomotives
"probably are going to be exported to a Third World country where they will still be useful, or they
will be parted
out" as replacement parts, he said. The railroad's 16 engineers are also thrilled by the modernization.
"The old
locomotives, with all the heat, exhaust fumes and noise they created, were not a friendly
environment to work
in," said Ron "Pete" Peterson, the M&ET's manager of safety and training. "They were very rugged."
Peterson
said some of the old engines were "like driving a Model A." The new locomotives, however, are more
like a
Lexus. "They're a lot easier to operate," he said. "The computer brings on only the power we need,
and it turns
off what we don't need." The old locomotives required skilled engineers to maneuver through
Modesto's 2,000acre Beard Industrial District, where the M&ET hauls products to and from about 65 companies,
including FritoLay and Del Monte. That requires lots of starting and stopping. Peterson said the old models were
slippery on
the tracks, but the new ones operate "like a cat clawing up a tree." "That old one rides like a
buckboard down a
dirt road," Peterson said. "These new engines feel like they float." Besides their precise handling and
smooth
ride, what makes the new R.J. Corman Railpower 2,000-horsepower diesel genset locomotives so
special is
their energy-efficient design, DeYoung said. "They are the cleanest technology available in diesel
engines right
now," he said. The locomotives can turn each of their three engines on or off depending on need. If a
100-car
grain train is being hauled, all three engines are activated. But when the train pauses, two of those
engines
automatically shut down. "That saves them a ton of fuel. The less fuel used, the less greenhouse
gases," said
Connie Nordhues, Railpower's national salesperson. Compared with the old locomotives the M&ET
had used
through last fall, the new ones reduce particulate matter emissions 90% and oxide of nitrogen
emissions 80%,
she said. Those two elements cause air pollution, which is linked to health problems, including
asthma and
cancer. The "M&ET's entire fleet of locomotives now is the cleanest fleet anywhere in the United
States and
Canada," Nordhues said. Credit: J.N. Sbranti writes for the Modesto Bee.
Subject: Outdoor air quality; Greenhouse gases; Air pollution; Emission standards
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.4
Publication year: 2010
Publication date: Apr 13, 2010
17 March 2013 Page 3 of 483 ProQuest
Year: 2010
Dateline: MODESTO
Section: Business; Part B; Business Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422314146
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422314146?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2010 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-07-21
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 3 of 213
CALIFORNIA; Port pollution limits sought; Air quality board seeks to enforce voluntary
reductions and
i mpose fines.
Author: Sahagun, Louis
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 06 Mar 2010: AA.4.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The so-called backstop rules, unveiled during a South Coast Air Quality Management
District
governing board meeting in Long Beach, would enable regulators to enforce the voluntary pollution
reduction
targets set by the ports to control soot and smog over the next decade and impose financial penalties
if needed.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Southern California air regulators proposed tougher rules Friday to ensure that the ports of
Los
Angeles and Long Beach reduce their share of deadly emissions from ships, trains, big rigs and cargohandling
equipment, prompting harsh objections from harbor officials. The so-called backstop rules, unveiled
during a
South Coast Air Quality Management District governing board meeting in Long Beach, would enable
regulators
to enforce the voluntary pollution reduction targets set by the ports to control soot and smog over
the next
decade and impose financial penalties if needed. Each year, pollution from the movement of goods
through the
region contributes to an estimated 2,100 early deaths, 190,000 sick days for workers, and 360,000
school
absences, according to the California Air Resources Board. More than 40% of all containerized cargo
entering
the United States flows through the adjacent ports. "The purpose of the backstop rule is to provide a
safety net
for the region in the event that the ports fall behind in implementing their own voluntary clean air
plans, or even
abandon them," said Barry Wallerstein, executive officer of the AQMD. "If the region does not have a
17 March 2013 Page 4 of 483 ProQuest
mechanism in place to correct its own clean air plans and keep them on track, the federal
government could
step in and adopt its own rules for us." "The federal government has the power to cut off federal
transportation
funding," he added. "So either we create a backstop rule, or the federal government adopts
regulations for us.
Which one do the ports prefer?" But Geraldine Knatz, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles,
said, "We
don't think we need a backstop rule and we are not willing to support financial penalties. They want
us to
impose fines on our customers and that is not something we are willing do in the middle of an
economic
downturn." Port officials said they are ahead of schedule in reducing regional air pollution under
their voluntary
Clean Air Action Plan. The plan's achievements over the last four years include the replacement of
6,300 old,
dirty diesel trucks with newer, cleaner models, an increase in vessels using low-sulfur fuel and a 20%
reduction
in diesel particulates. The backstop rule's enforcement mechanisms will be determined in future
hearings,
AQMD officials said. As it stands, maximum penalties for violation of air pollution laws range from
$25,000 per
day per infraction up to $1 million a day, officials said. The backstop rule was supported by
environmental
justice activists in the dense corridor that runs from the massive port complex through working-class
neighborhoods that line the 710 Freeway: Wilmington, Carson, Compton, Huntington Park and
Commerce.
"Without the backstop rule, the ports will continue to operate on a hope and a dream," said Angelo
Logan,
executive director of East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice. "We prefer clarity and
consequences." - louis.sahagun@latimes. com
Subject: Fines & penalties; Outdoor air quality; Air pollution; Ports
Location: California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: AA.4
Publication year: 2010
Publication date: Mar 6, 2010
Year: 2010
Section: LATExtra; Part AA; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422287331
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422287331?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2010 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-07-21
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
17 March 2013 Page 5 of 483 ProQuest
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 4 of 213
CALIFORNIA; Traffic pollution speeds hardening of arteries; Study finds artery walls thicken
twice as
fast in people who live near freeways.
Author: Roosevelt, Margot
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 14 Feb 2010: A.46.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: According to co-author Howard N. Hodis, director of the Atherosclerosis Research Unit at
USC's Keck
School of Medicine, the findings show that "environmental factors may play a larger role in the risk
for
cardiovascular disease than previously suspected."
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Los Angeles residents living near freeways experience a hardening of the arteries that leads
to heart
disease and strokes at twice the rate of those who live farther away, a study has found. The paper is
the first to
link automobile and truck exhaust to the progression of atherosclerosis -- the thickening of artery
walls -- in
humans. The study was conducted by researchers from USC and UC Berkeley, along with colleagues
in Spain
and Switzerland, and published this week in the journal PloS ONE. Researchers used ultrasound to
measure
the carotid artery wall thickness of 1,483 people who lived within 100 meters, or 328 feet, of Los
Angeles
freeways. Taking measurements every six months for three years, they correlated their findings with
levels of
outdoor particulates -- the toxic dust that spews from tailpipes -- at the residents' homes. They found
that artery
wall thickness in study participants accelerated annually by 5.5 micrometers -- one-twentieth the
thickness of a
human hair -- more than twice the average progression. According to co-author Howard N. Hodis,
director of the
Atherosclerosis Research Unit at USC's Keck School of Medicine, the findings show that
"environmental factors
may play a larger role in the risk for cardiovascular disease than previously suspected." UC Berkeley
co-author
Michael Jerrett noted that "for the first time, we have shown that air pollution contributes to the
early formation
of heart disease, known as atherosclerosis, which is connected to nearly half the deaths in Western
societies. . .
. By controlling air pollution from traffic, we may see much larger benefits to public health than we
previously
thought." The study comes at a time of growing alarm over the effects of freeway pollution on nearby
schools
and homes. In the four-county Los Angeles Basin, 1.5 million people live within 300 meters, or 984
feet, of
major freeways. The Natural Resources Defense Council is battling in federal court to overturn the
caps on
motor-vehicle emissions set by Southern California air quality officials, saying that they fail to
account for higher
pollution near freeways. And Los Angeles and Long Beach residents are fighting expansion of the
truck-clogged
710 Freeway, saying it will lead to higher rates of asthma, heart disease and cancer in densely
populated areas.
In July, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency launched a major study of traffic pollution near
Detroit
roadways to examine whether it leads to severe asthma attacks in children. More than a third of
Californians
report that they or a family member suffer from asthma or respiratory problems, according to a
survey last year.
The Obama administration is proposing tighter standards for two vehicle-related pollutants: nitrogen
dioxide
(NO2) and ground-level ozone, the chief component of smog. -- margot.roosevelt @latimes.com
Subject: Cardiovascular disease; Outdoor air quality; Nitrogen dioxide; Veins & arteries; Air pollution
Location: Los Angeles Basin
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
17 March 2013 Page 6 of 483 ProQuest
Pages: A.46
Publication year: 2010
Publication date: Feb 14, 2010
Year: 2010
Section: Main News; Part A; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422450083
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422450083?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2010 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-07-21
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 5 of 213
EPA proposes tough new smog rules
Author: Tankersley, Jim; Roosevelt, Margot
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 08 Jan 2010: A.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Besides ratcheting up pressure on highly polluted parts of Southern California and the
Central Valley,
the revised standard would require several new areas to take measures to slash air pollution,
including parts of
the northern Sacramento Valley and the Central Coast that have been in compliance under the
previous
standards.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: The Environmental Protection Agency proposed the nation's strictest-ever smog limits
Thursday, a
move that could put large parts of California and other states in violation of federal air quality
regulations. The
EPA proposed allowing a ground-level ozone concentration of between 60 and 70 parts per billion,
down from
the 75-ppb standard adopted under President George W. Bush in 2008. That means cracking down
further on
the emissions from cars, trucks, power plants, factories and landfills. The emissions bake in sunlight
and form
smog. "All Californians should applaud the crackdown, given overwhelming scientific evidence of the
lung
damage and premature deaths linked to ozone," said Bonnie Holmes-Gen, a spokeswoman for the
American
Lung Assn. in California. Obama administration officials and environmental groups say the new
standard aligns
17 March 2013 Page 7 of 483 ProQuest
with the level scientists say is needed to safeguard against increased respiratory diseases,
particularly in
children and the elderly. Though complying with the standards could cost up to $90 billion
nationwide, according
to the EPA, it could also save $100 billion in health costs over time. A 65-ppb standard -- the middle
of the
proposed acceptable range -- would avert 1,700 to 5,100 premature deaths nationwide in 2020
compared with
the 75-ppb standard, the EPA estimates. The agency projects the stricter standard would also
prevent an
additional 26,000 cases of aggravated asthma compared with the Bush-era standard, and more than a
million
cases of missed work or school. In California, which harbors some of the nation's dirtiest air, an
estimated
19,000 people die prematurely each year as a result of pollution from ozone and particulates. Of
those, about
6,500 are in the Los Angeles area. No urban area of California meets even the 1997 federal standard
of 80
parts per billion. If states fail to meet federal standards, the government can withhold highway
funding. Although
such punishment is rare, "it's the hammer that drives planning at the state level," Holmes-Gen said.
Besides
ratcheting up pressure on highly polluted parts of Southern California and the Central Valley, the
revised
standard would require several new areas to take measures to slash air pollution, including parts of
the northern
Sacramento Valley and the Central Coast that have been in compliance under the previous standards.
Unlike
Eastern and Midwestern states, where much of the pollution comes from coal-fired power plants,
three-quarters
of California's ozone-forming emissions are from mobile sources such as cars, trucks, trains, ships,
planes and
construction equipment. In the last three years, the state has adopted the nation's strictest rules to
control
pollution from diesel engines in trucks and construction equipment, which emit nitrogen oxides, a
precursor to
smog. The EPA's new standard could force the state to crack down further on vehicle pollution, on
refineries
and power plants, and even on volatile organic compounds coming from consumer products such as
hair spray.
Air districts also would be likely to increase efforts to control sprawl and force more concentrated
land
development. Statewide, the number of car trips has been growing faster than the population. "This
is going to
require us to look for new solutions," said Leo Kay, a spokesman for the California Air Resources
Board. "On
the ground we will be looking for where we can tighten the screws." As for how exactly that will be
done, he
acknowledged, "We don't have all the answers yet." The EPA also proposed setting a "secondary
standard" to
protect plants and trees from repeated smog exposure during growing season, a move
environmentalists said
would help national parks, forests and sensitive ecosystems. Trees and other vegetation absorb heattrapping
carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, making them an important check against global warming. In
announcing
the proposals, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said the agency was "stepping up to protect
Americans from
one of the most persistent and widespread pollutants we face. . . . Using the best science to
strengthen these
standards is a long-overdue action that will help millions of Americans breathe easier and live
healthier."
Environmentalists praised the agency for proposing regulations that match the unanimous
recommendations of
an EPA science advisory committee. "We applaud EPA for listening to health professionals and
scientists and
proposing a rule that provides real protection for millions of people," said Bruce Nilles, director of
the Sierra
Club's Beyond Coal campaign, adding, "This rule will help ensure that all major sources of pollution
get cleaned
up." Industry groups warned that the regulations would increase business costs. The new standard
"lacks
scientific justification," the American Petroleum Institute charged, calling it "an obvious politicization
of the airqualitystandard-setting process that could mean unnecessary energy cost increases, job losses and less
domestic oil and natural gas development and energy security." The proposal now enters a public
comment
phase, which will include open hearings next month in Arlington, Va., Houston and Sacramento
before the EPA
makes its final decision. -- jtankersley@latimes.com margot.roosevelt@latimes.com Illustration
Caption:
GRAPHIC: Smog standard change (includes map of the Western United States); CREDIT: Raoul Ranoa
Los
Angeles Times; GRAPHIC: State of smog; CREDIT: Los Angeles Times
Subject: Coal-fired power plants; Outdoor air quality; Environmental protection; Respiratory
diseases; Trucks;
Environmentalists; Industrial plant emissions; Construction equipment; Air pollution
17 March 2013 Page 8 of 483 ProQuest
Company / organization: Name: Environmental Protection Agency--EPA; NAICS: 924110
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.1
Publication year: 2010
Publication date: Jan 8, 2010
Year: 2010
Dateline: WASHINGTON AND LOS ANGELES
Section: Main News; Part A; National Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422266881
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422266881?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2010 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-07-21
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 6 of 213
Santa Monica Airport a major pollution source
Author: Weikel, Dan
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 19 Nov 2009: A.12.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The study, released Wednesday, shows that ultrafine particle emissions were 10 times
higher than
normal about 300 feet downwind of the runway's east end, where takeoffs generally start.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: UCLA scientists have found that people who live and work near Santa Monica Airport are
exposed to
high levels of air pollution -- a significant health concern that has been largely associated with major
commercial
airports such as LAX. The study, released Wednesday, shows that ultrafine particle emissions were
10 times
higher than normal about 300 feet downwind of the runway's east end, where takeoffs generally
start. The
levels were 2.5 times higher than normal at a distance of about 2,000 feet. A tiny fraction of the width
of a
human hair, ultrafine particles can travel deep into the lungs, penetrate tissue and travel to the brain.
Studies
17 March 2013 Page 9 of 483 ProQuest
show that elevated exposure to the particles presents a health risk for children, older adults, and
people with
respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Although the research focused on Santa Monica, the study
may have
broader implications for regional and municipal airports that serve private planes and corporate jets.
Many such
airfields in Southern California are in densely populated areas. "Our research shows the potential
impacts of
smaller airports on residential areas and that we ought to have more of a buffer around airports,"
said UCLA
professor Suzanne E. Paulson, an atmospheric chemist who worked on the study. "This is not just
happening at
Santa Monica." The Santa Monica Airport sits on a plateau surrounded by businesses and homes,
some less
than 300 feet from the runway. For years, nearby residents and business owners have complained
about
aircraft emissions and the growing use of corporate jets. "It's just horrible," said Virginia Ernst, who
lives about
300 feet from the runway's east end. "They line the planes up and the fumes just invade your home.
Sometimes
you have to leave because it is so bad." The study -- one of only a handful to explore airborne
pollutants near
general aviation airports was released Wednesday in the journal Environmental Science and
Technology,
published by the American Chemical Society. UCLA's findings are consistent with a study yet to be
published by
the South Coast Air Quality Management District, which found that levels of ultrafine particles were
significantly
elevated near the Santa Monica runway. Officials for the Federal Aviation Administration said that air
traffic
control at Santa Monica has taken several steps to limit emissions from taxiing and departing aircraft.
They
include positioning planes so their exhaust is directed away from neighborhoods and instructing
pilots not to
start their engines until five or 10 minutes before they are cleared for takeoff. But Martin Rubin, a
community
activist involved in airport issues, disputes the effectiveness of those procedures. Aircraft are still
idling for up to
30 minutes, he said, and wind can send emissions into neighborhoods despite a plane's position on
the runway.
-- dan.weikel@latimes.com
Subject: Airports; Airborne particulates; Outdoor air quality; Studies; Environmental science; Air
pollution
Company / organization: Name: Santa Monica Airport-California; NAICS: 488119
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.12
Publication year: 2009
Publication date: Nov 19, 2009
Year: 2009
Section: Main News; Part A; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422282300
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422282300?accounti
d=10362
17 March 2013 Page 10 of 483 ProQuest
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2009 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-23
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 7 of 213
THE NATION; EPA agrees to set air pollution rules by 2011; Oil- and coal-fired power plants
would be
forced to reduce mercury emissions.
Author: Geiger, Kim; Tankersley, Jim
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 24 Oct 2009: A.14.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: According to a 2004 study by a group of Northeast air quality agencies, the new rules could
result in a
90% reduction in mercury emissions.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: The Environmental Protection Agency would require oil- and coal-burning power plants to
dramatically
reduce hazardous air pollution under an agreement announced Friday that ends a long-standing
lawsuit filed by
environmentalists. The agreement -- which would probably boost electricity prices but could
potentially save
thousands of lives -- commits the EPA to set pollution standards by 2011 for the power plants that
are
responsible for nearly half of all emissions of mercury, which can harm brain development in fetuses
and
children. Once the EPA sets the standards, many power plants would be forced to install pollution
scrubbers
that capture heavy metals such as mercury -- along with particulates such as soot. Currently, less
than one-third
of those plants employ scrubbers. Environmentalists hailed the decision and equated it, in
environmental
protection terms, with EPA moves this year to begin limiting greenhouse gas emissions from
vehicles, factories,
power plants and other major emitters. "This is the Holy Grail for pollution control," said Jim Pew, an
attorney at
Earthjustice, one of the groups that brought the suit. The effect of the new rules is expected to be
greatest in the
East and Midwest where coal-fired power plants are most common. On the West Coast, such plants
are rare,
and though California gets large amounts of power from coal-fired plants in Nevada, pollution tends
to spread
over less populated areas to the east. Environmentalists estimate that the new rules could save
35,000 lives
each year by 2025. Those projections are based on an EPA analysis of the effects of a similar
proposed law
regulating sulfur dioxide, a pollutant that lodges deep in the lungs, causing premature heart attack,
stroke and
cardiac arrest. Installing scrubbers would reduce most emission of air toxins, including sulfur
dioxide. According
to a 2004 study by a group of Northeast air quality agencies, the new rules could result in a 90%
reduction in
mercury emissions. "This power-plant rule could reduce sulfur dioxide levels by 80% to 90%," said
John Walke,
clean air director at the Natural Resources Defense Council, another party to the suit. The scrubbers
are "not
cheap, but you see the health benefits." Representatives of the power industry said that by setting
targets that
would apply to all plants -- including smaller plants used only intermittently -- the new standards
would push
electricity prices up and encourage industrial consumers to move abroad in search of weaker, less
expensive
emission standards. Industry lobbyists said Friday that they were unable to estimate the exact cost
increases
but predicted they would be high. The EPA had been required under the Clean Air Act of 1990 to
issue its rules
by the end of 2002, but the Bush administration argued at the time that such rules were unnecessary.
The
environmental groups that brought the suit say that the EPA has been stalling. The agency said in a
statement
that "addressing hazardous air pollutant emissions from utilities is a high priority," adding that it
began the rulemaking
process in July and plans to issue proposed standards by March 2011. "The agency is committed to
17 March 2013 Page 11 of 483 ProQuest
developing a strategy to reduce harmful emissions from these facilities, which threaten the air we all
breathe,"
said the EPA. The power plant industry has spent years trying to find an alternative to the looming
EPA rulemaking,
whereby standards would be set based on the current emission rates of the cleanest 12% of coal- and
oil-fired plants. With the backing of the Bush administration in previous years, the industry has been
pushing to
create an emissions market in which plants could trade emissions allowances instead of being forced
to hit set
targets. That approach, known as the Mercury Rule, was proposed by the EPA under the Bush
administration,
but it was struck down by the courts, which ruled that it did not comply with the Clean Air Act.
"Obviously, we
wanted the [Mercury Rule] to go forward because the rule would have given us more flexibility," said
Frank
Maisano of the law firm Bracewell &Giuliani, which represents power plant operators. "The Clean Air
Act just
doesn't have the flexibility to allow us to do this creative thinking." Maisano also said that the Obama
administration is more in line with the environmentalists' goals. "This really seems to be the
environmentalists
negotiating with themselves," he said. "Because the new EPA is certainly much more in agreement
with the
environmental community than they had been in the last eight years." -- kim.geiger@latimes.com
jtankersley@latimes.com
Subject: Emission standards; Environmental protection; Coal-fired power plants; Pollution control;
Air pollution;
Hazardous air pollutants; Environmentalists; Litigation; Industrial plant emissions
Company / organization: Name: Environmental Protection Agency--EPA; NAICS: 924110
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.14
Publication year: 2009
Publication date: Oct 24, 2009
Year: 2009
Dateline: WASHINGTON
Section: Main News; Part A; National Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422272450
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422272450?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2009 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-23
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
17 March 2013 Page 12 of 483 ProQuest
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 8 of 213
A CLOSER LOOK: AIR POLLUTION; Spewing out some more bad news; Consequences of
breathing
polluted air include appendicitis and ear infections, new studies indicate.
Author: Adams, Jill U
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 12 Oct 2009: E.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: In addition to respiratory effects, research has established that air pollution increases the
risk of
cardiovascular events such as arrhythmia, heart attack and stroke, and the incidence of certain
cancers. An
inherent weakness in both the ear infection and appendicitis studies -- and in many air pollution
studies, for that
matter -- is that air quality data for a geographical area are used as an estimate of what an individual
actually
inhales, says Derek Shendell, a public health researcher at the University of Medicine and Dentistry,
New
Jersey, in Piscataway.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: It's easy to see how air pollution would affect respiratory disease: You breathe in smogfilled miasma
all day and the ozone, other noxious gases and small particulate matter therein can make you wheeze
and
cough. Pollutants can trigger asthma attacks and bronchitis in susceptible individuals. But it's harder
at first
blush to understand links to other conditions. In two studies reported last week, bad air was
associated with
higher rates of appendicitis and ear infections. The new reports have been met with surprise because
neither
health problem seems obviously linked with the airway or bloodstream. At the same time, they
represent a trend
toward broadening the research scope of air pollution and health. "People are looking at everything
and air
pollution these days," says Francine Laden, an epidemiologist at Harvard School of Public Health in
Boston.
Research on air pollution has been conducted worldwide for decades and is part of the basis for
government
regulation of air quality. Study after study has found more hospitalizations and higher death rates
when certain
pollutants are high. In addition to respiratory effects, research has established that air pollution
increases the
risk of cardiovascular events such as arrhythmia, heart attack and stroke, and the incidence of certain
cancers.
In the appendicitis study, published Oct. 5 in the Canadian Medical Assn. Journal, researchers
examined
records for 5,191 adults admitted to Calgary hospitals for appendicitis from 1999 to 2006. The dates
of the
patients' admissions were compared to air pollution levels in the preceding week, using data from
three air
quality surveillance sites in the city. The scientists found a significant effect of pollutants on
appendicitis rates in
the summer months among men, but not women. The risk of going to the hospital with appendicitis
more than
doubled when summer pollution was at its highest, says study lead author Dr. Gilaad Kaplan, a
physicianresearcher
at the University of Calgary. The strongest effects were found when high pollution days preceded
hospital admission by at least five days rather than a shorter period. This suggests there is a certain
lag time
between pollutant exposure and the development of appendicitis. The study did not examine how
pollution
might cause appendicitis, but Kaplan speculates that inflammatory processes are involved.
Substances the
body produces to ramp up inflammation are implicated in appendicitis. Other research has found
these
substances in healthy volunteers after they breathed diesel exhaust. A similar argument is used to
explain
cardiovascular risk factors associated with air pollution: that substances involved in blood clotting
are produced
after exposure to bad air. In the ear infection study, presented at the annual meeting of the American
Academy
of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery in San Diego, researchers compared prevalence of the
disease in
126,060 children with trends in air pollution from 1997 to 2006. Health information came from the
National
Health Interview Survey, administered by the U.S. Census Bureau, and air quality data came from U.S.
17 March 2013 Page 13 of 483 ProQuest
Environmental Protection Agency records. Four pollutants -- carbon monoxide, nitrous dioxide,
sulfur dioxide
and particulate matter -- decreased nationwide over the 10-year period. The number of children
reported as
having more than three ear infections in a year also declined. Again, the study cannot say air
pollution causes
ear infections, only that the two are associated. And it did not investigate how pollutants affect the
ear canal.
But it's not a stretch to go from respiratory illness to ear infection, says lead author Dr. Nina Shapiro,
a pediatric
otolaryngologist at UCLA School of Medicine. Pollutants have been shown to damage cilia -- tiny little
hairs that
line many of the body's passageways. If that occurs in the ear, Shapiro says, then the cleansing
process is
damaged or slowed, which could set the stage for infection. Study coauthor Dr. Neil Bhattacharyya
found a
similar association between air pollution and sinus infection in adults in an earlier investigation
published in
Laryngoscope in March. An inherent weakness in both the ear infection and appendicitis studies -and in many
air pollution studies, for that matter -- is that air quality data for a geographical area are used as an
estimate of
what an individual actually inhales, says Derek Shendell, a public health researcher at the University
of
Medicine and Dentistry, New Jersey, in Piscataway. Air quality measured at a site may not represent
what
someone living in that neighborhood is actually breathing. It will depend on levels they encounter in
their house
or workplace. And even within a given neighborhood, pollution will be greater near busier roads.
Researchers
must also be on the lookout for other unrelated factors that may affect the health condition being
measured. For
example, Shapiro notes, there was a decline in cigarette smoking during the time period covered by
her earinfection
study. If the children also had less exposure to secondhand smoke -- a known risk factor for ear
infections -- that could account for some of the decline in disease. Pneumococcal vaccine, introduced
in 2000 -the middle of Shapiro's study period -- has also been credited with declining rates of ear infections. In
fact, both
the new studies are just first steps. They are sure to stimulate more research on how air pollution
might trigger
these conditions as well as other nonrespiratory diseases. -- health@latimes.com Illustration
Caption: PHOTO:
BILLOWING: A weakness in many air-pollution studies is that they don't measure what individuals
actually
inhale.; PHOTOGRAPHER:Olivier Morin AFP/Getty Images
Subject: Outdoor air quality; Risk factors; Respiratory diseases; Pollutants; Appendicitis; Air
pollution; Personal
health; Medical research
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: E.1
Publication year: 2009
Publication date: Oct 12, 2009
Year: 2009
Section: Health; Part E; Features Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422228753
17 March 2013 Page 14 of 483 ProQuest
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422228753?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2009 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-23
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 9 of 213
EPA proposes new rule to help curb smog; The regulation, to be the focus of a hearing in L.A.
today,
would increase monitoring of nitrogen dioxide.
Author: Roosevelt, Margot
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 06 Aug 2009: A.13.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: In an effort to clean the air along the nation's choked highways, the federal Environmental
Protection
Agency has proposed a major regulation to control nitrogen dioxide, a key factor in respiratory
illness.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: In an effort to clean the air along the nation's choked highways, the federal Environmental
Protection
Agency has proposed a major regulation to control nitrogen dioxide, a key factor in respiratory
illness. The new
EPA rule will be the subject of a public hearing today in Los Angeles, a region where the air is among
the
unhealthiest in the nation. Imposed under court order, it is the first to address the dangerous gas in
35 years.
"We're updating these standards to build on the latest scientific data and meet changing health
protection
needs," EPA administrator Lisa Jackson said in announcing the proposal last month. More than a
third of
Californians reported that they or an immediate family member suffer from asthma or respiratory
problems,
according to a recent survey by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California. In San
Bernardino and
Riverside, crisscrossed by traffic from the ports, the proportion reached 44%. Nitrogen dioxide, or
NO2, spews
from power plant smokestacks and from the tailpipes of automobiles and trucks, along with ozone
and
particulates, two other substances that attack the lungs. It is particularly concentrated along
highways. The new
EPA rule would require stronger monitoring near roadways, a key provision for many of the mainly
poor and
minority communities that hug the freeways in Los Angeles and other big cities. The new regulation
would retain
current annual limits of 53 parts per billion, considerably higher than California's state standard of
30 ppb. But
for the first time, it would establish a one-hour federal standard of between 80 and 100 ppb, stricter
than
California's current hourly limit of 180 ppb. That would prevent NO2 levels from spiking during
shorter periods
such as rush hour. At a Washington hearing this week, the American Petroleum Institute, an industry
group,
opposed the proposed standard as excessive. Public health organizations said it should be tougher.
The
American Lung Assn. and others advocated an annual limit as strict as California's, and an hourly
limit of no
more than 50 parts per billion, about half of what EPA proposes. "The news has been dominated in
recent
weeks by healthcare reform," said Frank O'Donnell, president of Clean Air Watch, an advocacy group.
"Dirty air
is the forgotten topic when it comes to healthcare reform. It will cost a lot less to keep people out of
the
emergency rooms. And one way to do this is to reduce dangerous nitrogen dioxide pollution." The
hearing will
begin at 9 a.m. today at the Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown at 711 S. Hope St., Los Angeles. -margot.roosevelt@latimes.com
17 March 2013 Page 15 of 483 ProQuest
Subject: Environmental regulations; Emergency medical care; Public hearings; Smog; Air pollution
Location: United States--US
Company / organization: Name: Environmental Protection Agency--EPA; NAICS: 924110
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.13
Publication year: 2009
Publication date: Aug 6, 2009
Year: 2009
Section: Main News; Part A; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422253685
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422253685?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2009 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-23
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 10 of 213
CALIFORNIA; Concerns about smog drop in state; A smaller proportion of residents,
especially in
L.A. County, see air pollution as 'a big problem,' a poll finds.
Author: Roosevelt, Margot
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 30 July 2009: A.3.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: In the case of global warming, the softening of support for regulation may be linked to the
poor
economy, but it also comes at a time of fever-pitch rhetoric over whether a national climate law,
passed by the
House and awaiting Senate action, will damage U.S. industry and cost consumers money.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: The percentage of Californians who believe air pollution is a "big problem" has dropped
precipitously in
recent years, especially in Los Angeles County and the Central Valley, among the nation's dirtiest
regions,
according to a new survey. At the same time, the poll by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of
California
17 March 2013 Page 16 of 483 ProQuest
found that support for the state's landmark 2006 law to slash greenhouse gases has declined, and
fewer people
think that global warming is a serious threat to the economy and quality of life of the state.
"Californians
continue to care about environmental issues," said Mark Baldassare, president and chief executive of
the
polling group, which found strong majorities in favor of pollution and global warming laws. "But less
so than two
years ago, perhaps because of the economy and the partisan discussion in Washington around
environmental
policy." Air quality in Southern California, the Central Valley and the state overall has improved
dramatically in
the last two decades, despite a growing population, according to the Air Resources Board. But threefourths of
residents still live in areas that violate health standards for ozone, which causes respiratory disease.
And large
swaths of the Inland Empire have 40 to 80 days a year that exceed the federally designated safe level
for
ozone, a colorless gas. About half the state, including major portions of Los Angeles, San Bernardino
and
Riverside counties, exceeds the health standard for fine particulates, which are linked to cancer,
heart disease
and other ailments. And more than a third of Californians report that they or an immediate family
member suffer
from asthma or other respiratory problems. Nonetheless, the survey found that only 23% of
Californians saw air
pollution as "a big problem" in their region, an 11-point drop since last year. In Los Angeles County,
that
segment dropped 17 points, to 30%, and in the Central Valley, it sank 15 points, to 36%. Baldassare
suggested
that the sharp drop this year could be attributed partly to the fact that wildfire-related air pollution is
down, with
fewer fires so far this year than last. "The poll results would likely have been different if the public
was more
aware that 5,000 Southern Californians are estimated to die each year due to air pollution," said
Barry
Wallerstein, executive officer of the South Coast Air Quality Management District, a regional agency.
"Much
more needs to be done to increase public awareness." Nonetheless, the survey found strong support
for
tougher pollution standards on cars, diesel trucks and buses, on commerce and industry, and on
agriculture.
More than three-fourths of Californians say the state should focus transportation dollars on public
transit, while
just 18% want more freeways. In the case of global warming, the softening of support for regulation
may be
linked to the poor economy, but it also comes at a time of fever-pitch rhetoric over whether a
national climate
law, passed by the House and awaiting Senate action, will damage U.S. industry and cost consumers
money.
Two-thirds of Californians still support the state's comprehensive global warming law, the first in the
nation, but
that's significantly less than the 78% who endorsed it in 2007. The partisan divide has widened, with
only 43%
of Republicans supporting it, compared with 57% two years ago. The California survey echoes results
of a
March Gallup poll that suggested that skepticism about global warming was rising nationally, with
only 60%
viewing it as a problem they worried about "a great deal" or "a fair amount." "We see declining
interest in
environmental initiatives -- or anything else that implies new investment -- whenever the economy is
in trouble,"
said Air Resources Board Chairman Mary D. Nichols, who oversees the state climate plan. "But people
understand that economic recovery depends on reducing our dependence on petroleum and
developing new
technologies." On the petroleum issue, 51% of Californians favored expanding oil drilling off the
coast,
compared with 43% that opposed it. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger sought to insert a drilling
provision into the
budget, but environmental groups objected strenuously and the measure failed to pass the
Legislature. -margot.roosevelt@latimes.com Illustration Caption: GRAPHIC: Pollution poll; CREDIT: Los Angeles
Times
Subject: Outdoor air quality; Polls & surveys; Greenhouse gases; Global warming; Air pollution
Location: California
Company / organization: Name: Public Policy Institute of California; NAICS: 813410
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.3
Publication year: 2009
17 March 2013 Page 17 of 483 ProQuest
Publication date: Jul 30, 2009
Year: 2009
Section: Main News; Part A; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422404714
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422404714?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2009 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-23
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 11 of 213
THE NATION; U.S. and California rules will reduce ship emissions; The required use of
cleaner fuels
i s expected to improve coastal air quality.
Author: Littlefield, Amy
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 02 July 2009: A.13.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The use of cleaner fuel will yield immediate reductions in harmful air pollutants such as
diesel
particulate matter, sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides, according to the California Air Resources
Board, which
issued the regulations.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Targeting one of the biggest sources of air pollution, federal and state regulators moved
forward
Wednesday with plans to slash emissions from big diesel-powered ships entering U.S. coastal areas.
Under
rules that took effect Wednesday, the roughly 2,000 ocean-going vessels that enter California ports
each year
must switch to fuel with lower sulfur content before coming within 24 nautical miles of the state's
coast. The use
of cleaner fuel will yield immediate reductions in harmful air pollutants such as diesel particulate
matter, sulfur
oxides and nitrogen oxides, according to the California Air Resources Board, which issued the
regulations. The
state plan will mandate an even cleaner fuel starting in 2012. California, home to some of the dirtiest
air districts
in the nation, has traditionally led the U.S. in innovative pollution rules, not only affecting ships but
also
automobiles and power plants. About 40% of the nation's imported goods move through the ports of
Los
Angeles and Long Beach, creating massive emissions from trucks and vessels. "This new measure will
help
coastal residents breathe easier and reduce pollution in our oceans and waterways at the same time,"
Gov.
17 March 2013 Page 18 of 483 ProQuest
Arnold Schwarzenegger said. Also Wednesday, the federal Environmental Protection Agency
proposed longanticipated
standards on the engines and fuel of U.S.-flagged vessels, which would lower fuel sulfur content
below 1,000 parts per million -- matching California's 2012 requirement -- within 200 miles of the
U.S. coast,
starting in 2015. The proposal is part of an international effort to reduce shipping emissions under
the Marine
Pollution Treaty. The EPA proposal would also mandate improved engine technology to decrease
emissions of
nitrogen oxides. National environmental groups applauded the federal proposal. "These ships are
like giant
smokestacks on the sea," said Frank O'Donnell, president of Clean Air Watch. "They cause pollution
and public
health problems not only for coastal communities but for millions who live inland." The California
rules, which
kick in before the federal standards, apply not only to U.S.-flagged ships but to all ships entering state
waters.
"We need the health benefits in the interim," said Mike Scheible, the air board's deputy executive
officer. An
estimated 3,600 premature deaths will be avoided under the state regulations between now and
2015. The
shipping industry has objected to regulation by states, arguing that international bodies should
establish
maritime rules. But T.L. Garrett, vice president of the San Francisco-based Pacific Merchant Shipping
Assn., an
alliance of more than 60 industry organizations, said Wednesday that the group's members were
"fully prepared
to comply" with the new California rules. The shipping alliance had filed a lawsuit against the Air
Resources
Board, saying state attempts to regulate shipping violated federal law. A federal judge Tuesday
upheld the
state's ability to set its own rules regarding clean fuel. Still, the group favors international standards
that "will
bring uniform and meaningful emission reductions" rather than a "random patchwork of local
regulations," John
McLaurin, president of PMSA, said in a written statement. -- amy.littlefield@latimes.com
Subject: Environmental regulations; Sulfur content; Outdoor air quality; Marine pollution;
International standards;
Industrial plant emissions; Alliances; Emission standards; Shipping industry
Location: United States--US, California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.13
Publication year: 2009
Publication date: Jul 2, 2009
Year: 2009
Section: Main News; Part A; National Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422290622
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422290622?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2009 Los Angeles Times)
17 March 2013 Page 19 of 483 ProQuest
Last updated: 2011-09-23
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 12 of 213
Bill aims to improve local air quality
Author: Roosevelt, Margot
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 01 June 2009: A.8.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: In addition to slowing global warming, greenhouse gas cleanup would reduce the
particulates and
toxic gases that cause cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Legislation to use California's crackdown on global warming emissions as a lever to attack
industrial
air pollution is to be debated in the state Assembly this week. The bill, AB 1404, is an opening salvo in
a
struggle that has been brewing since 2006 when California passed a sweeping law to control
greenhouse gases
that trap heat in the atmosphere. At issue: whether low-income neighborhoods that suffer
disproportionately
from dirty air can benefit from regulations to control climate change. "This may be the single most
important
opportunity to clean L.A.'s dirty air in my career," said Assemblyman Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles),
a coauthor
of the bill whose district includes a cement plant and chrome plating facilities and is criss-crossed by
six
freeways. A report released last week by researchers at USC and UC Berkeley, notes that poor people,
Latinos
and African Americans would suffer disproportionately from intensified heat waves, droughts and
floods that are
expected as the Earth warms. "People of color will be hurt the most -- unless elected officials and
other
policymakers intervene," said Rachel Morello-Frosch, a UC Berkeley associate professor and coauthor of the
report. African Americans living in Los Angeles have a projected heat-wave mortality rate nearly
twice that of
other L.A. residents, according to the report. And in many of the neighborhoods that suffer the worst
air quality
in the nation, including those in L.A. and the San Joaquin Valley, the population is predominantly
Latino. Public
health groups want to force companies to spend their money close to home by retrofitting their
facilities. In
addition to slowing global warming, greenhouse gas cleanup would reduce the particulates and toxic
gases that
cause cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. But companies want to avoid some cleanup expenses
through
"offsets" -- paying for cheaper projects to reduce greenhouse gases elsewhere in California or in
other states
and countries. For example, a refinery in Los Angeles could pay a rancher in Northern California to
reforest
range land because trees absorb carbon dioxide. Or a cement plant in Riverside County could
compensate a
company in Asia for controlling methane emissions from a pig farm. The California conflict echoes a
parallel
fight in Congress, where a bill allowing industry to use extensive offsets is to be debated in the House
this
summer. Under preliminary guidelines adopted by the California Air Resources Board, up to 49% of
greenhouse
gas pollution from power plants and other industrial facilities could be reduced through offsets. But
AB 1404
would limit offsets to 10% of emissions and assess fees to fund careful verification of offset projects.
Phony
offsets, in which companies pay for projects that in fact do not reduce emissions, have been the
subject of
investigations in the United States and abroad. "The oil industry wants to place these offsets offshore
in Brazil
or Indonesia where California regulators can't verify if they are real or permanent," De Leon said.
"But
companies shouldn't be able to buy their way out of controlling their pollution here in California."
The legislation
is backed by more than 60 California public health groups and labor unions who see it as a way to
maintain
pollution-abatement jobs in California. "We shouldn't be outsourcing our public health and air
quality benefits to
17 March 2013 Page 20 of 483 ProQuest
other states and countries," said Bonnie Holmes-Gen, Sacramento lobbyist for the California Lung
Assn. Thirty
California counties fail to meet federal health standards for fine particulates, the most dangerous of
lungdamaging
pollutants. But industry groups oppose the bill, saying it will limit their flexibility in meeting
greenhouse
gas targets. "An arbitrary limit . . . would result in higher costs for energy and infrastructure
providers that would
be passed along to state and local governments," the Western States Petroleum Assn., the California
Chamber
of Commerce and other business groups wrote in a letter to legislators. The political sensitivity of the
issue was
underscored May 22, when the Air Resources Board appointed a 16-member committee headed by
Stanford
Economist Lawrence H. Goulder to make recommendations on the design of cap-and-trade
regulations. In a
letter to the board, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger last week signaled his opposition to handing out free
allowances to emit greenhouse gases, as in proposed federal legislation. Instead, he urged the board
to
consider "returning the value of allowances back to the people, including through an auction of
allowances and
distribution of auction proceeds in the form of a rebate or dividend." According to the "Climate Gap"
researchers, offering fewer free pollution permits to oil facilities, which are mostly located in lowincome
neighborhoods such as Wilmington in Southern California and Richmond in Northern California,
would be
particularly effective in cleaning up unhealthy air. -- margot.roosevelt @latimes.com
Subject: Global warming; Air pollution; Climate change; Neighborhoods; Proposals; Outdoor air
quality;
Greenhouse gases; Legislation -- California; Pollution control
Location: California
Company / organization: Name: Assembly-California; NAICS: 921120
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.8
Publication year: 2009
Publication date: Jun 1, 2009
Year: 2009
Section: Main News; Part A; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422259952
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422259952?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2009 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-23
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
17 March 2013 Page 21 of 483 ProQuest
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 13 of 213
CALIFORNIA; Bakersfield is No. 1 in fine-particle pollution
Author: Roosevelt, Margot
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 29 Apr 2009: A.11.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Bakersfield had the worst level of fine-particle pollution in the nation last year -- a toxic mix
of soot,
diesel exhaust, chemicals, metals and aerosols that contribute to heart attack, stroke and lung
disease,
according to the American Lung Assn.'s annual State of the Air report.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Bakersfield had the worst level of fine-particle pollution in the nation last year -- a toxic mix
of soot,
diesel exhaust, chemicals, metals and aerosols that contribute to heart attack, stroke and lung
disease,
according to the American Lung Assn.'s annual State of the Air report. The San Joaquin Valley city
displaced
Los Angeles, which fell to the third spot in the category of year-round particle pollution, behind
second-place
Pittsburgh-New Castle, Pa. The lung association report is based on data from local governments' air
monitoring
stations and statistics gathered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Los Angeles-Long
Beach
retained its spot as the worst ozone-polluted metropolitan area, despite a slight improvement in its
air in the last
year. San Bernardino ranked as the nation's worst county for ozone pollution. Ozone causes
wheezing and
asthma attacks, and can shorten lives. -- State of the Air report margot.roosevelt@latimes.com
Subject: Ratings & rankings; Airborne particulates; Air pollution
Location: Bakersfield California
Company / organization: Name: American Lung Association; NAICS: 813910
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.11
Publication year: 2009
Publication date: Apr 29, 2009
Year: 2009
Section: Main News; Part A; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422251822
17 March 2013 Page 22 of 483 ProQuest
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422251822?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2009 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-23
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 14 of 213
Downturn a boon for China's air quality; The shutting of factories and drops in production
have kept
alive pollution gains made during Olympics.
Author: Tran, Tini
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 12 Apr 2009: A.10.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The global economic slowdown is helping to accomplish what some in China's leadership
have striven
to do for years: rein in the insatiable demand for coal-powered energy that has fed the country's
breakneck
growth but turned it into one of the world's most polluted nations. "[...] if taken as an opportunity to
do more in
terms of energy efficiency and clean technology, then it can have a long-term effect in improving air
quality,"
said Chan, a professor at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Last summer, Xu Demin struggled to cut emissions from his coal-fired factories as part of
China's allout
effort to clean the air for the Beijing Olympics. He could have simply waited six months. This spring,
overseas demand for his farming and construction machinery has plummeted, forcing him to close
two plants
and lay off 300 workers. The global economic slowdown is helping to accomplish what some in
China's
leadership have striven to do for years: rein in the insatiable demand for coal-powered energy that
has fed the
country's breakneck growth but turned it into one of the world's most polluted nations. Beijing,
China's normally
smog-choked capital, is breathing some of its cleanest air in nearly a decade, as pollution-control
efforts get a
sizable boost from a slowing economy. "It's like the sky I saw overseas. I can see clouds. I've seen
days here
like I've seen in Europe or the U.S.," Xu says, his voice echoing in the cavernous space of his idle
factory
outside Beijing. An Associated Press analysis of government figures backs up his observations: In the
second
half of last year, a period that included the Olympics in August, Beijing recorded its lowest air
pollution readings
since 2000, according to data from the Ministry of Environmental Protection. The average monthly
air pollution
index was 74, about 25% lower than in the previous seven years. Earlier data were not available.
Experts see
several reasons for the improvement, including the relocation of some of Beijing's dirtiest factories
outside the
city and the partial continuation of traffic limits imposed for the Olympics. Perhaps most significant
has been the
economic downturn. Even elsewhere in China, where no Olympic pollution measures were imposed,
the level of
dirty air is down. Chak Chan, who has published studies on China's air quality, warns that the relief
offered by
the slump is temporary. "But if taken as an opportunity to do more in terms of energy efficiency and
clean
technology, then it can have a long-term effect in improving air quality," said Chan, a professor at
Hong Kong
University of Science and Technology. For now, the cleaner air is a vindication of sorts for Beijing.
China won its
bid to host the Olympics partly on the promise that it would lead to a cleaner capital. The
government spent
billions of dollars to clean up the air. It followed that spending with two months of drastic measures,
temporarily
shutting factories across five provinces, suspending construction in the capital, and ordering drivers
to idle their
17 March 2013 Page 23 of 483 ProQuest
cars every other day from July to September. The results were dramatic, with the air pollution index
hitting
record lows in August and September. Viewers around the world watched some sporting events take
place
under crystal blue skies. In an assessment released in February, the U.N. Environment Program said
carbon
monoxide levels fell 47% and sulfur dioxide 38% during the two-week Olympics. Even Beijing's
worst pollutant -tiny particles of dust, soot and aerosol known as particulate matter 10 -- was reduced by 20%. The
U.N. report
praised China for investing in long-term solutions such as public transport, urban parks and
renewable-energy
vehicles. City officials also kept some traffic limits in place after the Olympics. Car owners are banned
from
driving one day a week, depending on their license plate numbers. Air pollution, while not as low as
in August
and September, when the harshest restrictions were in place, has remained far below recent years.
From
October through February, the average monthly pollution index was 82. On a recent sunny morning,
Li Heng,
66, joined dozens of seniors in Beijing's Ritan Park for a daily round of tai chi, the slow breathing
exercises. "I
think the air is much better recently. We can take very deep breaths and the air feels fresh," he said,
inhaling
and exhaling loudly before thumping his chest. It's not just Beijing. Southern China, home to many
exportproducing
factories, has seen clear improvement. Many cities in Guangdong province, where 62,400
businesses closed last year, have seen a drop in the number of badly polluted days, according to data
on the
Guangdong Provincial Environmental Protection Bureau website. For example, the factory city of
Dongguan
reported more than a dozen days in the first half of 2008 when the air pollution index topped 100, a
level
considered unhealthy for sensitive groups including infants and the elderly. But in the second half of
the year,
there were only two such days. Not all cities saw improvements. But across a sampling of seven key
cities, the
average number of badly polluted days halved between the first and second half of 2008. A similar
phenomenon
was seen when the Soviet Union collapsed, causing the industrial haze over the Arctic to drop by
nearly 50%,
said Kenneth Rahn, an atmospheric chemist from the University of Rhode Island who has studied air
quality in
China. "In principle, a reduction in economic activity can and will reduce air pollution," he wrote in
an e-mail. "I
would expect something similar for China but of lesser magnitude." During boom times, demand for
electricity
was so high in Guangdong's Pearl River Delta that companies often endured rotating blackouts. Some
installed
their own generators, which burned low-grade, dirty fuel. But since last fall, blackouts have been few,
and
generators are seldom used. Environmental advocates say the downturn presents an opportunity for
the
government to move more aggressively to shut the dirtiest plants and enact stricter emissions
regulations. "The
fact that the economy has slowed down has made it easier to stick to their plans to consolidate and
close
plants," said Deborah Seligsohn, director of the China climate program for the U.S.-based World
Resources
Institute. Seligsohn said she is encouraged by the fact that China's $586-billion economic stimulus
plan includes
funding for better technology and infrastructure that could benefit the environment. In Guangdong,
the
slowdown could spur long-held plans to transform the region from dirty, labor-intensive
manufacturing to cleaner
high-tech industries. Wang Xiaoming, director of communication for the Beijing Environmental
Protection
Bureau, said he hopes firms will take advantage of the slowdown to install more energy-efficient and
cleaner
technology. "This period is an opportunity for each factory to adjust their production methods. If they
were
operating at full capacity, they would never have the time for this," he said. It's advice that Xu, 59, has
taken to
heart as he seeks to reinvent Beijing Famed Machinery, his 2-decade-old company. With production
down 75%
this year, he has now decided to focus his energy on what had largely been a side project: making and
selling
machines that turn agricultural waste into what he calls "green coal" -- fuel pellets that burn more
cleanly than
coal. "It's up to us whether we can turn crisis into opportunity," he said. "This is a good time for our
biomass
product." The longtime business owner even draws inspiration from the late founding father of
communist
China: "As Chairman Mao said, under certain circumstances, the bad thing can lead to a good result." - AP
writer William Foreman in Guangzhou and researchers Xi Yue and Yu Bing contributed to this report.
Credit:
Tran writes for the Associated Press. Illustration Caption: PHOTO: A CAPITAL DAY: Traffic crowds a
highway
through Beijing. City officials have kept in place some limits on vehicle circulation instituted for last
year's
17 March 2013 Page 24 of 483 ProQuest
Summer Games.; PHOTOGRAPHER:Andy Wong Associated Press
Subject: Air pollution; Olympic games-2008; Factories; Environmental economics; Energy efficiency
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.10
Publication year: 2009
Publication date: Apr 12, 2009
Year: 2009
Dateline: BEIJING
Section: Main News; Part A; National Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422268265
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422268265?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2009 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-23
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 15 of 213
EPA wants cuts in air pollution from ships
Author: Sahagun, Louis
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 31 Mar 2009: A.10.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The Environmental Protection Agency said Monday that it has submitted a proposal to the
International Maritime Organization that would create tougher emission standards for foreign
vessels in the
coastal waters and ports of the United States and Canada.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: The Environmental Protection Agency said Monday that it has submitted a proposal to the
International
Maritime Organization that would create tougher emission standards for foreign vessels in the
coastal waters
and ports of the United States and Canada. The proposal would create a 230-mile Emissions Control
Area
along the nations' coastlines as a "step to protect the air and water along our shores, and the health
of the
17 March 2013 Page 25 of 483 ProQuest
people in our coastal communities," EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said at a news conference in
New Jersey.
The International Maritime Organization is the United Nations agency concerned with maritime
safety and
security and the prevention of pollution from ships. The proposal could have a significant effect on
air pollution
in Southern California, where the Los Angeles and Long Beach port complex remains the region's
major source
of carcinogenic diesel emissions. Port authorities in Los Angeles and Long Beach endorsed the action.
"It
sounds to me like the EPA is rising up from the dead and beginning to live again," said S. David
Freeman,
president of the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners. "In the meantime, we'll continue to do
things our
way. We've gotten a lot done already, but if we can get help from the EPA, well, that's a change for the
better."
However, foreign ships, which account for 95% of all calls to port nationwide, are largely beyond the
jurisdictional reach of state and federal air pollution regulations. This plan would regulate the
emissions of
foreign vessels under the auspices of the U.N. agency. The 360 ports along the Atlantic, the Great
Lakes, the
Gulf of Mexico and Pacific coasts drive both local and global economies, moving billions of dollars in
raw
materials and products, and creating thousands of jobs. Some of these ports, including the Los
Angeles-Long
Beach complex, are expecting to double their traffic in coming years. Yet more than 40 U.S. ports in
metropolitan areas fail to meet federal air quality standards, officials said. As a result, cities that rely
on port and
shipping industries tend to experience inordinately high rates of cancer, asthma and other illnesses,
Jackson
said. Under the proposal, beginning in 2011, nitrogen oxide emissions would be cut by 20% from
vessels built
since 1990. By 2016, new engines would see a cut of 80%. By 2015, sulfur emissions from fuel would
be cut
95%, and small particulate matter by 85%. "EPA's announcement today is music to my ears because
it means
the United States is stepping forward to take a strong leadership role on clean air around ports," Sen.
Barbara
Boxer (D-Calif.), chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, said. EPA
spokeswoman Cathy Milbourn said the U.N. agency would begin reviewing the proposal in July. -louis.sahagun@latimes.com
Subject: Emission standards; Environmental regulations; Air pollution; Emissions control
Company / organization: Name: Environmental Protection Agency--EPA; NAICS: 924110
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.10
Publication year: 2009
Publication date: Mar 31, 2009
Year: 2009
Section: Main News; Part A; National Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422259914
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422259914?accounti
d=10362
17 March 2013 Page 26 of 483 ProQuest
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2009 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-23
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 16 of 213
Medicine; There's a chance of migraine in the forecast
Author: Engel, Mary
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 16 Mar 2009: E.3.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: In a large study published online March 9 in the journal Neurology, researchers from
Boston's Beth
Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the Harvard School of Public Health decided to explore the role
of
pollution in headaches, because fine-particulate pollutants cause or complicate other health
problems, such as
heart attacks, stroke, congestive heart failure and asthma.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: A variety of headache triggers are relatively well-known: red wine, chocolate, soft cheese
and the
beginning of the menstrual cycle. But although weather, especially changes in air pressure, is
frequently cited
as a headache trigger, the connection has not been shown in a large, well-designed study. Now
researchers
have found that high temperatures and low air pressure can indeed trigger migraines but that there
doesn't
seem to be a clear association between such severe headaches and air pollution. In a large study
published
online March 9 in the journal Neurology, researchers from Boston's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical
Center and
the Harvard School of Public Health decided to explore the role of pollution in headaches, because
fineparticulate
pollutants cause or complicate other health problems, such as heart attacks, stroke, congestive heart
failure and asthma. The study included 7,054 headache patients of both genders and varying ages
and ethnic
groups who were seen at the medical center's emergency room between May 2000 and December
2007.
Researchers looked at temperature levels, barometric pressure, humidity, fine-particulate matter and
other
pollutants during the three days before each patient was seen in the ER and for a control day, in
which the
patient did not report a severe headache. A rise in temperature was strongly associated with
headaches: An
increase of 5 degrees Celsius (or 9 degrees Fahrenheit) increased the risk of migraine by 7.4%. Low
air
pressure, which often precedes storms, played a smaller role. "This study provides pretty rigorous
scientific
proof that changes in temperature are migraine triggers, and that's something that's not been known
before,"
said Dr. Richard Lipton of the Montefiore Headache Center in New York City. Knowing what triggers
an attack
gives migraine sufferers a measure of control, said Lipton, who was not associated with the study.
One of his
patients, for example, moved from New York to Arizona because air pressure in the Southwest is less
changeable. Triggers often work in concert. So migraine sufferers could, for example, be especially
careful to
avoid red wine and chocolate on hotter days or when a storm is forecast. Lipton was less convinced
by the
study's finding on ambient air pollution, which, he said, was harder than temperature to measure
over a large
region. But he also said that a similar study that found a correlation between particulate matter and
asthma also
used a central monitoring site. The migraine study did find a borderline association between
headaches and
levels of nitrogen dioxide, found in smog and car exhaust. Given the role of fine-particulate matter in
cardiovascular disease, the researchers called for additional study on this. -mary.engel@latimes.com
17 March 2013 Page 27 of 483 ProQuest
Subject: Outdoor air quality; Air pollution; Temperature; Atmospheric pressure; Studies; Migraine;
Medical
research
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: E.3
Publication year: 2009
Publication date: Mar 16, 2009
Year: 2009
Section: Health; Part E; Features Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: Feature
ProQuest document ID: 422231968
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422231968?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2009 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-23
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 17 of 213
Low-level ozone exposure found to be lethal over time; An 18-year study links long-term
pollution
l evels to a higher annual risk of death from respiratory ills.
Author: Maugh, Thomas H, II
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 12 Mar 2009: A.17.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Low-level ozone exposure found to be lethal over time; An 18-year study links long-term
pollution
levels to a higher annual risk of death from respiratory ills.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Ozone pollution is a killer, increasing the yearly risk of death from respiratory diseases by
40% to 50%
in heavily polluted cities like Los Angeles and Riverside and by about 25% throughout the rest of the
country,
researchers reported today. Environmental scientists already knew that increases in ozone during
periods of
heavy pollution caused short-term effects, such as asthma attacks, increased hospitalizations and
deaths from
heart attacks. But the 18-year study of nearly half a million people, reported today in the New
England Journal
of Medicine, is the first to show that long-term, low-level exposure to the pollutant can also be lethal.
Current
17 March 2013 Page 28 of 483 ProQuest
standards for ozone pollution cover only eight-hour averages of the colorless gas, but even with that
relatively
relaxed rule, 345 counties with a total population of more than 100 million people are out of
compliance. The
Environmental Protection Agency "has already said that it will revisit the current ozone standards in
the
country," said Dan Greenbaum, president of the Boston-based Health Effects Institute, one of the
study's
sponsors. "Undoubtedly, when it happens these results are going to be a very important part of that
review,"
said Greenbaum, who was not involved in the study. The EPA may need to implement an annual
standard, said
University of Ottawa environmental health scientist Daniel Krewski, one of the paper's authors.
Coauthor
Michael Jerrett of UC Berkeley said the findings could have profound implications because they show
that
ozone worsens conditions that already kill a large number of people. Deaths from respiratory
diseases, such as
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema and pneumonia, account for about 8.5% of all
U.S. deaths,
an estimated 240,000 each year. Worldwide, such conditions account for 7.7 million deaths each
year. Ozone is
what is known as a secondary pollutant. It is not formed directly by the burning of fossil fuels. Rather,
nitrogen
oxides produced by such combustion react in the presence of sunlight to form ozone. It is thus the
biggest
problem in areas that are sunny and hot, Jerrett said. As an oxidizing agent, ozone reacts with
virtually anything
it comes into contact with. In particular, it reacts with cells in the lungs, causing inflammation and a
variety of
other effects that lead to premature aging. Jerrett and his colleagues studied 448,850 people over age
18 in 96
metropolitan regions who enrolled in the American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Study II in
1982 and
1983. The subjects were tracked for an average of 18 years. During that follow-up period, there were
48,884
deaths, 9,891 of them from respiratory diseases. The researchers found that every increase of 10
parts per
billion (ppb) in average ozone concentrations was associated with about a 4% increase in dying from
respiratory
causes. Riverside had the highest ozone average (104 ppb), and the risk of dying from respiratory
causes was
50% greater than it would have been if there were no ozone. Los Angeles had the second-highest
ozone level
and a 43% increase in risk. In contrast, San Francisco had the lowest average ozone level (33 ppb) of
the 96
regions studied and only a 14% increased risk, probably because of the fog and prevailing winds,
which reduce
ozone formation. The Pacific Northwest also had low levels of ozone, again because of rain and cool
weather.
Cities in the East like New York and Washington had an average increased risk of about 25% to 27%.
The
researchers found no increase in deaths from cardiovascular disease associated with ozone levels -those
deaths are caused primarily by the fine particulates present in air pollution. They also found no
increase in
overall mortality, suggesting that ozone is causing deaths in people who were probably going to die
in another
year or two anyway, according to epidemiologist Joel Schwartz of the Harvard School of Public
Health, who was
not involved in the study. "We do know that ozone is particularly dangerous for people living with
existing
asthma or lung disease," Jerrett said. And it didn't matter what someone's weight, income or
education was. "It
seems to affect a lot of people relatively equally." -- thomas.maugh@latimes.com
Subject: Studies; Environmental health; Air pollution; Ozone; Respiratory diseases
Location: Los Angeles California, Riverside California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.17
Publication year: 2009
Publication date: Mar 12, 2009
Year: 2009
Section: Main News; Part A; National Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
17 March 2013 Page 29 of 483 ProQuest
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422241960
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422241960?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2009 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-23
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 18 of 213
TRANSPORTATION; Cleanup at ports starts to pay off; Older polluting trucks are being
barred or
fined and electric ones rolled out as emissions plan gains momentum.
Author: White, Ronald D
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 23 Feb 2009: C.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: [...] it took weeks longer than anticipated to put in place. [...] Wednesday, all trucks carried
stickers and
had to be monitored visually at the gates by attendants.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: An ambitious plan to clean up once-filthy air around the ports of Los Angeles and Long
Beach has
shifted into high gear. Hundreds of 1988-and-older trucks have been banned since October. Others
that don't
meet 2007 air pollution standards began paying a $70 fee last week each time they haul cargo to and
from the
ports. This week, the first of a fleet of electric trucks will debut. And within three years, most ships
will be able to
plug into the ports' electrical grid and turn off their exhaust-belching diesel engines. For more than a
decade,
South Bay and Long Beach residents have complained about pollution from the ports, and 1,200
annual
premature deaths have been linked to the ports' air pollution problems. But in October, the ports
launched the
cleanup, and it's beginning to pay off. "This is the No. 1 health issue in our city," said Long Beach
Mayor Bob
Foster, who was pleased with the new truck fees introduced last week. "By paying these fees, the
people who
benefit from the goods-movement industry have become part of the solution to cleaning the air." Los
Angeles
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa agreed. The new fee collection "marks a milestone in our efforts to clean
up the
ports as we roll ahead with taking 16,800 dirty-diesel trucks off the road for good." The National
Resources
Defense Council, long one of the ports' toughest critics, was impressed. It praised the step in October
to remove
about 2,000 trucks that were at least 20 years old. As a result, the group estimated that diesel
particulates
emissions may have been reduced 50%. "These are the dirtiest ports in the nation, with the worst air
pollution,
but if this program survives its legal challenges, the changes these ports are making now could be
adopted
throughout the country," said David Pettit, senior attorney for the resources council. Experts say no
other part of
17 March 2013 Page 30 of 483 ProQuest
the nation has taken such broad steps to reduce the effect their ports have on health. "This is putting
the
Southern California ports at the forefront. Port trucks are going to be cleaner than any other trucks in
the region
that are hauling cargo, and that is huge," said Kristen Monaco, a logistics and port trucking expert at
Cal State
Long Beach. "This will be used as a template for ports around the nation." About 3,000 new clean
diesel trucks
have already joined the fleet, which is well above the 2,000 new trucks both ports said that they had
hoped to
have in place by now. "Everybody said that this would never work, but it is not just working, it's
thriving,"
Villaraigosa said. Other cleanup efforts underway include: * Ports have earmarked more than $20
million in
incentives that are encouraging more than a dozen of the world's biggest shipping lines to switch to
cleanburning
fuels as they approach Southern California. * Nearby harbor areas have also become testing grounds
for the latest technology, such as compressed natural gas trucks that will be moving cargo containers
between
the San Pedro Bay ports and nearby freight-consolidation yards. * Los Angeles and Long Beach have
become
new technology incubators, with seed money for projects such as the world's first electric-diesel
hybrid tugboat,
which was delivered this month. That includes Balqon Corp., the electric truck manufacturer. On
Wednesday,
amid confusion and traffic jams, officials launched a much-delayed effort to assess a $70 fee on all
trucks that
do not meet 2007 air pollution standards each time they haul cargo containers to and from the ports.
The fees
will be used to help subsidize truckers so that they can lease from the port new low-emissions diesel
or natural
gas trucks. Under the plan that is expected to start in the coming weeks, truckers would pay 50% to
60% of the
truck leases and the fees would cover the rest, plus maintenance. The timing is crucial because Dec.
31 is the
next deadline for eliminating or retrofitting 2003 and older trucks. It hasn't been a smooth road. An
electronic
system is finally in place at the ports to determine which trucks meet the new requirements. But it
took weeks
longer than anticipated to put in place. Until Wednesday, all trucks carried stickers and had to be
monitored
visually at the gates by attendants. Retailers have threatened to take their business elsewhere, but it
is not clear
how much business might have been lost. Lawsuits filed by the American Trucking Assn. and the
Federal
Maritime Commission to block various parts of the clean truck program are pending. Port traffic was
snarled
Wednesday when hundreds of trucks were turned away from the terminal gates because they did not
have the
proper credentials for the fee collection. There were fewer problems and delays Thursday and
Friday. It was "a
realization for a lot of people that we are serious about doing this. It's like tax day. People will wait
for the last
minute to do what they have to, but you cannot wish it away; it is here," said Dick Steinke, executive
director of
the Port of Long Beach. S. David Freeman, chairman of the Port of Los Angeles' board of harbor
commissioners, said, "The miracle is we are ahead of schedule despite all the thrashing and
whooping and
hollering that has gone on." Bruce Wargo, president and chief executive of PortCheck, the
organization set up
to handle the fee collections, said that the first few days went off better than expected. "Only about
10% of the
trucks today were turned away at the gates," Wargo said. "I was expecting it to be about 20%." Not
everyone
was pleased. Dwight Robinson is vice president of the Los Angeles Harbor Grain Terminal, a longtime
local
business that helps exporters move their grains and other agricultural goods overseas by
transferring them to
cargo containers. One of Robinson's drivers showed up in a 2009 natural gas truck, only to be turned
away from
both ports because his truck tags were faulty. But officials at the Terminal Island Clean Truck Center
later told
him the tags were fine, after he had waited in line for three hours. But others, including San Pedro
resident
Kathleen Woodfield, were ecstatic. "It gives me a feeling of great hope that these air pollution issues
will be
resolved and that we will be breathing cleaner air in the very near future," she said. Geraldine Knatz,
executive
director of the Port of Los Angeles, said she had already heard from officials at some of the nation's
other ports
who were anxious to know how it was going. "I think we're off to a great start," she said. -ron.white@latimes.com Illustration Caption: PHOTO: LINE: Trucks that don't meet air pollution
standards began
paying a $70 fee last week each time they haul cargo to and from the ports. Above, Port of L.A. Clean
Truck
Center.; PHOTOGRAPHER:Bob Chamberlin Los Angeles Times
17 March 2013 Page 31 of 483 ProQuest
Subject: Fees & charges; Diesel engines; Trucking; Vehicle emissions; Shipping; Air pollution;
Emissions
control; Ports
Location: California
Company / organization: Name: Port of Los Angeles; NAICS: 488310, 925120; Name: Port of Long
BeachCalifornia; NAICS: 488310
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: C.1
Publication year: 2009
Publication date: Feb 23, 2009
Year: 2009
Section: Business; Part C; Business Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422257780
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422257780?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2009 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-23
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 19 of 213
The Nation; Cleaner air seen boosting life span
Author: Maugh, Thomas H, II
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 22 Jan 2009: A.8.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The reductions in pollution accounted for about 15% of a nearly three-year increase in life
expectancy
during the two decades, said epidemiologist C. Arden Pope III of Brigham Young University, lead
author of the
study appearing today in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: For those wondering just how much effect cleaning up the air can have, researchers now
have a much
fuller picture. Reductions in particulate air pollution during the 1980s and 1990s led to an average
five-month
17 March 2013 Page 32 of 483 ProQuest
increase in life expectancy in 51 U.S. metropolitan areas, with some of the initially more polluted
cities such as
Buffalo, N.Y., and Pittsburgh showing a 10-month increase, researchers said Wednesday. The
reductions in
pollution accounted for about 15% of a nearly three-year increase in life expectancy during the two
decades,
said epidemiologist C. Arden Pope III of Brigham Young University, lead author of the study
appearing today in
the New England Journal of Medicine. It is well known that particulate air pollution reduces life
expectancy, said
environmental epidemiologist Joel Schwartz of the Harvard School of Public Health, who was not
involved in the
study. But public policy makers "are interested in the question of, 'If I spend the money to reduce
pollution, what
really happens?' " he said. Schwartz reported two years ago that a study in six cities revealed
increased life
expectancy was associated with reductions in particulate pollution. Pope and his colleagues
expanded on that
connection, finding that in a large fraction of the U.S. population "the more particulate pollution went
down, the
more life expectancy went up." Their finding "greatly strengthens the foundation of the argument for
air quality
management," wrote environmental health scientist Daniel Krewski of the University of Ottawa in an
editorial
accompanying the report. The particulates in question are called fine particulates because they are
smaller than
2.5 microns in diameter, allowing them to burrow deep into the small air passages of the lung. They
have
repeatedly been shown to produce cardiovascular and pulmonary disease. Larger particulates, which
cause
visibility problems, have a much smaller effect on health. The fine particulates are produced by
cigarettes,
gasoline and diesel engines, coal power plants, foundries and a variety of other urban sources. Pope
and his
colleagues studied two sets of data collected in 214 counties, comprising 51 metropolitan areas, in
1980 and
2000, comparing reductions in particulate levels and increases in life expectancies. They used a
variety of
advanced statistical methods to try to eliminate effects linked to changes in population, income,
education,
migration and demographics. They concluded that for every decrease of 10 micrograms per cubic
meter of
particulate pollution in a city, average life span increased a little more than seven months -- about the
same
amount seen in previous, smaller studies. "We are getting a return on our investment to improve air
quality,"
Pope said. Overall, the average life span in the 51 areas increased 2.7 years over the two decades,
with the
major share of the increase attributed to reductions in smoking and changes in socioeconomic
factors. Los
Angeles, and Southern California in general, had large increases in life expectancy during the period,
even
though pollution levels did not drop as much as in other cities. Pope attributed the increase in life
span to a
string of smoking bans begun in 1994. Pope thinks there is room for further improvement. The
average
countrywide fine-particulate concentration in the early 1980s was about 20 micrograms per cubic
meter, and
that dropped to about 14 micrograms by 2000. "It's reasonable to expect that we could reduce it by
that much
again, but then we reach a point of substantially diminishing marginal returns," he said. -thomas.maugh@latimes.com
Subject: Air pollution; Studies; Pollution control; Outdoor air quality; Life expectancy
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.8
Publication year: 2009
Publication date: Jan 22, 2009
Year: 2009
Section: Main News; Part A; National Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
17 March 2013 Page 33 of 483 ProQuest
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422199579
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422199579?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2009 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-23
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 20 of 213
CALIFORNIA BRIEFING / SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY; Environmental groups sue EPA
Author: Roosevelt, Margot
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 10 Jan 2009: B.2.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Community groups, public health advocates and environmentalists filed suit against the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency Friday to overturn an October 2007 rule that allowed San Joaquin
Valley
officials to declare victory in a long battle against the airborne dust technically known as coarse
particulate
matter (PM-10).
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Community groups, public health advocates and environmentalists filed suit against the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency Friday to overturn an October 2007 rule that allowed San Joaquin
Valley
officials to declare victory in a long battle against the airborne dust technically known as coarse
particulate
matter (PM-10). According to Earthjustice, the environmental law firm that filed the suit in the 9th
District Court
of Appeals, air quality monitors in the Valley show that federal standards are not being met. The EPA
and the
local air district say that the recurring violations are natural ones that do not need to be addressed
through
further controls. "At the time of the finding, we said it was either a miracle or they were lying," said
Kevin Hall of
the Fresno Sierra Club. "As more data came in, we became convinced it was the latter." Much of the
pollution in
the Valley is due to agriculture, whether from plowing fields, harvesting crops or truck traffic along
unpaved farm
roads. Agribusiness, which has been chafing under air pollution rules, is the most politically
influential industry in
the Valley. The region includes more than 1,000 giant dairy farms, many of which house more than
1,500 cows
each. Recently, the Bush administration exempted factory farms nationwide from some reporting
requirements
for ammonia, one of the precursors to fine particle pollution. -- Margot Roosevelt
Subject: Outdoor air quality; Environmental protection; Air pollution; Environmentalists; Dairy farms
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.2
Publication year: 2009
17 March 2013 Page 34 of 483 ProQuest
Publication date: Jan 10, 2009
Year: 2009
Section: California; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422275988
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422275988?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2009 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-23
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 21 of 213
THE REGION; Pollution saps state's economy, study says; Deaths, illnesses linked to
particulates
and ozone cost $28 billion yearly, Cal State Fullerton report shows.
Author: Sahagun, Louis
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 13 Nov 2008: B.3.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: None available.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: The California economy loses about $28 billion annually due to premature deaths and
illnesses linked
to ozone and particulates spewed from hundreds of locations in the South Coast and San Joaquin air
basins,
according to findings released Wednesday by a Cal State Fullerton research team. Most of those costs,
about
$25 billion, are connected to roughly 3,000 smog-related deaths each year, but additional factors
include work
and school absences, emergency room visits, and asthma attacks and other respiratory illnesses, said
team
leader Jane Hall, a professor of economics and co-director of the university's Institute for Economics
and
Environment Studies. The study underscores the economic benefits of meeting federal air quality
standards at a
time when lawmakers and regulators are struggling with California's commitment to protecting
public health in a
weak economy. The $90,000 study does not propose any particular action. But in an interview, Hall
said, "We
are going to pay for it one way or the other. Either we pay to fix the problem or we pay in loss of life
and poor
health. . . . This study adds another piece to the puzzle as the public and policy-makers try to
understand where
do we go from here." The California Air Resources Board is scheduled to vote Dec. 11 on whether to
adopt
broader rules that would force more than 1 million heavy-duty diesel truckers to install filters or
upgrade their
17 March 2013 Page 35 of 483 ProQuest
engines. Truckers and agribusiness have argued against stricter regulation, saying it is too expensive
for them
to invest in clean vehicles at a time of economic uncertainty. Mary Nichols, chairman of the air
resources board,
said the findings will "be useful to all of us. Our board members hear on a regular basis from
constituents who
are concerned about the costs of regulations, and seldom hear from people concerned about their
health
because they are collectively and individually not as well organized." In the meantime, the two
regions continue
to pay a steep price for generating air pollution ranked among the worst in the country. In the South
Coast
basin, that cost is about $1,250 per person per year, which translates into a total of about $22 billion
in savings
if emissions came into compliance with federal standards, Hall said. In the San Joaquin air basin, the
cost is
about $1,600 per person per year, or about $6 billion in savings if the standards were met. The
savings would
come from about 3,800 fewer premature deaths among those age 30 and older; 1.2 million fewer
days of school
absences; 2 million fewer days of respiratory problems in children; 467,000 fewer lost days of work
and 2,700
fewer hospital admissions, according to the study. The study noted that attaining the federal
standard for
exposure to particulates would save more lives than lowering the number of motor vehicle fatalities
to zero in
most of the regions examined. The hardest hit were fast-growing communities in Kern and Fresno
counties,
where 100% of the population was exposed to particulate concentrations above the average federal
standard
from 2005 to 2007. High rates of exposure were also found in San Bernardino and Riverside counties,
where
diesel soot is blown by prevailing winds and then trapped by four mountain ranges. Considered the
most lethal
form of air pollution, microscopic particulates expelled from tailpipes, factory smoke stacks, diesel
trucks and
equipment can penetrate through the lungs and enter the bloodstream. Exposure to these fine
particles has
been linked to severe asthma, cancer and premature deaths from heart and lung disease. "In the
South Coast
basin, an average 64% of the population is exposed to health-endangering annual averages of
particulates,"
Hall said, "and in the most populated county -- Los Angeles -- it is 75%. "In most years, the South
Coast and
San Joaquin basins vie with the Houston, Texas, area for the worst air pollution trophy, but this year
we took it
back," she said. "That's not a prize you want to be handed. Essentially, imported T-shirts and tennis
shoes are
being hauled to Omaha and the big-rig diesel pollution stays here." Nidia Bautista, community
engagement
director for the Coalition for Clean Air, described the findings as "staggering, and a reminder that
health is too
often the trade-off when it comes to cleaning the air." Angelo Logan, spokesman for the East Yard
Communities
for Environmental Justice, put it another way: "At a time when government is handing out economic
stimulus
packages, we could use an economic relief package to help us deal with environmental impacts on
our health,
families and pocketbooks." Hall agreed. "This is a drain that could be spent in far better ways," she
said. -louis.sahagun@latimes.com Credit: Sahagun is a Times staff writer. Illustration Caption: PHOTO:
SERIOUS
SMOG: Diesel trucks are a major contributor to ozone and particulate pollution. The South Coast air
basin is
one of the most polluted areas in California.; PHOTOGRAPHER:Al Seib Los Angeles Times; GRAPHIC:
The
problem of particulate pollution; CREDIT: Paul Duginski Los Angeles Times
Subject: Air pollution; Studies; Airborne particulates; Mortality
Location: California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.3
Publication year: 2008
Publication date: Nov 13, 2008
Year: 2008
Section: California; Part B; Metro Desk
17 March 2013 Page 36 of 483 ProQuest
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422373321
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422373321?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2008 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 22 of 213
PORTS; Agency objects to clean truck program; The Federal Maritime Commission seeks to
eliminate parts of the anti-pollution effort.
Author: White, Ronald D
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 30 Oct 2008: C.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Geraldine Knatz, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, said port officials were
"confident that
the federal court in the District of Columbia will reject the Federal Maritime Commission's attempt to
block the
clean truck program and allow the most ambitious air pollution cleanup initiative in the nation to
continue to take
dirty diesel trucks off the road and remove harmful emissions from our air."
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: The Federal Maritime Commission said Wednesday that it would ask a U.S. District Court to
strike
down parts of a landmark pollution-control program at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the
nation's
busiest international cargo complex. Elements of the ports' clean truck program "are likely, by a
reduction in
competition, to produce an unreasonable increase in transportation cost or unreasonable reduction
in service,"
the commission said in a statement. Among the provisions to which the commission objects is the Los
Angeles
port's requirement that truck drivers work for approved concessionaires. Before the program began
Oct. 1, port
truck transportation was dominated by thousands of independent owner operators. Long Beach still
allows
independent truckers to work at its port. The commission's 2-1 vote Wednesday to ask a federal
court in
Washington to issue an injunction against parts of the ports' program puts the anti-pollution effort in
jeopardy
despite legal victories in a separate federal court battle in California brought by the American
Trucking Assn.
The normally low-profile commission is perhaps one of the most powerful regulatory entities in
Washington that
most Americans have never heard of. Under the federal Shipping Act of 1984, the agency has the right
to
intervene when it thinks unfair competitive restrictions or unduly expensive mandates have been
placed on
international commerce. But the commission also made it clear Wednesday that it wasn't seeking to
overturn
17 March 2013 Page 37 of 483 ProQuest
every aspect of the plan that began this month with barring of the oldest and dirtiest trucks built
before 1989. In
2012, only trucks that meet 2007 emissions standards will be allowed to enter the ports. "The
commission
believes that the surgical removal of substantially anti-competitive elements of the agreement, such
as the
employee mandate, will permit the ports to implement on schedule those elements of the CTP that
produce
clean air and improve public health," the commission majority wrote. The goal of the clean truck
program is to
eliminate tons of particulates and other pollution from local skies. It is a major component of the
Clean Air Action
Plan designed to slash overall emissions at the ports by 45% by 2012. Officials of the twin ports hope
that the
pollution-control efforts will persuade environmentalists to stop throwing legal roadblocks in the
way of
expansion projects. Supporters of the clean truck program reacted angrily to the maritime
commission's
decision. "The commission is siding with a filthy industry and blocking the path to clean air and
public health,"
said Peter Lehner, executive director of the Natural Resources Defense Council. Carl Pope, executive
director
of the Sierra Club, said, "Two commissioners in Washington, D.C., should not make a decision behind
closed
doors to ruin clean air for all Southern Californians." Geraldine Knatz, executive director of the Port
of Los
Angeles, said port officials were "confident that the federal court in the District of Columbia will
reject the
Federal Maritime Commission's attempt to block the clean truck program and allow the most
ambitious air
pollution cleanup initiative in the nation to continue to take dirty diesel trucks off the road and
remove harmful
emissions from our air." Long Beach port spokesman Art Wong said he couldn't comment on the
maritime
commission's move until he saw what the agency filed in court. "We're just not sure how this will
affect us,"
Wong said. At least one community activist wasn't optimistic that the cleaner trucks would reduce
pollution in
the long run because independent owner operators would have trouble making enough money to
maintain their
vehicles properly. "That might work for a few years, but then we would be right back where we
started," said
Kathleen Woodfield, vice president of the San Pedro and Peninsula Homeowners Coalition. -ron.white@latimes.com Credit: White is a Times staff writer. Illustration Caption: PHOTO: MOVING
CARGO:
Trucks are driven near the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The clean truck program that began
this
month bars the oldest and dirtiest trucks.; PHOTOGRAPHER:David McNew Getty Images; PHOTO:
NATION'S
BUSIEST: Officials at the twin ports hope pollution-control efforts will persuade environmentalists to
stop
throwing roadblocks in the way of expansion projects.; PHOTOGRAPHER:David McNew Getty Images
Subject: Litigation; Public health; Federal courts; Air pollution; Trucks; Outdoor air quality; Emission
standards
Location: Los Angeles California, Long Beach California
Company / organization: Name: Federal Maritime Commission; NAICS: 926120
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: C.1
Publication year: 2008
Publication date: Oct 30, 2008
Year: 2008
Section: Business; Part C; Business Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
17 March 2013 Page 38 of 483 ProQuest
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422246009
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422246009?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2008 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 23 of 213
THE REGION; State rules aim to drive down big-rig pollution
Author: Roosevelt, Margot
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 25 Oct 2008: B.3.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: [...] the San Joaquin Valley and Los Angeles areas are violating federal air quality standards,
which
cannot be met without stricter overall truck emission rules, air officials say.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: California's Air Resources Board on Friday released long-awaited draft rules to clean up
big-rig
pollution that can aggravate asthma, cancer and heart disease. The statewide rules, which are
scheduled to
take effect in 2010, would apply to more than 1 million heavy-duty diesel trucks, many of which
transport
merchandise from the ports of L.A. and Long Beach. Diesel truck transport is the state's largest
source of smogforming
nitrogen oxide emissions and toxic particulates. Southern California ports recently banned the
dirtiest
older trucks. But the San Joaquin Valley and Los Angeles areas are violating federal air quality
standards,
which cannot be met without stricter overall truck emission rules, air officials say. Truckers and
agribusiness
interests have tried to soften the regulations, saying it is too expensive for truckers to invest in clean
vehicles at
a time of economic woes. The air board is scheduled to vote Dec. 11 on whether to adopt two broader
rules that
would affect all big rigs crossing the state. One would force truckers to install filters or upgrade their
engines,
and another would require using existing technology to reduce planet-warming greenhouse gases. -margot.roosevelt@latimes.com Credit: Roosevelt is a Times staff writer.
Subject: Emission standards; Environmental regulations; Greenhouse gases; Air pollution; Trucks
Company / organization: Name: Air Resources Board-California; NAICS: 924110
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.3
Publication year: 2008
Publication date: Oct 25, 2008
Year: 2008
17 March 2013 Page 39 of 483 ProQuest
Section: California; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422242290
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422242290?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2008 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 24 of 213
The World; Pollution still shrouds its moment in the sun
Author: Demick, Barbara
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 29 July 2008: A.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: "Beijing's air quality is not up to what the world is expecting from an Olympic host city; the
sports
teams have reason to be concerned," said Lo Sze Ping, Greenpeace's campaign director in Beijing,
during a
news conference Monday. Even over the weekend when traffic was at a minimum, the air pollution
level around
the Olympic stadium fell into a category that the Chinese government terms "unhealthful for
sensitive groups,"
with inhalable particulates at two to three times the standard set by the World Health Organization.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Despite removing 1.5 million cars from the roads, shutting down hundreds of factories and
construction
sites and bringing much of the city's economic life to a standstill, Beijing remains stubbornly
shrouded in a
persistent, gray haze on the eve of the Summer Olympics. The poor air quality just 11 days before the
opening
ceremonies has left Chinese government officials scrambling for explanations that include statistical
anomalies
and the 90-plus-degree heat. The state-run China Daily reported Monday that the Chinese
government may be
forced to implement an "emergency plan" if air quality hasn't improved 48 hours before the Games
begin Aug.
8. One possible measure would expand the recently implemented system that allows cars on the road
only on
odd or even days, depending on license plate numbers, to a ban of up to 90% of private traffic.
"Beijing's air
quality is not up to what the world is expecting from an Olympic host city; the sports teams have
reason to be
concerned," said Lo Sze Ping, Greenpeace's campaign director in Beijing, during a news conference
Monday.
He blamed the bad air on what he characterized as a "develop first, clean up later" approach by the
Chinese
government. "It is not good enough," Lo said. Beijing's pre-Olympic clampdown on pollution has
already
seriously crimped economic life in the capital region. Along with the license-plate-based restrictions
that took
17 March 2013 Page 40 of 483 ProQuest
effect July 20, the city has banned many out-of-town cars and trucks from its streets and suspended
all
construction work. Factories up to hundreds of miles away have been closed. But the air quality
levels haven't
improved at all and for the last few days have been worse. Even over the weekend when traffic was
at a
minimum, the air pollution level around the Olympic stadium fell into a category that the Chinese
government
terms "unhealthful for sensitive groups," with inhalable particulates at two to three times the
standard set by the
World Health Organization. On Monday, air pollution was barely within the "acceptable" level. Beijing
calculates
its daily air pollution index from 1 to 500 based on measures of four pollutants. Days on which the
index is under
100 are said to be acceptable. The Chinese government says air quality has greatly improved since
2001, when
Beijing won its bid to host the Games with promises to clean up the local atmosphere. Since then,
Beijing has
tightened emissions standards, built four new subway lines and spent a reported $16 billion on air
quality
improvement. "Indeed we have reached our commitment to make sure air quality is satisfactory for
the Games,"
Beijing environmental protection official Du Shaozhong told reporters Saturday. So far this year, he
said, 70% of
days had acceptable levels of pollution, an increase of 20 percentage points over last year. But Steven
Q.
Andrews, a U.S. environmental consultant who analyzed Beijing's figures, contends that the Chinese
have
tweaked the data. He notes that two air monitoring stations in congested parts of downtown have
been dropped
from the government's calculations for the air pollution index, while monitors in the outskirts have
been added.
The Chinese government also fails to measure ground-level ozone, a major component of smog. And
it
calculates inhalable particulate matter using a largely discredited measurement that looks primarily
at larger
particles, rather than the tiny particles more damaging to lungs. "They are manipulating the way they
measure
and what they measure so much that you cannot say the air quality is improving," Andrews said. "But
their
insistence that air quality has improved takes the pressure off of local officials and factory owners to
run
emissions control technology and do what they really need to do." Beijing's pollution woes are a
product of both
geography and its booming economy. The city sits in a basin surrounded by three mountains that
trap
pollutants. In addition, the number of automobiles here has roughly doubled since 2001. In theory,
the odd-even
license plate system would ban half of Beijing's 3.3 million cars from the roads on any given day. The
real
impact is more complicated. In a city where many companies have fleets of cars, they simply use
those whose
license plates correspond to the day. Furthermore, Beijing has set aside two of the Second Ring
Road's six
lanes for exclusive use by Olympic VIPs, creating greater traffic jams on the city's most important
thoroughfare.
With so many cars spewing fumes while idling in traffic, parts of the city are suffering from even
worse-thannormal
exhaust. But many Beijing residents resent the foreign focus on their air. Under the best of
circumstances, they say, blue skies are rare here this time of year, the rainy season in most of Asia.
With air
quality the main small talk in town, there are frequent spats between Beijingers and visitors about
whether the
problem is wuran, pollution, or just mai, haze. Chinese environmental officials argue that poor
visibility does not
always mean the air is bad to breathe. "You might not be able to see things in a steamy bathroom, but
you
would not necessarily say it is pollution," Du told reporters. Whatever the cause, there is little dispute
that
Beijing's air in recent days has been unpleasant and certainly not a photogenic backdrop for
television crews
arriving from around the world. Beijing's showcase architecture -- part of China's $43-billion
investment in the
Olympics -- looks ghostly under the veil of haze. Athletes have warned that they will wear masks to
protect their
lungs while in Beijing, possibly even while competing. And several Olympic teams are conducting
their preOlympic training in Japan and South Korea to minimize exposure to the host city's air. The Chinese
government
has already said its scientists have been devising a way to artificially induce rainstorms to clear the
air before
the opening ceremonies. But Chinese environmentalists worry less about the Olympics than they do
the
aftermath. They fear that, once the Olympic moment passes, authorities will lose the political will to
take tougher
measures. "Beijing has missed a golden opportunity to use the Olympics as a platform for more
ambitious
programs to clean up the air," said Lo of Greenpeace. -- barbara.demick@latimes.com -- (BEGIN TEXT
OF
INFOBOX) Unhealthful air Since winning its bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games, China has struggled
to
17 March 2013 Page 41 of 483 ProQuest
reduce Beijing's air pollution. Levels of particulate matter (measured in 2004) for Summer Olympics
host cities
since 1980* (in micrograms per cubic meter) Beijing: 89 Athens: 43 Seoul: 41 Barcelona: 35 Los
Angeles: 34
Moscow: 21 Sydney: 20 *Average annual concentrations in residential areas Note: Data for Atlanta
(1996) is
unavailable. Source: The World Bank Credit: Times Staff Writer Illustration Caption: PHOTO: A PAIN
IN THE
LUNGS: Thick smog has the Chinese authorities considering a ban on up to 90% of private traffic in
the last two
days before the Summer Olympics begin Aug. 8.; PHOTOGRAPHER:Andrew Wong Getty Images
Subject: Outdoor air quality; Emissions control; Host country; Air pollution; Olympic games-2008
Location: Beijing China, China
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.1
Publication year: 2008
Publication date: Jul 29, 2008
Year: 2008
Dateline: BEIJING
Section: Main News; Part A; Foreign Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422273165
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422273165?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2008 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 25 of 213
Lovely, but loaded with pollutants; Fireworks displays spew metals, carbon, fuels and other
toxics that
can linger for days or even longer.
Author: Cone, Marla
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 04 July 2008: B.1.
ProQuest document link
17 March 2013 Page 42 of 483 ProQuest
Abstract: During a fireworks show in Indio in 2004, particulate measurements peaked at 847
micrograms per
cubic meter of air, nearly six times the federal health standard.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: When the rockets and the bombs burst in the air tonight, spectators will experience more
than a
spectacular show celebrating America's birthday. When their blends of black powder, metals,
oxidizers, fuels
and other toxic ingredients are ignited, traces wind up in the environment, often spreading long
distances and
lasting for days, even months. Although pyrotechnic experts are developing environmentally friendly
fireworks,
Fourth of July revelers this year will be watching essentially the same high-polluting technology that
their
grandparents experienced decades ago. Throughout the Los Angeles region, concentrations of fine
particles, or
carbon soot, skyrocket for up to 24 hours after the Independence Day shows, reaching levels as high
as those
from wildfires. Public health officials warn that people with heart problems or respiratory diseases,
such as
asthma, should avoid the smoky celebrations, staying upwind or indoors. "I enjoy a fireworks display
as much
as anyone else, but we do have concerns about exposure to high levels of smoke and particles," said
Jean
Ospital, health effects officer for the South Coast Air Quality Management District. Also, traces of
poisonous
metals, which give fireworks their bright colors, and perchlorate, a hormone-altering substance used
as an
oxidizer, trickle to the ground, contaminating waterways. One Environmental Protection Agency
study found that
perchlorate levels in an Oklahoma lake rose 1,000-fold after a fireworks display, and they stayed high
in some
areas for up to 80 days. European chemists Georg Steinhauser and Thomas Klapotke wrote in a
recent
scientific journal that "several poisonous substances are known to be released in the course of a
pyrotechnic
application" and that they are dispersed over a large area. "It is clear from a vast array of studies that
traditional
pyrotechnics are a severe source of pollution," they wrote. The black powder, or gunpowder, used in
most
fireworks has an extremely high carbon content; when ignited, it fills the air with fine particles
capable of
inflaming airways and lodging in lungs. Every July 4 and 5, the Los Angeles region suffers "generally
poor air
quality for particulates," said Philip Fine, the AQMD's atmospheric measurements manager.
Particulates can
cause coughing, sore throats and burning eyes. For people with asthma or other respiratory or
cardiovascular
conditions, the effects are much worse. Hospital admissions and deaths from asthma, heart attacks
and
respiratory disease increase whenever particulate levels rise. In the areas around fireworks displays,
particulate
levels increase about 100-fold and don't return to normal until around midday on July 5, according to
AQMD
data. During a fireworks show in Indio in 2004, particulate measurements peaked at 847 micrograms
per cubic
meter of air, nearly six times the federal health standard. Particulate readings are averaged over a
24-hour
period, so that was not technically a federal violation. Metals in the air also surge, although they do
not exceed
state health guidelines. Nonetheless, they build up in waterways and soil. Ironically, green-colored
fireworks are
the least "green" because the metal that produces the color, barium, is highly poisonous. Scientists in
India
found that airborne barium increased by a factor of 1,000 after a huge fireworks display there.
Strontium, which
creates red, and copper, which forms a blue hue, can also be toxic. "The use of heavy metals like
barium or
strontium should be reduced or, if possible, avoided," said Karina Tarantik, a chemist at the
University of
Munich in Germany whose lab is working on cleaner pyrotechnics. Much of the new research has
been
propelled by concern over perchlorate, which has been used since the 1930s to provide oxygen for
pyrotechnic
explosions. Perchlorate, which has contaminated many drinking water supplies from military and
aerospace
operations, can impair the function of the thyroid gland by blocking the intake of iodide. Fetuses are
most at risk,
because thyroid hormones regulate their growth. Scientists have made significant advances in lowsmoke and
perchlorate-free technologies, prompted by the military, which uses flares and other pyrotechnics,
and by Walt
Disney Co., which stages about 2,000 fireworks displays a year. In the late 1990s, Disney approached
the Los
Alamos National Laboratory with a request to develop cleaner fireworks to reduce smoke at
Disneyland, which
was prompting complaints to the AQMD from neighbors in Anaheim. Instead of carbon-based
materials,
17 March 2013 Page 43 of 483 ProQuest
scientists there experimented with nitrogen atoms, which produced far less soot and smoke. "In
addition,
because the high-nitrogen materials burn more cleanly, you could use less coloring agents. We were
able to get
much nicer colors with . . . less metals," said David Chavez, a materials chemist at Los Alamos. Based
on those
experiments, Los Alamos chemists Michael Hiskey and Darren Naud took an entrepreneurial leave
and founded
DMD Systems. Their fireworks use nitrocellulose, which is inexpensive and plentiful, and they emit
water,
nitrogen and carbon dioxide instead of smoke and perchlorate, Hiskey said. The metal content has
been
reduced by about 90%, he said. The cost is about the same as for other U.S.-manufactured fireworks.
Disney
World in Florida has used his company's comets for about six months. Disneyland developed aerial
launchers
that replaced black powder with compressed air in 2004.The resort puts on more than 200 fireworks
shows
each year, burning about 60,000 pounds of fireworks, far more than all the other theme parks and
stadiums in
the region combined. "Now we're on a path toward creating the next generation of fireworks," said
Disney
Imagineering spokeswoman Marilyn Waters. She said that other ultra-low-smoke and perchloratefree
technologies are already used in some Disney shows in Anaheim, Florida and Hong Kong and that an
international team of vendors and scientists is testing more innovations. But municipalities and civic
groups,
which buy inexpensive fireworks from China, can't afford the cleaner ones for their Independence
Day
celebration. So far, they cost about 10 times more than the Chinese-made ones. "Everything they get
is from
China," Hiskey said. "It's going to be very difficult to break the China habit." But John Conkling, an
adjunct
professor of chemistry at Washington College in Maryland and former executive director of the
American
Pyrotechnics Assn., is confident that environmental concerns are driving the industry. "Certainly if
we can
replace perchlorates, the world will be a better place," he said. "I'm optimistic that we will have
fireworks shows
down the road with much less perchlorate, if any, and we'll still have the spectacular shows we've
always had,"
Conkling said. "I expect even by next season there will be less perchlorate in fireworks. Within a fiveto 10-year
period, we'll see major, major changes." In the meantime, Hiskey has some Fourth of July advice:
Where there's
smoke, there are toxic substances. "If I'm having trouble seeing things because it's so smoky, if the
smoke is
headed toward the crowd, that really stinks," he said. -- marla.cone@latimes.com Credit: Times Staff
Writer
Illustration Caption: PHOTO: CLEANER FIREWORKS: Sleeping Beauty's Castle at Disneyland glows
under a
pyrotechnic display. Disney Co. is working toward less toxic displays at its theme parks.;
PHOTOGRAPHER:Lori Shepler Los Angeles Times
Subject: Outdoor air quality; Metals; Fireworks; Pollution; Hazardous substances
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
Publication year: 2008
Publication date: Jul 4, 2008
Year: 2008
Section: California; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
17 March 2013 Page 44 of 483 ProQuest
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422199847
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422199847?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2008 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 26 of 213
EPA's air tests to be challenged; Environmental groups plan to sue in an effort to get air
quality
monitored along Southland freeways.
Author: Sahagun, Louis; Wilson, Janet
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 29 May 2008: B.2.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The measurements, known as "motor vehicle emissions budgets," were recently approved
by the EPA
for use in developing a sweeping regional clean air plan to meet federal air quality standards and
acquire critical
transportation project funding.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: A coalition of environmental groups plans to sue the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
today to
force it to overturn motor vehicle emissions limits for Southern California, charging that the targets
fail to
address hazardous pollution faced by 1.5 million people who live next to freeways. In a petition to be
filed in the
U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, the Natural Resources Defense Council is
demanding
comprehensive monitoring of air quality along freeways, including the 710 Freeway, where traffic
flow averages
12,180 vehicles per hour -- more than 25% of them diesel trucks. Of particular concern to the
coalition are
measurements taken by South Coast Air Quality Management District monitors that are far from
heavily traveled
roadways where cancer risks from diesel particulates are greatest. Federal policy prohibits local air
regulators,
including the AQMD, from using measurements near a known large pollution source, in this case a
truckclogged
freeway that serves the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, to calculate regional air pollution
amounts. Regional air and transportation officials said they sympathized with the environmental
groups but
were worried such a lawsuit could cost Southern California billions in federal transportation funds,
including
money earmarked for expansion of the 710 Freeway to speed up idling diesel trucks. "They're
potentially
opening up a Pandora's box that may jeopardize regional transportation funding" by delaying the
process, said
Barry Wallerstein, executive officer of the AQMD. Air districts in the Coachella Valley, Atlanta and
elsewhere
have lost such funds for not setting vehicle emission levels in time, he said. Wallerstein added that
the local
district would begin monitoring diesel particulate pollution on freeways this summer. The EPA also
rejected
tougher motor vehicle emissions limits proposed by the local district and the state air board,
Wallerstein said.
He said suing to overturn the renegotiated levels could allow EPA to weaken them even further. "The
Bush
administration has already tried to weaken these once," he said. The measurements, known as
"motor vehicle
emissions budgets," were recently approved by the EPA for use in developing a sweeping regional
clean air
plan to meet federal air quality standards and acquire critical transportation project funding. David
Pettit, a
senior attorney for the resources defense council, said the budgets overlook those most affected by
these
17 March 2013 Page 45 of 483 ProQuest
emissions. "Millions of people in and around Los Angeles breathe air so dirty it flunks federal
standards."
"Those living near freeways breathe the dirtiest air," he said, "and EPA's own data show the cleanup
plan it just
approved won't protect them from risk of cancer, asthma and other diseases. That's against the law. .
. . The
clean air plan was designed to protect everyone, not just those lucky enough to escape the reach of
deadly
diesel fumes." Angelo Logan of East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice agreed with Pettit.
During a
tour of a neighborhood of modest stucco homes a stone's throw from the 710 Freeway in Commerce,
he said,
"It's as though they are saying the 1.5 million people who live along the freeways don't matter; that
their lives
aren't as valuable as other peoples'." The home where Bob Eula, former mayor of Commerce, has
lived for 65
years is framed by rail yards, the 710 Freeway and congested Washington Boulevard. Standing in the
shade of
a pine tree in his frontyard, Eula nodded toward a column of soot rising from a nearby dieselpowered crane.
"It's hell," he said. "This whole neighborhood should be eliminated and its people moved to a safer
place. Let
the freeway and railroads have it." Matt Haber, a spokesman for the EPA, acknowledged that "we
don't have an
answer yet" for protecting people who reside near freeways. "It's a huge issue in which science is not
as good
as it is for the general population," he said. Studies have increasingly zeroed in on the harmful effects
of diesel
soot, especially fine particulates. -- louis.sahagun@latimes.com janet.wilson@latimes.com Credit:
Times Staff
Writers Illustration Caption: PHOTO: TRUCKS ON THE 710 FREEWAY: Traffic on this freeway, the
artery that
leads from the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, averages 12,180 vehicles per hour, more than
25% of
them heavy-duty diesel trucks. A suit will seek monitoring of nearby air.; PHOTOGRAPHER:Bryan
Chan Los
Angeles Times; PHOTO: DIRTY AIR: Smog tinges Los Angeles on May 21, 2003. The Natural
Resources
Defense Council, in a suit to be filed today, seeks comprehensive monitoring of air quality along
freeways.;
PHOTOGRAPHER:David McNew Getty Images
Subject: Air pollution; Transportation planning; Traffic flow; Roads & highways; Federal court
decisions;
Environmental justice; Districts
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.2
Publication year: 2008
Publication date: May 29, 2008
Year: 2008
Section: California; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422210398
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422210398?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2008 Los Angeles Times)
17 March 2013 Page 46 of 483 ProQuest
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 27 of 213
More deaths in state are linked to air pollution
Author: Wilson, Janet
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 22 May 2008: B.3.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The studies, including one by USC tracking 23,000 people in greater Los Angeles, and
another by the
American Cancer Society monitoring 300,000 people across the United States, have found rates of
heart
attacks, strokes and other serious disease increase exponentially after exposure to even slightly
higher
amounts of metal, dust or other fragments from tailpipes and smokestacks.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: As many as 24,000 deaths annually in California are linked to chronic exposure to fine
particulate
pollution, triple the previous official estimate of 8,200, according to state researchers. The revised
figures are
based on a review of new research across the nation about the hazards posed by microscopic
particles, which
sink deep into the lungs. "Our report concludes these particles are 70% more dangerous than
previously
thought, based on several major studies that have occurred in the last five years," said Bart Croes,
chief
researcher for the California Air Resources Board. Croes will present his findings at a board meeting
in Fresno
this morning. The studies, including one by USC tracking 23,000 people in greater Los Angeles, and
another by
the American Cancer Society monitoring 300,000 people across the United States, have found rates of
heart
attacks, strokes and other serious disease increase exponentially after exposure to even slightly
higher
amounts of metal, dust or other fragments from tailpipes and smokestacks. It is difficult to attribute
individual
deaths to particulate pollution, Croes conceded, but he said long-term studies that account for
smoking, obesity
and other risks have increasingly zeroed in on fine particulate pollution as a killer. "There's no death
certificate
that says specifically someone died of air pollution, but cities with higher rates of air pollution have
much greater
rates of death from cardiovascular diseases," he said. Californians exposed to high levels of fine
particulates
had their lives cut short on average by 10 years, the board staff found. Researchers also found that
when
particulates are cut even temporarily, death rates fall. "When Dublin imposed a coal ban, when Hong
Kong
imposed reductions in sulfur dioxide, when there was a steel mill strike in Utah . . . they saw
immediate
reductions in deaths," Croes said. More measures will be needed, air board officials said, including
eventually
lowering the maximum permissible levels of soot statewide. California already has the lowest
thresholds in the
world, at 12 micrograms per cubic meter, but researchers say no safe level of exposure has been
found. More
regulations are being drafted, including one requiring cleaner heavy-duty trucks. "We must work
even harder to
cut short these life-shortening emissions," Air Resources Board Chairwoman Mary Nichols said in a
statement.
Clean air advocates said they would be watching closely. "These numbers are shocking; they're
incredible,"
said Tim Carmichael, senior policy director for the Coalition for Clean Air, a statewide group. He and
others said
the board must strengthen a soot clean-up plan submitted to them by the San Joaquin Valley Air
Pollution
Control District. A hearing and vote on the plan is scheduled for today. Numerous Central Valley
public health
groups wrote Nichols this week, urging bans on the use of industrial equipment on bad air days,
tougher
controls on boilers and crop drying equipment, and other action. The economic cost attributed to
premature
deaths and illnesses linked to particulate exposure in the Central Valley has been estimated at $3
billion a year,
17 March 2013 Page 47 of 483 ProQuest
and $70 billion statewide, according to separate studies. Those figure are expected to be revised
upward based
on the new report. "We must clean up the air. We cannot afford further delay," the group wrote.
Agricultural and
construction industry groups have fought such provisions, saying that they could cripple the region's
economy,
but have not publicly complained about the plan as proposed. Board spokesman Leo Kay said that
given the
new mortality findings, "I certainly don't expect a rubber-stamp approval." -janet.wilson@latimes.com Credit:
Times Staff Writer
Subject: Pollution control; Air pollution; Airborne particulates; Mortality
Location: California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.3
Publication year: 2008
Publication date: May 22, 2008
Year: 2008
Section: California; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422214840
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422214840?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2008 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 28 of 213
Pittsburgh tops L.A. in one pollution measure; But a new report shows Southland still ranks
high in
foul air.
Author: Abdollah, Tami
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 01 May 2008: B.3.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Particle pollution refers to a mixture of tiny solid and liquid particles in the air that get
released, for
example, from diesel exhaust, coal-fired power plants and burning wood, fields or forests.
17 March 2013 Page 48 of 483 ProQuest
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: CORRECTION: SEE CORRECTION APPENDED; Air quality study: An article in Thursday's
California
section about the American Lung Assn.'s "State of the Air" study said Visalia-Porterfield was one of
California's
top eight metropolitan areas listed as most polluted. The name of the area is Visalia-Porterville.
Mayor Antonio
Villaraigosa strolled to the microphone, his jacket slung over his shoulder, a broad smile on his face.
"What a
wonderful day," he said to the reporters and American Lung Assn. members gathered in Echo Park.
"All these
cameras, all these good people here to celebrate good news. Put a smile on your faces, everybody. . . .
"Today
I'm proud . . . to say for the first time, it feels good to be No. 2." After nearly a decade at the top, the
Los
Angeles region has been "bested" by the Pittsburgh metropolitan area for the No. 1 spot on the "Top
10 U.S.
Cities Most Polluted by Short-Term Particle Pollution." From 2004 to 2006, the area from Los Angeles
east to
Riverside and south to Long Beach had far fewer 24-hour periods of unhealthy particulate readings
than the
Steel City. But the region still was the worst offender in the nation for ozone levels and yearly overall
particle
pollution readings, according to the American Lung Assn.'s annual "State of the Air" study released
Wednesday.
"But we're still on the list," said Villaraigosa, who mentioned that he recently suffered a bout of
bronchitis, one of
the ailments the Lung Assn. cited in its "F" grade for nearly all of Southern California. "Moving
forward, we still
have our work cut out for us," he said. The study tracked ozone as well as daily and annual readings
for small
particles in cities and counties across the country. The rest of the state did not fare well, either: Five
of the eight
metropolitan areas listed as most polluted by all three measures used by the association were from
California.
These included Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside and the Central Valley areas of Bakersfield,
Fresno, VisaliaPorterfield and Hanford-Corcoran. The San Diego metropolitan area made the list of top 25 most
ozone-polluted
cities at No. 12. In all, 26 of the 52 counties monitored in the state received "F" grades, for having the
most
unhealthy high-ozone days or particle-pollution days. Nineteen counties, primarily coastal, received
"A" grades.
And Salinas, Redding and the San Luis Obispo region were among the top 25 cleanest U.S. cities for
long-term
particle pollution. An "F" grade is equivalent to nine or more days of air quality at the level defined as
"unhealthy" by the Environmental Protection Agency. Ozone is the primary ingredient in smog and is
formed
when sunlight and heat react with chemicals released from tailpipes, smokestacks or other things
burning fossil
fuels. The effect of ozone on the lungs can be severe. "Imagine putting acid right on your eye," said Dr.
Tony
Gerber, a volunteer with the lung association. "It is that corrosive." Particle pollution refers to a
mixture of tiny
solid and liquid particles in the air that get released, for example, from diesel exhaust, coal-fired
power plants
and burning wood, fields or forests. These particles can get trapped in the lungs. Both ozone and
particulate
pollution have been linked to serious respiratory ailments and premature deaths. About 8,800 deaths
in
California can be tied to ozone and particle pollution, according to Dr. Sonal Patel, an allergist and
pediatrician
with White Memorial Medical Center in East L.A.. San Bernardino, Riverside, Los Angeles and Orange
counties
all received failing grades for unhealthy ozone and particle-pollution days. San Bernardino County,
the worst
offender in high-ozone days in the country, averaged 90 per year, followed by Kern with 83,
Riverside with 77,
Tulare with 68, and Los Angeles with 65. Orange County, which did not make the top 25 list, averaged
seven
unhealthy ozone days. The failing grades for ozone were improvements over last year. The study did
not use
newly tightened EPA standards for ozone exposure, which would have added to tallies of unhealthful
air days.
Over the last decade, California particle pollution levels have dropped by nearly a third. The
association credited
that drop primarily to tighter engine and emission standards at the state and federal level. "As the
Los Angeles
metropolitan area really continues what has been our tradition -- aggressive air pollution control -sooner or
later other cities that have not been so aggressive are going to start popping up as No. 1 from time to
time,"
said Sam Atwood, a spokesman for the South Coast Air Quality Management District. If the trend
continues,
Pittsburgh will top Los Angeles in both long- and short-term particle pollution lists next year, said
Janice Nolen,
assistant vice president of national policy and advocacy for the American Lung Assn. Villaraigosa
touted the
Clean Air Action Plan, passed in November 2006 and which addresses port-related pollution, as key
to
17 March 2013 Page 49 of 483 ProQuest
continuing the progress, as well as a city effort to invest in renewable energy. "In a city known for
smog and
sprawl, we've made some significant progress," Villaraigosa said. "But we still have work to do . . . so
in the
coming years Los Angeles is completely off the list." -- tami.abdollah@latimes.com -- (BEGIN TEXT OF
INFOBOX) Bragging rights? The Los Angeles Basin dropped from the top of a list of worst offenders
by one
measure of pollution, but topped the list by other measures in an American Lung Assn. annual report.
Metropolitan areas with worst short-term particulate pollution (small particles): 1. Pittsburgh-New
Castle, Pa. 2.
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside 3. Fresno-Madera 4. Bakersfield 5. Birmingham-Hoover- Cullman,
Ala.
Worst year-round small-particulate pollution: 1. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside 2. PittsburghNew Castle,
Pa. 3. Bakersfield 4. Birmingham-Hoover- Cullman, Ala. 5. Visalia-Porterville, Calif. Worst ozone: 1.
Los
Angeles-Long-Beach-Riverside 2. Bakersfield 3. Visalia-Porterville, Calif. 4. Houston-BaytownHuntsville,
Texas 5. Fresno-Madera Source: American Lung Assn. Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Pollution control; Emission standards; Ratings & rankings; Coal-fired power plants; Air
pollution; Fossil
fuels
Location: California, Los Angeles California, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.3
Publication year: 2008
Publication date: May 1, 2008
Year: 2008
Section: California; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422193511
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422193511?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2008 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 29 of 213
Plant said to emit toxic dust; Air regulators believe a cement factory near Riverside is the
source of a
potent carcinogen.
17 March 2013 Page 50 of 483 ProQuest
Author: Wilson, Janet
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 15 Apr 2008: B.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Barry Wallerstein, chief executive of the South Coast Air Quality Management District, said
months of
sampling and lab work showed that so-called clinker dust piles at TXI Riverside Cement in the
Rubidoux area
near the Riverside-San Bernardino County line were the source of high levels of airborne hexavalent
chromium
detected at sites in the area, including a uniform factory directly across the street.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: A cement factory near Riverside is emitting high levels of hexavalent chromium, a toxic
carcinogen,
from enormous outdoor dust piles blowing downwind across an industrial area and a residential
community, the
region's top air regulator told The Times on Monday. Barry Wallerstein, chief executive of the South
Coast Air
Quality Management District, said months of sampling and lab work showed that so-called clinker
dust piles at
TXI Riverside Cement in the Rubidoux area near the Riverside-San Bernardino County line were the
source of
high levels of airborne hexavalent chromium detected at sites in the area, including a uniform factory
directly
across the street. "We're not aware of any previous reports that a cement factory would have this
level of
hexavalent chromium-related risk, but the fact of the matter is we have sampled downwind of the
facility, we've
sampled upwind of the facility, we cross-checked and did backward calculations using air quality
modeling, and
it's our best professional opinion that this is coming from the Riverside cement plant," said
Wallerstein. "They
have very large piles of cement material . . . and we believe that the dust from these piles is causing a
downwind hexavalent chromium condition." A company official said TXI had been talking with air
quality officials
about the readings, but maintained that the company's plant had not officially been identified as the
source of
the emissions. "We're obviously just as concerned as the district is," said Frank Sheets, a spokesman
for TXI
Riverside Cement. "I think the key here is verification . . . They're making an assumption, we believe
at this
point in time, that we're the source of that high concentration, and we need to go through a
verification process,
to verify their findings." Wallerstein said that under California's toxic hot-spots law, the facility's
owners would be
required to notify the public of the emissions and take steps to mitigate them. He added that AQMD
attorneys
had advised him that the agency was not required to notify the public of the readings until the source
of
emissions had been confirmed. The district had been in contact with TXI about the readings for about
a month,
according to the company. Long-term exposure to airborne hexavalent chromium, also known as
chromium 6,
has been repeatedly linked in studies to terminal nasal and lung cancer. Recent studies, including one
by the
National Toxicological Program last year, have linked it to cancer in every major organ of the body in
laboratory
animals that drank contaminated water. The toxic metal is widely used in metal plating, the
aerospace industry,
stainless steel processing and dye manufacture. It also can be found in rocks and other raw material
used in
cement production. Chromium 6 was at the center of a drinking-water contamination case in Hinkley,
Calif.,
made famous by the movie "Erin Brockovich." Wallerstein said he did not know how long the
carcinogenic dust
had been blowing from the factory's outdoor areas, but that his staff had first become aware of a
potential
problem in November when they noticed slightly elevated levels of hexavalent chromium at a
regional
monitoring station. That data was collected in 2005 and 2006 but not compiled and studied until late
last year,
he said. The levels found across the street from the plant are 10 times higher than typical amounts
found in air,
according to Wallerstein. A state health official said long-term exposure to those levels could lead to
an
additional 480 cases of cancer in 1 million people. That is far higher than the 10-per-million level that
triggers
the state's toxic hot-spots law. Sheets, the TXI spokesman, said the clinker dust piles were part of a
recycling
operation that may have been in place since the 1960s. He thought it was possible that such dust
piles could be
covered or cleaned up, if they were proved to be a risk. Sheets said officials at the 100-year-old plant
previously
had notified potentially affected neighbors of possible hazardous emissions, as required by the toxic
hot-spots
17 March 2013 Page 51 of 483 ProQuest
law. But in an e-mail, he said the levels that they calculated would come from the factory and its
operations
were below the reporting threshold set by the state. Records show the factory has complied with
federal
environmental reporting standards. In 2006, the most recent year for which data were available, they
reported 7
pounds of hexavalent chromium emissions. Dr. Robert Blaisdell, chief of exposure modeling for the
air
toxicology and epidemiology branch of the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard
Assessment,
cautioned that it would take years of continuous exposure to cause illness. But he said the local air
district
"should follow up on it . . . hexavalent chromium is a potent carcinogen, and the concern here would
be with
long-term exposure." Some questioned why it took so long to figure out the source of the chromium
and notify
the public. In a March 14 letter, Wallerstein informed Riverside County officials that the tests taken
directly
across the street from the TXI cement factory in February and March showed levels of the carcinogen
were on
average 10 times higher than typical amounts in the region's air. But in the same letter, citing an
ongoing
investigation, Wallerstein asked them to "please maintain the confidentiality of this information to
the extent
possible." Documents obtained by The Times show that AQMD tests in January also found elevated
levels of
the carcinogen at a dozen sites near the cement plant, including a park, two water facilities, a selfstorage
business and other factories. Under one state law, any government official who learns that hazardous
waste is
being released must notify county officials within 72 hours or face up to three years in prison and
stiff fines.
Those officials must in turn notify the public "without delay." Wallerstein said it would have been
wrong to alarm
members of the public without positively identifying a source of the emissions. That source was not
sufficiently
determined until he ordered additional tests over the weekend, after The Times contacted him about
reports of
high chromium readings near the plant. Riverside County Health Officer Eric Frykman said Friday
that when the
county received the March letter and a one-page report, he checked with his internal agency expert,
who said
that based on the levels reported, there was insufficient risk to warrant notifying the public. Richard
Drury, an
attorney who has successfully sued polluters over hexavalent chromium emissions, said he was less
troubled
by the lack of public notification than by evidence that high levels were detected in 2005 but not
further
investigated. "That's absurd," he said. "The air district should have investigated immediately. If you
have a peak
of hexavalent chromium, you want to find out where it's coming from. It should not take three or four
years. . . . It
seems like someone's been asleep at the switch over at the air district." -- janet.wilson@latimes.com
Credit:
Times Staff Writer
Subject: Carcinogens; Dust; Airborne particulates; Cement plants; Air pollution
Location: Riverside California
Company / organization: Name: TXI Riverside Cement; NAICS: 327310
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
Publication year: 2008
Publication date: Apr 15, 2008
Year: 2008
Section: California; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
17 March 2013 Page 52 of 483 ProQuest
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422325395
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422325395?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2008 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 30 of 213
Ports unveil cleanup plan; A $19-million proposal seeks to cut pollution by persuading
shippers to
burn cleaner fuel near the coast.
Author: Sahagun, Louis
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 19 Mar 2008: B.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: None available.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: CORRECTION: SEE CORRECTION APPENDED; Port pollution: Photographs with an article in
Wednesday's California section about a $19-million plan to cut pollution at local ports were
identified as showing
the Port of Long Beach. They showed the Port of Los Angeles. The ports of Los Angeles and Long
Beach on
Tuesday unveiled a $19-million plan to persuade shippers to burn cleaner fuel when vessels are near
the
California coast, a move expected to slash local air pollution by 11%. Cargo ships, some of which can
emit
more diesel exhaust per day than 12,000 automobiles, are responsible for much of the air pollution in
the
region. They are a leading source of nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides and particulate matter, which have
been
linked to premature deaths, respiratory illnesses and global warming. The proposal, which may go
into effect as
soon as July 1, would rely on financial incentives to encourage most of the 5,000 ships that berth at
local ports
each year to use much cleaner low-sulfur diesel fuels in their main propulsion engines. For example,
the ports
would pay the difference between the costs of highly polluting bunker fuel and low-sulfur distillate
fuel for as
long as a year. The money would be drawn from revenues collected from terminal operators under
existing
lease arrangements, authorities said. The incentive program comes after a federal court last month
rebuffed
attempts by state regulators to impose limits on ship emissions in California waters, saying the state
first must
seek permission from the federal Environmental Protection Agency. The California Air Resources
Board is
expected to file for such a waiver or appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. "This is a one-year
program,"
said Long Beach port spokesman Art Wong. "Next year, state regulations are expected to require
these ships to
use low-sulfur fuel in their main engines." To qualify for the incentives, the ships must participate in
the ports'
voluntary vessel speed reduction program, limiting speeds to 12 knots during the switch to lowsulfur fuel. They
also must burn low-sulfur fuel in their electricity-generating auxiliary engines while at berth. If
successful, the
proposal would cut sulfur oxides by 11% and diesel particulate matter by 9% almost overnight. "This
proposal
would immediately improve the air quality of Southern California," said Long Beach Mayor Bob
Foster. "It is a
17 March 2013 Page 53 of 483 ProQuest
collaborative and creative effort to tackle the single largest source of pollution from these two ports
and is a big
step forward in our efforts to clean the air." The proposal was supported by the Pacific Merchant
Shipping
Assn., an independent trade association representing terminal operators and owners of cargo and
passenger
vessels. Although the organization is urging its members to switch to cleaner-burning fuels,
association
spokeswoman Michele Grubbs said Tuesday that using low-sulfur fuel, which has a higher viscosity
than bunker
fuel, could create problems for some ships, including "a potential risk of high temperatures that could
spark
fires." For some others, the conversion could invalidate engine warranties, she said. Maersk, the
largest
shipping line in the world, came up with its own plan for cleaner air. Two years ago, the Danish
shipping giant
began converting its 37 cargo ships that serve California ports to allow them to use low-sulfur fuel
within 24
miles from the coast. Under increasing pressure from area residents, port authorities and state
regulators have
been enacting a series of limits on pollution from ships and the trucks and trains that service their
cargo. Those
critics came out in force at a local park Tuesday to voice opposition to controversial proposals to
expand train
yard operations in a west Long Beach area where cancer rates from diesel soot are already among
the highest
in the state. John Cross, vice president of the West Long Beach Homeowners Assn. and an organizer
of the
Silverado Park meeting, said residents were worried about the proposals because railroads "have not
been
good neighbors in the past." When the Union Pacific yard was approved in 1982, port authorities said
that its
effect on local air quality would be minimal. Later, "when we went to them with a problem, they said,
'Call
headquarters in Omaha,' " Cross said. "Now, they're coming up with all these ideas about so-called
green
growth. But if they're so concerned about pollution, why don't they clean up the yards they have
before building
new ones?" Union Pacific railroad wants to nearly double the number of cargo containers handled
annually at
its Intermodal Container Transfer Facility. Despite the rise from 725,000 to about 1.5 million
containers, Union
Pacific officials promise to reduce diesel emissions by 50% by using more efficient equipment,
electric cranes
and cleaner fuels. A block away, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway is seeking permission to build
a 300acre facility near homes, day-care centers and eight schools. Burlington is spending close to $1
million a year
on lobbyists and public relations firms to push its project, according to Los Angeles City Ethics
Commission
reports. Similarly, Union Pacific officials have launched their own public relations campaign. Union
Pacific
officials said that with technological changes and the pending port and state air restrictions, their
facility
eventually would reduce pollution. For the near term, however, they acknowledged that doubling
truck traffic
would increase overall emissions in adjacent neighborhoods. That kind of talk worried Jesse
Marquez,
executive director of the Coalition for a Safe Environment, who was among approximately 100
residents at the
meeting. "In other words, they want to make us a hot spot community and a sacrificial lamb for the
region and
the state," he said. "Our target is near zero emissions. We think that is a reasonable goal."
louis.sahagun@latimes.com Times staff writer Janet Wilson contributed to this report. Credit: Times
Staff Writer
Illustration Caption: PHOTO: STACKED: A container ship plies the waters near Long Beach. The
program
would use financial incentives to encourage ships to use much cleaner low-sulfur diesel fuels in their
main
propulsion engines.; PHOTOGRAPHER:Richard Hartog Los Angeles Times; PHOTO: CARGO: A
container
ship is tied up near a row of cranes in Long Beach. Some cargo ships emit more diesel exhaust per
day than
12,000 automobiles.; PHOTOGRAPHER:Richard Hartog Los Angeles Times; GRAPHIC: MAP: Proposed
rail
yard; CREDIT: Los Angeles Times
Subject: Ships; Public relations; Emissions; Diesel fuels; Shipping industry; Ports; Air pollution;
Environmental
policy
Location: Los Angeles California, Long Beach California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
17 March 2013 Page 54 of 483 ProQuest
Publication year: 2008
Publication date: Mar 19, 2008
Year: 2008
Section: California; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422202452
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422202452?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2008 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 31 of 213
Train, ship pollution targeted by EPA
Author: Wilson, Janet
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 15 Mar 2008: B.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The air pollution rules won rare, uniform praise from several national environmental and
industry
groups, but did nothing to satisfy Southern California air regulators struggling with pollution from
the nation's
largest port complex.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Diesel-powered ships and trains must cut soot emissions by as much as 90% by 2030,
under
regulations signed Friday by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency administrator Stephen Johnson.
"Today
EPA is fitting another important piece into the clean diesel puzzle by cleaning emissions from our
trains and
boats," Johnson said by telephone from the Port of Houston, where he made the announcement. "This
will help
America's economic workhorse become its environmental workhorse as well." The air pollution rules
won rare,
uniform praise from several national environmental and industry groups, but did nothing to satisfy
Southern
California air regulators struggling with pollution from the nation's largest port complex. "It's too
little, too late,"
said Barry Wallerstein, executive officer of the South Coast Air Quality Management District. "Every
year they
delay . . . is another year that Southern Californians die needlessly from air pollution from ships and
locomotives." Because the new rules will take decades to implement, and do not target large marine
vessels,
the AQMD will not be able to reach a 2015 federal deadline to bring deadly fine particulate exposure
down to
17 March 2013 Page 55 of 483 ProQuest
legal amounts, Wallerstein said. Large, ocean-going vessels are linked to about 800 premature deaths
in the
region each year. More than 40% of all retail goods shipped to the U.S. come through the ports of Los
Angeles
and Long Beach. Under the new rules, locomotives, harbor tugs, barges, ferries and recreational boats
will be
required to use cleaner fuel, to retrofit existing equipment and to replace older models with new,
cleaner
engines. When fully implemented, the new standards are projected to reduce fine particulate soot by
90%, and
nitrogen oxide emissions by 80%. Nitrogen oxides are key ingredients in both soot and smog, and
have been
linked to global warming. Nationwide, the regulation could help prevent 1,400 premature deaths and
120,000
lost workdays annually by 2030, saving as much as $12 billion, Johnson said. Johnson moved up the
start
dates for control of nitrogen oxide emissions by two years from his original proposal: to 2014 for
marine
engines, and 2015 for locomotive engines. Executives for the railroads and for GE, the nation's largest
locomotive manufacturer, said that the technology to comply with the advanced, cleaner engine
requirements
does not exist but that they support the new regulations. That was a marked change for GE in
particular, which
objected strenuously to tougher controls when they first were proposed. "We welcome the new
emission
standards," said company spokesman Stephan Koller, who added that the company worked closely
with federal
staff and customers to reach consensus. "We don't just live in the past." Meeting the new standards
"will be a
serious challenge," but it will be done, said Edward R. Hamberger, president and chief executive of
the
American Assn. of Railroads, in a statement. "The railroads will need to develop an infrastructure to
handle
[different] fueling of locomotives . . . and maintain diesel particulate filters so heavy that cranes likely
will be
needed to remove and reinstall them," Hamberger said. Many environmental groups welcomed the
action as a
"breath of fresh air" after other recent decisions by Johnson. On Tuesday he announced that he
disagreed with
his science advisors' recommendations, and only marginally tightened limits on ozone, a key
ingredient in
smog. Johnson brushed off months of mounting criticism from environmentalists and Democratic
lawmakers
Friday, saying "being EPA administrator is not a popularity contest." Echoing many groups,
Environmental
Defense Fund attorney Janea Scott said that the "EPA deserves praise for issuing a final rule that is
stronger
than its original proposal." Johnson said the EPA was working closely with international maritime
regulators to
try to impose tougher emission limits on the giant vessels that transport the globe's retail goods. -janet.wilson@latimes.com Credit: Times Staff Writer Illustration Caption: PHOTO: POLLUTION
SOURCE: New
EPA rules will require harbor tugs, barges, ferries and recreational boats to use cleaner fuel.;
PHOTOGRAPHER:Lori Shepler Los Angeles Times
Subject: Environmental regulations; Air pollution; Trains; Ships; Environmentalists; Emission
standards
Company / organization: Name: Environmental Protection Agency--EPA; NAICS: 924110
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
Publication year: 2008
Publication date: Mar 15, 2008
Year: 2008
Section: California; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
17 March 2013 Page 56 of 483 ProQuest
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422212208
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422212208?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2008 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 32 of 213
Pollution rules will put a damper on fireplace use
Author: Wilson, Janet
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 08 Mar 2008: A.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Citing public health concerns in the heavily polluted Los Angeles Basin, the South Coast Air
Quality
Management District board voted unanimously to impose fines on homeowners who burn wood in
fireplaces or
at outdoor sites on high-pollution days during winter months -- about two dozen days in a typical
year. The
agency deleted a provision that Realtors said would have further hurt an already sagging real estate
market:
requiring wood-burning fireplaces to be removed or blocked off when a home was sold.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Curling up in front of a cozy wood fire on a nippy night will be banned in many parts of
Southern
California on bad air days under new regulations passed Friday by regional air regulators. Citing
public health
concerns in the heavily polluted Los Angeles Basin, the South Coast Air Quality Management District
board
voted unanimously to impose fines on homeowners who burn wood in fireplaces or at outdoor sites
on highpollution
days during winter months -- about two dozen days in a typical year. "This is a fair trade-off," district
Executive Director Barry Wallerstein said. "To get to clean air in Southern California, we all have to
individually
take greater responsibility for the air pollution we cause." Builders will be prohibited from installing
wood-burning
fireplaces in new homes, and it will be illegal to install one when remodeling. Gas-burning fireplaces
will be
allowed. Restaurants with wood-fired ovens, such as California Pizza Kitchen, will not be affected by
daily bans.
Nor will homeowners who rely on a fireplace for heat or have properties at an elevation above 3,000
feet.
Coastal areas that don't experience as many high-pollution days probably will be unaffected. Beach
fires and
ceremonial fires used by tribes will be allowed. Fireplaces are used in about 1.4 million of the 5
million
households governed by the district, producing on average 6 tons a day of particulate soot in the air
basin,
according to the district. Numerous studies have linked fine particulate matter, which sinks deep into
the lungs,
to increased lung and respiratory problems. State officials say an estimated 5,000 premature deaths
each year
in the region are linked to fine particulate exposure. About 106 tons of fine particulate soot is emitted
every day
in the Los Angeles area, according to the district. The new regulations will reduce that by an average
of about 1
ton a day. The winter wood-burning ban will apply in areas where forecasts show federal daily limits
for fine
particulate matter will be exceeded. That will amount to about two dozen days from November to
March each
17 March 2013 Page 57 of 483 ProQuest
year, regulators said. Residents most likely to be affected include those in the Inland Empire and the
San
Gabriel Valley, where soot carried by prevailing winds is trapped by mountains. Some people see any
kind of
ban as an invasion of home and hearth. "You're not going to regulate my chimney," Stewart Cumming
of San
Bernardino told the board during a heated public hearing in Diamond Bar. He vowed to continue
using his
fireplace as he chose. He and others said it made no sense for the district to pursue such a small
pollution
source while its other policies allow large polluters to buy exemptions from stiff air pollution limits.
"But you're
going to come into my house and tell me where, when and how I can burn wood in my fireplace?"
Cumming
asked. "I'm not really following the contradiction here very well." "This is personal for a lot of
people," said
Burten Carraher, who builds custom fireplaces and chimneys. "Fireplaces are not used that often in
Los
Angeles. But for people who do, it's a place of comfort. "It's a place where they relax, and I cannot
imagine the
number of fireplaces used for that purpose should be addressed in this major, major manner. . . . This
is a
personal pleasure. It's one of the few things they can enjoy -- besides a television, I guess -- that
makes it a
home." Southland regulators said federal and state laws require them to go after every possible
pollution
source. More than a dozen other air pollution districts in California already have fireplace
restrictions in place.
Some homeowners and health organizations wanted stricter bans, saying they were sick of choking
on
neighbors' smoke, which aggravates asthma and other potentially deadly health conditions. One
Redlands
woman at the hearing described coughing and "expectorating" every evening during a regular walk
through her
neighborhood when wood fires are burning. "This is very tame; this is really the minimum we need
to be doing,"
said Martin Schlageter of the Coalition for Clean Air. District enforcers said they would count on
peeved
neighbors as the front line in enforcing the new rules, with inspectors responding to phone
complaints of illegal
smoke. Fines will run as high as $500 per violation. The agency deleted a provision that Realtors said
would
have further hurt an already sagging real estate market: requiring wood-burning fireplaces to be
removed or
blocked off when a home was sold. Colleen Callahan of the American Lung Assn.'s Los Angeles office
argued
unsuccessfully that the board should restore the measure. "When a potential homeowner is seeking
to
purchase a home, they're not going to say, 'Where's the wood?' They're going to say, 'Where's the
clean air in
Southern California?' " she said. Board members also granted a request by home builders to hold off
on
enforcing the construction ban for a year. District officials estimate the cost of installing a natural-gas
fireplace is
about $500 more than a traditional wood-burning one. The overall ban on wood burning will begin in
November
2011, to give the public time to learn about the program. The board also approved a $500,000
program to give
cash incentives to homeowners who replace polluting fireplaces with cleaner natural-gas models.
The district is
seeking proposals from large home-improvement chains to design and implement that program.
Salesmen for
natural gas fired hearth and barbecue grills were on hand at the hearing and outside displaying their
wares.
"This is not the end of using your fireplace by any means," said John Crouch of the Hearth, Patio and
Barbecue
Assn. For more details, go to www.aqmd.gov/rules/proposed /445/PR445_Version_E.pdf. -janet.wilson@latimes.com Credit: Times Staff Writer Illustration Caption: GRAPHIC: MAP: South
Coast Air
Quality Management District; CREDIT: Los Angeles Times
Subject: Bans; Fines & penalties; Air pollution; Fireplaces
Location: Southern California
Company / organization: Name: South Coast Air Quality Management District-Los Angeles County
CA; NAICS:
924110
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.1
Publication year: 2008
17 March 2013 Page 58 of 483 ProQuest
Publication date: Mar 8, 2008
Year: 2008
Section: Main News; Part A; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422243371
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422243371?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2008 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 33 of 213
THE NATION; Limits on ship exhaust rejected; Appeals court says California needs U.S.
permission
to regulate pollution from ports of L.A. and Long Beach.
Author: Cone, Marla
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 28 Feb 2008: A.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: A federal appeals court Wednesday rejected a state regulation that reduced emissions from
ships,
dealing a blow to California's attempt to combat one of the major sources of smog-forming pollution
in the Los
Angeles region.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: A federal appeals court Wednesday rejected a state regulation that reduced emissions from
ships,
dealing a blow to California's attempt to combat one of the major sources of smog-forming pollution
in the Los
Angeles region. The ruling means that the state must seek federal approval before imposing pollution
limits on
the thousands of cargo ships, cruise ships and other marine vessels that visit its ports. The U.S. 9th
Circuit
Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled that California's new regulation is preempted by federal law.
The Clean
Air Act allows California to set its own standards for various vehicles and engines if it receives
waivers from the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The state argued that in this case it didn't technically need a
waiver, but
the judges disagreed. Ships sailing into the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles are considered a
major
source of particulates, nitrogen oxides and sulfur, pollutants that cause the region to frequently
violate federal
health standards. Microscopic soot from diesel engines can lodge in lungs, triggering heart attacks,
asthma and
other cardiovascular and respiratory problems, scientists say. Diesel exhaust has also been linked to
lung
17 March 2013 Page 59 of 483 ProQuest
cancer. The ruling is the second setback in two months to California's efforts to combat air pollution
rather than
wait for federal action. For four decades, the state has adopted its own regulations for cars, trucks,
factories,
consumer products and other sources of air pollution, often prompting the federal government to set
similar
standards. Since the 1970s, the EPA has granted California hundreds of waivers allowing it to set its
own
emission standards. But in December, the agency denied the state's request to impose standards to
reduce
greenhouse gases from automobiles. The EPA administrator has argued that, unlike smog and diesel
fumes,
climate change is a global problem, not a state one. The California Air Resources Board immediately
stopped
enforcing the ship rule Wednesday as its attorneys debated their options. They will either appeal to
the
Supreme Court or seek a waiver from the EPA. Air board officials said the court ruling will delay, but
not stop,
emission limits on the ships. "This is critical to protecting public health, particularly around ports,"
said air board
spokeswoman Gennet Paauwe. "It is part of our large plan to cut emissions, particularly for the ports
and
goods-movement sectors." The ship rule was adopted by the air board in 2005 and implemented last
year. It
addressed the use of auxiliary diesel engines within 24 nautical miles of the coast. Such engines,
which often
run on highly polluting bunker fuel, provide power for onboard electricity. The engines emit an
estimated 1,400
tons a year of particulates in the L.A. Basin and account for about 15% of the region's diesel
emissions,
according to a 2005 air board report. The Pacific Merchant Shipping Assn., a San Francisco-based
group of
shipping companies, filed suit to block enforcement of the rule. A federal district court sided with the
association
in August, and Wednesday's ruling reaffirms that decision. In June, the air board is scheduled to
consider a
separate regulation for the main engines that propel ships. The court ruling could mean that
California would
first have to seek EPA authorization. John McLaurin, president of the shipping association, said the
industry
prefers federal or international standards, "which will ensure consistent application of air quality
rules and
meaningful emissions reductions throughout the world." Some shipping companies have already
complied with
the rule by switching to low-sulfur fuels, lowering speeds voluntarily or using shore-side electrical
power. In
2004, nearly 10,000 oceangoing ships visited California ports, half of them container ships. "This
lawsuit was
not about whether emissions from vessels should be reduced but about who should have the
jurisdiction to
impose and enforce requirements on international trade," McLaurin said. Attorneys for the air board
contended
that the regulation applied only to old engines, not to new ones, so they argued that they did not need
EPA
authorization because it was not an emissions standard. Two environmental groups, the city of Long
Beach and
the South Coast Air Quality Management District intervened in the case in support of the state board.
"Our staff
decided to go ahead and regulate because we felt we did have regulatory authority," Paauwe said.
The court
rejected that argument, calling the regulation an emissions standard and citing similar rulings by
other courts.
State officials do not know whether the EPA is likely to approve a waiver for the ship rule. State and
local control
of air pollution from ships, airplanes and railroads has long been controversial because of laws
safeguarding
interstate commerce and concerns that such rules should be international. -marla.cone@latimes.com Credit:
Times Staff Writer Illustration Caption: PHOTO: PORT TRAFFIC: The ship engines targeted by
California's rule
account for about 15% of the Los Angeles region's total diesel emissions, according to a 2005 state
air board
report.; PHOTOGRAPHER:Gina Ferazzi Los Angeles Times
Subject: Litigation; Regulation; Interstate commerce; Greenhouse gases; Federal court decisions; Air
pollution;
Shipping industry
Location: California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.1
Publication year: 2008
17 March 2013 Page 60 of 483 ProQuest
Publication date: Feb 28, 2008
Year: 2008
Section: News
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422190867
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422190867?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2008 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 34 of 213
Study to gauge LAX's role in pollution; Unprecedented project will examine cities around
the airport.
Author: Abdollah, Tami
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 26 Feb 2008: B.3.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: None available.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: The Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners unanimously agreed Monday to spend
$2.2 million
to look at the effect of airport pollution on communities around LAX. The ambitious study, said to be
the largest
of its kind, will monitor Westchester, El Segundo, Inglewood and Lennox to identify the sources of
pollution
there and determine how much of it can be attributed to airport activities. "This is the most
comprehensive air
quality study that's ever been taken on by an airport in the United States," said Roger Johnson,
deputy
executive director for environmental services at Los Angeles World Airports, the agency that runs the
airport.
Some of the airport's toughest community critics, who have been battling the airport commission
over expansion
and renovation plans, praised the decision to begin the study as "trailblazing." "It's critical to
understand that
what they're doing is useful for not only this airport, but for all airports," said Denny Schneider, vice
chair of the
LAX-Community Noise Roundtable and president of the Alliance for a Regional Solution to Airport
Congestion.
"The United States has been delinquent in assessing how to reduce the impact of environmental
pollution from
airports." The first two phases of the study, expected to cost about $2.2 million, will develop an
inventory of
potential air pollution sources and monitor and analyze emissions on the airfield. Those phases
should be
finished by the end of the year, officials said. A third phase would involve yearlong monitoring of as
many as 11
17 March 2013 Page 61 of 483 ProQuest
sites in the communities and is expected to cost an additional $3 million to $5 million. "Obviously we
don't know
until it comes in what it gives us," said Alan Rothenberg, airport commission president. "It's an
incredibly
complex issue to find out what pollutants come from what sources, but the attempt to seriously
measure it is
commendable. And I hope that we can show the way to airports everywhere and other public entities
that are
faced with situations where pollutants are from multiple sources." A UCLA study commissioned by
the California
Air Resources Board about three years ago and released last year also looked at the airport's effect
on air
quality. That study, however, was done on a smaller scale, analyzing ultra-fine particulates. The study
will be
independent of the environmental impact report currently underway that includes possible
reconfiguration of the
airport's northern runways. It also satisfies a number of the airport's previous agreements with local
communities, including the community benefits agreement in late 2004, which set aside $500 million
to be spent
on projects to help those living near LAX. Environmental activists say there is ample anecdotal
evidence that
increased pollution from the airport has caused a higher incidence of asthma and other respiratory
illnesses in
neighboring communities. But airport officials say offshore shipping, freeway and roadway traffic,
among other
sources, may play greater roles. Martin Rubin, 61, who lives about five miles north of the airport in
Los Angeles,
said on some nights the odor of jet exhaust is pervasive. "Somehow in this process, it'd be valuable to
follow
where the odors go," said Rubin, director of Concerned Residents Against Airport Pollution. "Actually,
I'm a bit
proud that Los Angeles is taking leadership in this. In many studies around the country, they have
missed the
mark." Although air quality studies have been performed at airports in Chicago, New Jersey and
Rhode Island,
they have not been as comprehensive as the one proposed by this plan, Johnson said. The study is a
coordinated effort that involves the California Air Resources Board, the South Coast Air Quality
Management
District, Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. "If we have
the
knowledge we'll be able to develop policy tools to mitigate those effects," said Laurie Kaye, a policy
analyst for
Environmental Defense and a member of the LAX Coalition for Economic, Environmental and
Educational
Justice. "But right now we can't tell the airport to do anything because we can't tell what caused it;
we don't
know what's out there." The study has been in the planning stages for more than a decade but was
put on hold
after Sept. 11, 2001, when funding dried up for all nonessential projects, officials said. The three-year
contract
was awarded to Jacobs Consultancy. -- tami.abdollah@latimes.com Credit: Times Staff Writer
Illustration
Caption: PHOTO: (ORANGE COUNTY EDITION) AIRBORNE: Officials say that until pollution sources
are
inventoried and monitored, it's impossible to know the extent to which air quality is affected by auto
traffic, ships
and planes.; PHOTOGRAPHER:Glenn Koenig Los Angeles Times
Subject: Community; Studies; Airports; Air pollution
Location: Southern California
Company / organization: Name: Airport Commission-Los Angeles CA; NAICS: 921110; Name: Los
Angeles
International Airport; NAICS: 488119
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.3
Publication year: 2008
Publication date: Feb 26, 2008
Year: 2008
Section: News
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
17 March 2013 Page 62 of 483 ProQuest
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422193940
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422193940?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2008 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 35 of 213
Long Beach port faces suit threat; Two environmental groups say the facility must reduce
diesel
emissions in 90 days to avoid federal court.
Author: Sahagun, Louis
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 07 Feb 2008: B.3.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The 13-page ultimatum from the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Coalition for a
Safe
Environment is a prerequisite for a lawsuit that is likely to ignite a protracted battle over how to
manage the
potentially cancer-causing pollution spewed into the air from ships, big rigs and locomotives at one
of the
nation's busiest ports.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Two environmental groups on Wednesday gave the Port of Long Beach 90 days to reduce
diesel soot
and smog or face a lawsuit in federal court. The 13-page ultimatum from the Natural Resources
Defense
Council and the Coalition for a Safe Environment is a prerequisite for a lawsuit that is likely to ignite
a protracted
battle over how to manage the potentially cancer-causing pollution spewed into the air from ships,
big rigs and
locomotives at one of the nation's busiest ports. The letter of intent to sue was hand-delivered to
Long Beach
Mayor Bob Foster, Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners President Mario Cordero and port
Executive
Director Richard Steinke. "We want the court to take over the whole thing at once in order to enforce
a new
priority of public health over profit," said David Pettit, senior attorney for the defense council. "We
think that will
require court appointment of a port czar to force the port to use currently available technology to fix
the problem.
"If it works here," he added, "it will work at every port in the nation where there's a diesel pollution
problem."
Foster defended his city's track record on pollution. "We are very serious here about making sure the
air is
cleaner, and doing it as quickly as possible," he said. "It's the No. 1 health issue in Long Beach." The
environmental groups' strategy differs radically from previous legal challenges against the port that
targeted
specific polluters or flaws in environmental impact reports. Instead, it seeks to have the port
complex, a
sprawling $105-billion operation that supports nearly 230,000 jobs in Los Angeles County, treated as
a single
17 March 2013 Page 63 of 483 ProQuest
entity subject to court-monitored benchmarks and progress reports. The groups chose not to sue the
adjacent
Port of Los Angeles, pending resolution of ongoing negotiations. The lawsuit would be brought under
the federal
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, which was designed to protect the public from harm by
sites
contaminated with hazardous waste. In this case, the waste in question includes thousands of tons of
microscopic diesel particulates emitted each year by freight haulers. "The argument that dangerous
materials
released into the air would be subject to the RCRA seems to be a plausible and innovative way to try
to deal
with the issue. I suspect it is untested," said Sean Hecht, executive director of the UCLA
Environmental Law
Center. "No one knows, however, whether a court will find this is such an urgent problem that it is
willing to
fashion the remedy and timetables the petitioners are asking for." In an interview, Cordero said the
legal action
didn't make sense, given that the Los Angeles and Long Beach port officials a year ago approved a
Clean Air
Action Plan to slash port-generated pollution 45% by 2012. Implementation of that plan, aimed at
reducing
emissions from its fleet of 16,800 heavy-duty diesel trucks, is a year behind schedule. "We have the
most
progressive and aggressive environmental plan in the nation when it comes to air quality," Cordero
said. "But
we're not finished with it yet. We plan to be finished with this plan very soon. So I'm surprised by this
action
being taken." Jack Kyser, chief economist with the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp.,
expressed dismay over the legal tactic, which he warned "could choke off a lot of international trade"
and result
in price hikes of imported goods. "Sometimes, people don't understand the ultimate consequences of
what they
do," he said. "Start stocking up on your tennis shoes and other necessities." Environmental attorneys,
however,
argued that the port plan, while "well-written," lacked enforceable deadlines. Studies estimate that
diesel
exhaust from freight transport contributes to 2,400 premature deaths statewide each year -- with
50% of those
deaths occurring in the South Coast Air Basin. Of particular concern are diesel particulates, which
carry
carcinogenic hydrocarbons and heavy metals easily inhaled into the lungs. "Port-related diesel
emissions cause
thousands of preventable hospital visits for asthma, heart attacks, strokes and other ailments every
year,
including many that prove fatal," said Jesse Marquez, chair of the Coalition for a Safe Environment.
"But
because the victims of pollution die quietly, nobody pays attention to them. This has got to stop." The
letter
urged Long Beach authorities to immediately require that vessels switch to low-sulfur diesel fuel, a
move that
could result in higher costs the industry has warned would be passed on to consumers of imported
goods. It
also called on them to limit expansion projects until port authorities can prove to the satisfaction of a
federal
judge that such activities would not "at any time increase the level of hazardous diesel particulates
emanating
from the port." -- louis.sahagun@latimes.com Credit: Times Staff Writer Illustration Caption: PHOTO:
LONG
HAUL: Thousands of tons of microscopic diesel particulates are emitted each year by freight haulers
at the Port
of Long Beach. Two environmental groups in a letter to Long Beach and port officials are seeking to
place
"public health over profit" by requiring court-monitored benchmarks and progress reports.;
PHOTOGRAPHER:Rick Loomis Los Angeles Times; PHOTO: CONSEQUENCES: Studies estimate that
diesel
exhaust from freight transport contributes to 2,400 premature deaths statewide each year, with half
occurring in
the South Coast Air Basin.; PHOTOGRAPHER:; GRAPHIC: Map: Cancer risk from diesel emissions;
CREDIT:PAUL DUGINSKI Los Angeles Times
Subject: Litigation; Air pollution; Environmental law; Environmental impact; Economic development
corporations; Diesel fuels; Emission standards
Company / organization: Name: Natural Resources Defense Council; NAICS: 813312; Name: Port of
Long
Beach-California; NAICS: 488310
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.3
17 March 2013 Page 64 of 483 ProQuest
Publication year: 2008
Publication date: Feb 7, 2008
Year: 2008
Section: News
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422169376
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422169376?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2008 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 36 of 213
It's worse than dirty Dirty air has toxic components; L.A.'s notorious air pollution is hardest
on kids.
The closer to a freeway they live, play or attend school, the more likely it is that their
developing
l ungs' capacity will be reduced.
Author: Erin Cline Davis
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 10 Dec 2007: F.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: For kids who already live in an area with high levels of pollution, living near a freeway is
"adding insult
to injury," says Dr. John Balmes, professor of medicine at UC San Francisco and professor of public
health at
UC Berkeley.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Everyone is familiar with the gray-brown haze that often blankets Los Angeles, and the fact
that the
city consistently ranks as one of the most polluted in America. But what many may forget is that the
dismal
reports of L.A.'s air pollution only capture the average amounts of toxins in the air, and that some
places within
the urban sprawl are far dirtier than others. Official numbers do not take into account the fact that
pollutants are
at much higher levels within a few hundred feet of the freeways that crisscross the city -- and for the
adults and
kids who live, work or go to school there, the effects add up. For kids, whose lungs are still growing,
these
effects can be especially damaging. Mounting scientific evidence reveals that exposure to air
pollution interferes
with the development of children's lungs, reducing their capacity to breathe the air they need.
Although the longterm
consequences aren't known, it is known that growth in lung function is nearly complete by the end of
17 March 2013 Page 65 of 483 ProQuest
adolescence. Because lung capacity diminishes as people grow older, children exposed to air
pollution may
enter adulthood with the deck stacked against them. Proximity to freeways appears to matter.
Recently, studies
have shown that the lung capacity of children who live within 500 meters (1,650 feet) of a freeway is
significantly
reduced compared with those who live more than 1,500 meters (4,950 feet) away. For kids who
already live in
an area with high levels of pollution, living near a freeway is "adding insult to injury," says Dr. John
Balmes,
professor of medicine at UC San Francisco and professor of public health at UC Berkeley. To help
protect
children from the heightened effects of this extra dose of air pollution, California passed a law in
2003
prohibiting schools from being built within 500 feet of major roadways. Districts are allowed to build
within this
buffer zone only if space limitations leave no option or the district can find ways to mitigate the
increased air
pollution. Yet a September article in The Times reported that the L.A. Unified School District was
building five
schools within 500 feet of a freeway and had plans for two more. The district is now reconsidering its
plans and
working on new policies aimed at limiting students' exposure to pollution at schools built near
freeways, but
such laws can do only so much. Even if they aren't going to school near a freeway, children may still
be walking
down the street or playing in their backyard near one. Thousands will still be exposed to dangerous
levels of air
pollution. -- Stunted lung development In 2004, USC researchers reported that children living in
areas with
higher pollution, such as San Dimas and Riverside, had stunted lung development compared with
children living
in areas with lower pollution, such as Atascadero and Alpine. The findings came from the Children's
Health
Study, which in 1993 recruited about 1,700 fourth-graders from 12 California communities and
studied their lung
function over eight years. The effects on children's lungs were both statistically and clinically
significant: The
proportion of children with low lung function was 4.9 times greater in the community with the
highest level of
fine-particle pollution (Mira Loma) compared with the community (Lompoc) with the lowest levels
(7.9% versus
1.6%). Results were similar when the researchers looked at other categories of pollution, such as
nitrogen
dioxide and elemental carbon. In February, the USC group published another report, in the journal
the Lancet,
showing that living near a freeway could further affect a child's lung development. As in the 2004
study,
researchers followed the group of fourth-graders recruited in 1993, as well as a later group recruited
in 1996. In
this study, however, the children in each city were further subdivided into those who lived close to
(within 500
meters) or far (more than 1,500 meters) from a freeway or other major road. As in the other study,
researchers
would visit the children every year at their schools and measure with a device called a spirometer
how much
and how fast each child could exhale. They found that children who lived close to a freeway in a lowpollution
community had about a 4% decrease in their lung function compared with children living in the same
community
but far from a freeway. This decrease was similar to that seen in children who lived in highly polluted
communities but far from a major road. The results were worst for the children who lived near a
freeway within a
polluted city. They had the greatest reduction in lung function over the course of the eight years each
child was
tracked -- about 9%, compared with the kids in clean cities who lived at least 1,500 meters from a
major road.
Lung development is nearly complete by age 18 -- meaning that someone with a deficit in lung
function at the
end of adolescence will probably continue to have less than healthy lung function for the rest of his or
her life.
And that could lay the adult open to a variety of maladies. "Poor lung function in later adult life is
known to be a
major risk factor for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, as well as for mortality," said W. James
Gauderman, an epidemiologist at the USC Keck School of Medicine and leader of both studies. The
results of
the USC study make sense, given what scientists know about the concentrations of tailpipe pollutants
near
major roads. Jean Opital, an officer for the South Coast Air Quality Management District who
evaluates studies
on the health effects of air pollution, says that pollution concentrations are highest in the first 150
meters of a
large road but then start to drop off. But calculations predict that to get down to the levels seen
upwind of a
freeway, you have to get about 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) away. "Though we in L.A. don't have the
best air
quality, proximity to sources does matter, " he says. -- Taking in more pollutants Children are
especially
vulnerable to air pollution because they breathe more rapidly than adults relative to their body
weight and lung
17 March 2013 Page 66 of 483 ProQuest
size. This results in exposure to a relatively larger dose of any air pollutants. Kids also spend a lot of
time
engaged in vigorous physical activity, leading to even heavier breathing. When they play hard, they
tend to
breathe more through their mouths, bypassing the natural filtering effects of the nose, allowing more
pollutants
into their lungs. And unlike adults, who are likely to stop their activities when effects of pollution
such as
wheezing and coughing set in, children often keep going -- continuing to expose themselves to
pollution. The
heady brew they are exposed to has various toxic components -- carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide,
nitrogen
dioxide -- and the two that pose the greatest threat to human health: ground-level ozone and
particulate matter.
Ground-level ozone is formed by a chemical reaction between volatile organic compounds and oxides
of
nitrogen emitted by cars and other sources such as power plants that takes place in the presence of
sunlight. In
L.A., the onshore breeze usually pushes the ingredients of ozone farther inland. But calm days
provide the
perfect conditions for a blanket of ozone to cover the city. Exposure to ozone can cause immediate
effects such
as coughing, throat irritation and difficulty breathing. It can also worsen asthma attacks and increase
the
susceptibility of the lungs to infections, allergens and other air pollutants -- making exposure
especially risky for
those with asthma and other lung conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Particulate matter
in the air is a mixture of solids and liquid droplets that vary in size. Particles larger than 10 microns
(about onetenth
the diameter of a human hair) do not usually reach a person's lungs, but they can irritate the eyes,
nose
and throat. Exposure to "coarse" particles (in the range of 2.5 to 10 microns in diameter) and "fine"
particles
(less than 2.5 microns in diameter) can aggravate heart and lung diseases. A study of more than
4,000 Swiss
adults ages 18 to 60 during the course of 11 years, which appeared last week in the online edition of
the New
England Journal of Medicine, has shown that the inevitable decline in lung function seen in adults is
lessened in
those who are exposed to reduced levels of particle pollution. The smallest particles of all -- so-called
"ultra-fine"
particles -- are of increasing concern to air pollution experts. Air levels of these tiny bits of air
pollution, which
measure less than 0.1 micron or one-thousandth the diameter of a human hair, are not regulated by
state or
federal agencies, and their health effects are only now beginning to be understood. What researchers
do know
is that ultra-fine particles travel far deeper into the lungs than other types of particle pollution. They
can even
pass through the lining of the lungs, gaining access to the bloodstream. This allows them to travel to
other
organs and possibly interfere with their function. Ultra-fine particles might also make their way into
the brain,
USC's Gauderman says. He says there is some suspicion in the research community that they can
actually
travel straight to the brain through the olfactory nerve at the top of the nasal passage. They are so
small that
standard air filters cannot remove them. "They act like a gas, getting in around doors and windows,"
Gauderman says. When pollutants are inhaled, gases such as ozone and the chemicals stuck to the
surfaces of
various sizes of particulate matter react with molecules in the lungs, injuring cells. The body's
response to this
injury is inflammation, which causes the airways in the lungs to constrict. Children have narrower
airways than
adults, so pollution that might cause only a mild inflammatory response in an adult can significantly
constrict the
airways in a young child. This can be especially dangerous for children with asthma. Long-term
exposure to air
pollution can cause chronic inflammation. In response, the body will attempt to wall off the damaged
parts of the
lungs, creating tissue that's less pliable than healthy tissue. That, Balmes says, explains why
decreased lung
function like that seen in the Children's Health Study comes about. "It's basically a scarring process,"
he says. -Reducing risks at schools Angelo Bellomo, head of the Office of Environmental Health and Safety for
the Los
Angeles Unified School District, says his office is taking the dangers posed by freeway pollution
seriously.
"We've got to do everything we can do that is within our power to reduce that risk," he says. As a
start, his office
has begun taking ultra-fine particles, which were not previously considered, into account when
analyzing new
locations for schools. There are more than 70 district campuses within 500 feet of freeways, housing
more than
60,000 students. Bellomo's office is compiling a list that ranks the schools by level of risk based on
the number
of students, the number of years students spend at the school, distance to freeways and the volume of
diesel
trucks that travel the nearby freeways. The office will be developing a range of options and
associated costs for
17 March 2013 Page 67 of 483 ProQuest
upgrades to existing schools that would reduce school occupants' exposure to nearby sources of air
pollution.
Its report is due at the beginning of March. Bellomo says his office will be looking at all options,
including some
promising new filtration technologies. He admits that the school district can't do much to reduce the
risks of air
pollution when children are outside, but he aims to reduce the risks indoors enough so as to offset
the outdoor
exposure. The district will do what it can, Bellomo says, but the most effective way to reduce the risk
from
freeway pollution for children would be for state and federal regulators to enact rules that reduce
pollution at the
source. Angela Beach, 41, of Sherman Oaks, will be following the district's progress. Her 6-year-old
son, who
suffers from chronic asthma, attends Hesby Oaks School, a recently reopened campus in Encino that
is within
500 feet of the 101 Freeway. Firmament Avenue, a bit of greenbelt and a sound wall are all that stand
between
the athletic fields and the constant rush of cars on the 101 and 405 interchange. Beach says her son's
asthma
was well controlled when he was in preschool. He didn't have trouble playing outside like all the
other children.
But now, she says, "he just can't do it." The effects of the pollution near the freeway aren't just
physical for her
son, Beach says. He doesn't understand why he can't play at school. He gets frustrated and angry
when he has
to abandon basketball practice because he can't get the air he needs. Beach has had to explain to his
coach
that it isn't that he doesn't want to play, it's that he's isn't able to. Beach says her daughter, who is 8
and does
not have asthma, has also commented on the changes on her body since she started at her new
school, even
though the issue of air quality is never discussed with her. She comes home from school, Beach says,
and tells
her mother how she struggles on the playground, complaining, "It's harder here," comparing Hesby
to her
previous school, Sherman Oaks Elementary, which is just shy of a mile from the 101 and 405
freeways. Beach
wants the district to do all it can with filtration systems at Hesby and other schools. She is also
lobbying the city
and school district to plant trees behind Hesby because some research has shown that they could
absorb some
of the pollution that is flowing into the outdoor hallways and lunchroom of the campus. "These,"
Beach says,
"are problems that affect the lives of every child, forever." -- (BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX) Trees may
help fight
pollution Can trees help fight smog? Thomas Cahill, a professor of physics and atmospheric sciences
at UC
Davis, has results suggesting they can reduce levels of ultra-fine particle pollution near freeways. He
has found
that in windy conditions, trees along the side of a freeway can help mix the air and dilute the
concentration of
ultra-fine particles. In calm conditions, trees seem able to capture the particles, preventing them
from traveling
to nearby homes or schools. Cahill says that once ultra-fine particles stick to the leaves of trees, they
will not
blow off. Instead, they will remain on the tree until the leaves drop or they are washed away in the
rain. He says
that other researchers have not been interested in looking at trees as mitigation for ultra-fine
particles because
older research had shown that trees could not block fine particles (which are about 25 times larger
than ultrafine
particles) from blowing off roadways. Cahill says it's important to use the right trees to block ultrafine
particles. Some trees may not absorb enough particles. Others emit chemicals that can contribute to
ozone
formation. Trees with lots of needles, such as redwoods and deodar cedars, he says, are best. -- Erin
Cline
Davis Credit: Special to The Times Illustration Caption: PHOTO: L.A. HAZE: As bad as the overall air
pollution
in Los Angeles seems, in some areas of the city it's worse than average, particularly close to
freeways.;
PHOTOGRAPHER:David McNew Getty Images; PHOTO: RISKY: The nose's natural filter is bypassed
when
kids play hard and breathe through the mouth.; PHOTOGRAPHER:Ricardo DeAratanha Los Angeles
Times;
PHOTO: LOCATION, LOCATION: The Perez Alfonso Special Education Center is by a freeway ramp. A
2003
California law limits schools' proximity to major roadways.; PHOTOGRAPHER:Brian VanderBrug Los
Angeles
Times; PHOTO: INHALING EXHAUST: Pollution concentrations are higher in neighbohoods close to
large
thoroughfares.; PHOTOGRAPHER:REED SAXON Associated Press
Subject: Lungs; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Schools; Power plants; Nitrogen dioxide;
Mortality;
Community; Carbon monoxide; Adults; Air pollution; Roads & highways; Children & youth
17 March 2013 Page 68 of 483 ProQuest
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: F.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2007
Publication date: Dec 10, 2007
Year: 2007
Section: Health; Part F; Features Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422173141
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422173141?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2007 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 37 of 213
Do your part to breathe easier, indoors and out; Protective measures include checking the
air quality,
keeping the windows closed and driving less often.
Author: Erin Cline Davis
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 10 Dec 2007: F.7.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: None available.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: If you live in L.A., there's really no avoiding air pollution. But there are a few things you can
do to
protect yourself and your family from its harmful effects, according to the Environmental Protection
Agency. *
Plan activities based on the air quality. Experts advise that children and adults limit outdoor
activities on days
when air pollution levels are high. The Air Quality Index can be used as a guide. This is calculated
each day by
the EPA for the five major air pollutants that are regulated by the Clean Air Act: ground-level ozone,
fine
particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. The AQI often will be
included in the
local weather report. You can also find the AQI for your area at www.airnow.gov. The individual
pollutant with
the highest value determines the AQI value for the day. When the AQI for one of these pollutants is
above 100,
17 March 2013 Page 69 of 483 ProQuest
state and local agencies are required to report which groups of people are at heightened risk. For
example, if
the AQI for particulate matter is 150, people with heart or lung disease, older adults and children will
be advised
to reduce prolonged or heavy exertion. When the AQI reaches 300, the air is considered hazardous to
all
groups. On days when the AQI indicates unhealthful levels of air pollutants in your area, avoid
strenuous
exercise outdoors. Take a walk instead of a jog to reduce the amount of air you are inhaling, or take
your
routine indoors to the gym or simply walk around the mall. People with heart or lung disease should
be
especially careful, limiting their activities and exposure to outdoor air at even lower levels of
pollution than the
general population. * Keep the indoor air clean. If you take steps to keep the indoor air quality good,
staying
inside and avoiding outdoor activities can help reduce your exposure to air pollution. Keep doors and
windows
closed to limit the amount of outside air pollution that makes its way inside. Use standard air filters:
these can
remove larger particles from the air, although they are not effective at removing ultra-fine particles
or toxic
gases. Replacing air filters with electrostatic drop-in filters, available at hardware stores, may help
with ultra-fine
particles, according to preliminary research from the laboratory of UC Davis professor Thomas Cahill.
And don't
smoke or allow smoking in your home. Researchers have found that the body responds to cigarette
smoke and
particle pollution in the same way. * Do your part to reduce pollution. When levels of ozone or
particulate matter
are predicted to reach unhealthful levels, everyone can help improve the air quality by using their
cars less
frequently. It will also help if people conserve electricity; refuel cars and trucks after dusk; limit
engine idling; use
household chemicals in ways that keep evaporation to a minimum, or try to delay using them until
air quality
improves. When particle pollution is high, reduce or eliminate fireplace and wood stove use; avoid
using gaspowered
lawn and garden equipment. Barbecues are out too: According to the lung health advocacy group
Breathe California of Los Angeles County, smoke, airborne ash and particulate matter from barbecues
are just
as toxic as smoke from wildfires. Credit: Special to The Times
Subject: Indoor air quality; Outdoor activities; Pollutants; Older people; Nitrogen dioxide; Lawn &
garden
equipment; Hardware stores; Forest & brush fires; Carbon monoxide; Air filters; Air pollution;
Disease
prevention
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: F.7
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2007
Publication date: Dec 10, 2007
Year: 2007
Section: Health; Part F; Features Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: Feature
ProQuest document ID: 422220496
17 March 2013 Page 70 of 483 ProQuest
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422220496?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2007 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 38 of 213
Long Beach joins port ban on old trucks
Author: Sahagun, Louis
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 06 Nov 2007: B.4.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Against a backdrop of massive cranes unloading a freighter as it spewed dark columns of
diesel
smoke, the often rival leaders embraced during a news conference held after the Long Beach Board of
Harbor
Commissioners agreed to a progressive truck ban identical to one approved last week by the adjacent
Port of
Los Angeles.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: CORRECTION: SEE CORRECTION APPENDED; Port trucks: An article in Tuesday's California
section about a plan to replace old trucks at the Port of Long Beach with newer, cleaner models said
the plan
needed to be approved by the Long Beach City Council. Actually, the effort requires only the approval
of the
Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners, which ratified it Monday. In a rare display of
partnership, Los
Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster on Monday touted a joint plan
to scrap
old diesel rigs and replace them with newer, cleaner models as part of an effort to slash port-related
pollution
linked to 2,400 premature deaths a year. Against a backdrop of massive cranes unloading a freighter
as it
spewed dark columns of diesel smoke, the often rival leaders embraced during a news conference
held after
the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners agreed to a progressive truck ban identical to one
approved
last week by the adjacent Port of Los Angeles. For the time being, however, it's a ban with out an
implementation plan. Unless the ports can reduce pollution, expansion projects likely to produce
thousands of
local jobs will face protracted legal challenges. With so much on the line, Villaraigosa and Foster
turned from
competition to cooperation. "For the longest time, we were working on separate tracks," Villaraigosa
told a
crowd of about 75 truckers, environmentalists and shipping company representatives. "Let's join
hands and
work together." "Long Beach and Los Angeles," Foster added, "continue to lead the world in pushing
for cleaner
air and healthier environment with our shared goal of having the cleanest ports in the world."
However, leaders
from both cities forecast intense negotiations as port authorities, truckers, environmentalists,
shippers and
health officials begin devising a plan to implement the program, which calls for replacing the port
complex's fleet
of 16,500 trucks by 2012. Now the big question is who will pay to own, operate and maintain the new
trucks,
worth an estimated $1.6 billion. Many of the fleet's mostly low-income, Spanish-speaking
independent contract
truckers insist they cannot afford to buy new trucks, let alone maintain them. They want trucking
companies and
shippers to buy the trucks and hire the truckers to drive them. Trucking companies and shippers
argue that the
ports lack the legal authority to force them to purchase the fleet. Employing drivers also would
attract union
organizers, something most port businesses would oppose. "Ultimately, the consumer will pay for it - a nickel
on a pair of tennis shoes and a quarter on every television set," said S. David Freeman, president of
the Los
17 March 2013 Page 71 of 483 ProQuest
Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners. "So let's get on with it." The truck ban, which still must be
approved
by both city councils, is scheduled to begin Oct. 1, 2008. On that day an estimated 3,000 trucks built
before
1989 would be denied access to the nation's busiest port complex. "In just 11 months the people of
the
Southland can begin breathing easier," Villaraigosa said in a prepared statement. "We will no longer
sacrifice
public health for the sake of adding a few pennies to the profit margins." Pressure to reduce port
pollution has
been motivated in part by booming trade. Annual trade at the ports, currently about $305 billion, is
expected to
double by 2020, port authorities said. Cleaner trucks would save up to $5.9 billion in health costs to
workers and
local residents, according to an economic impact study commissioned by the Port of Los Angeles. The
study
predicts the cleanup also would clear the way for port expansion projects that could generate
300,000 to
600,000 jobs by 2025. But because the ports account for 25% of diesel particulate emissions in the
Los Angeles
Basin -- and more particulate-forming nitrogen oxide emissions than all 6 million cars in the region -neither port
has been able to complete an environmental impact report for any infrastructure improvement
project in six
years. The Coalition for Clean and Safe Ports, one of several environmental groups at the news
conference,
said port authorities and trucking firms are to blame for the delays. "The port trucking system is a
relic of the
20th century that is both plagued by massive inefficiencies and has created the environmental and
public health
crisis we now face," the group said in a prepared statement. "Without reform, the Los Angeles and
Long Beach
ports remain unprepared to meet ever-increasing trade demands, and they will be unequipped to
compete in
today's rapidly changing global economy." But Julie Sauls of the California Trucking Assn. said the
truck ban,
which is only a portion of the landmark Clean Air Action Plan endorsed by the two ports a year ago,
would only
improve air pollution by less than 10% during the next five years. Also, the plan "does not spell out
how to cover
the tremendous costs associated with such a transition," she said in a prepared statement. "If there
are not
enough trucks to pick up or deliver cargo, goods won't get to their destinations, to manufacturers, to
retailers or
to consumers. When this happens, everyone gets hit in the pocketbooks." Long Beach Harbor
Commissioner
James Hankla believes a compromise is inevitable. "How are we going to pay for all this?" he said. "I
don't
know. But I believe we will find a way, not that it's going to be free or cheap, because if we are not
able to grow
green, we will not see a million new jobs created for this region." -- louis.sahagun@latimes.com
Credit: Times
Staff Writer
Subject: Ports; Trucking; Television sets; Public health; Diesel engines; Economic impact; Trucks; Air
pollution
Company / organization: Name: Port of Long Beach-California; NAICS: 488310
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.4
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2007
Publication date: Nov 6, 2007
Year: 2007
Section: California; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
17 March 2013 Page 72 of 483 ProQuest
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422168851
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422168851?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2007 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 39 of 213
SOUTHLAND BLAZES: AIR QUALITY; FEDERAL RESPONSE; The air won't do you good;
Anyone
planning outdoor activities should think twice. Small children are particularly vulnerable.
Author: Pierson, David; Cone, Marla; Winton, Richard
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 27 Oct 2007: A.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Whether the activity is youth sports, a hike, a bike ride or simply running errands, the
region's air
pollution is forcing people to adjust their routines -- and in many cases, stay indoors as much as
possible.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Lenore Hittelman is in a quandary faced by many this weekend. With the air still hazy with
soot from
the wildfires, do you allow your children to go play? The choice is made that much harder for the
Irvine mother
because her oldest daughter's soccer team is scheduled to play a crucial match Sunday that could
determine
which division their squad will land in next season. "We know the air quality is bad, but if the team
needs you,
what do you do?" Hittelman said as she and her children drove to Tarzana to stay with family to
escape Orange
County's poor air. "It's a difficult decision." Whether the activity is youth sports, a hike, a bike ride or
simply
running errands, the region's air pollution is forcing people to adjust their routines -- and in many
cases, stay
indoors as much as possible. Since Sunday, the air throughout nearly all of the Los Angeles Basin has
had
unhealthful concentrations of particulates spewed by the fires and spread by strong winds. By today,
air quality
is expected to improve to moderate in L.A. County, except Santa Clarita. However, it will remain
unhealthful for
children and other sensitive people in much of Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties,
according to the
South Coast Air Quality Management District. In those areas, children, the elderly and anyone with
respiratory
or cardiac disorders such as asthma should not exert themselves, the AQMD said. Small children are
particularly vulnerable because they have narrower airways and smaller lungs, and they inhale more
pollutants
than adults. "We've entered a period with the wildfires where some judgment is required," Sam
Atwood, an
AQMD spokesman, said Friday. Tiny particulates, whether from wildfire smoke, diesel exhaust or
some other
source, are a serious health threat because they can lodge deep in lungs. When particulates reach
hazardous
levels, hospitalizations, even deaths, increase from asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis, heart attacks and
other
respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. For many people, the risk is temporary -- headaches, stuffy
noses,
stinging eyes, coughs and shortness of breath. But for others, it can be life-threatening. Studies show
that in the
days after wildfires, hospitalizations from asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis and heart attacks rise. Even
healthy
17 March 2013 Page 73 of 483 ProQuest
people often cough and experience headaches, stinging eyes, stuffy noses and flu-like symptoms. The
air is
worst in the fire zones, which include Orange County's Saddleback Valley, the San Bernardino
Mountains, the
San Bernardino Valley from Fontana to Yucaipa, and Riverside County between Corona and
Temecula. In
these areas, the AQMD has classified the air as unhealthful, meaning no one should exert themselves,
and
children, the elderly and people with asthma and other disorders should all remain indoors. Any
place where
smoke can be smelled should also be considered unhealthful. Many youth sports activities have been
canceled
close to the fire zones, but others are still scheduled for the weekend. In Bellflower, Lorenzo Quezada
was
relieved when St. John Bosco High School's game against Mater Dei High School was canceled. His 15yearold
son, Steve, is a Bosco linebacker and has been feeling the effects of the bad air all week. "The kids had
been complaining about being out of breath, irritations of the throat and headaches even while
running inside,"
he said. The levels of particulates in much of the L.A. Basin this week were many times higher than
they are on
even highly polluted days when there are no fires. Because of winds driving smoke many miles away,
the areas
with the worst problems included Long Beach, Simi Valley, Riverside and parts of Orange County.
Frank
Salisbury doesn't know if his sons' flag football games have been canceled today or not, but he's
already
decided that the boys won't go. "The air's too heavy," Salisbury, 62, of Ladera Heights, said. "I
wouldn't want
them to play. If you don't have to, why do it? It's a health risk to go outside and do any activity."
Adults,
particularly those who enjoy outdoor activities on weekends, face their own dilemma. After much
uncertainty,
the San Diego Chargers announced Friday that the team would play its 1 p.m. Sunday home game
against the
Houston Texans as scheduled at Qualcomm Stadium. The Chargers have been practicing in Tempe,
Ariz.,
since Wednesday because the stadium was being used as an evacuation center. Yashar Kafi, 31, of
Pasadena
had just finished a six-mile run around the Rose Bowl on Friday afternoon and said he'd seen only
half the usual
number of runners outside the stadium in recent days. The typical scene of mothers pushing their
children in
strollers was absent. He said he found it harder to warm up and harder to breathe. Christine Walker
was sitting
in a Pasadena park watching her 2-year-old son, Ryan, run circles in the grass. It was a relief to be
outdoors
after spending so much time in her home, she said. "If I were in Orange County, I probably wouldn't
go outside
without a mask," said Walker, 30, who is pregnant. "But we can't stop going to the park and we can't
stop living
just because there's a fire going on." A massive tree-planting drive scheduled for today was
postponed in L.A.
because of health concerns but will go on in parts of Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.
The
event, organized by United Voices for Healthier Communities, was two years in the making and
aimed to put
6,500 new trees into the ground. But organizers had to heed the warning of one of the event's
sponsors, the
AQMD. "The whole point was to clean the air," said the organization's chairman, Andy Trotter,
laughing in slight
disbelief at the irony. "A whole lot of people had already dug holes. Certainly the timing wasn't very
good."
Whether events are canceled or not, organizers have been forced to address the air quality issue.
"Obviously
we're very concerned," said Muna Coobtee, who organized an antiwar protest in downtown L.A. still
scheduled
for today. "We'll provide a lot of water and first aid just in case. But I think people want to be there
anyway." For
Hittelman, the Irvine mother, the smoky air has changed many plans. A book fair at a school library, a
meeting
of mothers from the school of one of her daughters and a Halloween costume party were all canceled
Friday.
She said she's been stir-crazy staying at home and feels even worse for her oldest daughter Kimberly,
13, who
is athletic and isn't used to having to pass all her time surfing the Internet and playing video games.
"She hasn't
been sleeping well," Hittelman, 37, said. "She isn't getting her regular exercise." Of course, many
parents said
it's also important to put the bad air in perspective. Susan Hetsroni, 46, who lives on L.A.'s Westside,
said the
disappointment of having sporting events for her three children canceled paled in comparison with
the hardship
faced by those who lost homes in the wildfires. "Given what people are going through, this is a time to
count
your blessings," she said. "Your eyes may sting and you have to stay inside, but some people are
desperately
hurting." -- david.pierson@latimes.com marla.cone@latimes.com richard.winton@latimes.com Times
staff writer
Ashley Powers contributed to this report. -- (BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX) Health tips in smoky
conditions Pay
17 March 2013 Page 74 of 483 ProQuest
attention to local air quality reports. If you are advised to stay inside, keep indoor air as clean as
possible. Keep
your windows and doors closed -- unless it's extremely hot outside. Run your air conditioner, if you
have one.
Keep the fresh-air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent bringing additional smoke inside. If
you don't
have an air conditioner, staying inside with the windows closed may be dangerous in extremely hot
weather. In
these cases, seek alternative shelter. When indoors, avoid smoking and using wood-burning
fireplaces, gas
logs, gas stoves, candles and the vacuum. If you have asthma or another lung disease, make sure you
follow
your doctor's directions about taking your medicines and following your asthma management plan.
Call your
doctor if your symptoms worsen. Source: EPA Credit: Times Staff Writers Illustration ; Caption:
PHOTO:
LETTING LOOSE: With smoke rising Friday from the Santiago fire, a youth rides a skateboard in
Rancho Santa
Margarita. Some games have been canceled across the Southland, while others will continue as
planned.;
PHOTOGRAPHER:Mark Boster Los Angeles Times
Subject: Outdoor activities; Children & youth; Public health; Air pollution; Forest & brush fires
Location: Orange County California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2007
Publication date: Oct 27, 2007
Year: 2007
Section: Main News; Part A; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422151559
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422151559?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2007 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 40 of 213
SOUTHLAND BLAZES: ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES; Southland residents waiting to inhale;
Unhealthful air is expected to hang around even after fires and winds die. Stay indoors,
experts
17 March 2013 Page 75 of 483 ProQuest
advise.
Author: Cone, Marla
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 25 Oct 2007: A.24.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Even when the fires are extinguished and the Santa Ana winds that carried their smoke die
down, the
tiny particles suspended in the air could remain in hazardous concentrations "into next week," said
Mary
Nichols, chair of the California Air Resources Board.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: The state's smog czar warned Wednesday that unhealthful conditions caused by smoke
from wildfires
are likely to persist throughout much of Southern California until next week. Even when the fires are
extinguished and the Santa Ana winds that carried their smoke die down, the tiny particles
suspended in the air
could remain in hazardous concentrations "into next week," said Mary Nichols, chair of the California
Air
Resources Board. "Our advice for everybody's health, even for people who are healthy, is they should
be taking
it easy and staying indoors," Nichols said. Pollution measurements throughout much of the Los
Angeles Basin
and San Diego County have peaked at levels up to 10 times higher than levels deemed safe by
national health
standards. Such extreme concentrations of particulates, even if they last a few hours or less, are
considered
hazardous, capable of causing immediate breathing problems even for healthy people. In Escondido
just after
midnight Tuesday, fine particulates reached 325 micrograms per cubic meter of air, according to a
California Air
Resources Board website. The federal government's health standard for acceptable exposure over 24
hours is
35 micrograms per cubic meter of air. The state air board put mobile monitors in five fire areas in
San Diego
County shortly after the fires erupted this weekend to detect the highest concentrations. On Monday
in
Norco/Corona and Lake Elsinore, levels reached concentrations exceeding 200 micrograms per cubic
meter,
according to data from the South Coast Air Quality Management District. Particulates are microscopic
pieces of
soot, smoke, dust or other materials capable of lodging deep in lungs. Because of strong Santa Ana
winds
moving toward the coast, some of the worst smoke is accumulating many miles from fires, including
in Long
Beach, Simi Valley and the Riverside area. Pollution concentrations were decreasing region-wide
Wednesday,
but many areas still exceeded health standards. "The air quality is officially designated as
unhealthful," Nichols
said. "There is widespread exposure. . . . This is something that everybody should be paying attention
to."
Particulates in the smoke aggravate asthma, emphysema, heart disease and other respiratory and
cardiovascular conditions. They also can irritate healthy lungs and airways, causing coughing and
shortness of
breath, stinging eyes, headaches and stuffy noses. State and local health officials are urging people
throughout
the fire region to stay indoors with windows shut, use air conditioning if possible and avoid
strenuous outdoor
activity. Some hospital officials reported a moderate increase in patients with respiratory problems.
Travis
Henson, an emergency room physician at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in the northeast San
Fernando Valley community of Mission Hills, said larger-than-normal numbers of patients with
asthma, chronic
bronchitis and emphysema had shown up this week. Henson said he noticed a relatively high number
of
children with cold symptoms and respiratory problems. Some of these young patients, he said,
"maybe have
never had asthma before." Cheryl Evans-Cobb, director of emergency services at West Hills Hospital
and
Medical Center in the west San Fernando Valley, said she had noticed a slight upturn as well. And
among the
staff, "lots and lots of people have their fire cough," she said. Studies show that deaths and
hospitalizations
from lung and heart diseases, particularly bronchitis, asthma and pneumonia, increase in the days
after
wildfires. "Our first concern is individuals with pre-existing chronic conditions like heart disease,
chronic lung
disease like emphysema, and intermittent diseases and conditions like asthma," said Dr. Mark
Horton, the
state's Public Health director. "Smoke can certainly exacerbate those conditions." In addition to
particulates,
17 March 2013 Page 76 of 483 ProQuest
smoke from wildfires carries a mix of toxic substances, including carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons,
nitrogen
oxides and traces of heavy metals from the Earth's crust. The fires also are emitting large volumes of
carbon
dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, which have been linked to global warming. Tom Bonnicksen, a
forestry and
wildfire expert who is a professor emeritus at Texas A&M University, estimates that 19 million tons
of
greenhouse gases have been emitted by this week's fires. That is equivalent to 3.5% of annual
emissions
generated statewide from all sources. Nichols said the state's greenhouse gas inventory already
builds in
estimates for wildfires. This year's total, however, could exceed that estimate, given the size of the
Zaca fire in
the Los Padres National Forest this summer and this week's blazes. -- marla.cone@latimes.com
Times staff
writer Stuart Silverstein contributed to this report. Credit: Times Staff Writer Illustration ; Caption:
PHOTO:
DANGER IN THE AIR: A California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection firefighter warns a
colleague
about the rising flames along East Grade Road on Mt. Palomar early Wednesday.;
PHOTOGRAPHER:Wally
Skalij Los Angeles Times; PHOTO: GHOSTLY SCENE: The Poomacha fire rages on the La Jolla Indian
reservation near Mt. Palomar, threatening to merge with the Witch fire at the San Diego/Riverside
county line.;
PHOTOGRAPHER:Luis Sinco Los Angeles Times
Subject: Hospitals; Airborne particulates; Emergency services; Air conditioning; Forest & brush fires;
Air
pollution; Public health
Location: Southern California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.24
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2007
Publication date: Oct 25, 2007
Year: 2007
Section: Main News; Part A; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422198764
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422198764?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2007 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
17 March 2013 Page 77 of 483 ProQuest
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 41 of 213
SOUTHLAND BLAZES; Wherever the fire, Long Beach gets smoke; Santa Ana winds carry
pollution
even from far-off inland flames to the coastal city.
Author: Cone, Marla
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 24 Oct 2007: B.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Particulates, mainly microscopic pieces of soot, smoke and dust, can trigger asthma
episodes,
bronchitis, pneumonia, heart attacks, strokes and other life-threatening problems.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Long Beach is more than 40 miles from the nearest wildfire raging in Southern California.
But its air
pollution levels surged in recent days beyond the "unhealthy" level set by air-quality regulators.
Because of
Southern California's quirky topography and wind patterns, neighborhoods with no danger of
wildfires are often
the ones most affected by wind-driven smoke. Long Beach sits at the neck of a wind "funnel" that,
during strong
Santa Ana conditions, carries smoke and ash to the coast from fires in distant mountain and desert
areas. Since
the wildfires ignited Sunday, the city has suffered some of the region's worst levels of airborne
particulates.
Clouds of smoke "carry enormous amounts of matter, and they fumigate in the area where it is
cooler: right next
to the ocean," said Joseph Cassmassi, a meteorologist at the South Coast Air Quality Management
District.
"You can see plumes of smoke from Santa Barbara all the way to the Mexican border, blowing from
the east to
the west offshore. It's very dramatic." Particulates, mainly microscopic pieces of soot, smoke and
dust, can
trigger asthma episodes, bronchitis, pneumonia, heart attacks, strokes and other life-threatening
problems.
Particulates from wildfire smoke tend to be very small and capable of lodging deep in lungs.
Monday's level
lingered in the unhealthful range in Long Beach, with a noontime peak of 161 on the national air
pollution index,
before subsiding to moderate levels Tuesday. The trigger for "unhealthy" is 150. The Norco-Corona
area
registered near 500 before dawn Monday, although its readings dropped to moderate levels later in
the day and
continued to be moderate Tuesday, according to the AQMD. A level of 200 is considered hazardous,
capable of
causing immediate breathing difficulties. Although everyone in the Los Angeles Basin "gets a little
dab here and
there," Cassmassi said, the smoke from wildfires driven by Santa Ana winds "tends to wind up in
Long Beach at
a fairly good frequency." Similar pollutant levels are likely from Torrance to Huntington Beach,
although there
are no air-quality monitors there. "With all the windblown dust and smoke, we can run into
situations where the
monitors can read up to 900. We've seen numbers as high as that," Cassmassi said. Other nearby
areas, he
said, may experience lower levels because they lie in a topographic "wind shadow." When Santa Ana
conditions
die down, particulate pollution will concentrate in a more typical pattern, closer to mountain ranges
and away
from shore areas. Forecasters expect the winds to die down today. In the meantime, health officials
have
advised residents of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties to avoid exercise or
exertion
outdoors. Children, the elderly and people with respiratory or cardiovascular diseases should take
more
precautions, remaining indoors if possible. Schoolchildren in Long Beach were in virtual lockdown
for a second
day Tuesday. As she picked up her fifth-grade daughter after school at Lowell Elementary School,
about half a
mile from the ocean, Madonna Cavagnaro said, she saw many of the children lift their shirts to cover
their
noses. "The look on the children's faces was like they were coming out of a bomb shelter," Cavagnaro
said.
"There is debris all over our yards, the sky is gray, the air has a stink of fire, and there is a thick layer
of gray
soot all over the plants, the shrubs and the patio furniture." During the 16 days after the region's
wildfires in
2003, hospitalizations for asthma in Southern California increased 34%, according to a new study by
UC Irvine
17 March 2013 Page 78 of 483 ProQuest
environmental epidemiologist Ralph Delfino. In addition, bronchitis increased in preschool-age
children and the
elderly, and pneumonia cases were up, Delfino's study showed. Hospitalizations from cardiovascular
problems
also increased, although not as much as respiratory ailments. Symptoms can come days later, when
the
cumulative effects take a toll on airways, lungs or hearts. In Long Beach, particularly near the ocean,
some
people said they coughed, had headaches and felt their eyes burning just from walking their dogs
around the
block. Joanne Irish, who lives about half a mile from the ocean in Long Beach, said her children, ages
10 and
13, "had horrible headaches yesterday, starting about midday." Dr. Helene Calvet, Long Beach health
officer,
warned residents, especially those with asthma, other lung diseases or respiratory allergies, to take
extra
precautions during the fires. Youth sports practices were canceled Monday and Tuesday. The
Environmental
Protection Agency advises people in smoky areas to close windows, run air conditioners, use air
filters and
avoid using gas stoves or burning wood or candles, which increase particulates. -marla.cone@latimes.com
Credit: Times Staff Writer Illustration ; Caption: GRAPHIC: Where there's smoke; CREDIT: Los
Angeles Times
Subject: Heart attacks; Air pollution; Wind; Forest & brush fires
Location: Long Beach California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2007
Publication date: Oct 24, 2007
Year: 2007
Section: California; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422173553
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422173553?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2007 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 42 of 213
17 March 2013 Page 79 of 483 ProQuest
Brown to broaden fight over dirty air; The attorney general and environmental groups will
ask the U.S.
to regulate the emissions of ocean-going ships.
Author: Roosevelt, Margot
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 03 Oct 2007: B.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: [Jerry Brown]'s petition to the EPA acknowledges that the landmark 1970 law does not give
the
agency "an unqualified mandate" to regulate non-road engines, such as those in ships. But given the
act's
general directive to "protect public health and welfare," he contends that the EPA "must regulate, or
produce
well-supported reasons . . . as to why it refuses to regulate, this large, almost completely uncontrolled
source of
greenhouse gas emissions." Also filing a petition today are the nonprofit groups Friends of the Earth,
Earthjustice, Center for Biological Diversity and Oceana. "The global shipping industry is incredibly
powerful,"
said Michael F. Hirshfield, Oceana's chief scientist. "They've been able to avoid doing anything about
air
pollution for years." Brown, whose activism on the issue rivals that of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger,
said he did
not check with the governor before filing today's petition. "I'm the cop on the beat, and the beat is the
environment of California," he said. "Every week a new dire report comes out on effects of climate
change. This
is a national imperative, and we cannot allow petty politics to stand in the way."
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: State Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown, joining with national environmental groups, will petition the
Bush
administration today to crack down on global warming emissions from ocean-going vessels, which
make more
than 11,000 calls at California ports each year. The petition opens a new front in the battle by
California and
other states to force the federal government to regulate greenhouse gases. Until now, the focus had
been on
emissions from cars, trucks, power plants and other U.S.-based industries. Regulating planetwarming
pollutants from ships presents a tougher challenge because more than 90% of vessels that bring
goods to the
U.S. fly foreign flags and traditionally fall under international jurisdiction. "Climate change represents
a potent
catastrophe and an irreversible risk to California as well as to the rest of the world," Brown said in an
interview.
"Who comes into American ports is a matter for Americans to decide." Ocean-going vessels account
for an
estimated 2.7% to 5% of the world's greenhouse gases, roughly equivalent to the carbon dioxide
emissions of
all U.S. cars and trucks. And emissions from ships are likely to grow by 75% in the next two decades,
according
to studies by the German-based Institute of Atmospheric Physics and the oil giant BP, which owns
tankers. The
United Nations' International Maritime Organization, which is charged with regulating ocean-going
vessels, has
discussed global warming emissions for several years but has yet to adopt rules. It has also
postponed
proposals to effectively control conventional pollutants, including particulates and ozone-forming
gases that
cause respiratory diseases and cancer. The U.N. agency is hampered by opposition from Panama,
Liberia and
other nations that profit from registering ships, which environmentalists say makes U.S. intervention
all the more
urgent. Overall, the Bush administration opposes mandatory curbs on global warming emissions and
has
declined to sign on to the Kyoto Protocol, the international agreement on climate change. That
resistance
suffered a setback earlier this year when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Environmental
Protection
Agency has the authority to regulate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases under the Clean Air
Act.
Brown's petition to the EPA acknowledges that the landmark 1970 law does not give the agency "an
unqualified
mandate" to regulate non-road engines, such as those in ships. But given the act's general directive to
"protect
public health and welfare," he contends that the EPA "must regulate, or produce well-supported
reasons . . . as
to why it refuses to regulate, this large, almost completely uncontrolled source of greenhouse gas
emissions."
An EPA spokeswoman said the agency planned to draft regulations this year to cut gasoline
emissions from
cars and trucks. But she declined to comment on the issue of planet-warming pollutants from ships.
Also filing a
17 March 2013 Page 80 of 483 ProQuest
petition today are the nonprofit groups Friends of the Earth, Earthjustice, Center for Biological
Diversity and
Oceana. "The global shipping industry is incredibly powerful," said Michael F. Hirshfield, Oceana's
chief
scientist. "They've been able to avoid doing anything about air pollution for years." In California, the
Pacific
Merchant Shipping Assn. is battling the Air Resources Board in federal court over the board's 2005
rule
requiring ships to switch to cleaner fuel as they approach the California coast. That rule would
probably have
little effect on global warming emissions, however, because it takes more energy to refine cleaner
diesel than it
does to use "bunker" fuel, a dirtier fuel, potentially offsetting the climate benefits of switching.
Industry
spokesmen in Washington and Long Beach declined to comment on Brown's petition or on the
regulation of
greenhouse gases generally. However, the Air Resources Board is considering rules to require that
ships plug
into electrical outlets while they unload. Because electrical power in California is more cleanly
generated, that
change would lower carbon dioxide emissions. And the Port of Los Angeles is requiring ships to
reduce speed
as they near the shore, which would also cut global warming emissions. Board chairman Mary
Nichols noted
that the U.S. government has avoided imposing unilateral shipping standards, preferring to work
through the
U.N. agency. "Shipping is one of those areas where countries either find a way to cooperate, or
historically, they
go to war," she said. As for Brown's petition, "This is exactly the kind of activism on global warming
he promised
when he ran for the office of attorney general," she said. Brown has vowed to file suit against the
Bush
administration if it fails to grant a waiver allowing California to regulate carbon dioxide from cars
and trucks. And
in the case of ships, he said, "I don't believe the Bush administration can continue to thumb their
noses at the
laws of the U.S. There is a pattern here. The law is absolutely clear that the EPA has a responsibility to
act." In
recent months, Brown has required San Bernardino County and other counties to account for
greenhouse
gases in their growth plans and has challenged oil refineries and other industrial projects to mitigate
or offset
carbon dioxide emissions. Brown, whose activism on the issue rivals that of Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger, said
he did not check with the governor before filing today's petition. "I'm the cop on the beat, and the
beat is the
environment of California," he said. "Every week a new dire report comes out on effects of climate
change. This
is a national imperative, and we cannot allow petty politics to stand in the way." -margot.roosevelt@latimes.com Times staff writer Janet Wilson contributed to this report. Illustration
Caption:
PHOTO: CLEAN AIR: California Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown will petition the federal government today to
crack down
on global warming emissions from ocean-going vessels, most of which sail under foreign flags.;
PHOTOGRAPHER:Mel Melcon Los Angeles Times Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Shipping industry; Global warming; Ports; Federal regulation; Ships; Emission standards; Air
pollution
Location: California
People: Brown, Edmund G Jr (Jerry)
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2007
Publication date: Oct 3, 2007
Year: 2007
Section: California; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
17 March 2013 Page 81 of 483 ProQuest
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422189494
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422189494?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2007 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 43 of 213
Hearth healthy; The wood-burning fireplace is taking a back seat to gas as pressure mounts
for
cleaner-air standards.
Author: Bonker, Dawn
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 23 Sep 2007: K.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: "I like the smell of natural wood fires," said [Frances Macias], while browsing the John
Laing Homes
model one recent weekend. "Oh, I guess they have their reasons from a health standpoint. But it's too
bad." "I
grew up in Upland, and we kept our wood outside, and I was panicked about having to go out there
and bring
logs in," [Colleen Dyck] said. "You know, it's California and there are black widows out there."
"Anywhere we go
to present our plan, people zoom in and we hear, 'Stay away from my fireplace!' or 'Stop the insanity
and stop
burning wood!' " the AQMD's [Laki Tisopulos] said. "There's nobody in the middle. It's one extreme
or the other."
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: IN the model home dubbed "The Pioneer," a rambling house tucked into a Corona
subdivision
springing up among the last dairy farms of Riverside County, is a fireplace unlike anything the early
settlers ever
gathered around on a chilly night. Sleek glass doors front a metal insert that holds ceramic "logs."
Built-in gas
jets stand ready to send up flickering flames. And, in the most dramatic departure from tradition, a
deep transom
display shelf and window span the area where a chimney normally would be. For regional air-quality
officials, it's
one example of what they may allow in newly built homes and in permanently installed patio
versions as part of
a stepped-up effort for cleaner air. But to new- home buyer Frances Macias of Chino Hills, the trend
away from
wood- burning fireplaces is a slightly sad fact of modern life. "I like the smell of natural wood fires,"
said Macias,
while browsing the John Laing Homes model one recent weekend. "Oh, I guess they have their
reasons from a
health standpoint. But it's too bad." Health and air pollution were exactly what the South Coast Air
Quality
Management District had in mind early this summer when the agency proposed regulations that
would have
forced no-burn days on the region's smoggiest areas and put wood-burning-fireplace restrictions on
remodels
and new homes. After the plan sparked a public outcry, officials last month backed off from any rules
that would
affect existing homes -- at least for now. A subcommittee is studying options including incentive
programs that
would cough up cash or utility rebates for homeowners who scrap old wood-burning stoves or
modify traditional
17 March 2013 Page 82 of 483 ProQuest
hearths to include permanent gas fixtures. The fireplace rules are a small part of a comprehensive
plan that
tackles all of the region's sources of air pollution -- from restaurant charbroilers to automobiles -- in
an
aggressive effort to meet a Federal Clean Air Act deadline set for 2014. To help meet that goal, more
restrictive
rules will likely be imposed on new home construction, AQMD officials said. But the district is not
expecting the
new-construction restrictions to be hugely controversial, said Laki Tisopulos, assistant deputy
executive officer
for planning rule development and area sources. Indeed, say developers in the South Coast AQMD,
whose
jurisdiction includes all of Orange and most of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties,
the
proposals largely reflect what homeowners already prefer and what other California air districts
have adopted. A
fireplace is an amenity desired by 90% of consumers, according to the National Assn. of Home
Builders.
Whether that fireplace is gas or wood-burning is less of an issue, developers say. What's in that
smoke "The
idea of wood-burning fireplaces tends to be a little more romantic in nature than reality," said Les
Thomas,
president of Shea Homes California. Most homeowners don't have the inclination to buy and store
wood and
sweep up ashes, said Colleen Dyck, vice president of sales and marketing for John Laing Homes,
which
switched to gas-fireplace inserts in almost all of its homes about eight years ago. Wood-burning
fireplaces "are
messy, and they make your carpets smell," Dyck added. And there's the spider thing. "I grew up in
Upland, and
we kept our wood outside, and I was panicked about having to go out there and bring logs in," Dyck
said. "You
know, it's California and there are black widows out there." But it's poisonous air that makes AQMD
officials
cringe. Wood smoke contains gases and tiny particulates that contribute to poor air quality and are
small
enough to lodge in lungs and cause a host of respiratory ailments, from asthma to lung cancer, air
regulators
say. The fireplace rules were a relatively small part of the massive plan, but they roused considerable
attention.
"Anywhere we go to present our plan, people zoom in and we hear, 'Stay away from my fireplace!' or
'Stop the
insanity and stop burning wood!' " the AQMD's Tisopulos said. "There's nobody in the middle. It's one
extreme
or the other." Kurt Lorig was among those who wanted the district to reconsider the wood-burning
rules. Lorig
owns Anaheim Patio &Fire and has sold hearth supplies for 51 years. Most people opt for the
convenience and
ever-increasing variety of gas-fireplace logs available for new and older homes, he said. But why
deny a few,
maybe 5% of his customers, who love the homey crackle of embers and aroma of wood smoke? The
health
concerns of wood smoke are overblown, he said, when compared to the pollution spewed out daily
on the
region's roads and highways. "What about all the cars?" Lorig asked, pointing toward the busy Santa
Ana
Freeway near his Irvine store. Most of the comprehensive plan does address vehicle and industrial
sources of
air pollution. But the region has just seven years to meet a federal deadline for healthier air, so
officials say no
source of pollution is too small to chase. Tisopulos said he is confident the subcommittee can satisfy
both
camps and craft a compromise plan. It's likely, though, that the final proposals will recommend only
EPAapproved
fireplace fixtures in new developments, he said. Rules in effect elsewhere Meanwhile, dedicated gas
fireplaces, which typically feature gas flames burning around an arrangement of ceramic, pumice or
lava logs
housed in a permanent insert, are the norm in most new homes. Models meeting EPA standards are
common
throughout the San Joaquin Valley, San Luis Obispo County and the Bay Area, where air districts have
already
adopted burning restrictions. Wood-smoke reduction rules also are in effect in parts of New Mexico,
Idaho,
Oregon, Washington and Montana. "In Southern California, we're one of the last ones to get with the
program,"
said Don Bowker, Riverside division manager for Fireside Hearth &Home, a Minnesota-based
supplier for home
builders. Five years ago, 75% of its business was in wood-burning fireplaces, Bowker said. Now 60%
of sales
are gas-only products. Still, Melvin Rosenbaum hasn't noticed a downturn in firewood sales at his lot,
Rosenbaum Ranch in San Juan Capistrano. But he does know that new homes are shunning
traditional
hearths. "You can't beat a wood fireplace, but it is a lot of work," Rosenbaum said. With new-style
fireplaces not
requiring chimneys, architects can get creative. The fireplaces are vented outdoors by small openings
similar to
those attached to gas dryers, and everything from shelving to big-screen televisions gets popped into
the spot
above the fireplace. At "The Pioneer" in the Steeplechase development, the area above the fireplace is
17 March 2013 Page 83 of 483 ProQuest
dominated by windows. Another model includes a gas fireplace that almost functions as a room
divider, with
open shelving above. No chimneys dot the neighborhood roof lines. Frances Macias may be nostalgic
for the
wood fires of her childhood in San Gabriel, where a fire was a real treat on the occasional chilly night.
But she
looks forward to using the gas one in her new house, just a few blocks from the model home she was
prowling
for decorating ideas. So as wood-burning fireplaces go the way of front-door mail slots, will
traditional brick
chimneys and fireplaces typical in established neighborhoods take on a certain cachet or become a
special
selling point? Possibly for some buyers, but not for most, said John Hickey, president of the
Pasadena-Foothills
Assn. of Realtors and an agent with Dilbeck Realtors in La Caada Flintridge. "There really aren't that
many
consumers that would make that the final deciding point of their decision," Hickey said. "For some
people, the
imagined benefits of the roaring fire and the Christmas yule log and the notion that they can't have
that is
something they couldn't get past. But most people will be able to." Illustration Caption: PHOTO:
CHIMNEY
GONE: Yessele Macias, 1, sits next to a gas fireplace with a window above it instead of traditional flue
housing.;
PHOTOGRAPHER:Ricardo DeAratanha Los Angeles Times; PHOTO: ROMANTIC? Southern California
airquality
regulators would like wood- burning models to be banned or modified.; PHOTOGRAPHER:Los
Angeles
Times; PHOTO: SNUG FIT: Open shelving occupies the space above a gas fireplace in a John Laing
Homes
model house in Corona. Many builders have switched -- often quite creatively -- to cleaner-burning
hearths.;
PHOTOGRAPHER:Ricardo DeAratanha Los Angeles Times Credit: Special to The Times
Subject: Public health; Interior design; Fireplaces; Air pollution
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: K.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2007
Publication date: Sep 23, 2007
Year: 2007
Section: Real Estate; Part K; Features Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: Feature
ProQuest document ID: 422209416
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422209416?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2007 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
17 March 2013 Page 84 of 483 ProQuest
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 44 of 213
Black-hearted ruling; The latest in a series of decisions gutting coal mining regulations will
devastate
mountain ecosystems.
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 31 Aug 2007: A.30.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The Office of Surface Mining has, under the Bush administration, been chipping away at the
landmark
regulations established by Congress three decades ago to protect the environment from the most
abusive
mining practices. Last week, this culminated in a decision that would obliterate the 1983 stream
buffer zone
rule, which forbids mining activities within 100 feet of a river or stream. This has always been an
unclear law,
subject to interpretation, but it at least served as a slight brake on the practice of dumping mine
debris in nearby
canyons and valleys, burying streams and devastating mountain ecosystems. The mining agency's
decision,
which will be finalized after a 60-day comment period, "clarifies" the rule by gutting it.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Coal is one of the most environmentally destructive substances on Earth. Coal-fired power
plants,
which produce more than half the nation's electricity, are the biggest source of airborne toxic
substances in the
U.S. and are responsible for about half the particulate matter polluting our skies. They are also often
fingered as
the biggest contributors to global warming because of the greenhouse gases they emit. What is less
discussed
is the horrifying damage wrought by coal even before it makes its way to the power plant -- damage
that may
soon grow even worse thanks to a disgraceful decision by mining regulators. The Office of Surface
Mining has,
under the Bush administration, been chipping away at the landmark regulations established by
Congress three
decades ago to protect the environment from the most abusive mining practices. Last week, this
culminated in a
decision that would obliterate the 1983 stream buffer zone rule, which forbids mining activities
within 100 feet of
a river or stream. This has always been an unclear law, subject to interpretation, but it at least served
as a slight
brake on the practice of dumping mine debris in nearby canyons and valleys, burying streams and
devastating
mountain ecosystems. The mining agency's decision, which will be finalized after a 60-day comment
period,
"clarifies" the rule by gutting it. Mining industry officials claim that it would be all but impossible to
mine for coal
without destroying streams because all mines, and especially the mountaintop strip mines in the
Appalachia
region, produce dirt and rubble, and the only place to dump it is in canyons. This is patently untrue.
Less
industry-friendly administrations have required mining companies to construct fill areas away from
headwaters
and truck the debris there; somehow, the industry managed to survive. What the rule change is really
about is
making coal cheaper. It costs more to mine in an environmentally responsible way, and that in turn
raises the
price of coal. But everyone is burdened by the costs of the industry's bad practices, in such forms as
higher
healthcare bills, cleanup costs for water polluted by mines and the expense of rebuilding
infrastructure
destroyed by a changing climate. Coal should not be cheap. The only way to encourage cleaner
alternatives is
to make coal producers and the consumers of coal- fired power pay the true cost of their pollution.
It's clear that
won't happen at the behest of the Bush administration, which is why Congress must exercise much
stronger
coal industry oversight and strengthen laws that protect the environment from unsupervised miners.
Subject: Coal mining; Federal regulation; Coal-fired power plants; Air pollution; Greenhouse gases;
Global
warming; Environmental protection; Creeks & streams; Editorials -- Coal mining
Location: United States, US
17 March 2013 Page 85 of 483 ProQuest
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.30
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2007
Publication date: Aug 31, 2007
Year: 2007
Section: Main News; Part A; Editorial_pages Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: Editorial
ProQuest document ID: 422261002
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422261002?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2007 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 45 of 213
Ozone obligation; The EPA should follow its own scientific panel's recommendation and
tighten air quality
rules.
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 30 Aug 2007: A.20.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: EPA rules allow a concentration of 84 parts per billion of ozone in the air. The agency has
recommended changing it to 70 to 75 parts per billion. That's a disappointment, given that the EPA's
own Clean
Air Scientific Advisory Committee, after reviewing the available research on ozone, unanimously
ruled that the
existing standard doesn't protect public health and urged lowering it to between 60 and 70 parts per
billion. And
bowing to complaints from industry, the EPA also has given itself a way to avoid doing anything at
all: Among
the options to be discussed today will be leaving the standard as it is.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: That stuff you're breathing could be killing you. Most Angelenos refer to the brown haze
blanketing the
city as smog, but more technically it's a noxious mix of particulate matter and gases, the prime
ingredient being
ozone. Most of our ozone comes from cars, trucks and other vehicles, but it's also produced by
smokestacks,
wet paint and other sources. It makes asthma worse and might even cause it; ozone also irritates the
lungs and
17 March 2013 Page 86 of 483 ProQuest
can kill those with respiratory problems, especially children and the elderly. The federal government
strengthened its ozone standard in 1997, but a decade of research has shown that the rules still
aren't strict
enough. So the Environmental Protection Agency has proposed tightening them, and will hold a
daylong public
hearing on the issue today in Los Angeles. EPA rules allow a concentration of 84 parts per billion of
ozone in
the air. The agency has recommended changing it to 70 to 75 parts per billion. That's a
disappointment, given
that the EPA's own Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee, after reviewing the available research on
ozone,
unanimously ruled that the existing standard doesn't protect public health and urged lowering it to
between 60
and 70 parts per billion. And bowing to complaints from industry, the EPA also has given itself a way
to avoid
doing anything at all: Among the options to be discussed today will be leaving the standard as it is.
California is
home to eight of the 10 counties with the highest concentration of ozone in the United States,
according to the
American Lung Assn. (L.A. is No. 4 on the list, with San Bernardino County having the dubious honor
of being
No. 1.) The state already has an ozone standard of 70 parts per billion, but the rule has no regulatory
teeth. The
EPA can order counties to submit plans for how they'll reach compliance and cut off federal funds if
they fail to
do so. The EPA under the Bush administration has long been trying to shrug off its obligation to
regulate ozone,
and the proposed standard was developed only after the agency was successfully sued by the
American Lung
Assn. If it fails to crack down, it clearly will be violating its legal responsibility to protect public
health.
Subject: Ozone; Air pollution; Environmental regulations; Editorials -- Ozone
Location: United States, US
Company / organization: Name: Environmental Protection Agency; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 05-7944910;
Name: EPA; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 05-794-4910
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.20
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2007
Publication date: Aug 30, 2007
Year: 2007
Section: Main News; Part A; Editorial_pages Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: Editorial
ProQuest document ID: 422089148
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422089148?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2007 Los Angeles Times)
17 March 2013 Page 87 of 483 ProQuest
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 46 of 213
Vote could speed 11 new power plants in Southland; The AQMD allows developers to buy
credits to
offset pollution released by the facilities. Critics call the plan a sellout.
Author: Wilson, Janet
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 04 Aug 2007: B.3.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: "I have a lot of ambivalence," he said. "We are happy the board recognizes the need for
additional
power generation.... However, they put so many restrictions on us ... it could potentially kill the
project." "As our
region continues to grow, we will need more clean energy to prevent rolling blackouts," board
Chairman William
A. Burke said. "Today's measures will help minimize the impact of new power plants, especially in
low-income,
environmental justice communities and other areas already subject to high levels of air pollution."
"These rules
will allow more annual carbon dioxide emissions than what is generated by 107 countries around the
world,"
said Angela Johnson Meszaros, an attorney with California Communities Against Toxics. "The impacts
of these
rules are staggering in terms of human health, local air quality and global climate."
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Southern California air quality regulators approved rule changes Friday that could speed
the
construction of 11 or more power plants across the region -- a decision that could bring an estimated
$419
million to public coffers. The South Coast Air Quality Management District board, in an 8-3 vote, gave
power
plant developers the opportunity buy credits to offset the pollution that would be released by the
new facilities.
The credits were originally intended for schools, hospitals and other emergency agencies. The vote
came after
months of lengthy, contentious hearings -- including six hours of testimony Friday -- and appeared to
satisfy
neither environmentalists nor plant developers. "It's outrageous. Our air district has assumed the
role of polluter
proponent. They seem to have forgotten they are the air quality district, in charge of protecting
public health and
the environment," said Tim Grabiel, an attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council. Dozens
of
community members picketed outside the board's headquarters in Diamond Bar before the meeting.
Many
testified that their potentially affected neighborhoods were already suffering from asthma, lung
cancer and other
respiratory ailments from industry. But Mike Carroll, an attorney representing half a dozen of the
proposed
power plants -- including a fiercely contested 943- megawatt facility in Vernon -- said the conditions
placed on
credits by the board could make it too costly to build some of the plants. "I have a lot of ambivalence,"
he said.
"We are happy the board recognizes the need for additional power generation.... However, they put
so many
restrictions on us ... it could potentially kill the project." The plants also need approval from state
energy
regulators. Other communities where plants are proposed include Victorville, Carson, Industry, El
Segundo,
Grand Terrace, Riverside and Sun Valley. The board is considering using the profits to fund
alternative- energy
incentives and studies on pollution health risks, but put off that decision. Developers would be
required to pay
$92,000 per pound of coarse particulates they would emit and $34,000 per pound of sulfur oxide.
Both
substances contribute to air pollution that plagues the Los Angeles Basin. Plant owners also would be
required
to buy enough pollution credits to offset cancer risks at a higher rate than is required under federal
or state law,
Carroll said. Former state Sen. Martha Escutia, who lobbied board members in favor of allowing the
Vernon
power plant to buy the credits, praised the decision. "It's basically a vote to ensure energy reliability
in the
17 March 2013 Page 88 of 483 ProQuest
region," she said. Board members voting in favor of the credits sale agreed with her and AQMD staff
that new
plants would help prevent electricity outages and might replace older, dirtier power plants. "As our
region
continues to grow, we will need more clean energy to prevent rolling blackouts," board Chairman
William A.
Burke said. "Today's measures will help minimize the impact of new power plants, especially in lowincome,
environmental justice communities and other areas already subject to high levels of air pollution."
But board
member Jane Carney, an attorney from Riverside who voted against the rule changes, said, "There is
no
current evidence I've heard that there is a need for [large] plants.... There is no crisis."
Representatives from two
state agencies testified that there was no immediate need for additional power, but that there could
be in
coming years as older plants break down or are retired. The nonprofit California Independent System
Operator
found that about 10,000 megawatts are needed in the Los Angeles Basin, and that about 12,000
megawatts are
available. The California Energy Commission found that about 400 additional megawatts will be
needed
annually in coming years. New power plants are "needed as a preventive measure. Even though we
may not be
in a power crisis today, it takes at least four to five years to plan for and construct a power plant, and
thus we
can't afford to wait until we're in a crisis to take steps to increase generating capacity," said AQMD
spokesman
Sam Atwood. A backdrop for the hearing was the battle over what type of electricity will replace coal
power,
which is being phased out under state law. Natural gas-fired plants are a proven technology but still
emit
greenhouse gases; wind, solar and other renewable sources are less reliable but cleaner. "These rules
will
allow more annual carbon dioxide emissions than what is generated by 107 countries around the
world," said
Angela Johnson Meszaros, an attorney with California Communities Against Toxics. "The impacts of
these rules
are staggering in terms of human health, local air quality and global climate." Under the rules, she
said, AQMD
will allow more than 35 billion pounds per year of carbon dioxide emissions -- the greenhouse gas
believed to
be the biggest contributor to global warming. Even some who voted for the credit program expressed
concerns
about the Vernon project in particular, and the use of power from fossil fuel in general. "Don't think
you guys are
the heroes here.... I think you're trying to create a cash cow for your city that will impact the health of
your
neighbors downwind," Chino Mayor Dennis Yates, a board member, said to Vernon officials, noting
that the city
stood to reap hefty profits by selling surplus power. -- janet.wilson@latimes.com Credit: Times Staff
Writer
Subject: Carbon offsets; Public opinion; Electric power plants; Air pollution
Location: Southern California
Company / organization: Name: South Coast Air Quality Management District-Los Angeles County
CA; NAICS:
924110; DUNS: 01-598-6159
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.3
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2007
Publication date: Aug 4, 2007
Year: 2007
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
17 March 2013 Page 89 of 483 ProQuest
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422153052
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422153052?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2007 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 47 of 213
Air board cracks down on diesel; State regulators adopt tough rules requiring huge cutbacks
in fumes
from construction industry equipment. Next up: big trucks.
Author: Roosevelt, Margot
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 27 July 2007: B.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: "This is a very progressive rule with a lot of flexibility," said board Chairwoman Mary
Nichols.
"Beginning in 2010, we will be breathing far less of the smog and fine particulates that are so
damaging to our
health." The building industry hotly contested the rule, saying it would cause job losses, increase
highway
construction costs and damage the state's economy. Michael Lewis, a lobbyist for the industry-led
Coalition to
Build a Cleaner California, said industry could not afford the retrofits. "And a regulation that is not
achievable will
not save one life," he said. "This was a great debut by Chairwoman Nichols," said Kathryn Phillips, a
lobbyist for
Environmental Defense. "It shows that science and public health are still the main forces that drive
the agency."
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: California's diesel-powered bulldozers, scrapers and other heavy construction equipment
must be
retrofitted or replaced over the next 13 years to reduce the air pollution that sickens tens of
thousands of
residents every year, state regulators decided Thursday. Under tough new rules adopted by the Air
Resources
Board, California is the first state to make construction companies fix existing diesel-powered
machines. Heavy
equipment can last 30 years or more, so without the new mandate, it would take decades for fleets to
upgrade
to cleaner equipment. Although the fumes are most often associated with big trucks and buses, 20%
of
California's diesel pollution comes from the construction industry. Building, mining and airport
vehicles are
responsible for an estimated 1,100 premature deaths statewide every year and more than 1,000
hospitalizations
for heart and lung disease, along with tens of thousands of asthma attacks, scientists say. The air
board's new
rules will slash diesel soot -- also known as particulate matter -- from construction equipment by
92% over 2000
levels. Smog-forming nitrogen oxides will be cut by more than a third. And greenhouse gases, a
byproduct of
fuel burning, also will drop as a result of a ban on idling equipment. "This is a very progressive rule
with a lot of
flexibility," said board Chairwoman Mary Nichols. "Beginning in 2010, we will be breathing far less of
the smog
and fine particulates that are so damaging to our health." The building industry hotly contested the
rule, saying it
would cause job losses, increase highway construction costs and damage the state's economy.
Michael Lewis,
17 March 2013 Page 90 of 483 ProQuest
a lobbyist for the industry-led Coalition to Build a Cleaner California, said industry could not afford
the retrofits.
"And a regulation that is not achievable will not save one life," he said. The new regulation signaled a
comeback
for the powerful board, whose reputation was damaged in the wake of the recent firing of its former
chairman,
Robert Sawyer, by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, and allegations that the governor's staff had tried to
weaken
proposed pollution standards. Nichols, an environmental lawyer appointed by Schwarzenegger to
replace
Sawyer, took an aggressive stance during Thursday's daylong board meeting, opposing an industry
proposal to
delay enforcement. The diesel rule, the result of three years of debate, drew applause from
environmental
groups. "This was a great debut by Chairwoman Nichols," said Kathryn Phillips, a lobbyist for
Environmental
Defense. "It shows that science and public health are still the main forces that drive the agency." The
rule,
which air board staff say will cost the industry up to $3.4 billion, is one of the most expensive
adopted by the
board. As part of an aggressive diesel cleanup, the board has also adopted restrictions on garbage
trucks,
buses and ships. Next on the agenda: heavy-duty trucks, which could cost even more to clean up than
construction equipment. The building industry operates 180,000 pieces of diesel machinery
statewide. It costs
up to $40,000 to buy particulate filters for a single million-dollar scraper. Overall, contractors
contended, the
cost of the rules could reach $13 billion and boost the price of homes, highways and commercial
buildings. The
discrepancy in the estimates of the cost to industry caused the board to delay action in May to allow
staff to
evaluate new economic data. In the last two months, air board economists and individual board
members held
dozens of meetings with industry groups and examined the financial records of companies. Industry
figures
were based on an exaggerated rate of equipment turnover, among other factors, staffers told the
board. On a
vote of 6 to 3, with Nichols leading the opposition, the board defeated an effort by industry groups to
extend the
compliance schedule. It maintained annual reduction targets for soot, rather than moving
enforcement to a
three-year schedule, which staff said could cut health benefits by as much as 12%. In addition to an
overall
state standard, the board adopted a provision that will allow Los Angeles and nearby counties, the
San Joaquin
Valley and other particularly polluted regions to accelerate the diesel equipment cleanup schedule in
their
districts. "It's a good day for clean air," said Barry Wallerstein, executive officer of the South Coast Air
Quality
Management District. Wallerstein said the region must achieve twice the amount of construction
pollution cuts
as the overall state goal in order to meet federal standards. The region, one of the dirtiest in the
country, is
under a strict mandate to improve its air by 2015. The AQMD will offer construction companies $120
million in
incentives to purchase particulate filters or buy new machines. To soften the economic hardship on
mom-andpop
businesses, the new rule gives small fleets until 2015 to begin compliance, while large fleets must
begin in
2010. margot.roosevelt@latimes.com Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Construction industry; Regulation; Air pollution; Diesel fuels
Location: California
Company / organization: Name: Air Resources Board-California; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 62-691-2737
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2007
Publication date: Jul 27, 2007
Year: 2007
Dateline: SACRAMENTO
17 March 2013 Page 91 of 483 ProQuest
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422161501
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422161501?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2007 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 48 of 213
Pollution-cholesterol link to heart disease seen; The combination activates genes that can
cause
clogged arteries, UCLA researchers say.
Author: Cone, Marla
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 26 July 2007: B.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: "Their combination creates a dangerous synergy that wreaks cardiovascular havoc far
beyond what's
caused by the diesel or cholesterol alone," said Dr. Andre Nel, chief of nanomedicine at the David
Geffen
School of Medicine at UCLA and a researcher at UCLA's California NanoSystems Institute. He led a
team of 10
scientists who conducted the study, published in an online version of the journal Genome Biology.
"The levels
were high, but they came from real freeway exhaust so they were not artificially high," Nel said. "It
was almost
within the realm of what we are exposed to." The smaller the particle, the more harm it can cause.
More arteryclogging
genes were activated in mice exposed to the ultra-fine particles in diesel exhaust than in those
exposed to larger particles in the air. Smaller particles generally come from sources of combustion -mostly
vehicles.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Strengthening the link between air pollution and cardiovascular disease, new research
suggests that
people with high cholesterol are especially vulnerable to heart disease when they are exposed to
diesel exhaust
and other ultra-fine particles that are common pollutants in urban air. Microscopic particles in diesel
exhaust
combine with cholesterol to activate genes that trigger hardening of the arteries, according to a study
by UCLA
scientists to be published today. "Their combination creates a dangerous synergy that wreaks
cardiovascular
havoc far beyond what's caused by the diesel or cholesterol alone," said Dr. Andre Nel, chief of
nanomedicine
at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and a researcher at UCLA's California NanoSystems
Institute.
He led a team of 10 scientists who conducted the study, published in an online version of the journal
Genome
17 March 2013 Page 92 of 483 ProQuest
Biology. Although diet, smoking and other factors contribute to the risk of cardiovascular disease --
the leading
cause of death in the Western world -- scientists have long believed that air pollution, particularly
tiny pieces of
soot from trucks and factories, plays a major role, too. For years, scientists around the world have
reported that
on days when fine-particle pollution increases, deaths from lung diseases, heart attacks and strokes
rise
substantially. Riverside County and the San Gabriel Valley have among the worst fine-particle
pollution in the
nation. The scientists say their study, conducted on human cells as well as on mice, is the first to
explain how
particulates in the air activate genes that can cause heart attacks or strokes. The researchers exposed
human
blood cells to a combination of diesel particles and oxidized fats, then extracted their DNA. Working
together,
the particles and fats switched on genes that cause inflammation of blood vessels, which leads to
clogged
arteries, or atherosclerosis. The team then duplicated the findings in living animals by exposing mice
to a highfat
diet and freeway exhaust in downtown Los Angeles. The same artery-clogging gene groups were
activated
in the mice. The scientists reported that diesel particles may enter the body's circulatory system from
the lungs,
and then react with fats in the arteries to alter how genes are activated, triggering inflammation that
causes
heart disease. Other research has shown similar inflammatory damage in lungs exposed to fine
particles. Diesel
exhaust has also been linked to lung cancer, asthma attacks and DNA damage. "Our results emphasize
the
importance of controlling air pollution as another tool for preventing cardiovascular disease," said Ke
Wei Gong,
a UCLA cardiology researcher who was one of the study's authors. In many urban areas, including the
Los
Angeles region, ultra- fine particles are the most concentrated near freeways, mostly from diesel
exhaust, which
is spewed by trucks, buses, off-road vehicles and other vehicle engines. For decades, California and
local airquality
regulators have been ratcheting down particulate emissions from trucks and other sources, but the
airborne levels in most of the Los Angeles region still frequently exceed federal health standards.
"There are a
few hot spots throughout the country that compete with Los Angeles from time to time, but in
general, we tend
to have the highest levels here," Nel said. Exposed in a mobile laboratory moving down the freeway,
the mice
breathed a concentration of fine particles, 362 micrograms per cubic meter of air. That was five times
higher
than the peak that people in the San Gabriel Valley were exposed to last year. However, humans
breathe
polluted air every day for decades, whereas the mice in the study were exposed five hours per day,
three days
per week, for eight weeks. "The levels were high, but they came from real freeway exhaust so they
were not
artificially high," Nel said. "It was almost within the realm of what we are exposed to." Diesel
particles contain
free radicals, which damage tissues, and so do the fatty acids in cholesterol. The study aimed to find
out what
happened when these two sources of oxidation came in contact. In the cells exposed to just the
cholesterol or
just the diesel, the effects on the genes were much less pronounced. More than 1,500 genes were
turned on,
and 759 were turned off, when diesel particles were combined with the fats. "Now that we see this
genetic
footprint, we have a better understanding of how the injury occurs due to air pollution particles," Nel
said. The
UCLA scientists hope to transform the gene changes to a biomarker, which experts can then use to
predict
which people are most susceptible to heart disease from air pollution. The smaller the particle, the
more harm it
can cause. More artery- clogging genes were activated in mice exposed to the ultra-fine particles in
diesel
exhaust than in those exposed to larger particles in the air. Smaller particles generally come from
sources of
combustion -- mostly vehicles. -- marla.cone@latimes.com Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Diesel engines; Medical research; Cardiovascular disease; Cholesterol; Air pollution
Company / organization: Name: University of California-Los Angeles; NAICS: 611310; DUNS: 00-3985512
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
Number of pages: 0
17 March 2013 Page 93 of 483 ProQuest
Publication year: 2007
Publication date: Jul 26, 2007
Year: 2007
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422151392
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422151392?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2007 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 49 of 213
Keep the home fires burning
Author: Schickel, Erika
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 12 June 2007: A.21.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: I've inhaled enough wood smoke to know that the AQMD has a point. It's pretty harsh stuff.
But I am
sorry we've arrived at the point in our evolution where fire has become bad for us. It has been our
historical
friend and is part of who we are on a primal level. The AQMD's proposed rules -- which must be
voted on one
by one to become law -- are all very moderate and common-sensical. But it isn't hard to imagine a
day coming
when there's an outright law against fires, such as the one in the San Joaquin Valley, which fines
violators
$300. Also, isn't there something harebrained in plugging our flues while the hills around us burn?
When I asked
an AQMD spokesman about how much particulate matter wildfires contribute to air quality, he came
up empty.
Could we be missing out on an opportunity here? Maybe we could harvest all that dried brush,
bundle it with
yellow caution tape, throw in a fire voucher and sell it as "The L.A. Brush Fire- Starter Kit."
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: I GREW UP IN Manhattan, in the glow of the WPIX-TV yule log, so when I bought my home
in Los
Angeles, I made darn sure that it had a working fireplace. Most winter nights find my family gathered
before a
crackling hearth, playing cards, reading or just staring, hypnotized, into the flames. Fire is, after all,
the original
hominid home entertainment center. Turns out this creature comfort could make me a gross polluter
in the eyes
of the South Coast Air Quality Management District. My fireplace, along with the 1.9 million others,
dump tons of
17 March 2013 Page 94 of 483 ProQuest
particulate matter into the air, which leads to 5,400 premature deaths a year in Southern California.
Particulate
matter also makes compliance with the federal Clean Air Act nearly impossible. Regional air quality
managers
last week approved a plan containing 30 measures limiting pollution caused by wood smoke,
including a ban on
fires on days when the air quality is unhealthful, a ban on installing wood-burning fireplaces in new
houses and
requirements for homeowners to replace wood stoves and fireplaces with gas log inserts upon sale of
their
home. I've inhaled enough wood smoke to know that the AQMD has a point. It's pretty harsh stuff.
But I am
sorry we've arrived at the point in our evolution where fire has become bad for us. It has been our
historical
friend and is part of who we are on a primal level. Of all the elements, fire is the only one humans can
make.
We have used it to our advantage for millenniums. A whiff of wood smoke in the night air evokes
comfort and
security. It is a Proustian call to our primal selves. For wherever we humans have roamed and homed
- - in cave
or castle, campsite or condo -- fires have been at the center, warming us, feeding us, protecting us
from animals
and evil spirits. From this perspective, the Bic lighter can be seen as one of the most sublime
expressions of the
opposable thumb. Maybe we've simply evolved right past fire. It's been replaced by central heating
and
television. In temperate Los Angeles, a fire is mostly a luxury item, like a bubble bath. It's little more
than an
element-based mood enhancer. Frankly, I was surprised by the AQMD's grim statistics -- wood fires
add 7 tons
of particulate matter to the air each day -- as I was under the impression that fire-making was
becoming a lost
art. So many hearths these days seem to be stuffed with candles or dried flowers, or most obscene of
all, TVs.
Any honyock can fall asleep with a burning cigarette and start a brush fire, but building and tending a
controlled
wood fire is a craft that requires study, practice and a grasp of basic physics. Like being able to drive
a stick
shift, fire-building is an essential life skill. My children are encouraged (and supervised) in their fire
play. This
weekend, we are celebrating the end of the school year with a ritualistic bonfire of their old school
papers in our
backyard fire bowl. Hold your breath, neighbors. The AQMD's proposed rules -- which must be voted
on one by
one to become law -- are all very moderate and common-sensical. But it isn't hard to imagine a day
coming
when there's an outright law against fires, such as the one in the San Joaquin Valley, which fines
violators
$300. Also, isn't there something harebrained in plugging our flues while the hills around us burn?
When I asked
an AQMD spokesman about how much particulate matter wildfires contribute to air quality, he came
up empty.
Could we be missing out on an opportunity here? Maybe we could harvest all that dried brush,
bundle it with
yellow caution tape, throw in a fire voucher and sell it as "The L.A. Brush Fire- Starter Kit." What the
AQMD
would really like to see us do is curl up in front of a hissing, odorless gas log. Personally, I get the
same thrill
from a gas fire that I do watching water boil on my stove. Fire is not simply about light and heat, it's
about
combustion -- logs rubbing together, popping and releasing smoke and heat. A fire has a dramatic
story arc:
from wood to ember to ash. A fire has a smell, which we have a prehistoric jones for. Otherwise we
might as
well just settle for the televised yule log. Or, I know, we could get one of those blowers with the
tissue-paper
flames. Then we could live like a wax museum diorama of what life looked like back in the olden days
when
home fires were still legal. Credit: ERIKA SCHICKEL is the author of the memoir "You're Not the Boss
of Me:
Adventures of a Modern Mom."
Subject: Air pollution; Airborne particulates
Company / organization: Name: South Coast Air Quality Management District-Los Angeles County
CA; NAICS:
924110; DUNS: 01-598-6159
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.21
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2007
17 March 2013 Page 95 of 483 ProQuest
Publication date: Jun 12, 2007
Year: 2007
Section: Main News; Part A; Editorial Pages Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: Commentary
ProQuest document ID: 422165848
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422165848?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2007 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 50 of 213
Clean air plan OKd by Southland regulators; If fully implemented, fireplace use could be
severely
restricted. Several officials express reservations about those parts of the proposal.
Author: Wilson, Janet
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 02 June 2007: B.3.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: "Point of sale enforcement is the slowest, most inefficient method that the district could
choose to
reduce fine particles emitted by older wood stoves and fireplace inserts," [Carla Walecka] said. The
approach
would "complicate tens of thousands of property transfers" in an already cooling market, she said.
"Air pollution
has created a silent epidemic responsible for up to 5,400 premature deaths each year" in Southern
California,
said William Burke, board chairman of the agency that oversees air quality in L.A. and Orange
counties and
portions of Riverside and San Bernardino counties. "We must go beyond business-as-usual solutions
to achieve
healthful air for Southland residents." "I got a text message from my [business] partner in the middle
of the
meeting saying 'Save My Fireplace,' " laughed Burke. "Now that's intense lobbying."
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Southern California air regulators Friday approved a comprehensive clean air plan that, if
fully
implemented, could place stringent restrictions on home fireplaces. But individual elements of the
plan,
approved unanimously by the South Coast Air Quality Management District, must be separately
passed by the
board in order to become law. A September vote on the fireplace measure is scheduled, but several
members
who approved the larger plan say they may not ultimately support those restrictions. "We all have to
do our part,
including ... the citizens of this region ... but I do not believe that we can have a Gestapo approach to
17 March 2013 Page 96 of 483 ProQuest
fireplaces," said Riverside County Supervisor Roy Wilson, whose district could be hit hardest if the
proposals
pass. Those proposals include a ban on wood-burning fireplaces in all new homes in Los Angeles,
Orange and
portions of San Bernardino and Riverside counties and a ban on wood-fueled fires in some areas
during winter
pollution spikes. It would also require homeowners in the most highly polluted areas of the Inland
Empire to
remove or close off fireplaces and wood stoves, or install costly pollution control devices on them,
before selling
a house. Carla Walecka, head of the Realtors Committee on Air Quality advising the agency, said the
home
sale provision could snarl sales in western Riverside and San Bernardino counties. "Point of sale
enforcement
is the slowest, most inefficient method that the district could choose to reduce fine particles emitted
by older
wood stoves and fireplace inserts," Walecka said. The approach would "complicate tens of thousands
of
property transfers" in an already cooling market, she said. Board members said it was vital to take
every step
necessary to clear the region's air, the worst in the nation. "Air pollution has created a silent
epidemic
responsible for up to 5,400 premature deaths each year" in Southern California, said William Burke,
board
chairman of the agency that oversees air quality in L.A. and Orange counties and portions of
Riverside and San
Bernardino counties. "We must go beyond business-as-usual solutions to achieve healthful air for
Southland
residents." The fireplace regulations as currently proposed would reduce a small portion -- an
estimated 7 tons
a day on average -- of the 192- ton-a-day reductions in nitrogen oxides necessary to bring the region
into
compliance with the federal Clean Air Act. Nitrogen oxides are a key ingredient in both smog and
particulate
pollution. Burke and other board members said they had been ordered by the California Air
Resources Board to
develop regulations on commercial charbroilers and fireplaces and were required to do so under
state law
because other air districts have done so, including the San Joaquin, Sacramento and Bay Area
districts. Burke
said he thought public attention to and dismay over the fireplace portions of the mammoth plan were
"misplaced. This document is 1,600 pages long, and they want to focus on fireplaces.... We're at a
crossroads
here on public health." The plan approved Friday also contains requirements for reducing soot and
other
pollutants from cars, trucks, refineries and other industrial sources. Local officials said these
measures would do
far more than fireplace restrictions and urged the state and federal government to join the agency in
pushing for
even more aggressive reductions in those areas. Still, Burke said, it's tough asking ordinary people to
make
changes that hit close to home to protect the larger environment. "I got a text message from my
[business]
partner in the middle of the meeting saying 'Save My Fireplace,' " laughed Burke. "Now that's intense
lobbying."
-- janet.wilson@latimes.com Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Clean Air Act-US; Environmental policy; Air pollution
Location: Southern California
Company / organization: Name: South Coast Air Quality Management District-Los Angeles County
CA; NAICS:
924110; DUNS: 01-598-6159
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.3
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2007
Publication date: Jun 2, 2007
Year: 2007
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
17 March 2013 Page 97 of 483 ProQuest
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: Feature
ProQuest document ID: 422149155
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422149155?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2007 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 51 of 213
The State; Plan to clean air may kill ambience; Regulation would limit wood-burning
fireplace
construction and use.
Author: Wilson, Janet
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 01 June 2007: A.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: "A home is an emotional buy," said [Barbara Burner], who works for Century 21 in
Thousand Oaks
and has three wood-burning fireplaces in her own home. "A fireplace -- especially a beautiful
fireplace, and what
people normally mean by that is a wood-burning fireplace -- it's the thing people like to have." "Our
governing
board will consider adopting their air quality plan, which includes more than three dozen measures,"
air district
spokesman Sam Atwood said. "One of those measures would be for the first time to have a program
that would
reduce pollution from residential fireplaces and wood stoves." A fireplace is "a popular feature.
People want to
be able to have a wood fire at certain times of year, and the AQMD did not bring to us any data that
would
demonstrate that wood smoke emissions are significant," Grey said. "From the statistics that we can
see, most
... homes burn wood in their fireplaces twice a year -- on Christmas Eve and during the Super Bowl."
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Throwing a few logs on the fire on a nippy evening, or boosting a home's market appeal by
advertising
its wood-burning fireplace, could go the way of the coal chute and the ice box for many Southern
Californians if
newly proposed air quality regulations are adopted. As part of air pollution plans designed to meet
federal
deadlines, South Coast Air Quality Management District officials have proposed a ban on woodburning
fireplaces in all new homes in Los Angeles, Orange and portions of Riverside and San Bernardino
counties. In
addition, on winter days when pollution spikes, wood-fueled blazes in all fireplaces would be banned
in highly
affected areas. That could amount to about 20 days a year, district officials said. Another measure
that would
require closing off wood fireplaces or installing $3,600 pollution control devices before a home could
be sold
had been dropped as of late Thursday, an AQMD spokesman said. Regulators say that with an
estimated 5,400
premature deaths attributable to soot each year in the region, no source is too small to target.
Numerous
17 March 2013 Page 98 of 483 ProQuest
studies have shown that the fine particulate matter in soot sinks deep into the lungs, causing serious
health
problems. But critics, including homebuilders and real estate agents, say the regulations could hurt
sales by
robbing homes of one of their most enjoyable features. Air district staffers say a daily reduction of
192 tons of
nitrogen oxides, an ingredient in harmful particulate pollution, is needed across the region to meet
the Clean Air
Act requirements, and that 7 tons of that could come from restrictions on fireplaces. Barbara Burner,
a Realtor
for 25 years, said that with such a small amount of pollution at issue, she doesn't think the
restrictions are
merited. "A home is an emotional buy," said Burner, who works for Century 21 in Thousand Oaks and
has three
wood-burning fireplaces in her own home. "A fireplace -- especially a beautiful fireplace, and what
people
normally mean by that is a wood-burning fireplace -- it's the thing people like to have." The fireplace
rules are
one piece of a plan also designed to reduce soot from diesel engines and ozone smog that AQMD's
board will
vote on today. "Our governing board will consider adopting their air quality plan, which includes
more than three
dozen measures," air district spokesman Sam Atwood said. "One of those measures would be for the
first time
to have a program that would reduce pollution from residential fireplaces and wood stoves." The
plan also
includes truck-only lanes on the 710 and 15 freeways, and electric rail lines from Los Angeles'
Westside to
Ontario airport and from the ports to Inland Empire warehouses. Reducing paint thinner emissions
and gas
station and refinery leaks is also part of the host of proposed measures. If the overall plan is
approved, another
vote is scheduled for September to finalize the fireplace regulation. "There aren't any easy rules left
in terms of
substantially reducing" fine particulate air pollution, said Jane Carney, a Riverside attorney and an
AQMD board
member. Riverside and other Inland Empire communities would likely be targeted by fire bans
during cold winter
months. Carney said there are "pretty obvious adverse impacts of wood smoke on pollution. If you
stand close
to a wood fire and breathe, you can feel it in your throat and in your lungs." Carney said that while
she would
listen to comments from the public and the building industry, attractive alternatives to wood
fireplaces are
available. "Let me tell you, the natural gas logs are wonderful," she said. Carney also said she would
consider
even tougher measures to clean up fireplace pollution, such as a complete regional wintertime ban on
wood
fires. Air pollution regulations on fireplaces have been adopted in an estimated 50 counties, air
districts or cities
across the West, particularly in colder areas, said John Crouch of the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue
Assn.
Numerous trade groups oppose the fireplace measures. Mark Grey, environmental director for the
Building
Industry Assn. of Southern California, said the group would especially oppose any ban on woodburning
fireplaces in new homes. A fireplace is "a popular feature. People want to be able to have a wood fire
at certain
times of year, and the AQMD did not bring to us any data that would demonstrate that wood smoke
emissions
are significant," Grey said. "From the statistics that we can see, most ... homes burn wood in their
fireplaces
twice a year -- on Christmas Eve and during the Super Bowl." There are an estimated 1.9 million
homes with
fireplaces in Southern California out of about 5 million total housing units, regulators said.
Environmentalist Tim
Carmichael, who heads the Coalition for Clean Air, said that while it was important to take every step
possible to
clean the region's air -- still the most polluted in the nation -- it would be difficult if not impossible to
enforce any
sort of ban on wintertime fires. "At some level we believe these sorts of controls need to be looked at,
but ... the
big question is, is it enforceable?" Carmichael said. "Could you really get people to stop doing this?"
Atwood,
the air district spokesman, said that with about 100 inspectors responsible for pollution sources
ranging from oil
refineries to gas stations, enforcement would be tough. But Crouch, of the hearth and patio
association, said,
"Given how far out of attainment the South Coast is for fine particulates, and the fact that wood
burning is not as
significant in Southern California as it is in, for instance, in Seattle or Denver or someplace colder, I
think
they've charted a reasonable regional path here." * janet.wilson@latimes.com Credit: Times Staff
Writer
Subject: Wood; Environmental regulations; Air pollution; Fireplaces
Location: Southern California
17 March 2013 Page 99 of 483 ProQuest
Company / organization: Name: South Coast Air Quality Management District-Los Angeles County
CA; NAICS:
924110; DUNS: 01-598-6159
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2007
Publication date: Jun 1, 2007
Year: 2007
Section: Main News; Part A; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422150380
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422150380?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2007 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 52 of 213
Judge strikes down tough rules on diesel; The Southland's smog- fighting agency had
ordered
railroads to cut emissions, but is told that it lacks the authority to do so.
Author: Wilson, Janet
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 03 May 2007: B.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: "The rules at issue in this case are exactly the type of local regulation that Congress
intended to
preempt ... in order to prevent a 'patchwork' of ... local regulation interfering with interstate
commerce," [John F.
Walter] wrote in an opinion released Tuesday. "The court does not arrive at its decision lightly, and
recognizes
that there is a serious problem with the air quality problem in the basin which needs to be
addressed." "The
court has recognized the importance of having consistent nationwide regulation of rail operations.
This enables
railroads to improve air quality while efficiently moving the goods that propel California's economy,"
said BNSF
spokeswoman Lena Kent. "The railroads are already the most fuel-efficient and environmentally
friendly mode
of overland transportation and have been working to reduce emissions to even lower levels." "I'm
very
17 March 2013 Page 100 of 483 ProQuest
disappointed," he said. "The fact is that people are dying in our community from the diesel exhaust
from these
locomotives and other railroad equipment. The railroads are acting like it's still the 1800s, not 2007.
The value
of one human life should supersede interstate commerce."
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Southern California air regulators cannot require railroads to shut down idling locomotives
or obey
other local laws designed to clean up deadly diesel pollution, a federal judge ruled this week. The
decision
invalidates action taken last year by the South Coast Air Quality Management District to reduce a
major source
of air pollution in the Southland. Locomotives are responsible for more than 32 tons per day of
pollutants, an
amount equal to that produced by 1.4 million cars, according to figures compiled by state and
regional agencies.
The state air board estimates that 5,400 premature deaths annually in Southern California can be
linked to air
pollution, and studies have found that the sooty particulates put out by trains are particularly
harmful. AQMD
officials last year passed three regulations designed to cut idling time and measure health risks in
neighborhoods near rail yards, asserting their authority to regulate emissions under the federal
Clean Air Act
and state policing laws. Two railroads and a trade group filed suit, saying that under special
exemptions passed
by Congress more than a century ago, they do not have to abide by local laws that could interfere
with interstate
commerce. Officials at Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway and Union Pacific said they are
spending billions
to replace older, dirtier equipment, and have voluntarily cut idling times. U.S. District Judge John F.
Walter,
based in Los Angeles, acknowledged the region's dismal air quality but nevertheless ruled in favor of
the
railroads. "The rules at issue in this case are exactly the type of local regulation that Congress
intended to
preempt ... in order to prevent a 'patchwork' of ... local regulation interfering with interstate
commerce," Walter
wrote in an opinion released Tuesday. "The court does not arrive at its decision lightly, and
recognizes that
there is a serious problem with the air quality problem in the basin which needs to be addressed." He
urged the
two sides to work together on a voluntary basis to reduce pollution. Unlike the regional air quality
board, state
air regulators have operated on the assumption that they have no right to govern the railroads.
Instead, state
officials have negotiated voluntary pollution reduction agreements. But AQMD officials have said that
the
voluntary agreements are too weak, and that railroads voluntarily agreed only to measures designed
to cut
costs or meet federal laws. AQMD spokesman Sam Atwood said the board would discuss at its Friday
meeting
whether to appeal the decision. The district has already spent more than $3 million in legal fees on
the case.
"We are disappointed that the court did not agree with our legal experts' opinion that AQMD has the
authority to
regulate these emissions," said a statement from Barry Wallerstein, the local district's executive
officer.
Spokesmen for the railroads expressed satisfaction with the victory and said they would continue to
replace or
retrofit older, dirtier locomotives, use low-sulfur diesel fuel and take other steps to reduce harmful
emissions.
They said they hoped to work with the local air district. "The court has recognized the importance of
having
consistent nationwide regulation of rail operations. This enables railroads to improve air quality
while efficiently
moving the goods that propel California's economy," said BNSF spokeswoman Lena Kent. "The
railroads are
already the most fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly mode of overland transportation and
have been
working to reduce emissions to even lower levels." Angelo Logan, head of the East Yard Communities
for
Environmental Justice, represents the Bandini neighborhood, which sits between Union Pacific and
BNSF rail
yards. "I'm very disappointed," he said. "The fact is that people are dying in our community from the
diesel
exhaust from these locomotives and other railroad equipment. The railroads are acting like it's still
the 1800s,
not 2007. The value of one human life should supersede interstate commerce." Logan said he did not
believe
the railroads' reports that they are switching to "environmentally friendly" equipment. "I can take
you to the local
neighborhood where locomotives 10- plus years old are spewing out black soot within 20, 30 feet of
homes," he
said. One study near the Roseville rail yard in Central California showed alarming increases in cancer
risk for
nearby residents. Under their voluntary agreement, the state air board and railroads have been
conducting
17 March 2013 Page 101 of 483 ProQuest
health risk assessments next to all major Southern California rail yards. The public release of their
findings has
been delayed for months, but an air board spokeswoman said Tuesday that they would be released
soon. *
janet.wilson@latimes.com Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Federal court decisions; Emission standards; Railroads; Air pollution
Company / organization: Name: South Coast Air Quality Management District-Los Angeles County
CA; NAICS:
924110; DUNS: 01-598-6159
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2007
Publication date: May 3, 2007
Year: 2007
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422135442
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422135442?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2007 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 53 of 213
2 ports aim to slash diesel exhaust; Such pollution by trucks on trips near the L.A. and Long
Beach
facilities would fall 80%, draft plan says. Industry fears business may drop.
Author: Wilson, Janet; White, Ronald D
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 14 Apr 2007: B.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Under the plan, posted online Friday, all 16,000 short-haul trucks that move goods from the
wharves
to nearby rail yards or warehouses would be scrapped or retrofitted, starting next year, at a cost of
$1.8 billion.
Their drivers -- mostly low-paid independent contractors -- would be employed by companies that
would bid on
17 March 2013 Page 102 of 483 ProQuest
port concession contracts containing stiff environmental, equipment maintenance and workplace
requirements.
[Barry Broad] of the Teamsters reacted angrily, saying the current shipping companies were "bottom
of the
swamp" operations that moved in 25 years ago after port trucking was deregulated, firing drivers
overnight to
avoid paying decent wages or insurance and relying on poorly paid immigrant labor using decadesold,
dangerous trucks. "It remains to be seen how they are going to do this. The port has obviously done
quite a bit
attempting to get shippers to change their behavior to align with environmental norms," said Joshua
Schaff,
ports analyst for Moody's Investment Service. "It's a sensitive issue. There is a lot of demand for the
services
these ports provide, and we just don't know what the price elasticity is, how high the price can go
before you
have some defection from customers."
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the nation's busiest seaport complex, are
proposing an
"unprecedented" overhaul of dockside trucking that officials say would slash diesel pollution from
trucks by 80%
in five years while improving domestic security and working conditions for drivers. The draft plan
drew rave
reviews from environmentalists and labor groups but was criticized by industry groups, which said
that lawsuits
could be filed and that the booming ports could lose business to other states and countries if they
press forward.
More than 40% of all goods imported to the United States move through the two neighboring ports.
Under the
plan, posted online Friday, all 16,000 short-haul trucks that move goods from the wharves to nearby
rail yards
or warehouses would be scrapped or retrofitted, starting next year, at a cost of $1.8 billion. Their
drivers -mostly low-paid independent contractors -- would be employed by companies that would bid on port
concession
contracts containing stiff environmental, equipment maintenance and workplace requirements.
Numerous
studies have shown elevated levels of diesel particulates and other harmful air pollutants on docks
and in
neighborhoods near truck-laden highways and freight rail yards. The cost of replacing the current,
aging trucks
would be funded largely by per-trip fees of $34 to $54 assessed on the licensed firms, with some
matching state
bonds and taxpayer money. A second portion of the plan would impose a $26 fee on every container
of goods
moved through the ports to help fund rail and highway improvements. Both measures are part of the
ports' joint
clean-air action plan, which aims to reduce deadly air pollution from all sources -- including ships,
trains and
trucks -- by 45% in five years. The plan is "a model for seaports around the world ... the boldest air
quality
initiative by any seaport," according to the online draft. S. David Freeman, president of the Los
Angeles Board
of Harbor Commissioners, said consumers would pay just pennies more for goods moving off the
docks. He
said replacing the trucks is vital to improving public health in neighborhoods near the ports. "If you
just look at
the difference between the emissions of one of these dirty trucks and a new, cleaner one -- and do the
math -this is one of our biggest opportunities to get clean air," said Freeman, who along with other port
officials
unveiled the proposal Thursday at a closed-door meeting with industry, labor and environmental
groups. "We
can make major advances by replacing them." Environmental, labor and community groups that
fought more
than a year for the plan praised it. "It's a huge, huge step forward in our quest for clean air," said
Melissa Lin
Perella of the Natural Resources Defense Council. "Usually governments just nibble around the edges
of a
major social problem," said Barry Broad, a state director for the Teamsters union. "This is an example
of not
one but two governments coming together ... to solve a problem in a truly comprehensive way." But
industry
representatives saw it differently. Business groups, including the National Retail Federation, have
argued
strenuously for a market-based, voluntary approach and new statewide emissions standards for
trucks. The
groups argued that money could be raised quickly to improve the condition of port truck fleets. On
Friday, the
federation said there should be "serious concerns" about the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach
losing
business under the new plan. "We don't think that a private, local standard is the way to proceed,"
said Erik
Autor, vice president and international trade counsel for the federation. "And we are not sure how
the state and
federal governments are going to view this." Shippers who would foot the bill for the multibilliondollar plan,
17 March 2013 Page 103 of 483 ProQuest
which could go into effect Jan. 1, say it could end up being challenged in court. "We are looking at it
now from
our lawyers' point of view to see what we might do. I think we might challenge that," said Curtis
Whelan,
executive director of the Intermodal Motor Carriers Conference for the 38,000-member American
Trucking
Assn. "By definition, these containers represent interstate commerce. It would impact interstate
commerce in a
dramatic way. Can a port authority do that?" Whelan added that the plan could drive out dozens of
smaller
companies currently handling port trucking. But Broad of the Teamsters reacted angrily, saying the
current
shipping companies were "bottom of the swamp" operations that moved in 25 years ago after port
trucking was
deregulated, firing drivers overnight to avoid paying decent wages or insurance and relying on
poorly paid
immigrant labor using decades-old, dangerous trucks. Under the plan, drivers would get workers'
compensation
and other benefits. They also would undergo criminal background checks, drug and alcohol testing
and identity
screening aimed at tightening port security. Wall Street analysts who rate the ports' bonds and other
investments said they would be watching closely. "It remains to be seen how they are going to do
this. The port
has obviously done quite a bit attempting to get shippers to change their behavior to align with
environmental
norms," said Joshua Schaff, ports analyst for Moody's Investment Service. "It's a sensitive issue. There
is a lot
of demand for the services these ports provide, and we just don't know what the price elasticity is,
how high the
price can go before you have some defection from customers." Responding to industry concerns,
Freeman
said, "Of course I worry .... We are completely open to suggestion as we move forward aggressively
with this
plan ... but eternal happiness for everyone is not one of the criteria. We're going to get cleaner air out
of this,
and a more stable, reliable workforce and better homeland security. Eternal happiness is above my
pay grade."
Public hearings on the plan will be set, officials said. Boards of the two ports are expected to vote on a
final
version in July. * janet.wilson@latimes.com ron.white@latimes.com Illustration Caption: PHOTO:
CARGO:
Trucks are loaded with containers at the Port of Los Angeles. It and the Long Beach port plan to slash
diesel
pollution.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Carlos Chavez Los Angeles Times Credit: Times Staff Writers
Subject: Diesel engines; Strategic planning; Air pollution; Trucks; Ports
Location: Los Angeles California, Long Beach California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2007
Publication date: Apr 14, 2007
Year: 2007
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422146143
17 March 2013 Page 104 of 483 ProQuest
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422146143?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2007 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 54 of 213
State air board requests extension of federal deadline to reduce soot; Critics say the request
for five
more years -- to 2020 -- will mean more asthma and other health problems for residents.
Author: Wilson, Janet
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 20 Mar 2007: B.3.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: "California's problem is unique in the nation," with greater Los Angeles facing "the biggest
challenge"
in meeting the deadline with annual average measurements for soot exceeding national limits by
50%,
Katherine Witherspoon, executive director of the state Air Resources Board, wrote in a March 12
letter to the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In her letter, Witherspoon blamed the timing of the EPA's new
diesel
engine standards, which were announced in draft form on March 3 after years of delay. She said the
phase-in
period for the rules between 2010 and 2017 "comes too late" to meet the 2015 soot- reduction
deadline.
Witherspoon has drawn the wrath of Southern California air officials and environmentalists in the
past by signing
voluntary agreements with railroads to reduce pollution without holding public hearings or seeking
input from
affected districts first.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Declaring that California cannot meet federal soot reduction standards by a 2015 deadline,
the state
air board has asked for a five-year extension that critics say will cut short lives and aggravate asthma
and other
health problems. "California's problem is unique in the nation," with greater Los Angeles facing "the
biggest
challenge" in meeting the deadline with annual average measurements for soot exceeding national
limits by
50%, Katherine Witherspoon, executive director of the state Air Resources Board, wrote in a March
12 letter to
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In her letter, Witherspoon blamed the timing of the EPA's
new diesel
engine standards, which were announced in draft form on March 3 after years of delay. She said the
phase-in
period for the rules between 2010 and 2017 "comes too late" to meet the 2015 soot- reduction
deadline. Diesel
soot, also known as fine particulate matter, lodges deep in the lungs when inhaled, and has been
linked to heart
and respiratory disease, cancer, asthma and other illnesses. It spews from trucks, ships, trains,
construction
equipment and anything else that uses a combustion engine. Witherspoon could not be reached for
comment.
But air board spokeswoman Gennet Paauwe said the state was simply trying to "give another option"
to the
South Coast Air Quality Management District, which oversees greater Los Angeles, because it was so
far away
from attainment. She said Witherspoon and San Joaquin Valley air officials thought that they would
meet the
deadline, but that the AQMD would require at least an additional three years. "We really don't feel
that South
Coast at this point with that 50% hanging out there can meet that deadline," Paauwe said, "so that
additional
five years will give them a chance." Thanks but no thanks, said AQMD Executive Director Barry
Wallerstein,
adding that he had not been consulted before the letter was sent and did not agree. "This is not being
done on
our behalf.... This letter completely undercuts the public process," Wallerstein said. "This means
higher pollution
17 March 2013 Page 105 of 483 ProQuest
emissions from cars, trucks, ships, locomotives, [construction] engines and other mobile sources for
an
additional five-year period or more. It takes the pressure off the U.S. EPA and state Air Resources
Board to do
their fair share of pollution cleanup in Southern California." Although air quality in Southern
California has
improved dramatically in the last three decades, the region still experiences 5,400 premature deaths
a year
because of air pollution, the state estimates. Others said Witherspoon was "jumping the gun" because
the
deadline for air districts to submit cleanup plans is April 2008. "It's shortsighted and defeatist....
They're throwing
in the towel too soon," said state Sen. Dean Florez (D-Shafter), chairman of the Senate Select
Committee on
Air Quality in the Central Valley. He said he would order state air officials to appear before the
committee to
discuss the extension request. Tim Carmichael, president of the Coalition for Clean Air, said, "Any
delay will
negatively impact the health of millions of Californians ... from difficulty breathing to premature
death." If the
state does not meet the deadlines or an extension is not granted, federal transportation funds could
be at risk.
Last year, California received about $4 billion in such funds. In an e-mail, EPA spokesman John Millett
said the
agency "will review and consider the request." He added that "federal funding has only rarely been in
jeopardy - only one or two instances in the history of the program. Funding is linked to state planning, not the
air quality
status of an individual jurisdiction." He also defended the diesel engine proposals, saying that when
fully
implemented they would cut particulate emissions by 90%. Carmichael and others said they feared
that
Witherspoon and the governor's office were bowing to pressure from the powerful construction,
trucking and rail
industries. But Adam Mendelsohn, Gov. Schwarzenegger's communications director, said the state air
board's
action was taken "without consultation of Cal EPA or the governor's office.... We believe staff acted
prematurely
and are reviewing options in terms of additional steps to rectify the situation." State air board staff
are finalizing
separate rules that would limit diesel soot emissions from construction equipment. Industry officials
have
protested loudly and are calling for a delay, saying that air officials lack accurate information about
heavy-duty
equipment. Witherspoon has drawn the wrath of Southern California air officials and
environmentalists in the
past by signing voluntary agreements with railroads to reduce pollution without holding public
hearings or
seeking input from affected districts first. janet.wilson@latimes.com Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Deadlines; Regulatory agencies; Airborne particulates; Air pollution
Location: California
Company / organization: Name: Environmental Protection Agency; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 05-7944910;
Name: EPA; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 05-794-4910; Name: Air Resources Board-California; NAICS:
924110;
DUNS: 62-691-2737
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.3
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2007
Publication date: Mar 20, 2007
Year: 2007
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
17 March 2013 Page 106 of 483 ProQuest
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422097252
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422097252?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2007 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 55 of 213
The World; Asian air pollution affects our weather; Scientists report more clouds, stronger
storms in
the Pacific region.
Author: Robert Lee Hotz
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 06 Mar 2007: A.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Asia's growing air pollution -- billowing plumes of soot, smog and wood smoke -- is making
the Pacific
region cloudier and stormier, disrupting winter weather patterns along the West Coast and into the
Arctic,
researchers reported Monday. "The pollution transported from Asia makes storms stronger and
deeper and
more energetic," said lead author Renyi Zhang at Texas A&M University. "It is a direct link from largescale
storm systems to [human-produced] pollution." At low altitudes, the haze of aerosol particles reflects
the sun's
energy back into space, cooling Earth's surface slightly. At the same time, the particles help form
brighter lowaltitude
clouds that also shield the surface from solar heat.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Asia's growing air pollution -- billowing plumes of soot, smog and wood smoke -- is making
the Pacific
region cloudier and stormier, disrupting winter weather patterns along the West Coast and into the
Arctic,
researchers reported Monday. Carried on prevailing winds, the industrial outpouring of dust, sulfur,
carbon grit
and trace metals from booming Asian economies is having an intercontinental cloud-seeding effect,
the
researchers reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study is the first
large-scale
analysis to draw a link between Asian air pollution and the changing Pacific weather patterns. "The
pollution
transported from Asia makes storms stronger and deeper and more energetic," said lead author
Renyi Zhang at
Texas A&M University. "It is a direct link from large-scale storm systems to [human-produced]
pollution."
Satellite measurements reveal that high-altitude storm clouds over the northern Pacific have
increased up to
50% over the last 20 years as new factories, vehicles and power plants in China and India spew
growing
amounts of microscopic pollutant particles into the air. The resulting changes have altered how rain
droplets
form and helped foster the creation of imposing formations over the northern Pacific known as deep
convective
clouds. The clouds create powerful updrafts that spawn fiercer thunderstorms and more intense
rainfall,
particularly during the winter, the researchers said. Only a decade ago did scientists in the University
of
California's Pacific Rim Aerosol Network help discover that the pollution crossing the Pacific from
Asia was
17 March 2013 Page 107 of 483 ProQuest
worse than suspected, with millions of tons of previously undetected contaminants carried on the
wind. In fact,
on any spring or summer day, almost a third of the air high over Los Angeles, San Francisco and other
California cities can be traced directly to Asia, researchers said. "More stuff starting up over there
means more
stuff ending up over here," said UC Davis atmospheric scientist Steven Cliff. Usually, dust and
industrial
pollutants take from five days to two weeks to cross the Pacific to California. Zhang and his
colleagues
conducted their three-year study by comparing satellite imagery of the Pacific region taken from
1984 to 1994
with imagery of the same area from 1994 to 2005. The study, funded by NASA and the National
Science
Foundation, found that deep convective clouds had increased between 20% and 50%. Convective
clouds
include cumulonimbus clouds, which can be many miles thick with a base near Earth's surface and a
top
frequently at an altitude of 33,000 feet or more. The research team, which included atmospheric
scientists from
Caltech, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and UC San
Diego,
linked the changing cloud patterns to the increasing pollution through a series of computer studies.
The
scientists also examined satellite data from the Atlantic region during the same periods, since
pollution from
North America follows the prevailing winds to Europe. But they did not find any similar pattern of
cloud changes
or increase in storm intensity. The Pacific pollution also may affect other pervasive patterns of air
circulation that
shape world climate. "If the trend to intensified storms in this region persists, it will likely have
profound
implications on climate change," said Robert McGraw, a senior atmospheric chemist at Brookhaven
National
Laboratory on Long Island, who was not involved in the study. Among other consequences, the more
energetic
Pacific storm track could be carrying warmer air and more black soot farther north into the Canadian
Arctic,
where it may accelerate the melting of polar ice packs, the researchers said. The researchers
emphasized that
it would take much more sustained study to understand the international climate ramifications. Until
recently,
most scientists believed that, with its adverse effects on health and plant life, such aerosol pollution
was mostly
a local problem. If anything, it helped rather than hindered the climate -- at least in terms of global
warming -- by
offsetting the heat-trapping effects of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. At low
altitudes,
the haze of aerosol particles reflects the sun's energy back into space, cooling Earth's surface slightly.
At the
same time, the particles help form brighter low-altitude clouds that also shield the surface from solar
heat. But
once these tiny particles reach the upper atmosphere, they generate fierce downpours from supercooled
droplets and ice particles instead of gentle warm showers. At monitoring sites along the U.S. West
Coast,
scientists have been detecting pollutants that originated from smokestacks and tailpipes thousands
of miles to
the west. Recently, researchers at the University of Washington have captured traces of ozone,
carbon
monoxide, mercury and particulate matter from Asia at monitoring sites on Mt. Bachelor in Oregon
and Cheeka
Peak in Washington state. Cliff and his colleagues have been picking up the telltale chemical
signatures of
Asian particulates and other pollutants at several monitoring sites north of San Francisco and, during
the last
year, around Southern California. The pollutants, however, are suspended at high altitude. It is
unclear how
much of them reach ground level or what their direct effect on local weather might be. "The air above
Los
Angeles is primarily from Asia," Cliff said. "Presumably that air has Asian pollution incorporated into
it." *
lee.hotz@latimes.com Illustration Caption: PHOTO: SPEWING: Cyclists pass a factory east of Beijing
last
summer. Scientists say it takes five days to two weeks for air pollutants from Asia to reach California.;
PHOTOGRAPHER: Peter Parks AFP/Getty Images Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Storms; Studies; Air pollution; Weather
Location: West coast, Asia
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.1
17 March 2013 Page 108 of 483 ProQuest
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2007
Publication date: Mar 6, 2007
Year: 2007
Section: Main News; Part A; Foreign Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422105423
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422105423?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2007 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 56 of 213
Train, ship soot to be cut 90% by 2030; The EPA proposes tougher regulations on nitrogen
oxide and
fine particulate matter, but the AQMD is critical of the long phase-in.
Author: Wilson, Janet
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 03 Mar 2007: B.3.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Greater Los Angeles is exposed to pollution from diesel engines more than anywhere in the
nation,
with 40% of all goods shipped to the U.S. funneled through the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach
on dieselpowered
ships and trains. The air that Southern Californians breathe contains more than half of all the diesel
particulate emitted in the U.S. each year. Air regulators estimate that 2,400 lives are cut short
annually
statewide because of pollution from the movement of goods. Absent from the EPA proposals are
regulations on
large diesel engines in ocean-going vessels. EPA officials said they are trying to negotiate
international
standards for those heavily polluting vessels, and are still studying whether national regulations
could legally be
placed on foreign-flagged vessels entering American ports. Ferries, tugboats, yachts and marine
auxiliary
engines would be covered under the new rules, however. He said the lack of regulations on marine
vessels was
"unfinished business" that must be addressed. As for the AQMD's concerns, he said, "well, it does take
time for
the manufacturers to retool." He said he thought most emissions reductions would be achieved by
2015, before
California has to meet EPA deadlines.
17 March 2013 Page 109 of 483 ProQuest
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: CORRECTION: SEE CORRECTION APPENDED; Diesel regulations: An article in the March 3
California section about proposed federal regulations to reduce soot from diesel locomotives erred in
paraphrasing a statement by Union Pacific spokesman Mark Davis. Davis said the company had
worked for
years with manufacturers to develop cleaner technology for locomotives, not that it would take years
to develop
technology to meet the proposed new rules. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Friday
unveiled
proposals to slash diesel soot from freight trains and marine vessels by 90% by 2030, winning
guarded praise
from environmentalists, but a scathing rebuke from Southern California's top air quality regulator.
Under rules
announced by EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson, existing and new train locomotives would have
to meet
increasingly tougher controls on emissions of nitrogen oxide and fine particulate matter. Both
substances lodge
deep in people's lungs and have been linked in numerous studies to respiratory disease, cancer and
other
serious health problems. Johnson said the regulations, which he would push to have completed by
year's end,
would result in thousands of saved lives and substantial healthcare cost savings by 2030, while
costing industry
about $600 million. "By tackling the greatest remaining source of diesel emissions, we're keeping our
nation's
clean-air progress moving full steam ahead," he said. "This will ensure that black puff of smoke from
diesel
locomotives goes the way of the steam engine." But South Coast Air Quality Management District
Executive
Officer Barry Wallerstein said the region was "being thrown table scraps" with rules designed to
benefit industry,
which will allow thousands of Californians to continue to die prematurely for decades. Greater Los
Angeles is
exposed to pollution from diesel engines more than anywhere in the nation, with 40% of all goods
shipped to the
U.S. funneled through the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach on diesel-powered ships and trains.
The air
that Southern Californians breathe contains more than half of all the diesel particulate emitted in the
U.S. each
year. Air regulators estimate that 2,400 lives are cut short annually statewide because of pollution
from the
movement of goods. State air officials also questioned the lengthy phase-in, saying it would not help
them meet
looming air-quality deadlines imposed by the EPA. "We are grateful ... but we are disappointed in
their timing. It
makes it really hard for us to meet federal attainment requirements," said Mike Scheible, deputy
executive
officer of the state Air Resources Board. William Wehrum, acting assistant administrator of the EPA's
office of
air and radiation, responded to that criticism by noting that existing engines that are rebuilt would
be required to
reduce emissions as soon as next year, and by 2010 at the latest. "Then our standards get
increasingly
stringent, with the most stringent standards effective on all new engines as of 2015," he added.
"We're going to
begin seeing improvements very quickly, substantial improvements." Both Wehrum and Johnson
acknowledged
that because locomotives can last as long as 40 years, it could take until 2030 for the full benefits of
the new
rules to be seen. Absent from the EPA proposals are regulations on large diesel engines in oceangoing
vessels. EPA officials said they are trying to negotiate international standards for those heavily
polluting
vessels, and are still studying whether national regulations could legally be placed on foreign-flagged
vessels
entering American ports. Ferries, tugboats, yachts and marine auxiliary engines would be covered
under the
new rules, however. Manufacturers and trade groups said the technology to meet the new rules does
not yet
fully exist but is being actively researched. They insisted they want further reductions in emissions
and said the
2030 timeline for final compliance would help. "There are some concerns about whether the
locomotive
manufacturers will be able to meet ... the standards, but we are committed to working with the
locomotive
builders and after-market manufacturers to do everything practical to reduce locomotive emissions,"
said
Burlington Northern Santa Fe spokeswoman Lena Kent. But Wallerstein said that the technology
does exist,
and that the industry groups were dragging their heels to save money at the expense of public health.
"In
Europe they are putting particulate filters on locomotives today," he said, adding that the AQMD is
funding
demonstration programs of the technology on commuter trains because the freight railroads "have
delayed and
delayed and delayed.... this is a technology transfer, not the creation of new technology." Mark Davis,
a
spokesman for Union Pacific, said the company is already replacing most of the "switcher" engines in
Los
17 March 2013 Page 110 of 483 ProQuest
Angeles- area rail yards with a new technology using truck engines, but said it would take years to
develop new
technology for long-haul locomotives. Environmentalists who have fought for three years for the
rules largely
cheered the news. Fred Krupp, president of Environmental Defense, who stood at Johnson's side as
he
announced the regulation at Port Elizabeth in New Jersey, said later, "It's very good, it's very strong,
and it
would take an enormous amount of ... pollution out of the air. We were there to thank Steve Johnson
and the
EPA for getting on the right track." He said the lack of regulations on marine vessels was "unfinished
business"
that must be addressed. As for the AQMD's concerns, he said, "well, it does take time for the
manufacturers to
retool." He said he thought most emissions reductions would be achieved by 2015, before California
has to
meet EPA deadlines. Others said they would keep a close eye on the proposals as they move through
public
hearings and rewrites. "There are many details of this proposal yet to be worked out -- and we hope
EPA can
accelerate the pace of cleanup -- but this proposal is a giant step in the right direction," said Frank
O'Donnell of
Clean Air Watch in Washington, D.C. Representatives of international marine shippers did not return
calls
seeking comment. janet.wilson@latimes.com References Message No: 11903 Credit: Times Staff
Writer
Subject: Regulatory agencies; Trains; Ships; Air pollution; Airborne particulates
Location: Southern California
Company / organization: Name: Environmental Protection Agency; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 05-7944910;
Name: EPA; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 05-794-4910; Name: South Coast Air Quality Management
District-Los
Angeles County CA; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 01-598-6159
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.3
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2007
Publication date: Mar 3, 2007
Year: 2007
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422078986
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422078986?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2007 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
17 March 2013 Page 111 of 483 ProQuest
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 57 of 213
Rick Wartzman / CALIFORNIA &CO.; Airing a pollution solution for the ports
Author: Wartzman, Rick
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 23 Feb 2007: C.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Sometime in March, port officials say, they will begin to make public the nitty-gritty of how
they'd like to
implement the truck portion of the Clean Air Action Plan, which was approved by both ports in
November. The
historic accord aims to approximately halve port-related emissions of diesel particulates, nitrogen
oxide and
sulfur oxide over the next five years. Choking soot from the harbor complex is a major cause of illness
and
death, including from cancer, in the L.A. Basin. The 49-year-old father of three drives for a Carson
company
called Southern Counties Express Inc., one of about 600 trucking outfits that operate at the ports.
Because of
his contractor status, [Luis Ceja] must pay for his fuel, insurance, taxes, licensing and repairs. He
figures that,
when all is said and done, he nets about $8 an hour, typical of many port truckers. Here, in a nutshell,
is how
that might look: The ports would put out bids and establish direct contractual relationships with
trucking
companies, spelling out what's expected of them. If they hoped to pick up loads at the harbor, the
trucks they'd
dispatch would have to be in compliance with environmental rules and their drivers would have to
be full-fledged
employees -- ending the shadowy arrangements that have relegated truck cabs, in the words of a
researcher, to
"sweatshops on wheels."
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Luis Ceja's orange Freightliner is rumbling down Ferry Street near the Port of Los Angeles,
spewing
diesel fumes. As a tiny, plastic hula girl shimmies on the dashboard, Ceja starts fuming too -- about
how hard
his job is, about how little he earns and about the fact that he and his fellow truckers can't bear the
burden of
improving the air quality here. "I hate that my truck pollutes," he says. "But I don't have the money to
retrofit it or
replace it. If they put the bill on us, it's just not going to happen." In the coming weeks, you're going to
start
hearing a lot more about folks such as Ceja, who move a good portion of the more than $300 billion
(and
growing like mad) worth of merchandise that passes through the ports of L.A. and Long Beach each
year.
Sometime in March, port officials say, they will begin to make public the nitty-gritty of how they'd
like to
implement the truck portion of the Clean Air Action Plan, which was approved by both ports in
November. The
historic accord aims to approximately halve port-related emissions of diesel particulates, nitrogen
oxide and
sulfur oxide over the next five years. Choking soot from the harbor complex is a major cause of illness
and
death, including from cancer, in the L.A. Basin. The details to be put forth are "fairly dramatic," says S.
David
Freeman, president of the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners and an ally of Mayor Antonio
Villaraigosa. That could well be an understatement. If Freeman and his commission colleagues go as
far as
they should, it would mean a total transformation of the way truckers do business at the ports,
turning them from
outside contractors to company employees and requiring the firms that hire them to meet new
environmental
and labor standards. Those who profit from the current system will, of course, cry foul. But nothing
short of an
18-Wheel Revolution is needed to fix the problem. The Clean Air Action Plan doesn't take aim at dirty
trucks
alone. It will also tackle pollution from ships, trains, cargo-handling equipment and harbor craft. But
the trucks,
about 16,000 of them, are the trickiest to deal with because of the way the industry has been
structured since it
was deregulated in 1980. Perversely, the system makes those with the shallowest pockets
responsible for
absorbing most of the costs. In all, the antipollution plan is expected to require up to $2 billion for the
purchase
of new, clean-burning trucks (as much as $120,000 a pop) or to retool existing ones (by adding, say, a
$20,000
17 March 2013 Page 112 of 483 ProQuest
filter system). The ports, along with the South Coast Air Quality Management District, have promised
$200
million toward the effort. There's also the possibility of obtaining state bond funds to help. And state
Sen. Alan
Lowenthal, a Long Beach Democrat, is expected today to introduce a bill -- similar to one the
governor vetoed
last year -- that would raise about $500 million annually by imposing a $30 fee on each container
shipped
through the ports. Half of that would go to mopping the air, the other half to upgrading
infrastructure. Yet that's
still not enough to completely clean up the trucking fleet. So who will pay for the rest? And once these
vehicles
are all in compliance, who will service them? Right now, such expenses fall to guys like Ceja, who is
technically
an "independent contractor" but might as well wear the mantle of "minimum wage worker." The 49year-old
father of three drives for a Carson company called Southern Counties Express Inc., one of about 600
trucking
outfits that operate at the ports. Because of his contractor status, Ceja must pay for his fuel,
insurance, taxes,
licensing and repairs. He figures that, when all is said and done, he nets about $8 an hour, typical of
many port
truckers. In fact, study after study has found that many truckers work exceedingly long hours -- often
60, 70 or
more a week -- to bring in a mere $25,000 to $30,000 a year. They have no pensions or health
coverage.
"You're a slave to the truck," says Ceja, who began driving at the waterfront 25 years ago. To try to
change
things, Ceja has become part of the Coalition for Clean and Safe Ports, which includes community and
religious
organizations, environmental groups and labor unions. It has been lobbying government officials to
address
"persistent structural problems" in the trucking industry, as it states in a filing. Achieving
"meaningful, long-term
solutions" for air quality, the alliance says, demands "a new business model." Here, in a nutshell, is
how that
might look: The ports would put out bids and establish direct contractual relationships with trucking
companies,
spelling out what's expected of them. If they hoped to pick up loads at the harbor, the trucks they'd
dispatch
would have to be in compliance with environmental rules and their drivers would have to be fullfledged
employees -- ending the shadowy arrangements that have relegated truck cabs, in the words of a
researcher, to
"sweatshops on wheels." The advantages are numerous. Even if the drivers continued to own their
own trucks,
they'd be on sounder financial footing as employees because they'd not only collect rent on their rigs
but draw
regular salaries. That would make it easier to maintain their vehicles. At the same time, the revenue
generated
from the contracts could provide additional funding to help cleanse the air. This setup would also
spark new
efficiencies and make it a lot easier to keep track of who is going in and out of the ports -- a muchneeded
security enhancement. Not everybody is ready to swallow this strategy, and the fight is sure to be
fierce. One
trucking company owner I spoke with contends that it's all a backdoor attempt by the Teamsters to
organize the
drivers. Matt Schrap, a regulatory specialist with the California Trucking Assn., says that any
attempts by the
ports to mandate a contracting relationship with the companies could trip over federal law. He also
says it's
simplistic to assume that having more truckers become company employees would make for better
conditions.
Some, he says, are thrilled at being independent and setting their own hours. With unending gridlock
at the
ports, Schrap adds, the companies aren't raking in big bucks either. "It's not these motor carriers
lining their
pockets with gold on the backs of immigrant labor," he says. "Nobody is getting rich doing this."
Plenty of the
particulars still need to be sorted out, including finding ways to make the shipping firms and those
that own the
cargo (the Wal-Marts of the world) pay their fair share of the clean-air plan. Meanwhile, Freeman
clearly isn't
fazed by the idea of a fundamental restructuring of the trucking sector. It's "one approach," he says,
"that seems
to have a lot going for it." It may be the only way, really, to get this important environmental initiative
out of first
gear. Rick Wartzman is an Irvine senior fellow at the New America Foundation. He is reachable at
rick.wartzman@latimes.com. Illustration Caption: PHOTO: MOVING GOODS: Truckers who serve the
port
complex contribute to foul air but are ill-equipped to solve the problem.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Lori
Shepler Los
Angeles Times Credit: Rick Wartzman is an Irvine senior fellow at the New America Foundation. He is
reachable at rick.wartzman@latimes.com.
Subject: Air pollution; Ports; Trucks; Diesel engines; Emissions control; Vehicle emissions
17 March 2013 Page 113 of 483 ProQuest
Location: Southern California
Company / organization: Name: Port of Long Beach-California; NAICS: 488310; Name: Port of Los
Angeles;
NAICS: 488310
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: C.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2007
Publication date: Feb 23, 2007
Year: 2007
Section: Business; Part C; Business Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: Commentary
ProQuest document ID: 422162237
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422162237?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2007 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 58 of 213
Mobile lab to scope out air hazards; A specially equipped car will measure pollution levels
in several
South Bay communities to help fill gaping holes in environmental data.
Author: Wilson, Janet
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 05 Feb 2007: B.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: STUDY: The car lab, a modified electric Toyota RAV- 4, drives from USC to Pasadena, left.
UCLA
School of Public Health doctoral student [Kathleen Kozawa], right, checks the measuring equipment.
California
air board scientists have equipped the car to measure diesel soot, greenhouse gases and other
noxious
pollutants along freeways.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Photographs by Francine Orr Los Angeles Times;
STUDY: The
car lab, a modified electric Toyota RAV-4, drives from USC to Pasadena, left. UCLA School of Public
Health
doctoral student Kathleen Kozawa, right, checks the measuring equipment. California air board
scientists have
equipped the car to measure diesel soot, greenhouse gases and other noxious pollutants along
freeways.
17 March 2013 Page 114 of 483 ProQuest
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Determined to pinpoint what kind of pollution is swirling in the air around the region's
ports, a crew of
scientists this week will begin cruising Southern California streets and freeways in a one-of- a-kind
mobile
research lab. In a car equipped with $450,000 worth of the world's most sophisticated air monitors
and a wind
sensor protruding like a giant metal claw from the roof, researchers Tuesday will begin sampling the
air in
several South Bay communities, examining exhaust from cars, trucks and other sources. "We want
real-life
conditions, and if real-life conditions means people in traffic, then that's what we want," said
Kathleen Kozawa,
28, a UCLA School of Public Health doctoral student who was at the wheel of the mobile lab on a
recent
weekday. Chasing pollution in a laboratory on wheels helps fill gaping holes in data about what we
breathe in
sprawling Southern California, which has just 35 fixed air-monitoring stations spread across 10,743
square
miles. The scientists, from the California Air Resources Board, completed a similar study a few years
ago,
showing how much bad air we breathe in our cars. The publicly funded researchers learned that
commuters on
the Harbor and Long Beach freeways ingested half of their daily pollution while on the road -- even
though most
people spend just 6% of their day driving. "We're taking the instruments to where people live and
where people
spend their time -- in their cars and their neighborhoods," said Scott Fruin, an air resources board
pollution
specialist who helped design and build the mobile lab and is now a USC assistant professor. For the
latest
experiment, Fruin and other air board staff borrowed a discontinued model of an electric Toyota
RAV-4 (so they
wouldn't be measuring their own exhaust), ripped out the back seats and sawed, nailed, clamped and
bungeecorded
to the innards a dozen sophisticated monitors, a police "stalker vision" video camera, five marine
batteries weighing a combined 400 pounds and a tangle of extension cords. On the roof they glued
the giant
claw to locate wind direction and plumes and a jumbo antennae to track humidity and temperature.
For the first
study, completed in 2004 in a nearly identical lab, the scientists drove and re-drove a 75-mile
freeway loop
between Pasadena and Long Beach. They learned that the air in a moving vehicle can change dozens
of times
in an hour, even if the windows are closed. Drivers breathe four to eight times as much of the
carcinogen
benzene as found in normal air levels, five to 15 times as much choking diesel soot and 50 to 100
times as
much butadiene, which is used in automobile tires and has been linked to cancer, especially in
women. On a
hazy afternoon last month, with the downtown skyline and San Gabriel Mountains looking like they'd
been
rinsed in dirty dishwater, Kozawa and Fruin took a reporter on a portion of the route used during the
first study.
The research vehicle, with two large dryer hoses affixed to the back windows to catch outside air,
merged onto
the Harbor Freeway near USC. Inside, the needles on a laptop monitor began jiggling upward,
measuring black
carbon from diesel trucks, nitrogen oxide from hot rods and other toxins. The chemical levels
climbed inexorably
as the vehicle headed under the four-level interchange. When a dingy white panel truck lumbered by
in the right
lane, a black carbon meter jumped from 430 to 7,608 micrograms per cubic meter. "That's a pretty
good one,"
Kozawa said. Black carbon is a strong indicator of fine particles, or soot, which lodge deep in the
lungs and can
lead to premature death from heart attacks, strokes and other diseases. The scientists say their own
chests
grow tight and their throats sore after a typical 150-mile day in traffic, but they shrug it off as the
cost of
research. The meters spiked upward as a wide Chrysler sedan with a stained tailpipe pulled in front.
"That's
pretty gross," Kozawa said. The needles danced in the medium high range as traffic flowed sluggishly
under
Stadium Way, then through four tunnels. Trucks lined the onramps, traffic idled at the exit for the
Golden State
Freeway. It was difficult to maneuver the heavy, equipment-packed vehicle, which drew the
occasional obscene
gesture from fellow motorists, but also curiosity. One pickup truck driver honked loudly after
Kozawa
unintentionally cut him off, scowled as he pulled alongside, then gaped in amazement. As the mobile
lab
reached the historic, leafy section of the highway past Via Marisol, the glut of traffic opened up. The
needles
drooped as the air freshened. Near Avenue 60, a Chevy Trailblazer zipped past in the fast lane. The
nitrogen
oxide sensor leaped from 27 to 108 parts per cubic meter. A key component of smog, nitrogen oxide
can cause
asthma and other respiratory problems. The drivers of such cars don't have to breathe their own
fumes, Fruin
17 March 2013 Page 115 of 483 ProQuest
said. It's those downwind who catch the noxious stream. Keeping your windows closed won't help,
he said. Cars
are not designed to be airtight. They leak around every joint, especially at high speed. Using
recirculation blocks
some soot, but then carbon monoxide can build up, making drivers sleepy. The monitors barely
murmured as
the test drive concluded on a quiet Pasadena side street. The PAH carcinogen needle was at 1.8
nanograms,
the lowest level of the day. That night, at a community meeting in Wilmington, Kozawa paints a
different picture
for poorer neighborhoods south of the city. She has already zeroed in on a side street that hugs the
truck-laden
Long Beach Freeway. On a preliminary prowl, she found astoundingly high levels of ultra-fine
particulates. It is
well-known that sooty fine particles wreak havoc in our bodies, but now ultra-fine particles one
hundredth the
size have been uncovered and are considered "even more potent," Fruin said. They are a hot new
research
area, intriguing because they billow up quickly to staggeringly high levels, then dissipate just as fast.
No one
knows why. Kozawa, for example, recorded 228,000 ultra-fine particles per cubic meter one
morning, but by the
next day, the levels had sunk to 20,000. At the meeting, she shows graphs of the sharp peaks and dips
to the
audience, asking for help. Representatives of refineries and shipping firms sit mum. But longtime
residents and
community activists shout out ideas. "What day of the weeks were they? You can find out which days
the ships
come in ... and the trucks will be going nonstop to move the cargo out," pipes up Jesse Marquez of
Wilmington.
"I think the Santa Ana winds were blowing one of those days," offers John Cross from West Long
Beach. "Did
you check?" It is exactly the sort of information that may help solve the mystery. Fruin and Kozawa
urge the
audience to e-mail other clues. "It's exciting, and a little scary, too," she says of the community
meetings. "We
stay in our little scientific bubble most of the time ... but you hear how passionate people are, and you
realize it's
not just numbers. These are people's lives." janet.wilson@latimes.com Illustration Caption: PHOTO:
STUDY:
The car lab, a modified electric Toyota RAV- 4, drives from USC to Pasadena, left. UCLA School of
Public
Health doctoral student Kathleen Kozawa, right, checks the measuring equipment. California air
board scientists
have equipped the car to measure diesel soot, greenhouse gases and other noxious pollutants along
freeways.;
PHOTOGRAPHER: Photographs by Francine Orr Los Angeles Times; PHOTO: STUDY: The car lab, a
modified
electric Toyota RAV-4, drives from USC to Pasadena, left. UCLA School of Public Health doctoral
student
Kathleen Kozawa, right, checks the measuring equipment. California air board scientists have
equipped the car
to measure diesel soot, greenhouse gases and other noxious pollutants along freeways. Credit: Times
Staff
Writer
Subject: Laboratories; Environmental monitoring; Air pollution; Ports
Location: Southern California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2007
Publication date: Feb 5, 2007
Year: 2007
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
17 March 2013 Page 116 of 483 ProQuest
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422129671
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422129671?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2007 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 59 of 213
FREEWAY AIR DAMAGES YOUNG LUNGS; Children living nearby show signs of lifelong
harm, USC
study finds.
Author: Maugh, Thomas H, II
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 26 Jan 2007: A.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: "If you live in a high-pollution area and live near a busy road, you get a doubling" of the
damage, said
lead author W. James Gauderman, an epidemiologist at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. In the
new study,
Gauderman and his colleagues found that by their 18th birthday, children who lived within 500 yards
of a
freeway had a 3% deficit in the amount of air they could exhale and a 7% deficit in the rate at which
it could be
exhaled compared with children who lived at least 1,500 yards, or nearly a mile, from a freeway. The
effect was
independent of the overall pollution in their community. "Even if you are in a relatively low regional
pollution
area, living near a road produces [lung problems]," Gauderman said.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: In the largest and longest study of its kind, USC researchers have found that children living
near busy
highways have significant impairments in the development of their lungs that can lead to respiratory
problems
for the rest of their lives. The 13-year study of more than 3,600 children in 12 Central and Southern
California
communities found that the damage from living within 500 yards of a freeway is about the same as
that from
living in communities with the highest pollution levels, the team reported Thursday in the online
version of the
medical journal Lancet. "If you live in a high-pollution area and live near a busy road, you get a
doubling" of the
damage, said lead author W. James Gauderman, an epidemiologist at the Keck School of Medicine of
USC.
"Someone suffering a pollution-related deficit in lung function as a child will probably have less than
healthy
lungs all of his or her life," he said. The greatest damage appears to be in the small airways of the lung
and is
normally associated with the fine particulate matter emitted by automobiles. "This tells me that I
wouldn't want to
be raising my children near a significant source of fine-particle air pollution," said economist C.
Arden Pope III of
Brigham Young University, an expert on air pollution and health who was not involved in the study.
"I, myself,
would want to be living in areas where the exposure is lower." The research is part of an ongoing
study of the
effects of air pollution on children's respiratory health. Previous findings have detailed how smog can
stunt lung
growth and how living close to freeways can increase the risk of children being diagnosed with
asthma. This
latest study of freeway proximity and lung capacity was funded by the California Air Resources
Board; the
17 March 2013 Page 117 of 483 ProQuest
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; the Environmental Protection Agency; the
National Heart,
Lung and Blood Institute; and the Hastings Foundation. Gauderman and his colleagues recruited
groups of
fourth-grade students, average age 10, in 1993 and 1996. Their schools were scattered from
Atascadero in San
Luis Obispo County to Alpine in San Diego County. The team collected extensive information about
each child's
home, socioeconomic status and other facts that might impinge on health. Once each year, the team
visited the
schools and measured the children's lungs, assessing how much air could be expelled in one breath
and how
quickly it could be expelled. These cohorts of children "are truly an important resource because the
study has
been going on so long," said epidemiologist Jonathan Samet of Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg
School
of Public Health, who also did not take part in the study. The size and scope of the study make it very
difficult to
replicate, he said. Results from the study reported in 2004 indicated that children in the communities
with the
highest average levels of pollution suffered the greatest long-term impairment of lung function. In the
new study,
Gauderman and his colleagues found that by their 18th birthday, children who lived within 500 yards
of a
freeway had a 3% deficit in the amount of air they could exhale and a 7% deficit in the rate at which
it could be
exhaled compared with children who lived at least 1,500 yards, or nearly a mile, from a freeway. The
effect was
independent of the overall pollution in their community. Gauderman had no estimate for the
percentage of
people in Southern California living within 500 yards of a freeway, but he noted that in a typical city
such as
Long Beach, it is about 17%. The most severe impairment was observed in children living near
freeways in the
communities with the highest average pollution -- Upland, Mira Loma, Riverside and Long Beach.
Those
children had an average 9% deficit in the amount of air they could expel from the lungs. "Even if you
are in a
relatively low regional pollution area, living near a road produces [lung problems]," Gauderman said.
About onethird
of the children moved during the course of the study but stayed in the same community. Lung
impairment
was smaller among those who moved farther from the freeways. The finding is important "because it
shows that
within communities, some children are at higher risk than others," Dr. Thomas Sandstrom and Dr.
Bert
Brunekreef wrote in an editorial accompanying the paper. "Thus, environmental equity is an issue of
local rather
than regional dimensions." The results were also independent of the children's initial health and
whether they
were smokers. "This suggests that all children, not just susceptible subgroups, are potentially
affected by traffic
exposure," Gauderman said. Although the deficit in lung growth seems small, it could have long-term
effects,
Samet said. "The concern is that the exposure leaves young adults with smaller lungs than they might
have had
otherwise," he said. That could leave them more vulnerable to lung diseases and more susceptible to
the
effects of pneumonia and other infections. All the researchers conceded that there is little that can be
done to
mitigate the effects of the traffic pollution now. But when local governments are planning new
schools and new
housing developments, Gauderman said, "this should be taken into account."
thomas.maugh@latimes.com
Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Roads & highways; Studies; Lungs; Air pollution; Public health; Child development
Location: Southern California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2007
Publication date: Jan 26, 2007
Year: 2007
Section: Main News; Part A; National Desk
17 March 2013 Page 118 of 483 ProQuest
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: NEWSPAPER
ProQuest document ID: 422213282
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422213282?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2007 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 60 of 213
Region seeks more power to fight pollution; The South Coast air board says state and
federal
regulators are not doing enough to clean up trains, cargo ships and airplanes.
Author: Wilson, Janet
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 20 Jan 2007: B.4.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: [William Burke] said the AQMD board will ask Congress to amend the Clean Air Act to force
the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board to enact every available,
feasible
control on mobile sources, which he said are responsible for 80% of the region's smog. The AQMD
also wants
expanded authority to regulate mobile sources, arguing that its current powers over vehicle fleets,
for instance,
are not enough. The AQMD maintains that the state air board's plan for regulating mobile sources
falls short by
100 tons a day in needed reductions of nitrogen oxides, key ingredients of smog. The agency also
faults the
state board for signing secret voluntary agreements with BNSF Railway and Union Pacific, which the
AQMD
says don't require the railroads to do anything new. Working alone, the South Coast agency is not
going to be
as successful, said John White, a former AQMD lobbyist who as a state legislative aide helped craft
language
creating the air district. "For California to be successful in terms of reducing tons of air pollution, we
have to
have the governor and the air board also working together," said White. Still, he and others said it
was not likely
that the AQMD would win special amendments in the federal Clean Air Act.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Insisting there is no other way to meet looming federal deadlines to clean up the nation's
dirtiest air,
Southern California air regulators will seek greater authority to regulate ships, trains and other large
sources of
air pollution. "We're at the end of our rope," said William Burke, chairman of the South Coast Air
Quality
Management District board. "The state and federal governments simply have not acted quickly
enough to
address the public health crisis." Burke said the AQMD board will ask Congress to amend the Clean
Air Act to
force the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board to enact
every
17 March 2013 Page 119 of 483 ProQuest
available, feasible control on mobile sources, which he said are responsible for 80% of the region's
smog. The
AQMD also wants expanded authority to regulate mobile sources, arguing that its current powers
over vehicle
fleets, for instance, are not enough. The nation's two largest railroads have sued the district for trying
to impose
tougher anti-idling laws on locomotives in the Los Angeles Basin than elsewhere, saying it cannot do
so under
federal law. The Clean Air Act largely gives responsibility for such pollution sources to federal and
state
regulators, while local air districts oversee stationary sources such as oil refineries and power plants.
But
regional air quality officials said the EPA has repeatedly postponed tougher regulations on
locomotives, cargo
ships and airplanes. An EPA spokesman said new regulations should be ready "sometime this year."
The EPA
had previously said technology to retrofit locomotives was not yet available. Environmental groups
have
accused the agency of stalling to aid industry. To help its cause, the AQMD has hired two high-profile
Washington lobbyists, while in Sacramento it renewed a lobbying contract to pursue new state laws
if
necessary. At its January meeting, the board approved a one-year, $115,000 contract with Sen.
Dianne
Feinstein's longtime chief of staff and former legislative director, Mark Kadesh, and his firm, and a
one- year,
$99,000 contract with Tony Podesta, a Democratic lobbyist in Washington, D.C. The agency last
month
renewed contracts totaling $369,000 with former state Sen. Richard Polanco (D-Los Angeles) and a
subcontractor for lobbying in Sacramento. "We need all the help we can get," said AQMD spokesman
Sam
Atwood. The agency's officials face a daunting task in bringing the Los Angeles region into
compliance with
tough standards for diesel soot and ozone by 2015 and 2020, respectively. Although air quality here
has
improved dramatically in the 30 years since the AQMD was created, Southern California still
experiences 5,400
premature deaths a year because of air pollution, according to state estimates. The AQMD maintains
that the
state air board's plan for regulating mobile sources falls short by 100 tons a day in needed reductions
of
nitrogen oxides, key ingredients of smog. The agency also faults the state board for signing secret
voluntary
agreements with BNSF Railway and Union Pacific, which the AQMD says don't require the railroads
to do
anything new. BNSF spokeswoman Lena Kent said both railroads will spend $260 million on new
locomotives
and other technologies to reduce California emissions. California Air Resources Board spokesman
Jerry Martin
said the state's railroad agreements are already producing substantial emissions reductions, while
the AQMD
has accomplished nothing other than racking up huge legal bills from the railroads' lawsuit. State air
board staff
also said there have been significant cuts in diesel particulates in the last five years. But they said
many of the
measures recommended by the AQMD were not technically feasible or could cripple industry in the
state. Martin
said that although the AQMD might not be able to make the 2015 deadline for soot, "we think they
can do it ...
probably by 2017 or 2018." Working alone, the South Coast agency is not going to be as successful,
said John
White, a former AQMD lobbyist who as a state legislative aide helped craft language creating the air
district.
"For California to be successful in terms of reducing tons of air pollution, we have to have the
governor and the
air board also working together," said White. Still, he and others said it was not likely that the AQMD
would win
special amendments in the federal Clean Air Act. "I am very sympathetic," he said, "but I'm not sure a
regional
agency is going to be granted broad new powers." White said, however, that the aggressive effort
could pay off
by pushing EPA "to the wall" by using pressure from Democratic members of Congress to take action
on large
pollution sources. * janet.wilson@latimes.com * (BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX) Southland pollution
AQMD
officials say they need more power over mobile pollution sources, such as trains, to lower future
pollution levels
significantly. They now regulate mostly stationary commercial sources such as oil refineries. Sources
of NOx*
(2002) Mobile sources: 91.8% Stationary consumer sources: 4.4% Stationary commercial sources:
3.8% *
Nitrogen oxides, key ingredients of smog, emitted in the Los Angeles air basin in summertime.
Source: South
Coast AQMD Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Local government; Transportation; Air pollution
17 March 2013 Page 120 of 483 ProQuest
Location: Southern California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.4
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2007
Publication date: Jan 20, 2007
Year: 2007
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422131060
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422131060?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2007 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 61 of 213
As you live and breathe
Author: Ulin, David L
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 14 Jan 2007: R.7.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: What is it that defines the air in California? Unfortunately, [David Carle] reminds us, today
it's not so
much [Lawrence Weschler]'s "uncanny stillness" as the particulates we leave behind. "It ought to be
easy to
take California's air for granted," he writes in the opening lines, before acknowledging the influence
of ozone
warnings and smog alerts. Such a perspective marks much of the book, especially its history of the
state's 15
different "air basins" -- among them San Diego County, the San Joaquin Valley, Lake Tahoe and the
Salton Sea
- - and its discussion of emission sources and clean-air programs, including renewable energy
resources such
as windmills and solar power.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
17 March 2013 Page 121 of 483 ProQuest
Full text: IN his 1998 essay "L.A. Glows," Lawrence Weschler described the "incredible stability" of
the air in
Southern California, a phenomenon that has everything to do with thermal inversion, the way the
mountains trap
ocean breezes in the L.A. Basin beneath desert currents from the east. It's a terrific detail, scientific
and yet at
the same time cultural, and I couldn't help remembering while reading David Carle's "Introduction to
Air in
California" (University of California Press: 250 pp., $16.95 paper). The latest volume in the California
Natural
History Guides series (which also includes Carle's "Introduction to Water in California"),
"Introduction to Air in
California" is a book that, in its own way, conflates science and culture as well. Elegantly written,
copiously
researched and illustrated, this is a Baedeker of the atmosphere, a guide not just to the sky's corpus
but also to
its soul. What is it that defines the air in California? Unfortunately, Carle reminds us, today it's not so
much
Weschler's "uncanny stillness" as the particulates we leave behind. "It ought to be easy to take
California's air
for granted," he writes in the opening lines, before acknowledging the influence of ozone warnings
and smog
alerts. Such a perspective marks much of the book, especially its history of the state's 15 different "air
basins" -among them San Diego County, the San Joaquin Valley, Lake Tahoe and the Salton Sea - - and its
discussion
of emission sources and clean-air programs, including renewable energy resources such as windmills
and solar
power. As to why this is important, Carle offers a direct, and highly sobering, point of view. "Although
Californians can take pride in the progress made fighting air pollution and in leading the nation to
face such
challenges," he writes, "the majority of Californians still breathe air with unhealthy levels of
pollutants.... Studies
suggest that breathing air in parts of Southern California can reduce one's life expectancy by more
than two
years." -- David L. Ulin Credit: david.ulin@latimes.com
Subject: Nonfiction; Air pollution; Books-titles -- Introduction to Air in California
People: Carle, David
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: R.7
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2007
Publication date: Jan 14, 2007
Year: 2007
Section: Book Review; Part R; Features Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: Book Review-Favorable
ProQuest document ID: 422122415
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422122415?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2007 Los Angeles Times)
17 March 2013 Page 122 of 483 ProQuest
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 62 of 213
EPA shortens science reviews, angering some
Author: Wilson, Janet
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 08 Dec 2006: A.38.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: It also follows controversial decisions this fall by EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson in
which critics
said he had ignored scientific counsel on tightening standards for deadly soot. Dr. Bernard Goldstein,
a former
EPA assistant administrator appointed by President Reagan and a former member of the agency's
science
advisory panel, said he was concerned about the changes announced Thursday, especially when
coupled with
Johnson's decision not to follow his own scientists' advice on deadly fine particulate matter, or soot.
The
American Petroleum Institute this year wrote the EPA saying the long-established staff paper on each
key
pollutant should not be a science-based document but "is a policy document, and as such should have
input
from senior EPA management."
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday streamlined the way it updates
regulations for
the nation's worst air pollutants, a move that drew immediate charges that officials are trying to
quash scientific
review to benefit industry at the expense of public health. The changes, some of which closely mirror
requests
by the American Petroleum Institute and Battery Council International industry groups, include
shortening what
is now an exhaustive scientific review, and replacing recommendations prepared by career scientists
and
reviewed by independent advisors with a "policy paper" crafted by senior White House appointees at
the
agency. EPA officials said the changes were made in part at the request of its science advisors, who
have
complained that the process for reviewing new health standards is overwhelming. The agency
regularly misses
deadlines for updating health standards, which has led to numerous lawsuits by environmental
groups. "EPA is
bringing air rule-making into the 21st century ... with a timely and transparent process that uses the
most up-todate
science," said Deputy Administrator Marcus Peacock, who approved the new procedures. "Everyone
has
found the current process is inefficient, and current delays are unacceptable." The pollutants covered
by the
changes include ozone and diesel soot, both of which continue to plague Greater Los Angeles, making
it the
nation's worst spot for deadly air pollution. Other affected pollutants include sulfur dioxide, carbon
monoxide,
nitrous oxides and lead. Thursday's announcement came two days after the agency announced it
would study
whether lead should be taken off the list of the most serious pollutants. It also follows controversial
decisions
this fall by EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson in which critics said he had ignored scientific counsel
on
tightening standards for deadly soot. For 30 years under the Clean Air Act, agency scientists have
reviewed and
recommended health standards for six major air pollutants: ozone, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide,
carbon
monoxide, nitrous oxides and lead. The standards, which limit amounts of the pollutants that can be
released
into the air, are designed to protect children, the elderly and other "sensitive" populations, and
curtail damage to
animals, crops, vegetation, views and buildings. Congress members, environmentalists and past EPA
staff from
Republican and Democratic administrations swiftly condemned this week's actions, saying they
could
undermine public health protections. "EPA is downgrading the role of its own career experts and
making sure
that political appointees are running the show from the beginning," said Frank O'Donnell of Clean Air
Watch in
17 March 2013 Page 123 of 483 ProQuest
Washington. "It is little wonder that the oil industry pushed for exactly this sort of 'reform' to the
process."
O'Donnell called the lead assessment "a political gift to the lead-smelting lobby.... It could threaten
thousands of
children who breathe toxic lead fumes." Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Los Angeles), incoming chairman
of the
Government Reform Committee, said in a statement Thursday, "EPA's efforts to roll back ... the most
fundamental provisions in the Clean Air Act make no sense, and fly in the face of last month's
elections." On
Wednesday, Waxman wrote to Johnson regarding the study of lead, urging him to "renounce this
dangerous
proposal immediately. This deregulatory effort cannot be defended." The Chicago-based Battery
Council
International asked the EPA in July to delete lead from the list of "criteria" pollutants, which are
subject to tough
health standards. The council said other existing regulations would preserve protection. Emissions of
lead have
declined by 96% since its use in gasoline was banned. Agency staff this year found only two sites in
the country
where lead emissions still exceeded limits, both near smelting facilities used as part of battery
manufacturing.
Recent studies have suggested that lead is more harmful than previously thought. But EPA staffers
said in a
draft paper this week that they would assess whether tough health standards could be revoked. The
ban on
leaded gasoline will continue no matter what, agency staff said, as will other rules. "We need to
evaluate
whether there's a better way, a more effective regulation or way to better protect the public from
lead exposure,"
EPA Press Secretary Jennifer Wood said. Dr. Bernard Goldstein, a former EPA assistant administrator
appointed by President Reagan and a former member of the agency's science advisory panel, said he
was
concerned about the changes announced Thursday, especially when coupled with Johnson's decision
not to
follow his own scientists' advice on deadly fine particulate matter, or soot. During his time,
administrators had
"always taken the advice of their scientists," in fact choosing their most stringent recommendations,
said
Goldstein. He said that though the regulatory process could be streamlined, it shouldn't be done by
eliminating
the core scientific recommendations. John Walke, a former EPA attorney who is now clean-air
director for the
Natural Resources Defense Council, said, "Obviously the intended impact is to introduce industry
desires ... into
the process." The American Petroleum Institute this year wrote the EPA saying the long-established
staff paper
on each key pollutant should not be a science-based document but "is a policy document, and as such
should
have input from senior EPA management." On Thursday, the agency eliminated the staff papers and
replaced
them with a separate science assessment that will no longer include policy recommendations, and a
"policy
assessment" to be prepared by senior EPA managers. Neither the battery council nor the petroleum
institute
returned phone calls and e-mails requesting comment. Acting Assistant Administrator Bill Wehrum,
who helped
formulate this week's changes, said the charges of industry influence were "silly" and "false." He and
Peacock
defended the changes, saying that the new process, with its separate science and policy assessments,
would
make clearer what scientific research showed, and what politically appointed policy makers were
seeking.
janet.wilson@latimes.com Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Regulation; Standards; Disputes; Air pollution; Environmental policy; Public health
Company / organization: Name: Environmental Protection Agency; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 05-7944910;
Name: EPA; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 05-794-4910
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.38
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2006
Publication date: Dec 8, 2006
Year: 2006
17 March 2013 Page 124 of 483 ProQuest
Section: Main News; Part A; National Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422131987
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422131987?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2006 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-30
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 63 of 213
Dire health effects of pollution reported; Diesel soot from construction equipment is blamed
for
i llnesses and premature deaths.
Author: Wilson, Janet
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 06 Dec 2006: B.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Calling the timing coincidental, the California Air Resources Board on Monday released a
draft of new
regulations for older engines. The proposal would require all construction, mining and other
industrial off-road
equipment to be replaced or retrofitted between 2009 and 2020 as part of an effort to reduce diesel
particulate
emissions by 85% and nitrogen oxide, a key ingredient in smog, by 70%, said Erik White, chief of the
board's
heavy-duty diesel branch. Public workshops on the plan will be held this month, and the board is
expected to
vote next spring. John Hakel, vice president of the Associated General Contractors, which represents
construction equipment fleet owners and general contractors, said late Tuesday that he had just
received the
report and could not comment on specifics. But he said the industry is dedicated to cleaning up
equipment. He
agreed it would be a costly and lengthy process and said state officials and the Union of Concerned
Scientists
report appeared to underestimate the sheer volume of construction equipment, which he estimated
at 250,000
to 300,000 machines. The second study found that for every additional 10 micrograms of soot in a
cubic meter
of air, there was a 4.5% increase in heart attacks. In areas like Salt Lake City or Greater Los Angeles,
which
can experience wide swings in air quality based on weather patterns, the risk of heart attack can be
10 times
higher than normal on a bad air day, said Pope, who has done extensive research on the health effects
of fine
particles produced by diesel engines. Coauthor Dr. Jeffrey Anderson, a cardiologist whose patients
were among
more than 12,000 people with heart disease who participated in the short-term exposure study, said
he was
already changing his advice to patients based on the results, urging them to stay inside on bad air
days or, in
severe cases, to move to a more favorable climate.
17 March 2013 Page 125 of 483 ProQuest
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: The effects of air pollution from construction equipment in California are "staggering,"
according to a
report by the Union of Concerned Scientists. The environmental group concluded that at least 1,100
premature
deaths and half a million work and school absences in 2005 were caused by people breathing
emissions from
older tractors, bulldozers and other diesel equipment -- at an estimated public health cost of $9.1
billion. The
report was one of two studies released Tuesday on the severe health hazards of exposure to the soot
in diesel
emissions. "This is the first time the health and economic impacts of construction-related air
pollution in
California have ever been analyzed," said Don Anair, author of the report by the Union of Concerned
Scientists.
The report urged state regulators to quickly require owners to retrofit or replace older equipment.
"Construction
equipment being used to build our hospitals shouldn't fill them up.... This is a bill being footed by
everyone in
California, and particulate pollution is a silent killer," Anair said, citing asthma attacks, cancer and
heart disease.
The Los Angeles air basin fared the worst among 15 statewide, with 731 estimated premature
deaths, both in
the city and in suburban areas such as Santa Clarita, Temecula and Murietta, where there has been
large-scale
construction to accommodate fast-growing populations. Heavily populated and fast-growing parts of
the San
Francisco Bay Area, San Diego and the San Joaquin and northern Sacramento valleys also
experienced high
health costs from construction equipment, the union of scientists' report found. The second study, by
Brigham
Young University professor Arden Pope and a team of doctors, found a sharply elevated risk of heart
attacks for
people with clogged arteries after just a day or two of exposure to diesel soot pollution. The study
was published
in Cardiology, the nation's leading peer- reviewed journal of heart science. One coauthor said the
results should
prompt heart doctors to advise those with coronary disease to stay indoors as much as possible on
particularly
sooty days, or even to change jobs or move. The fine particulate matter that is spewed from diesel
engines and
tailpipes lodges "like tiny razor blades" deep in human lungs, said Kevin Hamilton, a Fresno-based
respiratory
therapist who reviewed the findings. Clouds of soot emitted by 750-horsepower excavators can
travel downwind
for miles, then drift into heavily populated areas, Anair said. An estimated 70% of California's
construction
equipment is currently not covered by federal and state regulations because it is too old, state
officials said.
Although federal rules adopted in 2004 require cleaner-emitting new equipment, the regulations
don't cover
existing engines. Anair said an average excavator or tractor can last 20 or 30 years, meaning it could
be
decades before all the dirty equipment is replaced. Calling the timing coincidental, the California Air
Resources
Board on Monday released a draft of new regulations for older engines. The proposal would require
all
construction, mining and other industrial off-road equipment to be replaced or retrofitted between
2009 and
2020 as part of an effort to reduce diesel particulate emissions by 85% and nitrogen oxide, a key
ingredient in
smog, by 70%, said Erik White, chief of the board's heavy-duty diesel branch. Public workshops on
the plan will
be held this month, and the board is expected to vote next spring. White said estimated compliance
costs could
top $3 billion over 11 years but maintained that the $60 billion-a-year construction industry "is
certainly capable
of absorbing the impacts." He added, however, that both cost and a lack of readily available
retrofitting devices - combined with the need to include smog- reduction as well as soot-control devices -- meant cleanup
would
occur gradually. John Hakel, vice president of the Associated General Contractors, which represents
construction equipment fleet owners and general contractors, said late Tuesday that he had just
received the
report and could not comment on specifics. But he said the industry is dedicated to cleaning up
equipment. He
agreed it would be a costly and lengthy process and said state officials and the Union of Concerned
Scientists
report appeared to underestimate the sheer volume of construction equipment, which he estimated
at 250,000
to 300,000 machines. The second study found that for every additional 10 micrograms of soot in a
cubic meter
of air, there was a 4.5% increase in heart attacks. In areas like Salt Lake City or Greater Los Angeles,
which
can experience wide swings in air quality based on weather patterns, the risk of heart attack can be
10 times
higher than normal on a bad air day, said Pope, who has done extensive research on the health effects
of fine
particles produced by diesel engines. Coauthor Dr. Jeffrey Anderson, a cardiologist whose patients
were among
17 March 2013 Page 126 of 483 ProQuest
more than 12,000 people with heart disease who participated in the short-term exposure study, said
he was
already changing his advice to patients based on the results, urging them to stay inside on bad air
days or, in
severe cases, to move to a more favorable climate. "By a more favorable climate," Anderson said, "I
don't mean
Southern California. I mean in terms of air pollution, a less- polluted environment." *
janet.wilson@latimes.com
The construction pollution report can be found online at www.ucsusa.org/clean_vehicles The draft
regulations
can be found at http://arb.ca.gov/msprog/ordiesel/workshops.htm * (BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)
Under
construction A report released Tuesday found serious health damage tied to construction related air
pollution
from diesel powered equipment. Health damage from construction pollution in the South Coast Air
Basin:
(estimated number of cases in 2005) Premature deaths: 731 Respiratory hospitalizations: 383
Cardiovascular
hospitalizations: 274 Asthma and other lower respiratory symptoms: 20,941 Acute bronchitis: 1,729
Lost work
days: 123,439 Minor restricted activity days: 959,839 School absences: 175,339 Cities* in South
Coast counties
in the top 10% for risk of health damage from pollution caused by construction equipment: Los
Angeles - Long
Beach - Los Angeles - Santa Clarita --- Orange - Irvine - San Clemente --- Riverside - Corona - Murrieta
Riverside - Temecula --- San Bernardino - Chino - Fontana - Rancho Cucamonga - San Bernardino --- *
Listed
in alphabetical order by county Source: Union of Concerned Scientists Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Environmental impact; Studies; Air pollution; Construction equipment
Location: California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2006
Publication date: Dec 6, 2006
Year: 2006
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422171796
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422171796?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2006 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-30
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
17 March 2013 Page 127 of 483 ProQuest
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 64 of 213
Another Hollywood production: smog; UCLA report says the movie and TV industry is a
major
generator of Southland pollution. An economist cautions that more rules may drive filming
out of state.
Author: Wilson, Janet
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 14 Nov 2006: B.3.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The report found that the film and television industry emits a whopping 140,000 tons a
year of ozone
and diesel particulate pollutant emissions from trucks, generators, special effects earthquakes and
fires,
demolition of sets with dynamite and other sources. "Without having seen the report, it's very hard
to respond to
any specifics. This is an issue the film industry cares about, and many of our studios have individual
programs
aimed at recycling, preventing air pollution and conserving natural resources," said Kori Bernards,
spokeswoman for the Motion Picture Assn. of America, based in Encino. The industry tops hotels,
aerospace,
and apparel and semiconductor manufacturing in traditional air pollutant emissions in Southern
California,
according to the study, initially prepared for the Integrated Waste Management Board, and is
probably second
only to petroleum refineries, for which comparable data were not available. The entertainment
industry ranks
third in greenhouse gas emissions.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Hollywood is creating a film of a different kind over Greater Los Angeles: smog, soot and
greenhouse
gases, according to a UCLA report due out today. The report found that the film and television
industry emits a
whopping 140,000 tons a year of ozone and diesel particulate pollutant emissions from trucks,
generators,
special effects earthquakes and fires, demolition of sets with dynamite and other sources. "Given the
importance of the movie and TV industry in Southern California, we thought this was something the
public
should know," said Mary Nichols, head of the UCLA Institute of the Environment. Nichols, a law
professor and
past secretary of the California Resources Agency, said researchers found that although individual
productions
and studios are taking steps to minimize environmental damage, the industry's "structure and
culture hamper
the pace of improvements." The report noted, for instance, that dozens of contractors with different
practices
work on a single set, making it tough to regulate. Industry representatives reached late Monday said
they had
not seen the report, but said they were concerned about environmentally sound practices. "Without
having seen
the report, it's very hard to respond to any specifics. This is an issue the film industry cares about,
and many of
our studios have individual programs aimed at recycling, preventing air pollution and conserving
natural
resources," said Kori Bernards, spokeswoman for the Motion Picture Assn. of America, based in
Encino.
Bernards said the association and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers found in
2006 that
their members had successfully kept 64% of studio sets and other industry waste out of landfills.
"We'll keep
doing our part to make the environment pristine," she said. The industry tops hotels, aerospace, and
apparel
and semiconductor manufacturing in traditional air pollutant emissions in Southern California,
according to the
study, initially prepared for the Integrated Waste Management Board, and is probably second only to
petroleum
refineries, for which comparable data were not available. The entertainment industry ranks third in
greenhouse
gas emissions. State air regulators and some who work with the industry said that diesel engines and
fuels are
already heavily regulated, and that permits are required for dust control on specific projects. Still,
"we're always
looking at new research. It's certainly something we're not going to ignore," said spokeswoman
Gennet Paauwe
of the California Air Resources Board, the state's lead air quality regulator. She said the agency works
with
other industries, imposing voluntary practices as well as traditional laws. Jack Kyser, chief economist
for the Los
17 March 2013 Page 128 of 483 ProQuest
Angeles County Economic Development Corp., cautioned against additional regulation, saying it could
drive
movie and TV production elsewhere. "There would be a risk because you have other states out there
quite
anxious to get a piece of the film industry," he said. "This would just be another nudge ... if they
impose some
strict air quality regulations." The entertainment industry generates a combined $29 billion in
revenue and
employs 252,000 people in the Greater Los Angeles region, Kyser said. But he said that industrywide,
better
voluntary practices were a must for everything, including so-called star wagon trailers, remote set
generators
and caterers baking bread for huge casts. "I think if you talk to the industry, they would be willing to
make some
moves to clean up," Kyser said. "This is an industry that is very, very environmentally conscious. This
is just
something they may not really be aware of." * janet.wilson@latimes.com Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Airborne particulates; Motion picture industry; Air pollution
Location: Southern California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.3
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2006
Publication date: Nov 14, 2006
Year: 2006
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422082184
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422082184?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2006 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-30
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 65 of 213
Trucks targeted in clean-air drive; Bond funds may boost a plan by the Long Beach and L.A.
ports to
replace older diesels, but more money is needed. Who will pay? It's still a bit hazy.
Author: Wilson, Janet
17 March 2013 Page 129 of 483 ProQuest
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 12 Nov 2006: B.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Tuesday's approval by voters of Proposition 1B, combined with an aggressive clean-air plan
due to be
voted on by local officials this month, could help replace more than 16,000 trucks with new ones
within five
years. Indeed, within 20 years, many short-haul trucks could be replaced by conveyor belts, electric
"maglev" -magnetic levitation -- trains and other "clean" technology. Port officials want to replace all trucks
built before
1993 and retrofit those built between 1993 and 2003, at a cost of about $1.8 billion. They say a 2005
survey
found about 16,800 trucks that would qualify. The ports have pledged $200 million, and the South
Coast Air
Quality Management District has allocated $48 million. That local money could help in winning a
large chunk of
the $1 billion that Proposition 1B designates for reducing emissions from cargo movement, because
state
officials often require matching funds. UNHEALTHFUL: Air board inspector Paul Leon prepares to
test the
emissions of a diesel truck. Studies have estimated that 2,400 people die annually statewide because
of chronic
diesel exhaust exposure, particularly in heavily traveled transportation corridors.; PHOTOGRAPHER:
Bob
Chamberlin Los Angeles Times; SMOG CHECK: [Jose Gonzales], an independent driver, submits to a
surprise
emissions test by inspector Jose Andujar. He paid $10,000 for the used vehicle. When asked if he
would accept
a new truck financed with public dollars or private fees, he replied: "In a heartbeat.";
PHOTOGRAPHER:
Photographs by Bob Chamberlin Los Angeles Times; PROBE: A device records diesel exhaust
emissions.
Gonzales' truck, though dirtier than a new one would be, still passed.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Around the corner they rumbled, hundreds of aging tractor- trailers gunning to get another
load into
Terminal S at the Port of Long Beach. But on a recent weekday, air brakes hissed as drivers were
pulled over
by air pollution enforcement crews. The short-haul diesel trucks, which ferry cargo between the
docks, rail yards
and area warehouses, are one tiny leg in the global journey of goods between Asia and the United
States.
Their drivers are among the lowest-paid workers at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach -- the
nation's
busiest, which handle $360 billion in annual trade. Officials say the trucks are a leading cause of
deadly
pollution at the ports and need to go. "Residents around here call this the diesel death zone," said
California Air
Resources Board spokesman Jerry Martin. Tuesday's approval by voters of Proposition 1B, combined
with an
aggressive clean-air plan due to be voted on by local officials this month, could help replace more
than 16,000
trucks with new ones within five years. Indeed, within 20 years, many short-haul trucks could be
replaced by
conveyor belts, electric "maglev" -- magnetic levitation -- trains and other "clean" technology. "That is
the longterm
goal, to shovel the cargo with new technology," said Paul Johansen, assistant director of
environmental
management at the Port of Los Angeles. Jose Gonzales, 60, a Carson resident originally from Mexico,
stood by
his 1989 engine as inspectors went under the hood. He paid $10,000 for the dingy beige tractor with
a rickety
trailer. Asked if he would like to replace his truck, which could cost as much as $180,000, he said
there was no
way he could afford it. At first he didn't understand when asked if he would accept a new truck
financed with
public dollars or private fees, then replied, "In a heartbeat." Gonzales said he knows clean air is
important. He
put nearly $300 into repairs after being cited for air violations earlier in the month, a big expense on
weekly
wages of $1,000. "The mechanic told me everything is outstanding now," he said. "Hardly," said the
inspector,
taking readings on a portable "smoke meter" stuck into the innards of the exhaust pipe. Gonzales'
truck did
pass, but it is still emitting 34% more soot than a new truck. The push to replace the trucks is part of
the
struggle to clean up stubbornly dirty Southland air while the amount of goods shipped through the
ports
skyrockets. Local trucks are only one piece of the problem, and the easiest to pick on, some say. "It's
inherently
unfair to target this sector.... The independent harbor truckers are seen as low-hanging fruit. They
can't
organize, they can't push back," said Ezra Finkin, legislative director for the Waterfront Coalition, a
Washington,
D.C.-based group of big-box retailers, including Wal-Mart, and other cargo importers. Environmental
and labor
17 March 2013 Page 130 of 483 ProQuest
groups recently formed an alliance to help the drivers. "The problem is that if you give a poor truck
driver a
clean truck, he needs to be able to afford maintaining it," said Melissa Lin Perrella, staff attorney with
the
Natural Resources Defense Council's Santa Monica office. "Only through improving the wages can you
ensure
that a clean truck is going to stay clean for the long run." The ports' clean-air action plan draft,
released
Monday, proposed charging "polluter pays" impact fees to help pay for the new trucks. It said the fees
should be
assessed not on drivers but "as close as possible" to the firms that own the cargo. Not surprisingly,
cargo
owners disagree. Finkin said the plan was a poor one, and that "if California thinks they have an air
pollution
problem," the state should pass laws to tax long-haul corporate trucking companies. Lin Perrella, of
the natural
resources council, said it was disappointing that cargo owners "would take a position that seems to
deny the
pollution and public health impacts caused from goods movement.... The problem is undeniable." She
said
imposing clean-air fees would add "pennies to the cost of a VCR and about half a penny on the cost of
a Barbie
to the consumer." Studies have estimated that 2,400 people die annually statewide because of
chronic diesel
exhaust exposure, many along transportation corridors. Freight locomotives also emit diesel exhaust,
and
international marine vessels cause more than half of all port-related air pollution. Rail and marine
officials say
they are voluntarily making improvements, but they claim interstate and international immunity
from California
air pollution laws. Port officials say they can win changes from marine shippers and some rail
companies
through lease negotiations. State officials said they need stronger federal laws. At one point, three
truck
inspectors turned and pointed at a locomotive on tracks just across the road belching thick black
smoke. "Look
at that!" they shouted in frustration before turning to the next semi lined up at the curb. Port officials
want to
replace all trucks built before 1993 and retrofit those built between 1993 and 2003, at a cost of about
$1.8
billion. They say a 2005 survey found about 16,800 trucks that would qualify. The ports have pledged
$200
million, and the South Coast Air Quality Management District has allocated $48 million. That local
money could
help in winning a large chunk of the $1 billion that Proposition 1B designates for reducing emissions
from cargo
movement, because state officials often require matching funds. "We told them we'd take the whole
$800
million" left after the ports' $200-million pledge, said Johansen, of the Los Angeles port. But local
officials face
stiff competition statewide for the funds, from Oakland, Sacramento and others. California air board
Deputy
Executive Officer Mike Scheible said state environmental officials agree that replacing Southland port
trucks is
"a top priority," but added that his staff had found about 12,000 trucks there needed help, not 16,800.
He said
many could be retrofitted with new filters at lesser cost. The ports are examining several ways of
getting new,
cleaner trucks to drivers, including lease-to-buy programs or low-interest loans. Officials pointed to a
smaller
program administered by a regional nonprofit organization using state motor license fees that has
helped 500
drivers buy new trucks. Several truckers said they had not heard of the program, and one air board
inspector
said the convoluted application process was "brutal." Port officials said they would issue fliers and
use other
means to get out the word on any future program. "Our intent isn't putting anybody out of business,"
said Port of
Long Beach spokesman Art Wong. "Our intent is to replace the dirty trucks."
janet.wilson@latimes.com *
(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX) Emissions Port officials want to replace more than 16,000 aging shorthaul trucks,
just one source of air pollution there. Particulate emissions from diesel engines, by source Oceangoing
vessels: 59% Cargo-handling equipment: 14% Harbor craft: 11% Short-haul trucks: 10%
Locomotives: 6%
Source: Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, 2001-02 Illustration Caption: PHOTO: UNHEALTHFUL:
Air
board inspector Paul Leon prepares to test the emissions of a diesel truck. Studies have estimated
that 2,400
people die annually statewide because of chronic diesel exhaust exposure, particularly in heavily
traveled
transportation corridors.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Bob Chamberlin Los Angeles Times; PHOTO: SMOG
CHECK:
Jose Gonzales, an independent driver, submits to a surprise emissions test by inspector Jose Andujar.
He paid
$10,000 for the used vehicle. When asked if he would accept a new truck financed with public dollars
or private
fees, he replied: "In a heartbeat."; PHOTOGRAPHER: Photographs by Bob Chamberlin Los Angeles
Times;
PHOTO: PROBE: A device records diesel exhaust emissions. Gonzales' truck, though dirtier than a
new one
17 March 2013 Page 131 of 483 ProQuest
would be, still passed. Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Trucks; Emission standards; Ports; Air pollution; Diesel engines; Referendums
Location: Los Angeles California, Long Beach California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2006
Publication date: Nov 12, 2006
Year: 2006
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422127849
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422127849?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2006 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-30
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 66 of 213
EPA Criticized for Not Toughening Soot Law; Up to 24,000 lives could be saved annually in
the U.S.,
and savings on healthcare and in other areas would outweigh the costs, a panel says.
Author: Wilson, Janet
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 07 Oct 2006: B.3.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: [Stephen Johnson] did significantly tighten daily exposure amounts to soot, cutting the
allowable level
from 65 to 35 micrograms, which electric industry representatives in particular had criticized as
being of
unproven need and costly. The same analysis released Friday shows as many as 13,000 lives will be
saved as
a result of that change, at a cost of $5 billion annually, with $9 billion to $76 billion in social benefits.
Johnson
was not available for comment Friday. He said at the time of his decision that "reasonable minds can
disagree"
and that there was disagreement among scientists on the evidence concerning annual particulate
exposure.
17 March 2013 Page 132 of 483 ProQuest
[Bart Ostro] said the science panel had set risk percentages of increased illness and mortality, which
the EPA
then converted into possible deaths based on U.S. population and total death rates. Under a limit of
14
micrograms, those estimates found a range of lives saved from 2,200 to 24,000, or an average 13,000
annually.
In all cases, the highest number of deaths avoided would be in California. Acting assistant EPA
administrator
William Wehrum, who worked with Johnson on the new rules, said Friday that the new analysis was
not ready
when Johnson made his decision, so it was not included as part of that process. But it would be
helpful in future
regulations, he said, adding that Johnson and agency staff "absolutely considered impacts to human
health."
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: As many as 24,000 lives -- a large number of them Californians' - - could have been saved
each year if
the head of the Environmental Protection Agency had tightened soot standards by one microgram
per cubic
meter annually, according to an analysis released Friday. The cost-benefit analysis also shows that
although
the tab for power plants, refineries, auto manufacturers and other industry for such a change would
be about
$1.9 billion a year -- or about $15 per household -- the savings in healthcare costs, work and school
attendance
and other benefits would be between $4.3 billion and $51 billion. Exposure to soot, or fine particulate
matter,
has been repeatedly linked to respiratory and cardiac illness and premature death. Southern
California and the
San Joaquin Valley have the worst fine particulate pollution in the nation, largely because of dieselpowered
vehicles. The estimates found as many as 6,400 lives would be saved annually in California. By law,
the EPA is
not allowed to consider the costs of a new regulation. But it, along with all other federal agencies, is
required to
calculate them. The agency is required to consider health benefits. EPA administrator Stephen
Johnson has
been harshly criticized by medical groups, environmentalists and his own science advisors for his
Sept. 21
decision to retain a standard allowing annual exposure of 15 micrograms per cubic meter, rather
than tightening
it to 14 micrograms or fewer. The American Medical Assn., the American Lung Assn., pediatric and
environmental groups and scores of doctors and academics who specialize in heart and lung disease
had
asked Johnson to set a standard of between 12 and 14 micrograms per cubic meter of air for fine
particulates,
saying that study after study had shown a correlation between increased exposure to soot and higher
numbers
of illnesses and deaths. Friday's online posting unleashed a new round of criticism. "It's pretty
sobering and
shocking stuff to realize the agency concluded the human cost of refusing to strengthen these air
quality
protections was going to be [thousands of lives] lost each year," said attorney John Walke, the clean
air director
for the Natural Resources Defense Council. Walke said that although the cost to industry "is not
insignificant ...
it pales in comparison to the $50 billion annually that they project will be incurred in healthcare
costs as a result
of the failure to upgrade the standards." "It's pretty darned obvious that better standards would
mean fewer
premature deaths," said Frank O'Donnell of Clean Air Watch. Industry representatives could not be
reached for
comment late Friday. Johnson did significantly tighten daily exposure amounts to soot, cutting the
allowable
level from 65 to 35 micrograms, which electric industry representatives in particular had criticized
as being of
unproven need and costly. The same analysis released Friday shows as many as 13,000 lives will be
saved as
a result of that change, at a cost of $5 billion annually, with $9 billion to $76 billion in social benefits.
Johnson
was not available for comment Friday. He said at the time of his decision that "reasonable minds can
disagree"
and that there was disagreement among scientists on the evidence concerning annual particulate
exposure.
But the analysis released Friday shows that every member of a 12- member panel of scientists
convened at the
request of the White House Office of Management and Budget and National Academy of Sciences
found that
thousands of additional lives could be saved if the tougher annual standard were adopted. The panel
was made
up of authors of the studies that Johnson used and specialists picked by their peers as the leading
experts in
particulate pollution. All reviewed the available literature on soot illness and death and primarily
relied on the
same two studies that Johnson did in making their estimates. "I feel that he didn't really take into
account the
best available science, which is now saying very clearly that there are very significant health effects
related to
17 March 2013 Page 133 of 483 ProQuest
this longer-term exposure," said Dr. Bart Ostro, one of the 12 panelists and chief of the air pollution
epidemiology section for the California EPA. Ostro said the science panel had set risk percentages of
increased
illness and mortality, which the EPA then converted into possible deaths based on U.S. population
and total
death rates. Under a limit of 14 micrograms, those estimates found a range of lives saved from 2,200
to 24,000,
or an average 13,000 annually. In all cases, the highest number of deaths avoided would be in
California. Ostro
said that because California has the most fine particulate pollution and a large population, "we would
see a
large chunk of the benefits" if the standard were set at 14 micrograms. "We're talking about ...
hospitalization
and emergency room visits, asthma attacks and work loss as well as mortality," he said. Acting
assistant EPA
administrator William Wehrum, who worked with Johnson on the new rules, said Friday that the new
analysis
was not ready when Johnson made his decision, so it was not included as part of that process. But it
would be
helpful in future regulations, he said, adding that Johnson and agency staff "absolutely considered
impacts to
human health." janet.wilson@latimes.com Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Air pollution; Public health; Airborne particulates; Benefit cost analysis
Location: United States, US, California
Company / organization: Name: Environmental Protection Agency; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 05-7944910;
Name: EPA; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 05-794-4910
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.3
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2006
Publication date: Oct 7, 2006
Year: 2006
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: Feature
ProQuest document ID: 422104424
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422104424?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2006 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-30
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
17 March 2013 Page 134 of 483 ProQuest
Document 67 of 213
New EPA Rules on Soot and Dust Set; Widespread criticism greets the standards for human
exposure to particulates. Some say ideas from scientific advisors were ignored.
Author: Wilson, Janet
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 22 Sep 2006: B.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The EPA strengthened the standard that governed people's daily exposure to fine particles,
or soot,
but left unchanged one that deals with annual exposure. Also, the EPA scrapped another standard for
coarse
particles that are found in dust. A scientific panel established by Congress had strongly urged
tightening annual
soot standards to levels that members said could protect thousands more lives. U.S. Sen. James M.
Inhofe (ROkla.),
chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, also expressed concern: "I am
disappointed
that EPA is tightening the particulate matter standard in today's final rule. Recognizing that
Administrator
[Stephen Johnson] is a scientist himself, I respect his judgment and his command of the science, but I
respectfully disagree that this new rule meets the threshold burden of proof necessary to impose
these costly
requirements on our nation's economy." Attorneys David Baron and Paul Cort of Earthjustice, in a
statement,
said: "Unfortunately for those who are most at risk -- young children, those with asthma and the
elderly -- EPA is
listening to the polluters' cries and not doing the job of protecting public health. It's time EPA
stopped playing
politics and started cleaning up our air."
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday announced new rules for
controlling soot and
dust that plague large areas of California, imposing one tougher safety standard but rejecting the
recommendations of scientific advisors to strengthen others. At a news conference, EPA
Administrator Stephen
Johnson touted the rules as "the most protective air quality regulations in U.S. history" and said, "All
Americans
deserve to breathe clean air. That's exactly what we're doing today." The EPA formulated the rules in
response
to a looming court deadline for updated standards in the settlement of a lawsuit by the
environmental group
Earthjustice. Johnson's announcement of the rules drew harsh criticism from all sides of a longrunning debate
over how best to control some of the most harmful airborne contaminants. Those critics included
industries
faced with complying with the regulations, members of Congress and environmental groups. After
hearing some
of the criticism, Johnson said that the Clean Air Act authorized him "to do what is requisite to protect
public
health ... neither more nor less stringent than necessary ... that's exactly what I did." The EPA
strengthened the
standard that governed people's daily exposure to fine particles, or soot, but left unchanged one that
deals with
annual exposure. Also, the EPA scrapped another standard for coarse particles that are found in dust.
A
scientific panel established by Congress had strongly urged tightening annual soot standards to
levels that
members said could protect thousands more lives. The new regulations pertain to fine and coarse
particulate
matter that is expelled from tailpipes, factory smokestacks, farm equipment and other sources and
when inhaled
can penetrate deep into the lungs. Exposure has been linked to severe asthma and premature deaths
from
heart and lung disease. The Los Angeles Basin, especially the Riverside area, and the Owens Valley in
the
eastern Sierra Nevada have the worst particulate pollution in the nation. The problem in urban areas
is largely
attributable to exhaust from trucks and other diesel-powered vehicles. The Owens Valley is prone to
major dust
storms. Rogene Henderson, head of the EPA's scientific panel that was in charge of reviewing the
agency's
proposals, said the panel's recommendations to better protect public health were ignored. "We are,
of course,
very disappointed," she said. Henderson said Johnson's decision to eliminate regulation of annual
exposure to
coarse particulate, or dust, is a step backward and would hinder attempts by researchers to study the
health
17 March 2013 Page 135 of 483 ProQuest
effects. In an unprecedented action, the panel had earlier publicly urged Johnson to adopt tougher
standards to
save more lives and reduce chronic illness. Johnson said Thursday that Henderson's panel was
divided and
said "it's a complicated issue. Reasonable minds can agree to disagree." Henderson retorted that all
but two of
22 panel members wanted tougher standards. Spokesmen for electric utilities and manufacturers
said that the
rules would cost billions of dollars to implement, and that the agency had shown no clear evidence
that the
standards were necessary. "The electric power sector is in the midst of implementing a series of
major
emissions cuts that will reduce power plant emissions associated with particulate matter," said Dan
Reidinger of
the Edison Electric Institute, which represents U.S. shareholder- owned power companies that
produce nearly
60% of the nation's electricity. "We think EPA has jumped the gun by adopting a more stringent fine
particle
standard before the existing standards have been given a chance to work.... The industry will spend
more than
$50 billion to cut emissions. Our hope, obviously, is that these reductions will provide a real health
benefit,
though EPA hasn't adequately made that case." Reidinger said "EPA persists in overemphasizing
studies that
suggest a possible benefit to tightening the air quality standard, while downplaying those suggesting
that doing
so may not." U.S. Sen. James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.), chairman of the Environment and Public Works
Committee,
also expressed concern: "I am disappointed that EPA is tightening the particulate matter standard in
today's
final rule. Recognizing that Administrator Stephen Johnson is a scientist himself, I respect his
judgment and his
command of the science, but I respectfully disagree that this new rule meets the threshold burden of
proof
necessary to impose these costly requirements on our nation's economy." Sen. Barbara Boxer (DCalif.)
lambasted the decision, saying that "once again, this administration has shown its true colors by
choosing
polluters over the people and setting new air standards on toxic dust that fail to protect public health.
This
decision, which flies in the face of science, should not stand. I hope that EPA reconsiders this
misguided and
dangerous decision. If not, it should be struck down by the courts." Attorneys David Baron and Paul
Cort of
Earthjustice, in a statement, said: "Unfortunately for those who are most at risk -- young children,
those with
asthma and the elderly -- EPA is listening to the polluters' cries and not doing the job of protecting
public health.
It's time EPA stopped playing politics and started cleaning up our air." The American Medical Assn.,
the
American Lung Assn., pediatric and environmental groups, and scores of doctors and academics who
specialize in heart and lung disease had implored Johnson to set an annual standard of between 12 to
14
micrograms per cubic meter of air for fine particulates, saying that study after study had shown a
correlation
between increased exposure to soot and more illness and death. Johnson instead retained a standard
of 15
micrograms, saying that scientists disagreed about long-term exposure amounts. He significantly
tightened daily
exposure amounts to fine soot, cutting the allowable level from 65 to 35 micrograms. "The evidence
was clear
there, and we took clear action," he said. California air officials had mixed reactions, praising Johnson
for
significantly strengthening daily soot standards, but saying that the elimination of federal standards
for dust
would hamper the state's efforts to reduce air pollution. California has tougher exposure levels for
both coarse
and fine particulate, but those goals lack enforcement power, as opposed to the federal standards,
which if
unmet can lead to the loss of highway funds and other federal money. "We don't have that big stick
that the
federal government does, the ability to withhold funds," California Air Resources Board spokesman
Jerry Martin
said. Johnson backed away from an earlier proposal to exempt rural areas and mining and agriculture
industries
from standards governing larger coarse particles. William Wehrum, the EPA's acting deputy director
of air
quality, said that "within days" the agency planned to adopt companion rules requiring extensive
additional
monitoring of coarse particulate in rural and urban areas to aid research efforts and further
regulatory reviews in
the future. janet.wilson@latimes.com Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Environmental regulations; Air pollution; Outdoor air quality; Litigation; Clean Air Act-US;
Airborne
particulates; Pollution control
17 March 2013 Page 136 of 483 ProQuest
Location: United States, US
Company / organization: Name: Environmental Protection Agency; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 05-7944910;
Name: EPA; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 05-794-4910
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2006
Publication date: Sep 22, 2006
Year: 2006
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422092091
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422092091?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2006 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-30
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 68 of 213
Natural Gas From Overseas Sources Is Raising Concerns; Critics say imported LNG burns
hotter and
pollutes more than the domestic product.
Author: Douglass, Elizabeth
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 21 Sep 2006: C.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The natural gas in Southern California -- culled from in-state fields and carried into the
state by
pipeline from the Rocky Mountains, the Southwest and Canada -- carries an average Wobbe number
of 1332 in
the territories served by the Gas Co. and SDG&E. The proposal from the gas companies would
establish a
maximum Wobbe number of 1400. "Sempra is seeking to establish a broader band [of Wobbe
numbers] than
has historically been used," said Stephen Pickett, a senior vice president for Southern California
Edison. The
company told regulators that its new Mountainview power plant in Redlands could be damaged or
forced offline
repeatedly by wide swings in the heat content of the fuel. IN THE FRAY: Public Utilities Commission
President
17 March 2013 Page 137 of 483 ProQuest
[Michael R. Peevey], left, who favors changes in the gas requirements, with Edison International
Chairman and
Chief Executive John E. Bryson.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Mark Boster Los Angeles Times; POSSIBLE
THREAT:
Southern California Edison is concerned that differences in natural gas from other parts of the world
could
damage its new Mountainview power plant in Redlands, above.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Mark Boster Los
Angeles
Times
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: State utility regulators are embroiled in a debate over new kinds of natural gas that
opponents contend
would worsen air pollution, trip up power plants and make gas stoves, water heaters and other
equipment more
prone to fires. The dispute concerns foreign liquefied natural gas, which could begin flowing into
local pipelines
within two years. The gas from other continents is chemically different and burns hotter than most
U.S. natural
gas. And that worries an unusual collection of critics, including environmentalists, air quality
regulators,
appliance specialists and Southern California Edison. Critics point to a rash of pipeline leaks and a
house
explosion in Maryland last year, which the local utility blamed on the ill effects of gas from overseas.
"Everything we have here in California is geared toward North American natural gas," said Rory Cox,
California
program director for Pacific Environment, a group opposed to the importation of liquefied natural
gas. The hotter
foreign gas, he added, "can lead to the erosion of pipeline seals, damage the internal workings of
power plants
and can affect people's home appliances" by damaging them or causing gas leaks. Sempra Energy and
other
companies that plan to supply imported natural gas to California dispute that. San Diego-based
Sempra says
the new gas won't cause problems, and it is pushing the state Public Utilities Commission to clear the
way for
the "hot gas" by loosening existing gas quality specifications. The commission could vote as early as
today.
The commission's decision would affect consumers and industrial users of natural gas statewide and
would
have implications for companies planning to build liquefied natural gas import terminals along the
Pacific Coast.
Arguments over the issue have taken place out of the limelight and involved only limited input on
behalf of
consumers. But it's the state's homeowners and business owners with water heaters and other gasfired
equipment that would suffer the consequences if the commission enacts gas rules that cause
problems in years
to come, critics say. "Like many things in the regulatory arena, it's hard for the average consumer to
keep track
of, much less understand the ramifications of it," said Loretta Lynch, a former California utility
commissioner.
On the hot-gas issue, she said, "the consumers are outmanned and outgunned ... but they'll be paying
the bill at
the end of the day." The Assn. of Home Appliance Manufacturers is concerned about the expected
wave of new
gas and is pushing federal regulators to establish nationwide standards instead of letting regions set
their own
limits. "If you have a high flame temperature, higher than what the product was designed to deal
with, you can
get a fire hazard," said Joseph McGuire, the Washington-based trade group's president. "Our concern
is that if
the consumer angle isn't fully understood and addressed, it's going to be impossible to go out and
retrofit the
millions and millions and millions of installed products already in place that present the bulk of the
potential
safety and performance concerns," McGuire said. Last year alone, Californians installed more than
850,000 gas
clothes dryers -- nearly 60% of yearly shipments nationwide -- and 790,000 gas ranges, or about
20% of the
nationwide total, according to figures from the group. Current LNG formulations now flowing
through pipelines in
other parts of the U.S. have been treated or blended with other gas to more closely mimic traditional
gas
supplies, McGuire said. Future supplies, however, are expected to "go outside the range that we view
to be safe
for product safety and for avoiding performance issues." Last month, an administrative law judge
issued a
proposed decision that called for no change in California's existing gas- quality standards until after a
study of
the ramifications is conducted. Michael R. Peevey, president of the state Public Utilities Commission,
wrote an
alternative proposed decision that would allow hotter gas than what is now used in the state -- a
position backed
by natural gas producers, Sempra and other companies involved in plans for importing natural gas.
The
proceeding also deals with several other natural gas issues, including storage and pipeline capacity.
"We've
17 March 2013 Page 138 of 483 ProQuest
been investigating and studying what might occur should large volumes of LNG reach our service
area," said
Lee Stewart, senior vice president of gas operations for Southern California Gas Co. and San Diego
Gas
&Electric Co., both subsidiaries of Sempra. "It will work fine for our system overall and for our
customers'
equipment." At least five projects are still on the drawing board; Sempra's Baja California terminal is
under
construction and could begin operations in 2008. The facilities are aimed at filling a widening gap
between
domestic production and U.S. demand for natural gas. Some believe the imports will make up as
much as 15%
of nationwide gas consumption by 2025. Although the details vary by project, the LNG plants would
take in
super-cooled liquefied gas shipped from Russia, Australia and elsewhere, return it to gaseous form
and send it
to customers through the state's existing natural gas pipeline system. For years, the controversy
surrounding
those projects has stemmed from community safety concerns and the possible pollution from the regasification
process. Now other issues have emerged. The South Coast Air Quality Management District has
warned
regulators that Sempra's proposed changes to natural gas rules would boost pollution in a region that
can illafford
increases. "The danger that we are most concerned with is a worsening of air quality in this area,
both by
the creation of additional ozone and by additional fine particulates that are unhealthful," said Mohsen
Nazemi,
assistant deputy executive director at AQMD. AQMD and Pacific Environment, among others, back the
administrative law judge's proposed ruling. Nazemi said the wide latitude sought by Sempra was
unnecessary
since rival companies already had pledged to abide by limits backed by air quality regulators.
Stewart, the
executive for the Gas Co. and SDG&E, rejects the notion that the gas represents a threat to air quality.
The
companies' own studies showed that "there is really no significant impact on NOX emissions ... it's
extremely
small," Stewart said. At issue is an arcane indicator known in the industry as the Wobbe index, a
number used
to measure the heat value of natural gas. The higher the number, the greater the heating value of the
gas. The
natural gas in Southern California -- culled from in-state fields and carried into the state by pipeline
from the
Rocky Mountains, the Southwest and Canada -- carries an average Wobbe number of 1332 in the
territories
served by the Gas Co. and SDG&E. The proposal from the gas companies would establish a maximum
Wobbe
number of 1400. No one knows what will happen as the state's gas pipelines begin to deliver large
amounts of
imported gas with the higher number. "Sempra is seeking to establish a broader band [of Wobbe
numbers] than
has historically been used," said Stephen Pickett, a senior vice president for Southern California
Edison. The
company told regulators that its new Mountainview power plant in Redlands could be damaged or
forced offline
repeatedly by wide swings in the heat content of the fuel. Federal regulators looked into the gasquality issue,
but in June decided against setting a national standard. The Gas Appliance Manufacturers Assn. told
the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission last month that national gas-quality standards "are essential
to ensure
that end-use gas appliances will continue to operate safely and reliably." *
elizabeth.douglass@latimes.com
Illustration Caption: PHOTO: IN THE FRAY: Public Utilities Commission President Michael R. Peevey,
left, who
favors changes in the gas requirements, with Edison International Chairman and Chief Executive John
E.
Bryson.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Mark Boster Los Angeles Times; PHOTO: POSSIBLE THREAT: Southern
California Edison is concerned that differences in natural gas from other parts of the world could
damage its
new Mountainview power plant in Redlands, above.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Mark Boster Los Angeles
Times
Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Imports; Air pollution; Public utilities; LNG
Location: California
Company / organization: Name: Public Utilities Commission-California; NAICS: 926130; DUNS: 15593-4557
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: C.1
17 March 2013 Page 139 of 483 ProQuest
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2006
Publication date: Sep 21, 2006
Year: 2006
Section: Business; Part C; Business Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422101601
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422101601?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2006 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-30
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 69 of 213
California's dust bowl; Left in the Dust How Race and Politics Created a Human and
Environmental
Tragedy in L.A. Karen Piper Palgrave Macmillan: 224 pp., $24.95
Author: Marjorie Gellhorn Sa'adah
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 23 July 2006: R.4.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Construction, industry, agriculture and cars' tailpipes all create, stir up or emit PM-10.
Because of the
significant adverse health and environmental effects, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sets
air quality
standards for acceptable levels of PM-10, and the state Health and Safety Code sets the laws
governing its
prevention and mitigation. Developers grading the landscape to make way for tract homes and
industrial parks
must have a water truck spraying down the dust behind every piece of equipment that scrapes at the
earth.
When the Santa Ana winds kick up, a man on the nightshift at Santa Anita Park circles and circles the
dirt
racetrack with a water truck. In an interview at DWP's Los Angeles headquarters, [Karen Piper]
introduces
herself only as a professor from the University of Missouri. She doesn't tell the DWP executive that
she "took an
interest in Owens Lake because of eighteen years' worth of dust embedded in my lungs." She stifles
her cough
-- she has another bout of pneumonia -- and when the executive tells her, "The only thing worse than
the DWP
in the Owens Valley would be no DWP," she coaches herself to smile "the way a perfectly healthy
woman
should smile." Piper adds dust to the long history of DWP's real and imagined foes -- farmers who
dynamited
the aqueduct as their livelihood flowed south, striking aqueduct builders and DWP employees, Paiute
tribes that
17 March 2013 Page 140 of 483 ProQuest
refused to leave their land, Owens Valley activists, as well as potential terrorists the DWP patrols
against today.
(At the aqueduct's head, she met a DWP employee armed with a shotgun and a growling Rottweiler.)
"Dust,"
she writes, "is the new financial drain and saboteur."
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: CORRECTION: SEE CORRECTION APPENDED; Owens Lake dust: In the July 23 Book Review,
a
review of the book "Left in the Dust" said incorrectly that when L.A. Aqueduct water was diverted in
2001 to
control dust, "for the first time since farmers dynamited the aqueduct in 1927, water flowed into the
Owens
Valley." The reference should have been to Owens Dry Lake: It was the first time since 1927 that
water had
been diverted into the lake, except for storm overflows. The channel is 233 miles long, not 223 as
stated, and
not all the land it traverses is owned by Los Angeles' water agency, as the review said. A majority of it
is owned
by the U.S. government.; Owens Lake dust: A July 23 review of the book "Left in the Dust" said
incorrectly that
when L.A. Aqueduct water was diverted in 2001 to control dust, "for the first time since farmers
dynamited the
aqueduct in 1927, water flowed into the Owens Valley." The reference should have been to Owens
Dry Lake: It
was the first time since 1927 that water had been diverted into the lake, except for storm overflows.
The channel
is 233 miles long, not 223 as stated, and not all the land it traverses is owned by Los Angeles' water
agency, as
the review said. A majority of it is owned by the U.S. government. PARTICULATE matter 10, or PM10, is dust.
It is sometimes called "respirable particulate matter," indicating that it is fine enough to be inhaled.
"You breathe
this dust in, but you don't breathe it out," writes Karen Piper, in "Left in the Dust: How Race and
Politics Created
a Human and Environmental Tragedy in L.A." Piper is a native of Ridgecrest, Calif., the first city
downwind of
Owens Lake, a 110-square-mile dry lake covered in PM-10; she likens it to "a giant bowl of fresh
talcum
powder." As a child, she saw dust clouds that "hung in the air like fog" and days when "the sun
disappeared and
it was hard to breathe." Like asbestos, PM-10 infiltrates lung tissue, causing and exacerbating
respiratory
illnesses and autoimmune reactions. PM-10 is also called fugitive dust, a name that implies it has
outwitted
human efforts to contain it. Construction, industry, agriculture and cars' tailpipes all create, stir up or
emit PM10. Because of the significant adverse health and environmental effects, the U.S. Environmental
Protection
Agency sets air quality standards for acceptable levels of PM-10, and the state Health and Safety Code
sets the
laws governing its prevention and mitigation. Developers grading the landscape to make way for
tract homes
and industrial parks must have a water truck spraying down the dust behind every piece of
equipment that
scrapes at the earth. When the Santa Ana winds kick up, a man on the nightshift at Santa Anita Park
circles and
circles the dirt racetrack with a water truck. What settles dust is the weight of water. The Owens
Lake dust once
was covered in brine, populated by tule grass and salt shrimp and traversed by steamboats. When
the Los
Angeles Aqueduct began diverting the lake's water in 1913, arsenic, cadmium, nickel and other
naturally
occurring toxic metals were left concentrated in the dry dirt. The Sierra Nevada range that borders
the valley
acts as a funnel: Wind lifts the dust and carries it in ominous opaque clouds, south through the
Owens Valley,
through Piper's hometown, across the high desert and toward Los Angeles. The dry Owens Lake is
the largest
source of PM-10 pollution in the United States, according to the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution
Control
District, the air quality district for three High Sierra counties. To see the dry lake for yourself, you
could take
Highway 395 north from Los Angeles County, along the eastern side of the Sierras. Or you could
follow the 223mile-long aqueduct, but that would be trespassing -- the land around it is owned by Los Angeles'
Department of
Water and Power. At the top of the aqueduct, "a simple concrete barrier ... funnels the [Owens] river
into the
aqueduct channel." Without its source water, the lake went completely dry. When the DWP began
pumping
additional groundwater, lowering the water table below the roots of trees, the land went barren. Not
until 1987
did the EPA mandate that the DWP clean up the resulting dust for air quality violations that were
"twenty-six
times the federal standards set by the Clean Air Act." In an interview at DWP's Los Angeles
headquarters, Piper
introduces herself only as a professor from the University of Missouri. She doesn't tell the DWP
executive that
17 March 2013 Page 141 of 483 ProQuest
she "took an interest in Owens Lake because of eighteen years' worth of dust embedded in my lungs."
She
stifles her cough -- she has another bout of pneumonia -- and when the executive tells her, "The only
thing
worse than the DWP in the Owens Valley would be no DWP," she coaches herself to smile "the way a
perfectly
healthy woman should smile." But science considers one woman with a cough to be an anecdote.
Although the
risks of particulate air pollution have been documented in the scientific literature, there are no
epidemiological
health studies and no statistics on how many Owens Valley residents have become ill or died because
of the
dust. After the U.S. Navy, whose pilots couldn't see to land their planes, and area residents grew more
vocal,
studies were done -- but on the feasibility of ameliorating the dust, not the dust's health effects. Even
these
studies, Piper writes, were the result of hard-fought state legislation requiring Los Angeles "to
undertake
reasonable measures ... to mitigate the air quality impacts of its activities in the production, diversion,
storage,
or conveyance of water." The city of Los Angeles' mitigation effort from 1987 to 1996 was to fund the
Great
Basin district to study the effectiveness of "planting saltgrass, spraying chemicals on the surface of
the lake,
layering it with tires, building fences to stop the sand, and tilling the surface of the lake." The district
tried
digging wells to cover it with ground water. District officials considered gravel blankets. When the
district
determined that the only feasible solution was to return water to Owens Lake, the DWP "cut off the
salaries of
the members of the Great Basin APCD." Piper adds dust to the long history of DWP's real and
imagined foes -farmers who dynamited the aqueduct as their livelihood flowed south, striking aqueduct builders
and DWP
employees, Paiute tribes that refused to leave their land, Owens Valley activists, as well as potential
terrorists
the DWP patrols against today. (At the aqueduct's head, she met a DWP employee armed with a
shotgun and a
growling Rottweiler.) "Dust," she writes, "is the new financial drain and saboteur." Beyond the ecothriller
aspects of this book, Piper is exploring something far more complicated than a villain and victim, a
city's thirst, a
valley's dust; she is using the water to ask questions about the notion of development and American
assumptions about progress toward the public good. In her previous book, "Cartographic Fictions:
Maps, Race,
and Identity," Piper considered cartography from the perspective of people at the margins of maps;
she
continues this method of inquiry in "Left in the Dust," examining native Paiutes, Japanese and
Japanese
American World War II internees at nearby Manzanar, destitute people on Los Angeles' skid row
whose access
to potable water is curtailed, and others who bear the history of Los Angeles' development as toxicity
in their
bodies. Piper also sets the aqueduct's history in the context of American "empire building," citing the
unilateral
use of presidential powers (by Theodore Roosevelt, which led to the aqueduct's approval) that gave
private
interests great gain from public expenditures to provide water to Los Angeles. All of this has strong
echoes for
the foot soldiers and bill payers of today's American empire. In 2001, for the first time since farmers
dynamited
the aqueduct in 1927, water flowed into the Owens Valley. The DWP diverted some of the water to
create a
shallow 12-square-mile lake. "Owens Lake," Piper writes, "is now a living experiment in what
returning water will
do to a decimated ecosystem. It is also an experiment in what losing water will do to Los Angeles."
We all get
our water from someone, somewhere. Tap-turning Americans would do well to give this history a
close read. *
References Message No: 39330 Illustration Caption: PHOTO: TRICKLE DOWN: What remained of the
Lower
Owens River in 1984 meanders south from the snow-capped Eastern Sierra.; PHOTOGRAPHER:
Thomas
Kelsey Los Angeles Times Credit: Marjorie Gellhorn Sa'adah is a writer in Los Angeles.
Subject: Nonfiction; Environmental impact; Politics; Air pollution; Water supply; Lakes; Books-titles - Left in the
Dust: How Race and Politics Created a Human and Environmental Tragedy in L.A.
Location: Owens Lake
People: Piper, Karen
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
17 March 2013 Page 142 of 483 ProQuest
Pages: R.4
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2006
Publication date: Jul 23, 2006
Year: 2006
Section: Book Review; Part R; Features Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: Book Review-Favorable
ProQuest document ID: 422084010
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422084010?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2006 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-30
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 70 of 213
Skies Clear, EPA Rules; The agency says soot levels in the Central Valley have fallen and no
new
cleanup is needed. Activists and others are skeptical.
Author: Wilson, Janet
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 07 July 2006: B.3.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The response of environmentalists to the EPA declaration was "really unfortunate," said
[Seyed
Sadredin]. "This is a major accomplishment that has come at great costs.... To try and nitpick it
because of
some unreliable monitors not even intended to measure for these purposes is ... really harmful to the
cause," he
said, adding, "it erodes confidence in our strategies if we say all the millions of dollars the community
and
business have put in has not produced some results." Paul Cort, an attorney with Earthjustice in
Oakland who
has brought numerous lawsuits to force a cleanup of Central Valley air, said litigation was
responsible for the
improving quality. He vowed to sue again if the EPA formally declares the region in attainment. A
spokesman
for the EPA in San Francisco said the agency had informed the judge that a decision by them was
imminent,
and pointed out the judge had stated in the ruling that if the EPA declared the region in attainment,
additional
measures would not be needed.
17 March 2013 Page 143 of 483 ProQuest
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday that air quality in California's
smoggy
Central Valley has improved substantially in the last three years and proposed declaring it "in
attainment" with
key federal soot standards. The declaration would mean that costly cleanup measures would not be
required,
beyond what has been done. The EPA will make a formal decision after 30 days of public comment.
Local air
regulators were jubilant, saying it was proof that hundreds of new air quality regulations, many of
them
controversial, were working. "It's a major accomplishment for the region ... including manufacturers
who
invested hundreds of millions of dollars in new combustion technology ... and the general public that
went along
with a regulation for wood-burning fireplaces that they were not very happy with," said Seyed
Sadredin,
executive director of the San Joaquin Valley Air Quality Control District. But environmentalists and
public health
advocates scoffed at the declaration, saying air quality officials were ignoring data from their own
monitors that,
as recently as November, showed unhealthful, illegal levels of soot that lingered for nearly a week.
"It's either a
miracle or a lie," said Kevin Hall of the Sierra Club in the Central Valley, of the assertion that levels of
coarse
particulate matter have not exceeded legal limits even once for three straight years, which is
required for a
region to be in compliance with the Clean Air Act. "If we can't trust the agency to adequately monitor
the air
pollution, then we can't trust their declarations of attainment, and the bottom line for people in the
valley is the
level of suffering continues." The Central Valley has struggled for years with some of the nation's
worst air
quality, caused by factors such as diesel- powered farming equipment, oil refineries, a construction
boom and
traffic on two major highways. Coarse particulates, which lodge in the lungs, have been shown to
contribute to
asthma and impaired lung function. The Central Valley region must still clean up air pollution known
as fine
particulate matter and ozone that have been linked to a host of other serious health problems. The
response of
environmentalists to the EPA declaration was "really unfortunate," said Sadredin. "This is a major
accomplishment that has come at great costs.... To try and nitpick it because of some unreliable
monitors not
even intended to measure for these purposes is ... really harmful to the cause," he said, adding, "it
erodes
confidence in our strategies if we say all the millions of dollars the community and business have put
in has not
produced some results." He said a monitor showing high readings in Corcoran last November was not
as
accurate as more sophisticated monitors next to it that registered less pollution. "The bottom line is
the air for
Central Valley residents is cleaner today," he said. Paul Cort, an attorney with Earthjustice in Oakland
who has
brought numerous lawsuits to force a cleanup of Central Valley air, said litigation was responsible for
the
improving quality. He vowed to sue again if the EPA formally declares the region in attainment. Cort
also
accused the federal agency of "trying to make an end- run" around a federal judge's ruling
Wednesday that
additional measures must be put in place if the region's soot pollution was not brought into
attainment.
However, a spokesman for the EPA in San Francisco said the agency had informed the judge that a
decision by
them was imminent, and pointed out the judge had stated in the ruling that if the EPA declared the
region in
attainment, additional measures would not be needed. Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Environmental impact; Public health; Air pollution; Smog; Environmental cleanup
Location: Central Valley
Company / organization: Name: Environmental Protection Agency; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 05-7944910;
Name: EPA; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 05-794-4910
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.3
Number of pages: 0
17 March 2013 Page 144 of 483 ProQuest
Publication year: 2006
Publication date: Jul 7, 2006
Year: 2006
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422096335
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422096335?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2006 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-30
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 71 of 213
Plan May Ease Air Pollution at Ports; Stricter international freighter rules would make L.A.
and Long
Beach facilities safer.
Author: Weikel, Dan
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 06 July 2006: B.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Almost 5,800 ships called at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach last year, releasing
roughly
14,000 tons of air pollutants. In 2004, more than 7,200 ships sailed past Santa Barbara and Ventura
counties,
releasing almost 16,000 tons of pollutants. For the first time, Vagslid said, the IMO will consider
regulating
particulates and whether to require ships built before 2000 to retrofit their main engines with air
pollution
controls, such as scrubbers and catalytic converters. The current standards apply only to new ships
and those
being refitted with new engines. Besides the proposed clean-air plan, both ports have established
speedreduction
programs to cut emissions from ships coming into port. In addition, both ports are beginning to
supply
onshore sources of electricity to ships so they won't have to run their auxiliary engines.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Even before the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach unveiled an ambitious clean-air plan
last week,
an international agency that regulates the global shipping industry was considering whether to
strengthen
outdated emissions standards for cargo vessels -- a move that could significantly improve air quality.
"There
should be more stringent standards," said Eivind Vagslid, an environmental official with the
International
Maritime Organization, which began considering a revision of its 1997 regulations in April. "The
levels of the
17 March 2013 Page 145 of 483 ProQuest
past were set quite leniently to get nations to ratify them and to make them technically achievable."
Over the
years, the world fleet of cargo vessels has emerged as a leading source of sulfur oxides, particulates
and
nitrogen oxides. Many ships emit as much exhaust per day as 12,000 cars. The emissions have been
linked to
global warming, respiratory illnesses and premature deaths. In the Los Angeles area, studies show
that diesel
exhaust from trucks, locomotives, heavy equipment and ships causes cancer and is responsible for
70% of
pollution- related health problems and hundreds of deaths every year. If tougher maritime
organization
standards are adopted, they could reduce a large source of air pollution for the Los Angeles- Long
Beach
harbor complex, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, which are next to a main shipping lane, and
Bay Area
ports such as Oakland. Almost 5,800 ships called at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach last year,
releasing roughly 14,000 tons of air pollutants. In 2004, more than 7,200 ships sailed past Santa
Barbara and
Ventura counties, releasing almost 16,000 tons of pollutants. Air quality officials in Santa Barbara
and Ventura
counties fear that projected growth in ship traffic will erase gains they have made in cutting pollution
from
onshore sources such as automobiles, manufacturers and businesses. "It's good to see the talks are
going on,"
said Tom Murphy, a manager at the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District. "The current
IMO
standards are nonstandards." Based in London, the International Maritime Organization develops
international
standards for ship safety, security, vessel design, environmental protection and crew training. It has
166
member nations, including the United States. The agency's rules are enforced by port authorities,
coast guards
and maritime agencies around the world. The organization could adopt revised standards as early as
next July.
Rather than wait for the maritime association to act, port officials in Los Angeles and Long Beach
have forged
ahead with their own clean-air plan -- a draft of which was announced at a June 28 news conference.
The $2billion, five-year proposal seeks to reduce sooty diesel emissions from cargo ships, trains and trucks
by more
than 50%. Harbor officials hope to achieve those goals by specifying conditions in terminal leases,
revising port
rules and adjusting harbor fees as an incentive. The plan, expected to be approved by both harbor
commissions
in September, calls for international cargo ships to use low-sulfur fuel within 20 nautical miles of
local ports and
to cut nitrogen oxide emissions by 45%. Meanwhile, the maritime agency will continue formulating
new
emissions standards to significantly reduce sulfur oxides, particulates and nitrogen oxides from
oceangoing
vessels. Tougher measures to limit air pollution from incineration of shipboard waste and from
tanker operations
-- such as the loading and unloading of crude oil, petroleum products and hazardous chemicals -- also
are on
the agenda. For the first time, Vagslid said, the IMO will consider regulating particulates and whether
to require
ships built before 2000 to retrofit their main engines with air pollution controls, such as scrubbers
and catalytic
converters. The current standards apply only to new ships and those being refitted with new engines.
Vagslid
said the effort is the result of pressure from European nations interested in improving the maritime
agency's
current fuel and emissions standards, which have been widely viewed as ineffective. Those
regulations were
formulated in 1997, but it took eight years for member nations to ratify them. They finally went into
effect in May
2005. The 1997 regulations set the sulfur content for ship fuel at 4.5% -- noticeably above the 3%
sulfur content
of fuel generally available worldwide. The current International Maritime Organization standards
also call for a
25% to 30% reduction in nitrogen oxides in new engines placed in ships starting in 2000. But
environmentalists
and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency question whether those regulations will be effective.
"No one
takes these regulations seriously," said Teri Shore, a campaign director for Bluewater Network, an
environmental group involved with marine issues. "Ship air pollution is growing, and growing faster
than other
pollution sources." The 1997 rules, however, allow ratifying nations to establish special zones with
more
stringent sulfur standards for fuel. Two have been set up, in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. The
United
States, which is close to ratifying the 1997 regulations, is studying such a zone for North America.
Because
shipping is a global industry, there is widespread agreement among maritime organization member
states to
establish uniform standards. But the agency's proceedings are complicated by various competing
interests: ship
owners, regulatory agencies and maritime nations with differing views about how far air quality
standards should
17 March 2013 Page 146 of 483 ProQuest
go. Some IMO member states are Third World countries with ship registries that make it possible for
vessel
owners to avoid taxes, labor laws and the tougher regulations of developed nations. Political
pressure, however,
has been mounting around the globe to have the maritime organization take a tougher stance on air
pollution
from main engines. EPA officials say they want to see significant reductions in emissions from
foreign-flagged
vessels and regulations for engines on older ships. "We want IMO standards that reflect the EPA's
view on
technology and limits," said Margo Oge, the agency's director of transportation and air quality. In
April, the
month the IMO talks began, the International Assn. of Ports and Harbors called on the organization to
establish
more stringent air quality standards. "Unfortunately, the IMO, because it works on a consensus basis,
can fall
prey to the lowest common denominator," said Geraldine Knatz, director of the Port of Los Angeles.
"But there
are too many things happening worldwide this time to have the IMO sit back and do nothing." The
talks also are
overshadowed by recent developments at Maersk Inc., the world's largest shipping line. In May, the
Danish
company announced that all of its ships would switch to clean-burning low- sulfur fuel within 24
miles of
California ports. Maersk further revealed that it is testing pollution controls for ship engines that can
reduce
nitrogen oxide emissions by roughly 90%. "Maersk can put pressure on the proceedings," Vagslid
said. "It
shows that shipping lines can be profitable and protect the environment." Port officials in Los
Angeles and Long
Beach questioned whether the IMO could develop new standards soon enough and strong enough to
satisfy
port officials and state air quality regulators. Though harbor authorities don't have the legal
authority to regulate
foreign-flagged ships, they are devising alternative strategies to deal with the vessels while they are
in port.
Besides the proposed clean-air plan, both ports have established speed-reduction programs to cut
emissions
from ships coming into port. In addition, both ports are beginning to supply onshore sources of
electricity to
ships so they won't have to run their auxiliary engines. "We'd like to see voluntary efforts as much as
we can,"
said Bob Kanter, director of planning and environmental affairs for the Port of Long Beach. "We've
got to
convince terminal operators and shipping lines that it is in their best interests to do these things."
Credit: Times
Staff Writer
Subject: Air pollution; Emission standards; Ports
Location: Los Angeles California, Long Beach California
Company / organization: Name: Port of Long Beach-California; NAICS: 488310; Name: Port of Los
Angeles;
NAICS: 488310; Name: International Maritime Organization; NAICS: 926120
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2006
Publication date: Jul 6, 2006
Year: 2006
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
17 March 2013 Page 147 of 483 ProQuest
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422105116
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422105116?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2006 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-30
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 72 of 213
Once Rivals, Local Ports Clear Air in Partnership; With a joint plan to stem pollution, Long
Beach and
L.A. harbors chart a new cooperative course.
Author: Newton, Jim
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 04 July 2006: A.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: With [S. David Freeman]'s enthusiastic endorsement, the commission hired the former No.
2 official of
the Long Beach port, Geraldine Knatz, as executive director of the Los Angeles port. In years past, that
might
have contributed to the rivalry. But in this case, Knatz, who took over the Los Angeles port in January,
has
served as a bridge. Knatz downplays her role in producing the new comity between her current and
former
employers -- she worked at the Port of Long Beach for 23 years before moving back across the harbor
to Los
Angeles, where she had worked from 1977 to 1981 -- saying that there were moments of cooperation
before her
move. The ports, for instance, worked together in the development of the so-called Intermodal
Container
Transfer Facility in the 1980s and also on the Alameda Corridor in the 1990s. But those strands of
common
interest were overshadowed by rivalry as the two ports competed for customers and sniped at one
another
across the bridge between them. From potshots to partnership (includes MAP); CREDIT: Los Angeles
Times;
LEADERS: Geraldine Knatz, left, the L.A. port's executive director, and S. David Freeman, L.A. harbor
commission president.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Bob Chamberlin Los Angeles Times; HUSTLE AND
BUSTLE: The
Port of Long Beach, above, the nation's second-largest commercial port, and the Port of Los Angeles
have
agreed to require that ships, trains and trucks that use the ports reduce air pollution by more than
50% in
exchange for growth incentives. The L.A. complex is the nation's largest commercial port.;
PHOTOGRAPHER:
Mel Melcon Los Angeles Times
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: It was just over a year ago that the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach were engaged in a
testy
standoff with far-reaching implications for Southern California: Members of their governing
commissions refused
to attend each other's meetings and could not even agree on a baseline year for analyzing pollution
caused by
their facilities. Last week, those same leaders announced a joint air-quality plan that reflected a
significantly new
approach to stemming pollution and profoundly changed the relationship between the historic
antagonists that
command the nation's first- and second-largest commercial harbors. Many factors have contributed
to the turn
from competition to cooperation. The rising influence and changing views of labor, the growing
power of
environmental interests and the shifting winds of local politics all have played a part. The result, said
leaders of
17 March 2013 Page 148 of 483 ProQuest
both ports and some outsiders, is a newly minted cooperation between two entities whose leaders
have
regarded each other with suspicion for decades. Indeed, when the two commissions met a few
months ago, it
was the first such joint session since 1929. Those leaders now are attempting to chart a common
course in
enforcing pollution controls and other regulations on their customers -- one key plank of which was
unveiled last
week with their far-reaching proposal to reduce pollution from trains, ships and trucks that use the
port by more
than 50%. Among the proposed requirements: Ships that use either the Long Beach or Los Angeles
port will
have to use cleaner fuels and electricity rather than diesel when tied up; in return, the two ports
promise
expansions that will allow shippers to increase their business in the region. "Historically," Los
Angeles Mayor
Antonio Villaraigosa said last week, "what we've been doing with Long Beach ... was in competition."
Bob
Foster, the new mayor of Long Beach, agreed: "There has been some tension." That tension reflects
the
competition between the two ports and the different place each holds in its city. Los Angeles' port,
the nation's
largest, encompasses 43 miles of waterfront and features 26 massive cargo terminals. It is a bustling
and often
gritty complex, through which moved nearly 7.5 million 20- foot equivalent containers last year. But
it is
appended to the rest of the city by the thin band of Los Angeles that reaches down to the coast. Long
Beach, by
contrast, is nestled directly next to its booming port, which shipped 6.7 million of those same
containers in 2005.
It covers 3,200 acres and is responsible for about one of every eight jobs in the city. Together, the
shipping
centers generate more than 500,000 Southern California jobs, dwarfing other major industries in the
region. But
the ports also cough up pollution: Trucks stream in and out of the complexes, and the cargo ships
that moor
there bellow thick smoke, heavy with particulates. A single tanker that burns dirty fuel can produce
as much air
pollution as 12,000 cars. That pollution wafts across the entire region, with Long Beach being
especially hardhit.
Faced with growing community concern about that pollution and with the realization that neither
port, acting
alone, could arrest it, the two began to send out cooperative feelers last year. Officials and others said
one early
and important move was Villaraigosa's selection of S. David Freeman, formerly the head of the Los
Angeles
Department of Water and Power and a fervent environmentalist, to lead Los Angeles' Board of
Harbor
Commissioners. Villaraigosa staffed the balance of the commission with advocates for labor, the
environment
and the community. With Freeman's enthusiastic endorsement, the commission hired the former No.
2 official of
the Long Beach port, Geraldine Knatz, as executive director of the Los Angeles port. In years past, that
might
have contributed to the rivalry. But in this case, Knatz, who took over the Los Angeles port in January,
has
served as a bridge. Richard Steinke, once Knatz's boss at the Port of Long Beach, said he viewed her
departure as a loss to Long Beach but a boon to regional cooperation. "It was our contribution to the
greater
good," he said. The colorful Freeman, who at 80 still sports a cowboy hat and speaks in a Tennessee
drawl,
describes Knatz as "110 pounds soaking wet" and admires her work ethic: "She gets up at 4:45 in the
morning,
and kicks butt all day." By all accounts, Knatz has energized the Los Angeles port and solidified its
relations
with her former employer in Long Beach. Knatz downplays her role in producing the new comity
between her
current and former employers -- she worked at the Port of Long Beach for 23 years before moving
back across
the harbor to Los Angeles, where she had worked from 1977 to 1981 -- saying that there were
moments of
cooperation before her move. The ports, for instance, worked together in the development of the socalled
Intermodal Container Transfer Facility in the 1980s and also on the Alameda Corridor in the 1990s.
But those
strands of common interest were overshadowed by rivalry as the two ports competed for customers
and sniped
at one another across the bridge between them. The demand for a comprehensive program on air
quality,
however, forced the two entities to deal with each other. "One could gain a competitive advantage
over the
other if we had different standards," said Steinke, executive director of the Long Beach port. Instead,
the new
rules will apply to any company doing business with either port. And the effect of union participation
may spread
the deal's impact even further, as leaders of the longshoremen's union have pledged to pressure
other West
Coast ports to adopt similar regulations. There, too, Villaraigosa's mark is evident, as he helped
persuade union
leaders that tougher environmental standards were important to their workers, since they handle
the cargo at
17 March 2013 Page 149 of 483 ProQuest
the ports and thus are the people most often affected by pollution there. After this week's
announcement of the
air quality regulations, labor was quick to offer its support. The proposals, International Longshore
and
Warehouse Union President James Spinosa said in a statement, deserve to be "replicated at ports all
along the
West Coast, throughout the U.S. and the world." The coalition of labor and environmental interests is
a hard one
to beat in Southern California's current political climate, where the two camps hold the best cards of
anyone at
the table. Against them, business forces have a harder time being heard. But in this case, the shippers'
options
are limited. In the case of the ports, for instance, shippers could move goods through Oakland or
Seattle, both
major West Coast ports. But those facilities are crowded and much farther from commercially vital
Southern
California. Instead, long-reticent shippers are giving in to the combined approach of Los Angeles and
Long
Beach. Only last month, the largest shipping company in the world, Maersk Inc., announced that its
vessels that
serve California ports would begin burning cleaner fuel. Maersk, which operates the largest container
terminal at
the Los Angeles port, said it was initiating tests of other air quality improvements. The company's
move broke it
from the rest of the industry and offered the potential for gigantic reductions in emissions at the
ports. The
cleaner fuels produce 90% less sulfur oxide and 73% less particulate matter than the dirty fuels they
are
replacing. Moreover, the Long Beach and Los Angeles port operators have attempted to sweeten the
deal with
a gift to shippers and big labor: Whereas dirty ports are difficult to expand -- neighbors object, local
air quality
regulations interfere -- cleaner ones may be able to grow, supplying more space for goods and more
jobs for
those who load and unload ships. "Neither port has certified an EIR [Environmental Impact Report]
for a major
project for six years," Knatz said. That stasis has been bad for business as well as labor, as both
benefit from a
growing port. Because community opposition has formed around growth that contributes to
pollution, the only
route toward more business is to do it more cleanly, Knatz and others said. Altogether, those
developments
have left longtime observers of the ports impressed by the recent turn of events. State Sen. Alan
Lowenthal (DLong
Beach) has been working in and around the ports for more than a decade. In 1992, when he walked
his
Long Beach district in search of votes for his first City Council campaign, neighbors complained of
soot on their
windows and voiced fear over the health implications of the air they breathed. He won that race, and
since has
watched as the two ports fought through lawsuits and over business, elbowing for the honor of being
the biggest
and cutting deals to make that happen, often at the expense of the other. But recent events seem
more based
on a common conception of the ports' mission and responsibility, he said. They suggest the glimmers
of real
change, not just another ephemeral agreement. "They have come to realize," Lowenthal said, "that
they either
sink or swim together." * (BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX) From potshots to partnership Los Angeles
operates the
nation's largest port, with Long Beach second. Taken together, the side-by-side shipping centers rank
as the
world's fifth-busiest complex behind Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Shenzhen, China.
*--* Los Angeles Long Beach Size
7,500 acres 3,200 acres 270 berths
80 berths Top trading China, Japan, Taiwan, China, Japan,
partners South Korea, Thailand South Korea, Taiwan,
Malaysia Top imports Furniture, apparel, toys Machinery,
electrical and sporting goods, machinery,
vehicles, vehicles and vehicle toys and sports
parts, electronics equipment, bedding Top exports Paper
products, Machinery, plastic, fabrics, pet
and electrical machinery, animal feed,
17 March 2013 Page 150 of 483 ProQuest
Illustration Caption: GRAPHIC: From potshots to partnership (includes MAP); CREDIT: Los Angeles
Times;
PHOTO: LEADERS: Geraldine Knatz, left, the L.A. port's executive director, and S. David Freeman, L.A.
harbor
commission president.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Bob Chamberlin Los Angeles Times; PHOTO: HUSTLE AND
BUSTLE: The Port of Long Beach, above, the nation's second-largest commercial port, and the Port of
Los
Angeles have agreed to require that ships, trains and trucks that use the ports reduce air pollution by
more than
50% in exchange for growth incentives. The L.A. complex is the nation's largest commercial port.;
PHOTOGRAPHER: Mel Melcon Los Angeles Times Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Air pollution; Ports; Politics; Environmental protection; Emissions control
Location: Los Angeles California, Long Beach California
Company / organization: Name: Port of Los Angeles; NAICS: 488310; Name: Port of Long BeachCalifornia;
NAICS: 488310
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2006
Publication date: Jul 4, 2006
Year: 2006
Section: Main News; Part A; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422065251
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422065251?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2006 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-30
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 73 of 213
synthetic vehicles, organic resins, fruits and
chemicals vegetables
__ Sources: Port of Los Angeles, Port of Long Beach
17 March 2013 Page 151 of 483 ProQuest
United on clean ports
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 03 July 2006: B.14.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: EVERYONE IN LOS ANGELES may breathe a little easier someday thanks to the clean-air
plan
proposed last week by the ports of L.A. and Long Beach. The remarkable plan for the first time unites
both ports
with the state and federal regulators that oversee air quality, putting them all on the same page of a
five-year
effort to cut diesel particulate emissions in half. The ports are the biggest sources of pollution in Los
Angeles,
and diesel emissions have been clearly linked to cancer and other ailments. The plan also would
significantly
cut emissions of other toxins and greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: EVERYONE IN LOS ANGELES may breathe a little easier someday thanks to the clean-air
plan
proposed last week by the ports of L.A. and Long Beach. The remarkable plan for the first time unites
both ports
with the state and federal regulators that oversee air quality, putting them all on the same page of a
five-year
effort to cut diesel particulate emissions in half. The ports are the biggest sources of pollution in Los
Angeles,
and diesel emissions have been clearly linked to cancer and other ailments. The plan also would
significantly
cut emissions of other toxins and greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. Of course, it's
a cinch to
draft a plan; much harder will be coming up with the money to implement and enforce it. Particularly
hard hit will
be the truckers who pick up containers at the ports and shuttle them across the state or nation. The
plan calls
for phasing out older, more polluting trucks, replacing them with vehicles that run on clean diesel or
alternative
fuels. This will cost an estimated $1.7 billion over five years, of which the ports plan to kick in about
$200
million. The rest will be paid by the truckers or their employers, who will be encouraged to retrofit
their vehicles
through incentives -- such as express "green lanes" for clean trucks -- or penalties, such as higher fees
for dirty
trucks. Shippers and rail operators also will face onerous restrictions and costs. Container ships, the
biggest
source of emissions at the ports, will have to switch to low-sulfur fuel while operating in port, slow
down while
within 40 nautical miles and either plug in to shore power while idling or use new technologies to
reduce their
emissions. Railroads will have to switch to clean locomotives. And the ports and private operators
will face
heavy costs to replace harbor craft and cargo-hauling equipment with cleaner models. That's one
good reason
voters should take a careful look at the transportation infrastructure bond coming up on the
November ballot.
The bond would include $1 billion to improve air quality at the ports. As for the shippers and
railroads, they'll be
offered incentives - - or face penalties -- just like the truckers to ensure compliance. That will
doubtless create
plenty of grumbling, but not all the news is bad for business. Many of these companies have long
sought to
expand but, nervous about lawsuits or trouble with regulators, the ports haven't certified an
environmental study
for a new project in six years. Now that all sides have signed on to the clean-air plan, these projects
finally have
a chance to get off the ground. As long as it's clean, harbor business can continue to grow and
flourish.
Subject: Ports; Emissions control; Air pollution; Public health; State regulation; Federal regulation;
Shipping
industry; Editorials -- Ports
Location: Los Angeles California, Long Beach California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.14
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2006
17 March 2013 Page 152 of 483 ProQuest
Publication date: Jul 3, 2006
Year: 2006
Section: California Metro; Part B; Editorial Pages Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: Editorial
ProQuest document ID: 422186301
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422186301?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2006 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-30
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 74 of 213
Shipping Line Acts for Cleaner Air at L.A. Harbor; Maersk, with the busiest container
terminal, breaks
with the industry by saying all of its vessels calling at state ports will use low-sulfur fuel.
Author: Weikel, Dan
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 27 May 2006: B.4.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Maersk plans to shift from dirty bunker fuel to low-sulfur fuel in all of its 37 cargo ships
that serve
California ports. Already, 70% of the company's vessels are switching to the cleaner-burning fuel 24
miles from
port. In contrast, the sulfur content of the cleaner-burning fuel is 0.2%. Maersk, which is working
with
environmental engineers at UC Riverside, estimates that the change could reduce sulfur oxides by
92%,
particulate matter by 73% and nitrogen oxides by 10%. Along with the clean-fuel initiative, Maersk
has outfitted
one of its ships with catalytic converters that have removed up to 90% of nitrogen oxides during
testing. [Gene
Pentimonti] said the system, which cost about $300,000 to install, is not ready for widespread
application.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Bucking the maritime industry, the largest shipping line in the world took a critical step
Friday toward
reducing air pollution in Los Angeles Harbor by vowing to use clean-burning, low-sulfur fuel in all its
cargo
vessels that call at California ports. Officials for Maersk Inc., which operates the busiest container
terminal in
Los Angeles, also announced that the company has been testing new pollution controls for cargo
ships that
have the potential to greatly reduce nitrogen oxides, a key component of smog. Cargo ships -- some of
which
discharge more exhaust per day than 12,000 cars -- are responsible for much of the air pollution in
the ports of
Los Angeles and Long Beach. Largely unregulated, the world's fleet of cargo vessels has emerged as a
leading
17 March 2013 Page 153 of 483 ProQuest
source of nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides, which have been linked to global warming, respiratory
illness and
premature deaths. "Protecting the environment where we live and work is a priority at Maersk," said
Gene
Pentimonti, a senior vice president for the company. "This program will provide immediate benefits
to the city of
Los Angeles and the state of California at no cost to the taxpayer." Maersk plans to shift from dirty
bunker fuel
to low-sulfur fuel in all of its 37 cargo ships that serve California ports. Already, 70% of the
company's vessels
are switching to the cleaner-burning fuel 24 miles from port. Bunker fuel is a remnant of the refining
process for
gasoline and diesel fuel. With a sulfur content up to 3%, it is so dirty that its emissions can legally
contain 3,000
times more sulfur than the fuel used in new diesel trucks. In contrast, the sulfur content of the
cleaner-burning
fuel is 0.2%. Maersk, which is working with environmental engineers at UC Riverside, estimates that
the change
could reduce sulfur oxides by 92%, particulate matter by 73% and nitrogen oxides by 10%. The
world sulfur
standard set by the International Maritime Organization is 4.5%, a limit critics view as useless
because the
average sulfur content of bunker fuel is about 3%. The maritime organization, which is composed of
the world's
shipping nations, is considering a revision of its air pollution regulations this year. Pentimonti said
that low-sulfur
fuel is about twice as expensive as bunker fuel and that the program has cost Maersk about $2 million
to $3
million so far. Along with the clean-fuel initiative, Maersk has outfitted one of its ships with catalytic
converters
that have removed up to 90% of nitrogen oxides during testing. Pentimonti said the system, which
cost about
$300,000 to install, is not ready for widespread application. The International Maritime
Organization's current
regulations call for a 30% reduction in nitrogen oxide from new ships or those being refitted with
new engines.
Maersk's voluntary actions represent a significant break with the maritime industry, which has been
questioning
the availability of low-sulfur fuel and the potential cost of outfitting cargo ships with emissioncontrol technology.
Recently, shipping lines threatened to sue the California Air Resources Board after it adopted plans in
April to
regulate emissions from auxiliary engines, which are used on ships to generate electricity while in
port. "This
raises the bar for everyone," said Geraldine Knatz, director of the Port of Los Angeles. "Maersk has
gone out
and done this on its own without anyone forcing it upon them. It's above and beyond what's now
being
discussed." In the last several years, port officials, state regulators and environmental groups have
been
formulating plans to greatly improve air quality throughout the Los Angeles-Long Beach harbor
complex, which
handles more than 40% of the nation's international trade. They are especially concerned because
cargo
volumes in both ports are expected to double -- maybe triple -- in the next 20 years. The proposals
apply to
auxiliary engines and heavy equipment powered by diesel engines, including trucks, cranes, cargohandling
vehicles, locomotives and small craft such as commercial fishing boats and charter vessels. Maersk,
which is
part of A.P. Moller-Maersk in Denmark, announced its air pollution initiative during a news
conference at Pier
400, the giant terminal it operates in Los Angeles Harbor. Attending the event were Mayor Antonio
Villaraigosa,
state Sen. Alan Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) many government officials and state air quality regulators.
"For the
ports to grow appropriately and to be the gateway for the nation, we've got to grow green. We've got
to grow
smart," Villaraigosa said. "By converting to cleaner fuels, Maersk is demonstrating bold leadership."
Environmental groups, including the Coalition for Clean Air and the Natural Resources Defense
Council, also
praised Maersk's efforts to lead the industry in controlling air pollution from ships. "For five years,
we had to sue
the Port of Los Angeles to get any measures implemented," said Julie Masters, an attorney for the
natural
resources group. "Now, the biggest shipping line in world is stepping up to the plate and putting lowsulfur fuel
in their main engines. Maersk is proving the naysayers wrong." Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Maritime industry; Environmental protection; Air pollution; Ships
Location: Los Angeles California
Company / organization: Name: A P Moller-Maersk Group; NAICS: 551112
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
17 March 2013 Page 154 of 483 ProQuest
Pages: B.4
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2006
Publication date: May 27, 2006
Year: 2006
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422085035
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422085035?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2006 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-30
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 75 of 213
THE NATION; On a Clear Day, You Can't See the Pollution; Views are improving at some
national
parks as ozone is worsening. Grand Canyon, Sequoia and Death Valley are among those
affected.
Author: Wilson, Janet
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 23 May 2006: A.5.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: New National Park Service data show that while visibility at some parks in the West has
improved,
ozone pollution has worsened significantly between 1995 and 2004 at 10 of them: Canyonlands,
Craters of the
Moon, Death Valley, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde, North Cascades, Rocky Mountain, SequoiaKings
Canyon and Yellowstone. "The federal government's own monitors show that America's crown
jewels like
Yellowstone, Rocky Mountain and Grand Canyon national parks are at risk from worsening air
pollution," said
Environmental Defense senior attorney Vickie Patton. "We need thoughtful clean- air action to
protect this
precious legacy for our children and grandchildren." Ozone is a colorless, odorless pollutant, making
it possible
for visibility to improve sharply in Yellowstone National Park, for instance, even as ozone levels
climb steadily.
Brown haze and other visible smog has decreased in many parks because of a 1999 Environmental
Protection
Agency edict, [John Bunyack] said, which has led to stiffer controls on industries that produce visible
particulate
pollution.
17 March 2013 Page 155 of 483 ProQuest
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Views are getting better at some of America's national parks, but that doesn't mean visitors
will
necessarily breathe easier. New National Park Service data show that while visibility at some parks in
the West
has improved, ozone pollution has worsened significantly between 1995 and 2004 at 10 of them:
Canyonlands,
Craters of the Moon, Death Valley, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde, North Cascades, Rocky
Mountain,
Sequoia-Kings Canyon and Yellowstone. The park service did not publicize the new findings, posted
on its
website, but a national environmental group said that, with summer visits by millions of Americans
approaching,
it was important to get the word out. Breathing ozone can cause asthma attacks, lung inflammation
and other
respiratory illnesses. Ozone pollution also damages plants, including giant sequoias, other native
vegetation
and crops. "The federal government's own monitors show that America's crown jewels like
Yellowstone, Rocky
Mountain and Grand Canyon national parks are at risk from worsening air pollution," said
Environmental
Defense senior attorney Vickie Patton. "We need thoughtful clean- air action to protect this precious
legacy for
our children and grandchildren." John Bunyack of the National Park Service's air resources division,
based in
Denver, said the report showed various trends in air quality, depending on what was being
measured. "Some
parks are going up in some areas, and some are improving in other areas," he said. "There are some
areas
getting worse and worse. Most people think they're going to go to a national park and experience
clean, fresh,
clear air, and that is not the case in many places. We're trying very hard to improve it, and I think
we're making
progress in some areas." Ozone is a colorless, odorless pollutant, making it possible for visibility to
improve
sharply in Yellowstone National Park, for instance, even as ozone levels climb steadily. Brown haze
and other
visible smog has decreased in many parks because of a 1999 Environmental Protection Agency edict,
Bunyack
said, which has led to stiffer controls on industries that produce visible particulate pollution. But
Patton and
Bunyack said that huge increases in oil and gas drilling in interior western states -- along with
emissions from
coal-fired power plants, cars and other sources -- were causing ozone to drift across some of the
nation's most
famous parks. "We don't have any control over external sources," Bunyack said. "Although we do
contribute
with traffic ... most of the sources are outside the parks." Environmental Defense and three other
groups have
sued the federal government in U.S. District Court to try to force air quality improvement changes in
the Powder
River Basin in Wyoming and Montana. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has authorized 33
million acres
of new oil and gas development there, with as many as 165,000 new coal-bed methane wells, despite
testimony
from other federal and state agencies that the project would lead to serious air pollution at
Yellowstone, Grand
Teton, Theodore Roosevelt, Wind Cave and other parks. "There are immediate, cost-effective controls
to limit
pollution from the massive oil and gas activity across the West," Patton said. "They are proven,
they're used in a
number of technologies, but the BLM is not asking any of the proponents ... to thoughtfully mitigate
the serious
air pollution impacts." In addition to parks with worsening conditions, Joshua Tree National Park was
among
those whose unhealthy air pollution levels remained constant. The full report is available at
www2.nature.nps.gov/air. Illustration Caption: PHOTO: LONG VIEW: Grand Canyon National Park is
among
those where visibility has improved but ozone has worsened. Here, a tourist watches the sunset from
Hopi
Point.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Paul Connors Associated Press Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Environmental impact; National parks; Ozone; Air pollution
Location: United States, US
Company / organization: Name: National Park Service-US; NAICS: 924120
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.5
Number of pages: 0
17 March 2013 Page 156 of 483 ProQuest
Publication year: 2006
Publication date: May 23, 2006
Year: 2006
Section: Main News; Part A; National Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422063698
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422063698?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2006 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-30
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 76 of 213
Suit Demands GE Modify Its Romoland Power Plant
Author: Cho, Cynthia H
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 26 Apr 2006: B.5.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: "GE says the plant is the latest and greatest in technology, but we can't let them set a
precedent that
increased pollution is OK," said [Marc C. Joseph], who also represents the California Unions for
Reliable Energy
and other environmental groups. The suit alleges that the Energy Center, a GE subsidiary, will remain
in
violation of the Clean Air Act unless it modifies the plant or stops construction. The South Coast Air
Quality
Management District is also named as a defendant for issuing the construction permit.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: A coalition of environmental groups and a local school district filed a federal lawsuit
Tuesday to force
General Electric to modify a $1-billion power plant under construction in Romoland, an
unincorporated area that
already has one of the highest levels of particulate pollution in California. Romoland Elementary
School, which
has about 800 students, is about 1,100 feet from the Inland Empire Energy Center in Riverside
County. "We
agreed to participate in this action to remedy the situation so that the final power plant built there
doesn't pose
any safety issues or harm to our students or families in the area," said Roland Skumawitz,
superintendent of the
Romoland School District. Marc C. Joseph, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said the plant would release
triple the
amount of downwind particulate matter -- soot, smoke and chemical pollutants -- allowed by federal
law. "GE
says the plant is the latest and greatest in technology, but we can't let them set a precedent that
increased
17 March 2013 Page 157 of 483 ProQuest
pollution is OK," said Joseph, who also represents the California Unions for Reliable Energy and other
environmental groups. The suit alleges that the Energy Center, a GE subsidiary, will remain in
violation of the
Clean Air Act unless it modifies the plant or stops construction. The South Coast Air Quality
Management
District is also named as a defendant for issuing the construction permit. Dennis Murphy, spokesman
for GE
Energy, said the plant was "a state-of-the-art, advanced gas turbine technology that has
unprecedented
efficiency levels and reduced emissions." Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Litigation; Air pollution; Electric power plants; Area planning & development -- Romoland
California
Location: Romoland California
Company / organization: Name: General Electric Co; Ticker: GE; NAICS: 332510, 334290, 334512,
334518;
DUNS: 00-136-7960
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.5
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2006
Publication date: Apr 26, 2006
Year: 2006
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422095091
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422095091?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2006 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-30
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 77 of 213
A Trade Boom's Unintended Costs; Neighborhoods such as West Long Beach seek a balance
between a thriving port and health concerns.
Author: Wilson, Janet
17 March 2013 Page 158 of 483 ProQuest
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 23 Apr 2006: B.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: They say a new statewide emissions-reduction plan approved by the California Air
Resources Board
on Thursday, meant to minimize pollution caused by the skyrocketing goods movement, is unfunded,
contains
no new mandatory controls of polluters and would still result in an estimated 800 premature deaths
and
hundreds of thousands of lost school and work days each year from exposure to diesel soot, ozone
and other
pollutants. Other than injurious particulate matter emitted by trucks, which is expected to drop as
new state and
federal standards kick in, the largest sources of harmful pollution from goods movement are the
1,900 ocean
vessels that steam into the ports each year, powered by filthy, low-cost "bunker fuel," aging main
engines and
auxiliary engines they use to idle at port while unloading. RISKY PLAYGROUND: A power plant
complex
overlooks the playground of Hudson Elementary in Long Beach, where pollution- related ailments
are common.;
PHOTOGRAPHER: Rick Loomis Los Angeles Times; HAZARD: Children play tetherball during recess at
Hudson Elementary School. Directly behind the recreation area, hundreds of trucks pass by on their
way to and
from the Port of Long Beach.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Rick Loomis Los Angeles Times
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: On a sunny spring day at Hudson Elementary School in Long Beach, the gleeful shrieks of
children on
the playground almost drowned out the dull roar of truck traffic. A third-grader raced into school
nurse Suzanne
Arnold's office. "Ambrosia's chest is hurting, she's lying down," she announced. The nurse sighed as
she tugged
out an old green wheelchair. "Ambrosia is one of my regulars. Last week, she had an asthma attack on
the
school bus and had to be taken to the emergency room." Hudson Elementary is tucked in the crook of
California's busiest industrial arm. A few miles from the booming ports of Long Beach and Los
Angeles, its
playground backs up to the truck-clogged Terminal Island Freeway, flaring refineries and doublestacked freight
trains powered by belching locomotives. More than 40% of retail goods imported to the U.S. funnel
past this
poor but tidy neighborhood. Soon, a global truck and train off-loading center may be built less than
1,000 feet
from the schoolyard. It is designed to speed up freight transport and improve regional air quality by
pulling
diesel trucks off the freeways, and would add 1 million more truck trips a year to local streets.
"What's being
proposed is sacrificing this neighborhood for the greater good," said Patrick Kennedy, director of the
Greater
Long Beach Interfaith Community Organization. Community activists worry that scenario may be
repeated along
shipping corridors across the state, from West Oakland and Roseville north of Sacramento to
Commerce and
the Inland Empire. They say a new statewide emissions-reduction plan approved by the California
Air
Resources Board on Thursday, meant to minimize pollution caused by the skyrocketing goods
movement, is
unfunded, contains no new mandatory controls of polluters and would still result in an estimated
800 premature
deaths and hundreds of thousands of lost school and work days each year from exposure to diesel
soot, ozone
and other pollutants. The freight transportation corridors "are not located in isolated industrial
areas, but in fact
pass through hundreds of cities, millions of residential homes," Jesse Marquez, executive director of
the
Coalition for a Safe Environment, said in a recent speech in Wilmington. "It is the local communities
that deal
with daily bumper-to- bumper traffic congestion ... that have to breathe the diesel fuel exhaust from
ships,
trucks, trains and yard equipment every day. It is our children that are suffering from an asthma
crisis.... It is our
friends and family members who are dying." Studies back him up. Students less than a quarter of a
mile from
major freeways are 89% more likely to suffer from asthma. Children in Long Beach and other
industrial cities
are three times more likely to suffer decreased lung development. Workers at ports and freight yards
and area
residents experience higher cancer risks and heart disease. "Californians who live near ports, rail
yards and
along high traffic corridors are subsidizing the goods-movement sector with their health," said
Andrea Hricko,
associate professor of preventive medicine at the Keck School of Medicine at USC, which has done
several of
the studies. Hricko noted that the air board's own study estimated 2,400 people die each year in
some of
17 March 2013 Page 159 of 483 ProQuest
California's poorest communities from causes tied to goods-movement air pollution. "That
constitutes a public
health crisis. Can you imagine if 2,400 deaths annually were attributed to avian flu? And if state
officials said,
'We have a plan to reduce that to 800 deaths, in 15 years?' Every expert in the world would be
working on it.
These communities deserve the same treatment." California air board members and port and
industry officials
acknowledge that eliminating "toxic hot spot" communities is a stubborn challenge, but say that the
technology
to reduce much of the pollution exists or is rapidly being developed. "We need to do as much as
possible as
quickly as possible. Our whole plan is structured to do that," said air board executive officer
Catherine
Witherspoon. The proposed loading facility behind Hudson Elementary is a case in point, she said.
State
officials say the facility is "vital for relieving congestion and reducing emissions." In exchange, rail
officials have
pledged to make the yard "green," with electric cranes and other equipment emitting no soot or other
air
pollution. As for the aging, short-haul trucks that would ferry goods between the docks and the site,
Witherspoon and her staff said up to $400 million in public funds should be allocated to buy 10,000
clean
replacement trucks. But trucking officials say the cost would actually be $1.2 billion. Even if new
trucks are
bought, Witherspoon acknowledged that "there will always be some residual emissions.... We can
bring the risk
down substantially, I'm hesitant to say to completely acceptable levels, but to substantially lower
levels." Back at
the nurse's office, Ambrosia, a slight 9-year-old with long, dark pigtails, slumped at the table. Her skin
was
ashen and she breathed in shallow bursts. "I can't see," she said, her brow furrowed. Arnold handed
her an
asthma inhaler. "Were you playing tetherball again?" she asked. The girl nodded as she puffed. "She
loves
tetherball, but when she plays, she can't breathe," Arnold said. Outside, afternoon tractor-trailer
traffic thickened
on the freeway. Last year, a volunteer group of mothers did traffic counts next to the school with USC
researchers, tallying 580 trucks in an hour. Goods movement into Southern California is exploding by
1.4 million
containers a year and is expected to triple by 2020, if infrastructure can be built. After hearing from
China and
other Asian trading partners that the flow of DVDs, sneakers and other goods was bottlenecked in
Southern
California, and being confronted with mounting evidence that air pollution cuts lives short and costs
billions in
healthcare and lost productivity, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger 18 months ago ordered his business,
transportation and environmental agencies to draft a joint plan. The goal is to improve the flow of
goods while
rolling back harmful air pollution to 2001 levels -- a target the state must meet under approaching
federal Clean
Air Act deadlines. The emission reduction plan approved last week was the first step. A second plan
on
streamlining goods movement is due out in June. But funding is up in the air. The governor's
ambitious
infrastructure bond proposal, which included $1 billion for air quality, failed to make it onto the June
ballot, and
its chances in November are uncertain. The air board's piece alone would cost $6 billion to $10
billion to
implement. Some legislators, led by Sen. Alan Lowenthal (D-Long Beach), say a per-container fee of
$30 to $60
should be imposed on vessel operators and shippers. Foreign vessel operators, like interstate rail
companies,
say they are not subject to state or local law. State air officials have adopted controversial voluntary
plans with
rail companies to clean up dirty locomotives and reduce idling, and may consider similar agreements
with
marine operators. Other than injurious particulate matter emitted by trucks, which is expected to
drop as new
state and federal standards kick in, the largest sources of harmful pollution from goods movement
are the 1,900
ocean vessels that steam into the ports each year, powered by filthy, low-cost "bunker fuel," aging
main engines
and auxiliary engines they use to idle at port while unloading. Environmentalists, including attorneys
with the
Natural Resources Defense Council, say the state has plenty of power to regulate foreign vessels, and
they
want mandatory controls. The Port of Los Angeles, the nation's largest, is already quietly
renegotiating leases
with foreign-flagged companies to force cleanup and changes. Marine business groups are coming up
with their
own plan, saying they would contribute $15 billion in start-up costs and new technology if they could
establish a
voluntary credit program that would require them to reduce emissions, but do it in market-based
ways.
"Something needs to be done, and it needs to be done now," said Robert Wyman, an attorney with
Latham
&Watkins who is promoting the marine industry plan. He said neighborhoods like West Long Beach,
where
17 March 2013 Page 160 of 483 ProQuest
Hudson School is located, would benefit fastest because industry would make reductions first in
public health
risk zones identified by the air board. Many experts credit the new health studies, combined with
vocal protests
by community groups, for successfully pushing industry and government officials to act. The studies
show $19.5
billion in costs annually to the state from deaths, lost workdays and healthcare costs. "Those studies
were the
impetus for change.... We're beginning to look at the public health costs, and it's either pay now or
pay later,"
said Wally Baker of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. Neighborhoods like West
Long
Beach are not only recipients of freight air pollution, but also home to the workforce that staffs the
trucks,
warehouses and other shipping jobs, he said. "The poorest communities have been the stomping
grounds for
most industrial facilities and most toxins. Because of the health studies ... and the growing political
voice ... it's
becoming socially unacceptable, and businesses in Southern California recognize that." But Baker
said it will
never be possible to eliminate the serious health risks for Hudson Elementary and similar facilities.
He said the
school should not have been built where it was, and should be moved. . Dr. Robert Sawyer, chairman
of the
state air board, agreed: "Where schools are already located ... where there are legitimate health
concerns ... we
really think relocation is an option." Easier said than done, said Long Beach Unified School District
officials, who
said that it is extremely difficult to find school sites in built-out urban environments, and that Hudson
Elementary
and a new high school a block away serve their communities well. They hope to collaborate with
industry, port
and air officials to have an indoor gymnasium built at Hudson and perimeter air-quality monitors
added. The
school already goes into a lockdown mode -- keeping children inside -- several times a year when a
nearby
refinery flares excessively. South Coast Air Quality Management District officials recently approved
pilot funds
to test an air-filtration system at the school. On the same day Ambrosia went to the nurse's office,
four more
students complained of chest pains. As she phoned the parent of one, the school nurse offered her
own take on
health conditions there. "I just have one question for all of them," Arnold said, referring to industry
and
government officials. "Would they send their children to school here?" Illustration Caption: PHOTO:
RISKY
PLAYGROUND: A power plant complex overlooks the playground of Hudson Elementary in Long
Beach, where
pollution- related ailments are common.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Rick Loomis Los Angeles Times; PHOTO:
HAZARD: Children play tetherball during recess at Hudson Elementary School. Directly behind the
recreation
area, hundreds of trucks pass by on their way to and from the Port of Long Beach.; PHOTOGRAPHER:
Rick
Loomis Los Angeles Times Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Neighborhoods; Emissions control; Ports; Air pollution; Public health
Location: Long Beach California
Company / organization: Name: Port of Long Beach-California; NAICS: 488310; Name: Port of Los
Angeles;
NAICS: 488310
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2006
Publication date: Apr 23, 2006
Year: 2006
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
17 March 2013 Page 161 of 483 ProQuest
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422080599
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422080599?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2006 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-30
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 78 of 213
THE WORLD; Mexico City a Living Laboratory for Smog Study; Atmospheric scientists are
studying
the reach and repercussions of pollution in the capital, thought by many to have the dirtiest
air in
world.
Author: Enriquez, Sam
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 31 Mar 2006: A.20.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: [Sasha Madronich] and colleagues from U.S. and Mexican universities and labs have
collected
enough pollution data to keep them busy for years -- compiling, comparing and double-checking.
They expect to
announce their findings in 2007 or 2008, said Luisa Molina, an MIT chemist and one of the study's
organizers.
He spoke from the roof of the Technological University of Tecamac, where he pointed out some of the
exotic
gear that to the layman -- and probably to customs officials -- looked sinister: sun photometers, cloud
cameras,
ambient particulate samplers, aerosol samplers and devices to measure solar radiation, ozone,
temperature,
humidity, wind and particles smaller than the width of a human hair. Chika Minejima tinkered with
her thermal
decomposition laser- induced fluorescence device set up on the roof of a nearby trailer. It looked like
a prop in a
sci-fi thriller, but in fact measured trace amounts of a rare nitrate gas that neutralizes some
pollutants overnight.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Whether this city has the most polluted air in the world is a matter of debate: Indignant
Mexican
officials lobbied to have it stricken from the Guinness Book of World Records this year after it held
the title two
years running. What's not in question is its attraction for the hundreds of atmospheric scientists who
are
wrapping up a monthlong study of the reach and repercussions of Mexico City's pollution: Where
does it go?
What does it become? What is its effect on climate and weather? The answers could prove useful in
cleaning
up the air in other smog capitals, such as Cairo, Beijing, New Delhi and Los Angeles. "We don't want
to say that
Mexico City is polluting the whole world," said Eric Hintsa of the National Science Foundation, one of
the
sponsors of the $25-million study. "But together, all the mega- cities are having an impact." Picking
Mexico City
was a no-brainer, scientists say. The air here stinks. Like a giant San Fernando Valley, Mexico City is
surrounded by mountains. This valley, though, is 7,000 feet closer to the sun -- better to cook the
effluence of
an estimated 9 million vehicles, oil refineries, a volcano and hundreds of thousands of leaky propane
tanks
17 March 2013 Page 162 of 483 ProQuest
hooked to stoves. More than 20 million people are crammed into the greater Mexico City
metropolitan area. By
comparison, Los Angeles County is about twice as large but has only about half as many people. And
everybody here seems to be burning something. Tiny particles lodge under contact lenses and deep
in lungs,
stoking allergies and worse. Colds last longer. And asthma sufferers really suffer. It's got the whiff of
the familiar
to chemist Jeffrey Gaffney, 56, who grew up in Riverside and is here studying how soot affects
weather for the
U.S. Energy Department. Mexico City, he said, is a lot like Los Angeles in the 1960s and 1970s.
Although it has
improved in the last few years, Mexico City's air quality most days still falls short of basic standards.
This,
despite the cleansing effect of a rainy season that runs from June to September. Scientists already
have
tracked urban pollution as it moves from continent to continent -- from China to the West Coast of
the United
States, and from the Eastern Seaboard to Europe. This study examines regional movement. Scientists
and
graduate students have been working 14-hour days to measure the giant plume of gases, dust and
particles
that rises out of Mexico City each day and generally drifts to the northeast, sometimes as far as the
Gulf of
Mexico. Over the course of hours, the emissions mix and are altered by sunlight to create so-called
secondary
pollutants -- some only irritating, others carcinogenic. Using instrument readings from ground
equipment,
weather balloons, airplanes and NASA satellites, scientists hope to figure out how they form and how
far they
travel. "I'm sure we'll learn things we didn't expect, answer some hypotheses and in some cases end
up with
more questions," said Sasha Madronich, a chemist from the National Center for Atmospheric
Research in
Boulder, Colo. Madronich and colleagues from U.S. and Mexican universities and labs have collected
enough
pollution data to keep them busy for years -- compiling, comparing and double-checking. They expect
to
announce their findings in 2007 or 2008, said Luisa Molina, an MIT chemist and one of the study's
organizers.
Getting lab-quality measurements in the field was one of daunting tasks for the project, whose
unwieldy name
shortens to the acronym MILAGRO -- miracle in Spanish. But the first job was moving the equipment
across the
border. "We got all the stuff to the border a month early but it was still delayed four to six weeks,"
said Barry
Lefer, a geosciences professor at the University of Houston, who worked at a measurement site about
an hour's
drive north of Mexico City. He spoke from the roof of the Technological University of Tecamac, where
he
pointed out some of the exotic gear that to the layman -- and probably to customs officials -- looked
sinister: sun
photometers, cloud cameras, ambient particulate samplers, aerosol samplers and devices to measure
solar
radiation, ozone, temperature, humidity, wind and particles smaller than the width of a human hair.
Some are
made by specialty manufacturers, others by hand. Chika Minejima tinkered with her thermal
decomposition
laser- induced fluorescence device set up on the roof of a nearby trailer. It looked like a prop in a scifi thriller,
but in fact measured trace amounts of a rare nitrate gas that neutralizes some pollutants overnight.
"I've been
working on this for 3 1/2 years with another graduate student, who had been working on it three or
four years
before me," said Minejima, 28, who is studying at UC Berkeley's College of Chemistry. "I inherited it
and made it
more sensitive." It was unique, until a second one was built by scientists in Japan. "But ours is better,"
said
Minejima, who also built its wooden shipping container for the trip south. In the equipment-packed
trailer next
door, Peter McMurray, head of mechanical engineering at the University of Minnesota, collected data
for
studying the transformation of airborne particles. Clouds form when water condenses on these tiny
specks.
McMurray and others want to understand how pollutants create new particles over the course of a
day and to be
able to predict, for example, whether they will trigger more or less rain in a region. "My life's dream
is to explain
these processes," he said. Some of the work was more old-school. Robert Long, a graduate student in
meteorology at Penn State University, was inflating an oversized weather balloon to carry an ozone
monitor
packed in a plastic foam six-pack holder sealed with duct tape. "It will go up a little more than 20
miles and that
will take about two hours," he said. "It will end up over the Gulf of Mexico." The midday launch
attracted a small
group. When the balloon inflated to a diameter of about 8 feet, the plastic foam box was tied on with
string. At
the count of three, the balloon was released and flew skyward. And the box fell to the ground with a
thud. The
scientists gathered briefly and came to a consensus: It needed stouter string. "Let's try it again," Long
said.
17 March 2013 Page 163 of 483 ProQuest
Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Studies; Smog; Air pollution
Location: Mexico City Mexico
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.20
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2006
Publication date: Mar 31, 2006
Year: 2006
Dateline: MEXICO CITY
Section: Main News; Part A; Foreign Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422035326
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422035326?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2006 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-30
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 79 of 213
A Valley's Smog Toll Tallied; In the San Joaquin, resulting health costs are $3.2 billion a year,
a Cal
State Fullerton study finds. That much would be gained by cleaner air.
Author: Wilson, Janet
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 30 Mar 2006: B.3.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: He said air regulators in the Los Angeles Basin in particular were "under enormous
pressure" in the
late 1980s from manufacturers and other industries threatening to move away if they were required
to
implement costly air pollution control measures until [Jane Hall]'s study provided a counterbalance
showing
substantial economic benefits to reducing air pollution. "I think we've turned that corner in that the
businesses
and industry in the San Joaquin Valley understand that they play an important role in cleaning up the
air," she
17 March 2013 Page 164 of 483 ProQuest
said. "But where we are now because of the unique topography and weather issues in the valley is we
need
more controls than the local air district has the authority to adopt. The bulk of the emissions,
especially when we
talk about summertime pollution, is from mobile sources, from cars and trucks." Sam Atwood,
spokesman for
the South Coast Air Quality Management District, said Hall's study of the Los Angeles Basin "was
really one of
the first times we had a very scientific and methodical approach to quantifying the health benefits of
cleaning up
the air."
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Smog in the San Joaquin Valley is responsible for $3.2 billion annually in health costs,
according to
findings released Wednesday by a Cal State Fullerton team. The lion's share of those costs -- an
estimated $3
billion -- is tied to 460 smog-related deaths each year. Other major factors are school and work
absences,
hospital admissions and treatment for bronchitis and other illnesses. The team concluded that the
valley -- with
air quality that ranks among the worst in the nation, along with Los Angeles and Houston -- would
save more
than $3 billion if it came into compliance with federal and state ozone and particulate standards.
"The results
are important because it gives people a concrete sense of what price people pay for dirty air, and the
flip side of
that is the economic benefits of moving more quickly to achieve ... air quality standards," said the
study's lead
author, Jane Hall, a professor of economics and co-director of the Institute for Economics and
Environmental
Studies at Cal State Fullerton. Savings would come from 188,000 fewer school absences, an equal
number of
reduced-activity days for adults, 23,000 fewer asthma attacks, and reductions in hospital admissions,
acute
bronchitis and other health problems. The study found that although the entire valley suffered from
bad air
throughout the year because of its unique topography and weather, poor communities in Kern and
Fresno
counties were hit hardest by pollution and its costs. Major sources of the air pollution include
agricultural
equipment as well as truck and car traffic along the 99 and 5 freeways. The research team did similar
studies on
the economic benefits of reducing air pollution in the Los Angeles Basin 18 years ago, and in Houston
and San
Francisco since then. The bulk of the savings comes from preventing premature deaths from cancer,
heart
attack and other ailments from chronic exposure to particulates, according to study coauthor Victor
Brajer, an
economics professor at Cal State Fullerton. Brajer said longtime workplace studies show that wages
are higher
where there is a greater risk of death. He also said other studies indicate that people spend more on
consumer
safety products where mortality risks are greater. Such costs are averaged together to arrive at an
overall percapita
figure. Similar estimates are now also used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and others
in
research on costs and benefits of reducing air pollution. Air regulators said the studies have been
widely used to
counteract claims by businesses that controlling air pollution costs too much and would lead to
catastrophic
economic losses. "A large part of the economic consequences of air pollution come from Jane Hall,
from the
studies that she and her staff have done over the years," said California Air Resources Board
spokesman Jerry
Martin. He said air regulators in the Los Angeles Basin in particular were "under enormous pressure"
in the late
1980s from manufacturers and other industries threatening to move away if they were required to
implement
costly air pollution control measures until Hall's study provided a counterbalance showing
substantial economic
benefits to reducing air pollution. Additionally, he said the state air board in the mid-1990s faced
"draconian"
proposals by the federal government that could have cost billions more to implement, but that Hall's
work
showed the state plan was the most cost-effective. Kelly Morphy, spokeswoman for the San Joaquin
Valley Air
Pollution Control District, said the study could still be helpful to her agency's efforts to secure
tougher
regulations from state and federal air regulators of vehicle emissions in the valley. "I think we've
turned that
corner in that the businesses and industry in the San Joaquin Valley understand that they play an
important role
in cleaning up the air," she said. "But where we are now because of the unique topography and
weather issues
in the valley is we need more controls than the local air district has the authority to adopt. The bulk
of the
emissions, especially when we talk about summertime pollution, is from mobile sources, from cars
and trucks."
17 March 2013 Page 165 of 483 ProQuest
Sam Atwood, spokesman for the South Coast Air Quality Management District, said Hall's study of the
Los
Angeles Basin "was really one of the first times we had a very scientific and methodical approach to
quantifying
the health benefits of cleaning up the air." He said the district's 2003 air pollution control plan, now
in effect,
found average yearly benefits of complying with state and federal air standards to total an estimated
$6.4 billion,
while total costs were $3.25 billion. Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Studies; Air pollution; Smog; Health care expenditures
Location: San Joaquin Valley
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.3
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2006
Publication date: Mar 30, 2006
Year: 2006
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422049142
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422049142?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2006 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-30
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 80 of 213
Study Doubles Estimate of Smog Deaths; USC researchers amass measurements of lethal
particulate matter from hundreds of locations in the L.A. Basin. State may raise its official
figures.
Author: Wilson, Janet
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 25 Mar 2006: B.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The other studies include one by researchers at Harvard University who found that as soot
pollution
declined in six northeastern cities, related deaths declined as well. The other, a recent study by Loma
Linda
17 March 2013 Page 166 of 483 ProQuest
University, found increased coronary deaths among women exposed to both fine particulate matter
and ozone.
The highest death rates from smog-related illnesses in the USC study were found in the Inland
Empire, where
diesel soot is blown by prevailing winds. In western Riverside and San Bernardino counties, the soot
is trapped
by four mountain ranges. The current mortality estimate is based on a 2002 national study of
500,000 people
that found a 6% increased risk of death with each additional 10 micrograms of fine particulate per
cubic meter of
air. But the national study used just three monitors in the L.A. basin, missing major pockets of
pollution,
according to [Michael Jerrett].
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: The number of deaths from breathing sooty smog in California may be more than twice as
high as
previously estimated, based on a recent USC study that examined the risk of such deaths in the Los
Angeles
Basin. A team of researchers headed by Michael Jerrett, associate professor of preventive medicine,
found two
to three times greater risk of mortality from heart attacks, lung cancer and other serious illness tied
to chronic
exposure to fine particulate matter than did previous studies. The study looked at specific soot
measurements
and deaths in hundreds of neighborhoods -- rather than relying on citywide annual averages used in
the past -and detected the largest increased risks in the Inland Empire, Jerrett said. Fine particulate matter
spewed out
by cars, trucks, locomotives, ships, planes, refineries and other sources lodges deep in the lungs and
is widely
considered the most lethal form of air pollution. The staff of the California Air Resources Board said
this week
they are considering boosting statewide death estimates based on the USC data, pending
independent review.
"I think candidly it's likely," said Michael Scheible, deputy executive director of the board. "The
research
suggests we will end up raising our estimates ... but we want to be cautious." Currently, state officials
estimate
9,000 Californians die annually from diseases caused or aggravated by air pollution, more than half of
them in
Southern California. That number could double or even triple if the Air Resources Board incorporates
the USC
data into its estimates, Scheible said. He said the board decided Thursday that the USC study and two
others
examining the effect of air pollution on mortality should undergo one more layer of review to
determine the best
possible way of applying them statewide. That review could be completed by the end of summer. The
other
studies include one by researchers at Harvard University who found that as soot pollution declined in
six
northeastern cities, related deaths declined as well. The other, a recent study by Loma Linda
University, found
increased coronary deaths among women exposed to both fine particulate matter and ozone. The
Times
reported earlier this week that one in every 15,000 Californians -- about 66 per million -- is at risk of
contracting
cancer from breathing chemicals in the air over his or her lifetime, according to the U.S.
Environmental
Protection Agency's recent National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment. The study was based on emissions
of 177
chemicals in 1999. "The more we learn about particulate, the worse the news is," said Jerry Martin, a
spokesman for the Air Resources Board, who added that as recently as 10 years ago, ozone and toxics
were
considered the problem. "Part of that is the technology for looking at very fine particles keeps
improving.... A
fine particle is less than one-twenty-eighth the size of a human hair. At that size, it can actually
permeate right
through your lungs into your bloodstream and cause heart problems." Other air regulators and cleanair
advocates said the USC study points to the need to toughen national standards for fine particulate.
"The study
underscores the extremely grave severity of the threat from air pollution," said Frank O'Donnell of
Clean Air
Watch in Washington, D.C. "It draws a huge line under the need for the federal government to take
aggressive
action against existing sources of diesel soot." Sam Atwood, spokesman for the South Coast Air
Quality
Management District, said the agency's chief health expert "considers it a significant study that
bolsters the
need to strengthen particulate matter standards." EPA administrator Stephen L. Johnson has drawn
criticism for
proposing new standards for particulates considered too lax by his own scientific advisory panel. He
is facing a
court-ordered September deadline to make a final decision. The highest death rates from smogrelated illnesses
in the USC study were found in the Inland Empire, where diesel soot is blown by prevailing winds. In
western
17 March 2013 Page 167 of 483 ProQuest
Riverside and San Bernardino counties, the soot is trapped by four mountain ranges. "Somebody
living in San
Bernardino is two or three times more likely to die from smog during a given period than someone in
Venice,"
Jerrett said. The risk of fatal heart attacks tied to soot was as much as 39% higher in the smoggiest
areas.
Deaths from diabetes, though few, were twice as high in those areas. The current mortality estimate
is based on
a 2002 national study of 500,000 people that found a 6% increased risk of death with each additional
10
micrograms of fine particulate per cubic meter of air. But the national study used just three monitors
in the L.A.
basin, missing major pockets of pollution, according to Jerrett. He said the new study, co-written by
the lead
researcher on the 2002 work, found sharply higher rates of risk, between 11% and 17%, because it
analyzed
soot measurements and deaths in 269 ZIP Codes and 23 monitoring sites across the basin. He said
researchers studied nearly 23,000 Los Angeles-area residents who are part of a long-term study of
the effects
of air pollution begun by the American Cancer Society in 1982. He said more than 40 variables,
including
smoking habits and diet, were taken into consideration. A separate USC study published this week in
Environmental Health Perspectives Journal found that ozone, a different type of air pollution,
reduced sperm
counts in Los Angeles men. Other pollutants did not affect sperm counts. "The data indicated that for
every 14
parts per billion increase in ozone, we had an approximate drop of 3 million sperm per millimeter,"
said lead
author Rebecca Sokol, a USC endocrinologist. That is about a 3% drop in sperm as the ozone level
rose,
especially on smoggy summer days. The smoggiest day measured was 50 parts per billion, but she
said that
such heavy smog days were rare. "These changes are not going to put men in the infertile scenario,"
she said.
Still, she noted that all the days measured had smog levels below the current California legal
standard of 80
parts per billion. More than 5,000 samples from men known to be fertile were taken. Next, the
researchers plan
to study the possible relationship between ozone and infertile men. Illustration Caption: GRAPHIC:
MAP: Lethal
soot; CREDIT: Lorena Iniguez Los Angeles Times Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Studies; Heart attacks; Lung cancer; Air pollution; Mortality
Location: Los Angeles California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2006
Publication date: Mar 25, 2006
Year: 2006
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422052748
17 March 2013 Page 168 of 483 ProQuest
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422052748?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2006 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-30
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 81 of 213
Refineries Lose Appeal of AQMD Rule; Court tells Southland's biggest oil facilities to install
new
controls on soot. Compliance will be costly and have little or no benefit, a group says.
Author: Wilson, Janet
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 02 Mar 2006: B.4.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: "This court ruling is good news for the region and especially communities surrounding oil
refineries,"
said AQMD Executive Officer Barry Wallerstein in a statement Wednesday. "Oil refineries are the
largest
regulated source of particulate matter emissions, emitting more than 400,000 newer, diesel-powered
school
buses." The six refineries affected by the rule are those run by ExxonMobil in Torrance, BP in Carson,
ChevronTexaco in El Segundo and Shell, ConocoPhillips and Valero in Wilmington. Chevron has already added
the new
equipment, [Cathy Reheis-Boyd] said, but each refinery is designed differently. Refineries that do not
comply
face fines or possible shutdown. AQMD spokesman [Sam Atwood] said such penalties are rarely
applied,
because when legal challenges are settled, polluters usually comply.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: A state appeals court has ordered Southern California's largest oil refineries to install
technology that
will reduce unhealthful smog emissions. The Western States Petroleum Assn. sued to overturn the
new
regulation by the South Coast Air Quality Management District, arguing that the rule would cost
hundreds of
millions of dollars, was not feasible at some plants and would provide little to no public benefit. In an
opinion
issued last month, Judge Earl Johnson Jr. of the 2nd District Court of Appeal in Los Angeles rejected
those
arguments and ordered the refineries to comply. "This court ruling is good news for the region and
especially
communities surrounding oil refineries," said AQMD Executive Officer Barry Wallerstein in a
statement
Wednesday. "Oil refineries are the largest regulated source of particulate matter emissions, emitting
more than
400,000 newer, diesel-powered school buses." But Cathy Reheis-Boyd, chief operating officer of the
refineries
organization, said, "We are very disappointed. We continue to believe our case is meritorious. "If
you're going to
require expensive controls which could ultimately impact the price of the product, and therefore the
price at the
pump, you should be suggesting those improvements that will result in substantial air quality
benefits," she said.
She could not specify what price increases might occur for consumers but said compliance would
make it
harder to control such increases. AQMD spokesman Sam Atwood said the agency's studies had found
that the
upgrade would add less than a 10th of a cent to gas prices. He added, "I would vigorously disagree
with the
assessment that half a ton a day of particulate reduction, plus an additional 2 tons reduction from
ammonia
emissions, is little to no benefit to public health." About 300 tons a day of particulate matter is
emitted by all
sources in the region. Numerous studies have shown that breathing the soot reduces lung capacity
and causes
or aggravates asthma, heart disease and other health problems. Reheis-Boyd said the refineries
group would
decide soon whether to appeal to the state Supreme Court. "Any time you have a decision of this
magnitude,
17 March 2013 Page 169 of 483 ProQuest
you worry about its implications, not only for California but for the rest of the nation," she said. The
six refineries
affected by the rule are those run by ExxonMobil in Torrance, BP in Carson, Chevron-Texaco in El
Segundo
and Shell, ConocoPhillips and Valero in Wilmington. Chevron has already added the new equipment,
ReheisBoyd said, but each refinery is designed differently. "It's not one size fits all," she said. Under the rule,
refineries
must reduce emissions from their fluid catalytic cracking units by year's end, although they can
request two-year
extensions. The units "crack" heavy crude oil into lighter products, including gasoline, butane and
propane.
Refineries that do not comply face fines or possible shutdown. AQMD spokesman Atwood said such
penalties
are rarely applied, because when legal challenges are settled, polluters usually comply. Credit: Times
Staff
Writer
Subject: Technology; State court decisions; Petroleum refineries; Air pollution; Emission standards
Location: Southern California
Company / organization: Name: South Coast Air Quality Management District-Los Angeles County
CA; NAICS:
924110; DUNS: 01-598-6159
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.4
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2006
Publication date: Mar 2, 2006
Year: 2006
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422076091
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422076091?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2006 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-30
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 82 of 213
Unique Power Plant Called Dirty; A poor Riverside County area would be hurt by the project
now
under construction, says a coalition filing notices of intent to sue.
17 March 2013 Page 170 of 483 ProQuest
Author: Wilson, Janet
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 23 Feb 2006: B.9.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: "Any power plant built so near schools and families must follow clean air laws and not
make our air
quality any worse," said Roland Skumawitz, superintendent of the Romoland School District. He said
he
recognized the need for power in the fast-growing Inland Empire, but preferred that GE and another
company
that has applied to build a second plant nearby help pay to move the school to a new site. Late
Wednesday, the
coalition mailed 60-day notices of intent to sue for violation of the Clean Air Act to the GE subsidiary
building the
$1-billion plant and to the South Coast Air Quality Management District, which in August issued a
permit for the
plant. But the group's attorney, Marc Joseph of Adams, Broadwell, Joseph &Cardozo in South San
Francisco,
said it would prefer not to sue and just wants the project changed.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: A power plant touted by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and General Electric for its ability to
reduce air
pollution will actually spew nearly three times more unhealthful particulate matter into the air than
older facilities,
a coalition of environmental and labor groups said Wednesday. The plant, under construction in the
impoverished, largely Latino Riverside County community of Romoland, will sit 1,000 feet from an
elementary
school, in a region that already suffers from the highest soot levels in the state. "Any power plant
built so near
schools and families must follow clean air laws and not make our air quality any worse," said Roland
Skumawitz, superintendent of the Romoland School District. He said he recognized the need for
power in the
fast-growing Inland Empire, but preferred that GE and another company that has applied to build a
second plant
nearby help pay to move the school to a new site. "This whole area is being targeted for these kinds
of
facilities," said Penny Newman, executive director of the Center for Community Action and
Environmental
Justice in Riverside. She said GE's application to the regional air district showed that while the new,
so-called
H-style turbine plant might reduce greenhouse gas- causing emissions slightly, it would nearly triple
particulate
emissions. "You can't trash a local community just because you may save a little somewhere else,"
she said.
Riverside County already suffers from some of the state's highest levels of particulate pollution,
which studies
have found can cause or worsen lung disease, childhood asthma and other illnesses. Late Wednesday,
the
coalition mailed 60-day notices of intent to sue for violation of the Clean Air Act to the GE subsidiary
building the
$1-billion plant and to the South Coast Air Quality Management District, which in August issued a
permit for the
plant. But the group's attorney, Marc Joseph of Adams, Broadwell, Joseph &Cardozo in South San
Francisco,
said it would prefer not to sue and just wants the project changed. "We would be very happy if GE's
claim that
this is a power plant that's good for the environment were true, but at the moment, it's not. What we
are seeking
is for GE to live up to its advertising.... The technology exists to have power plants which don't
increase
downwind pollution illegally." Spokesmen for both General Electric and the air district said they had
not received
the complaint and could not comment. GE Energy spokesman Dennis Murphy said the Romoland
facility was
the first of its kind in North America, and the second globally after a similar plant in Wales. He said it
was a
demonstration plant to show that greenhouse gas emissions could be cut by increasing the efficiency
of natural
gas used. "We're very optimistic about the future of the technology," he said. "The project is designed
to be
more environmentally compatible." Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Environmental impact; Litigation; Elementary schools; Electric power plants; Air pollution;
Area
planning & development -- Riverside County California
Location: Riverside County California
Company / organization: Name: General Electric Co; Ticker: GE; NAICS: 332510, 334290, 334512,
334518;
DUNS: 00-136-7960
17 March 2013 Page 171 of 483 ProQuest
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.9
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2006
Publication date: Feb 23, 2006
Year: 2006
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422142482
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422142482?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2006 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-30
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 83 of 213
Curbs on Dust in the West Targeted; The EPA wants to drop the clean- air rules for rural
areas. An
official with the air quality district for Owens Valley calls it 'outrageous.'
Author: Wilson, Janet
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 18 Jan 2006: B.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Some said the EPA should continue to regulate dust in rural areas. And all panelists said the
EPA
should continue to monitor the level of particles. Under the proposal, the EPA would stop monitoring
in rural
areas. He and others disputed the EPA's contention that health studies have shown inconclusively
that largeparticle
dust from mining or agriculture is dangerous. In some parts of the West, including the Owens Valley,
the
soil contains arsenic, sulfur compounds and toxic metals that can make dust clouds a potential health
hazard.
"Dust is dust. If you're doing agriculture in an area with high natural dust, you can have problems. If
you're doing
spraying of pesticides, and using cyanide in mining, they can be toxic too ... in dust," [John Balbus]
said.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Bush administration officials are moving to strip significant clean-air protections from
broad areas of
California and other Western states, saying that rural areas should no longer have to meet federal
rules for
17 March 2013 Page 172 of 483 ProQuest
windblown clouds of dust, and that mining and farming operations also should be exempt. The
proposed rules
were published in the Federal Register on Tuesday by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
They would
become final later this year after a public comment period. In contrast to rural areas, the proposal
would
toughen rules on so-called coarse particulates in urban areas, including parts of Southern California.
In
Riverside and San Bernardino counties, dust from roads and construction sites has been a major
contributor to
smog. That part of the proposal has not been a subject of major controversy. The pullback in rural
areas, which
drew praise from the mining industry and condemnation from air regulators and environmentalists,
would
particularly affect places such as the Owens Valley, which has the worst dust storms in the nation -- a
product of
Los Angeles' draining of Owens Lake. The head of the regional air pollution control agency there
called the
administration's proposal "outrageous." Although the rule would apply nationwide, its greatest
impact would be
in the Western states because the West has much larger rural areas and because dust is a greater
concern in
arid regions. In a written statement to The Times, EPA spokesman John Millett said the new rule was
based on
"thorough consideration of thousands of studies of the health effects of particulate matter." "The
evidence to
date does not support a national air quality standard that would cover situations where most coarse
particles in
the air come from sources like windblown dust and soils, agricultural sources and mining sources."
Millett said
the EPA's science advisory panel supported the policy. But the advisory commission's report to EPA
Administrator Stephen Johnson showed a difference of opinion among members. Some said the EPA
should
continue to regulate dust in rural areas. And all panelists said the EPA should continue to monitor the
level of
particles. Under the proposal, the EPA would stop monitoring in rural areas. California air pollution
regulators
disputed the EPA position. "They're saying that what's in windblown dust and soil, what's being
emitted from
dirt, basically, is not bad for you. And we just don't know that," said Richard Bode, chief of the Health
and
Exposure Assessment Branch of the California Air Resources Board. State air board officials said they
were
particularly concerned that the change in federal policy could harm air quality in the Owens Valley
and three
other parts of the state: the Salton Sea, where a water diversion program is set to begin that could
create new
air pollution headaches; northern Sacramento County; and the Calexico border region. All four areas
have
levels of dust that sometimes violate current federal rules but would be exempt under the proposal
because
they are rural. Under the plan, the EPA would continue to regulate so-called fine particulate matter -tiny
particles from soot and other sources that can penetrate deep into the lungs. Those particles are
closely tied to
truck traffic and have become a major problem in Southern California. In rural areas, regulation of
coarse
particles would fall to individual states. California is the only state with its own rule. And even in
California, air
regulators said, the absence of federal rules would weaken their ability to force industries to clean
up. "What
EPA has done is unprecedented" by giving exemptions for certain parts of the country and certain
industries,
said William Becker, executive director of an association representing state and local air pollution
control
officials across the United States. Exempting farming and mining "ties the hands of most states," he
said. Ted
Schade, head of the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District, which oversees air quality at
Owens and
Mono lakes, called the EPA proposal "a real slap in the face." Federal regulations have more teeth
than state
rules, carrying the possibility of fines for polluters and a loss of transportation funds for state
governments if
pollution levels are not brought down, Schade and state air regulators said. The administration's
move "would
take away that federal hammer," Schade said. Schade said that it was unfair to eliminate protections
for more
sparsely populated areas, and that federal regulators appeared to be ignoring visitors to four national
parks and
three wilderness areas that are sometimes hit by dust storms that start around Owens Lake. He and
others
disputed the EPA's contention that health studies have shown inconclusively that large-particle dust
from mining
or agriculture is dangerous. In some parts of the West, including the Owens Valley, the soil contains
arsenic,
sulfur compounds and toxic metals that can make dust clouds a potential health hazard. Air
regulators cited
studies in the Coachella Valley and elsewhere that have shown that coarse dust can clog lungs and
cause
asthma, heart disease and other health problems. They said that although fewer studies had been
done in rural
17 March 2013 Page 173 of 483 ProQuest
areas than in urban regions, the lack of data should be a reason to maintain standards and continue
studies, not
eliminate the rules. In August, the California Air Resources Board wrote to the EPA to object to a draft
of the
current proposal. "We do not agree ... that the available evidence is adequate to conclude there are
few, if any,
adverse health effects associated with coarse particles originating in rural areas," the California
regulators
wrote. "Although there are only a few studies to date ... there is sufficient evidence to conclude they
can induce
adverse effects." Both industry and environmental groups have sued the EPA in the past over dust
and soot
rules. Dr. John Balbus, who works for Environmental Defense, a national environmental organization,
said his
group would evaluate its options. "Dust is dust. If you're doing agriculture in an area with high
natural dust, you
can have problems. If you're doing spraying of pesticides, and using cyanide in mining, they can be
toxic too ...
in dust," Balbus said. Luke Popovich, a spokesman for the National Mining Assn., said that the Clinton
and
Bush administrations had endorsed exemptions for the industry because mining emits few coarse
particulates.
"It's such a negligible impact given the overall sources," he said. "We're talking about, largely, clouds
of dust
raised at mining sites deep in the middle of nowhere by haul trucks. These hardly constitute a threat
to public
health. We think the country's got far, far bigger problems to worry about." In addition to the 90-day
public
comment period, the EPA will hold three public hearings on the proposed rules, including one on an
unspecified
date in February in San Francisco. The agency is under court order to complete work on particulate
standards
by Sept. 27. Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Environmental policy; Rural areas; Dust; Air pollution; Environmental protection
Location: United States, US, California, Western states
People: Bush, George W
Company / organization: Name: Environmental Protection Agency; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 05-7944910;
Name: EPA; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 05-794-4910
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2006
Publication date: Jan 18, 2006
Year: 2006
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422084629
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422084629?accounti
d=10362
17 March 2013 Page 174 of 483 ProQuest
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2006 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-30
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 84 of 213
The State; Gov.'s Growth, Clean Air Plans Said to Clash
Author: Jeffrey L. Rabin and Deborah Schoch
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 07 Jan 2006: A.18.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The issue came to a head in mid-December, when environmentalists on a task force set up
to draft the
governor's plans for speeding the movement of goods through California balked at certain port and
highway
expansion projects. They said those projects, which are likely to be included in the governor's
proposed public
works program, lacked adequate protections against increased air pollution from diesel-powered
ships, trucks
and trains. "Southern California has the worst air pollution in the nation, and recent studies
repeatedly have
linked that pollution with illnesses and premature deaths," said Andrea Hricko, a task force member
and
associate professor of preventive medicine at the USC Keck School of Medicine. "Yet the main thrust
of the
[Arnold Schwarzenegger] transportation expansion plan is to build more freeways, larger ports and
more rail
yards. That is not how we protect public health." Hricko said she was shocked at the administration's
draft plan
in mid-December and was further disappointed by the governor's speech. "Preventing disease and
death from
air pollution must be paramount, not a footnote to the Schwarzenegger administration's
transportation
expansion plans," she said.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: In his State of the State speech Thursday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared war on
dirty air. "Air
pollution decreases our productivity and increases our healthcare costs," the governor said. "It is
time to
consider clean air as part of our critical infrastructure." But for weeks, environmentalists had been
warning
administration officials that key aspects of the governor's strategic growth plan could lead to worse
air quality.
The issue came to a head in mid-December, when environmentalists on a task force set up to draft
the
governor's plans for speeding the movement of goods through California balked at certain port and
highway
expansion projects. They said those projects, which are likely to be included in the governor's
proposed public
works program, lacked adequate protections against increased air pollution from diesel-powered
ships, trucks
and trains. "Southern California has the worst air pollution in the nation, and recent studies
repeatedly have
linked that pollution with illnesses and premature deaths," said Andrea Hricko, a task force member
and
associate professor of preventive medicine at the USC Keck School of Medicine. "Yet the main thrust
of the
Schwarzenegger transportation expansion plan is to build more freeways, larger ports and more rail
yards. That
is not how we protect public health." Hricko said she was shocked at the administration's draft plan
in midDecember and was further disappointed by the governor's speech. "Preventing disease and death
from air
pollution must be paramount, not a footnote to the Schwarzenegger administration's transportation
expansion
plans," she said. Environmentalists were angry at a Dec. 20 draft "goods movement plan" that
included such
projects as expansion of the Long Beach Freeway, replacement of the Gerald Desmond and Schuyler
Heim
bridges in Long Beach and construction of a new rail yard in Long Beach. Sunne Wright McPeak,
secretary of
the state's Business, Transportation and Housing Agency and co-chair of the task force, defended the
governor's approach. She said Schwarzenegger was committed to a 50% reduction in air pollution by
2020.
17 March 2013 Page 175 of 483 ProQuest
McPeak said the goods movement plan, to be finished in June, will call for "continuous and
simultaneous
improvement" in environmental quality and infrastructure. Julie Masters, a senior attorney with the
Natural
Resources Defense Council in Los Angeles, gave the governor credit for recognizing in his speech "the
need to
improve air quality and human health." But Masters, also a member of the goods movement task
force, said the
$2 billion the governor proposed to spend to improve air quality statewide is "not nearly enough."
Indeed, a plan
drawn up by former L.A. Mayor James K. Hahn put the cost of reducing pollution associated with just
the Port of
Los Angeles at $11 billion to $14 billion over 20 years. A state Air Resources Board study concluded
last year
that air pollution generated by California's cargo industry would result in 750 premature deaths in
2005 and
generate tens of billions of dollars in related healthcare costs over the next 15 years. "Californians
who live near
ports, rail yards and along high- traffic corridors are subsidizing the goods-movement sector with
their health,"
the study warned. Particulates, primarily from diesel engines, are associated with premature death,
increased
risk of cancer and heart disease, asthma and other respiratory illnesses, according to the report.
Schwarzenegger's proposals for traditional infrastructure come as L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa
and his
harbor commission president are moving in a different direction -- toward alternative fuels and new
technology
such as monorail-type systems fueled by electricity. "Putting in a truck lane doesn't eliminate the air
pollution -at least, the last time I checked, it didn't," said S. David Freeman, president of the Los Angeles Harbor
Commission, on Friday. "We need to be investing in 21st century technology, not 19th or 20th
century
technology." Schwarzenegger and other officials contend that, despite environmentalists' concerns,
air pollution
can be reduced by building projects that speed movement of goods and reduce traffic congestion. On
Friday,
the governor visited El Monte to underscore his support for a key project to speed the movement of
cargo from
the ports. The $950-million Alameda Corridor East project would separate trains from auto traffic
and speed the
movement of rail cargo through the San Gabriel Valley and on to distribution sites in the Inland
Empire.
Although Schwarzenegger did not specifically tout the project's environmental benefits, he did repeat
a
reference from Thursday's address: "It's inexcusable that in the Central Valley, one out of six students
go to
school with breath inhalers" because of air pollution. Its proponents contend that the construction of
the new 35mile- long corridor would eliminate more than 280 tons of air pollutants annually. But
environmentalists fear it
would just allow a greater volume of diesel-spewing trains and trucks, overwhelming any benefits of
the project.
Some environmentalists indicated Friday that the administration had misled them. The task force
process was
"absolutely" a sham, said Penny Newman, a prominent environmental activist in the Inland Empire
who
participated. "I think they brought who they had to bring to that table to bring some legitimacy, while
all the time
knowing where they were going," Newman said. Times staff writer J. Michael Kennedy contributed to
this report.
Credit: Times Staff Writers
Subject: Infrastructure; Diesel engines; Public health; Speeches; Public works; Air pollution;
Transportation
planning
Location: California
People: Schwarzenegger, Arnold, Hricko, Andrea
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.18
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2006
Publication date: Jan 7, 2006
Year: 2006
17 March 2013 Page 176 of 483 ProQuest
Section: Main News; Part A; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422081162
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422081162?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2006 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-30
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 85 of 213
EPA Issues New Plan to Limit Soot; Critics say the revised standard is too weak to properly
protect
the public from health dangers caused by breathing particulates.
Author: Miguel Bustillo and Marla Cone
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 21 Dec 2005: B.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: In a study published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Assn., lab mice
developed
clogged arteries when they breathed amounts of particulates that are commonly found throughout
the Los
Angeles region and other urban areas. Heart disease was particularly severe in mice fed a high-fat
diet, though
all mice that breathed the fine particles developed more plaque in their arteries than those breathing
purified air.
On normal diets, aortas of the exposed mice were 19.2% filled with plaque, compared with 13.2% for
those
breathing the particulate- free air. Among those fed high-fat diets, the exposed mice had arteries that
were
41.5% obstructed by plaque, compared with 26.2% for the mice breathing the filtered air. Eating a
high-fat diet
and breathing particulate pollution in places such as Los Angeles "is a really bad combination," said
Dr. Nino
Kuenzli, a USC associate professor and environmental epidemiologist. Last year Kuenzli reported
similar
findings in people living in the Los Angeles region. Those who lived in areas with the highest
particulate levels
had more constricted arteries.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Federal air quality officials on Tuesday proposed tighter limits on a pollutant especially
prevalent in the
Los Angeles region, but environmentalists and some scientists said the changes would do little to
prevent
thousands of Americans from dying prematurely from breathing the tiny particles of soot. The U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency's proposed new standards for fine particulate matter are
substantially weaker
than what the agency's own staffers and a scientific advisory panel recommended after reviewing
about 2,000
new studies on the pollutant's health effects. Many environmental scientists say there is
overwhelming evidence
17 March 2013 Page 177 of 483 ProQuest
that particulates are making people susceptible to heart disease and triggering deadly heart attacks,
asthma
attacks and strokes in those who already have cardiac or respiratory diseases. On the day the EPA's
proposal
was announced, scientists reported new research offering some of the most compelling evidence yet
that longterm
exposure to particulates at levels that satisfy federal health standards causes heart disease. In a study
published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Assn., lab mice developed clogged arteries
when
they breathed amounts of particulates that are commonly found throughout the Los Angeles region
and other
urban areas. Heart disease was particularly severe in mice fed a high-fat diet, though all mice that
breathed the
fine particles developed more plaque in their arteries than those breathing purified air. The Los
Angeles Basin,
especially the Riverside area, has the worst particulate pollution in the nation, largely due to exhaust
from trucks
and other diesel-powered vehicles. Even coastal areas of the Los Angeles region regularly exceed the
particulate levels that caused heart disease in the mice. The EPA's proposed rules, which would take
effect next
year, target fine particles of 2.5 micrometers -- roughly onethirtieth the diameter of a human hair.
Current
standards adopted in 1997 that limit annual average concentrations to 15 micrograms per cubic
meter of air
would remain intact. But standards limiting daily concentrations would be tightened from 65
micrograms to 35
micrograms. In June, the EPA's Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee recommended stronger fineparticulate
standards than those the agency wound up proposing: a daily limit of 35 to 30 micrograms and an
annual limit
of 14 to 13 micrograms. EPA officials estimated Tuesday that 191 counties around the country would
be in
violation of the new standards, up from 116 that violate existing limits. Nearly all of Southern
California is
already in violation. In Riverside, the pollution reached a daily peak of 93.8 micrograms per cubic
meter of air in
2004 -- almost three times the amount that would be allowed under the new proposal. Under the
new standards,
EPA staff estimated that 1,265 Los Angeles residents would still die prematurely every year from
prolonged
exposure to particle-laden air. Under the current standard, 1,507 would die earlier than normal.
Nevertheless,
EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson said Tuesday that the total body of scientific evidence does
not clearly
support a standard tougher than the one the agency has proposed. "What I need to consider is, is
there a clear
basis, or clear evidence, to make a decision, and this choice requires an interpretation of the
evidence,"
Johnson said. Environmental and public health organizations, which had sued the EPA to force a
revision of
fine-particle rules based on updated science as required by law, immediately condemned the
agency's new
rules, calling them far too weak and an early Christmas present to polluting industries. "This may be
the most
important decision that the Bush administration makes on air pollution, but the White House has
chosen to
disregard its own science advisors under pressure from the electric-power industry and other special
interests,"
said Emily Figdor of the U.S. Public Interest Research Group. Industry organizations opposed the
change,
contending that they already have made substantial cuts in particulate emissions from industrial
plants and
vehicles. "New particulate matter standards may be premature in that EPA and the states are just
now
implementing the revisions from 1997," the Electric Reliability Coordinating Council, a group
representing coalfired
power plants, said in a statement. "It is hard to see the justification for ratcheting the national
particulate
matter standard lower at this point." Counties are supposed to clean up particle pollution by 2015 or
face federal
penalties, including possibly losing transportation money. "It will be a significant challenge in
Southern California
... but we should not allow difficulty to set the bar," said Barry Wallerstein, executive officer of the
South Coast
Air Quality Management District, the region's main air pollution regulator. "We should set the bar
wherever it
needs to be to protect public health." Though the Los Angeles region has made great progress in
reducing
some types of air pollution -- most notably ozone, the main ingredient of smog -- improvement has
been slower
with particulates. That is due in large part to the steady growth of cargo shipments in the region,
particularly at
the twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, and the diesel exhaust emitted by ships, loading
machinery, and
truck and rail traffic in and around the ports. Experts have estimated that particulate pollution may
cause
thousands of deaths per year in the United States from heart attacks, strokes, asthma attacks and
other
respiratory diseases. Dozens of studies around the world have documented increased hospitalization
and death
17 March 2013 Page 178 of 483 ProQuest
rates among people with heart and lung diseases on days when particulate levels rose. The research
released
Tuesday suggests that long-term, chronic exposure can be dangerous too, with years of exposure
making
people susceptible to developing cardiovascular disease. The scientists, from the New York
University School
of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine and University of Michigan, said they found a clear cause
and
effect between breathing particulates and atherosclerosis, the hardening and clogging of blood
vessels. Longterm
exposure to the microscopic bits of soot and smoke spewed by vehicles and industries causes
immune
cells to build up and inflame vital arteries, they reported. For six months, mice that were bred to be
susceptible
to developing cardiovascular disease breathed air containing 15 micrograms of fine particles per
cubic meter,
the same as the federal standard. Last year, most of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San
Bernardino
counties averaged 16 to 22 micrograms. Overall, the mice that breathed the polluted air fared worse
in an array
of cardiovascular tests than those that breathed filtered, particulate-free air. But mice that were fed a
high-fat
diet showed even more dramatic effects. On normal diets, aortas of the exposed mice were 19.2%
filled with
plaque, compared with 13.2% for those breathing the particulate- free air. Among those fed high-fat
diets, the
exposed mice had arteries that were 41.5% obstructed by plaque, compared with 26.2% for the mice
breathing
the filtered air. Eating a high-fat diet and breathing particulate pollution in places such as Los Angeles
"is a
really bad combination," said Dr. Nino Kuenzli, a USC associate professor and environmental
epidemiologist.
Last year Kuenzli reported similar findings in people living in the Los Angeles region. Those who
lived in areas
with the highest particulate levels had more constricted arteries. The mouse study is "very important
because it
confirms that the type of air pollution we inhale on an everyday basis has definite effects and it
occurs at levels
we accept as a given," Kuenzli said. "It is very clear that we do not have standards yet that would
protect
everyone's health," he added. "That is the opinion probably of the vast majority of scientists." Credit:
Times Staff
Writers
Subject: Air pollution; Environmental regulations; Airborne particulates; Health hazards
Location: United States, US, Los Angeles California
Company / organization: Name: Environmental Protection Agency; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 05-7944910;
Name: EPA; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 05-794-4910
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2005
Publication date: Dec 21, 2005
Year: 2005
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
17 March 2013 Page 179 of 483 ProQuest
ProQuest document ID: 422041905
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422041905?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2005 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-31
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 86 of 213
Study Links Diesel Fumes to Illnesses; State air board focuses on the cargo industry -concentrated
around major seaports -- and proposes spending billions to cut emissions.
Author: Schoch, Deborah
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 03 Dec 2005: B.3.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The report is the first of its kind to document and assess the illnesses linked to freight
movement in
California. It also proposes a wide-ranging $3-billion to $6-billion pollution-reduction plan through
2020,
including requiring diesel-electric hybrid engines and cleaner-burning fuels. New policies would also
be needed
to halt emissions growth. It blames 2005 cargo-related pollution for a list of health problems this
year: 290
hospital admissions, 18,000 asthma attacks, 160,000 lost days of work, 1.1 million days of restricted
activities
and 350,000 school absences. Ship pollution is largely unregulated, and nitrous oxides alone are
expected to
grow over the next 15 years to 223 tons of daily emissions, the report states. By comparison, trucks
produced
129 tons of nitrous oxides each day in the state in 2001, and railroad locomotives produced 77 tons.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Air pollutants generated by California's cargo industry will result in about 750 premature
deaths this
year and tens of billions of dollars in related healthcare costs over the next 15 years, a new study
concludes.
Diesel-burning ships, trains and trucks tied to the state's explosive international trade industry,
concentrated
mostly around major seaports such as the Los Angeles-Long Beach complex, are largely responsible
for the
pollution problem, according to the study by the state Air Resources Board staff. Healthcare costs this
year
alone linked to transportation emissions are estimated at $6.3 billion and could total $70 billion by
2020.
"Californians who live near ports, rail yards and along high- traffic corridors are subsidizing the
goodsmovement
sector with their health," the study warns. The report is the first of its kind to document and assess
the illnesses linked to freight movement in California. It also proposes a wide-ranging $3-billion to
$6-billion
pollution-reduction plan through 2020, including requiring diesel-electric hybrid engines and
cleaner-burning
fuels. New policies would also be needed to halt emissions growth. The study sets four specific goals:
* Reduce
cargo-related pollution levels to 2001 levels by 2010. * Continue to roll back pollution levels so they
meet state
standards. * Slash diesel-related health risks 85% by 2020. * Ensure that adequate pollution cuts
occur in
specific communities affected by pollution. The study is part of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's
campaign to
boost the state's cargo industry by rebuilding aging roads and other infrastructure. Schwarzenegger
has said his
proposed public works program could be financed with a $50-billion bond sale. Local business
leaders have
expressed concern that the pollution problem could stymie growth in a region increasingly
dependent on
international trade, primarily from China and other Asian countries. Wally Baker, a senior vice
president at the
Los Angeles Economic Development Corp., said companies that ship goods should help find a
solution.
17 March 2013 Page 180 of 483 ProQuest
"Retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers have to believe that solving this problem is their
responsibility,"
Baker said. "They can demand that their vendors get in a room and figure this out. They haven't, and
that's
wrong." Industry and environmental representatives had mixed reactions to the report, with some
wondering
how the state could achieve the pollution curbs needed to protect human health. Particulate matter,
primarily
from diesel engines, and pollutants that form ozone in the atmosphere are key pollutants associated
with
premature death, cancer risk, increased risk of heart disease, and asthma and other respiratory
illnesses,
according to the report. It blames 2005 cargo-related pollution for a list of health problems this year:
290
hospital admissions, 18,000 asthma attacks, 160,000 lost days of work, 1.1 million days of restricted
activities
and 350,000 school absences. The rate of premature deaths is expected to rise to 920 a year in 2025
unless
pollution is reduced, the report warns. The air board staff estimates that about 9,000 people die
prematurely in
the state each year from exposure to particulate matter and ozone. The study's findings are based on
medical
records as well as computer predictions of growth in pollution and population, said air board
spokesman Jerry
Martin. The pollution is most pronounced near the state's major ports and along rail lines and
freeways leading
inland. "The further away you are from the sources, the less impact," Martin said. As in earlier
reports, the new
study found that the worst polluters are the oceangoing ships that, in 2001, produced eight tons of
particulate
matter and 94 tons of nitrous oxide statewide each day. Ship pollution is largely unregulated, and
nitrous oxides
alone are expected to grow over the next 15 years to 223 tons of daily emissions, the report states. By
comparison, trucks produced 129 tons of nitrous oxides each day in the state in 2001, and railroad
locomotives
produced 77 tons. In the last two years, the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach and Oakland have
launched
programs to reduce air pollution. New federal, state and regional efforts are expected to result in
cleaner truck
and rail operations. But industry and government experts have cautioned against a piecemeal
approach to
California's pollution problems, warning that tangled regulations and conflicting standards could
discourage
companies from investing in cleaner engines and other technology. A spokesman for the Pacific
Merchant
Shipping Assn., which represents West Coast shippers, terminal operators and other maritime
interests, said
Friday that the group recognizes the importance of improving air quality. "This is our No. 1 priority
right now, to
figure out how to do that effectively and as quickly as practical," said Tupper Hull. But he also
expressed
concern about how the state board staff tallied air pollution levels in the study, saying it used a 2001
baseline
that did not take into account some major industry measures to clean the air. Public hearings on the
proposed
steps to reduce pollution will be held throughout California in early 2006. Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Fatalities; Studies; Shipping industry; Cargos; Ports; Diesel fuels; Air pollution; Illnesses
Location: California, Los Angeles California, Long Beach California
Company / organization: Name: Port of Los Angeles; NAICS: 488310; Name: Port of Long BeachCalifornia;
NAICS: 488310
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.3
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2005
Publication date: Dec 3, 2005
Year: 2005
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
17 March 2013 Page 181 of 483 ProQuest
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422041660
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422041660?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2005 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-31
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 87 of 213
State Seeking Ways to Speed Cargo; Officials in Sacramento are working on a plan to move
products
more swiftly through the state while also addressing pollution concerns.
Author: Schoch, Deborah
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 31 Oct 2005: B.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The [Arnold Schwarzenegger] administration is briskly completing an ambitious but
controversial plan
to boost cargo shipments throughout California while curbing toxic air pollution from ships, trucks
and trains. A
related air board report released in early October found that diesel fumes generated within the
boundaries of the
ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are elevating the risk of cancer as far as 15 miles inland. The
study did
not account for pollution from trains and trucks outside the ports. Diesel fumes, which are
carcinogenic, have
also been linked to lung ailments such as asthma and to heart disease. They point to the infamous
cargo jam in
fall 2004 at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the nation's two largest container ports. A
confluence of
problems such as labor and rail car shortages caused dozens of ships to wait in line offshore, a
financial fiasco
that stirred concern in China and other Asian countries.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: The Schwarzenegger administration is briskly completing an ambitious but controversial
plan to boost
cargo shipments throughout California while curbing toxic air pollution from ships, trucks and trains.
The plan
could affect the number of trucks on Los Angeles and Bay Area freeways, the growth of cargo-related
jobs in
the Inland Empire and Central Valley, and the amount of air pollution along freeway and rail
corridors statewide.
State officials hope to finish the plan in December so it can be included in Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger's State
of the State address in January. It may also be a topic during his trade mission to China in midNovember.
Business and community interests are divided on the project, with many shippers applauding it as a
sorely
needed blueprint to increase trade and ease traffic congestion. Critics, however, say the
administration is
ramrodding the plan through without sufficient study of how air pollution currently affects residents
near the
state's freeways, ports and rail lines. The debate underscores California's growing stature as the
largest U.S.
17 March 2013 Page 182 of 483 ProQuest
entryway for Asian imports arriving by ship and transported across the country by trains and trucks.
The plan
will establish how California's transportation network can be expanded and improved to speed cargo
movement
and prevent bottlenecks. It will also outline financing strategies and ways to rein in air pollution. In a
letter
Friday, the executives of the state's two leading smog-fighting agencies and several environmental
groups
appealed to state officials to roll back the December deadline so that health concerns could be
studied more
thoroughly. The back-and-forth is expected to continue this week in a series of public meetings today
through
Friday in Sacramento. In coming weeks, officials will review $47.3 billion in potential construction
projects -including highways, bridges and rail yards -- and choose those they believe are most needed to ease
traffic
congestion and ensure the smooth flow of cargo. The list will pinpoint "the things that are really
important to do,
that we need to do, sooner rather than later," said Barry Sedlick, undersecretary at the state
Business,
Transportation and Housing Agency, which is charged with crafting the plan in tandem with the state
Air
Resources Board. "This plan is overdue," said T.L. Garrett, vice president of the Pacific Merchant
Shipping
Assn., adding that anyone who drives Los Angeles freeways "realizes we've neglected our
infrastructure far too
long." But in the Friday letter, critics assert that planners are moving too quickly. "We need a clear
response that
expansion of the goods movement system will be linked to implementation of a comprehensive
mitigation plan
to fully address community, environmental and health impacts," states the letter, co-signed by Barry
Wallerstein,
executive officer of the South Coast Air Quality Management District, and Jack Broadbent, executive
officer of
the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, along with leaders of several environmental groups.
The letter
contends that working groups reviewing the plan are heavily stacked in favor of industry, and that
public health
scientists and community groups should be represented. At a meeting Saturday in Los Angeles,
Melissa Lin
Perella, a staff attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council, urged the state to make public a
longawaited
assessment of how cargo transport currently affects public health in the Los Angeles area. The
council
and other clean-air organizations have asserted that the Schwarzenegger administration has
withheld that
assessment for months Mike Scheible, deputy executive director of the state air board, said Saturday
that the
agency's staff would produce "at least a draft" of a comprehensive health assessment by the end of
November
and hoped to follow in mid-December with a draft plan for reducing air pollution. Critics say that is
too late for
meaningful review. A related air board report released in early October found that diesel fumes
generated within
the boundaries of the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are elevating the risk of cancer as far as
15 miles
inland. The study did not account for pollution from trains and trucks outside the ports. Diesel fumes,
which are
carcinogenic, have also been linked to lung ailments such as asthma and to heart disease. State
officials say
their goods movement plan will include ways to reduce emissions to 2001 levels by 2010 and to then
impose
further cuts. The so-called goods movement industry supports one of every seven California jobs and
contributes more than $200 billion annually to the state economy, says the first part of the plan,
released in
September by the state Business, Transportation and Housing Agency and the state Environmental
Protection
Agency. The boom in imports from Asia is expected to continue, with shipments of cargo containers
projected to
double by 2015 and perhaps even triple by 2025, the report states. Business leaders say highway
expansion
and other projects are sorely needed to maintain California's role as a juggernaut of global trade.
They point to
the infamous cargo jam in fall 2004 at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the nation's two
largest
container ports. A confluence of problems such as labor and rail car shortages caused dozens of ships
to wait in
line offshore, a financial fiasco that stirred concern in China and other Asian countries. The new plan
could help
California obtain more federal transportation funds because it would identify the most important
projects for
cargo movement, rather than having a barrage of interests fend for themselves, some officials said.
"We need
to speak with one voice," said Arthur B. Goodwin, planning director at the Alameda Corridor
Transportation
Agency. He said that in Washington, "They don't understand what 'No. 1' is, because they hear about
'No. 1s'
from everybody." The cargo boom has been blamed for increased levels of diesel particulate matter
and
nitrogen oxides, which recent health studies have linked to health problems such as stunted lung
growth in
17 March 2013 Page 183 of 483 ProQuest
children in highly polluted areas of Southern California. Those studies have caused concern among
residents
near the Los Angeles-Long Beach port complex and along truck corridors and rail yards as far east as
San
Bernardino County. Similar concerns have surfaced in neighborhoods near the Port of Oakland, the
state's
third-largest seaport. Public meetings on the plan will begin at 9 a.m. today and continue all week at
Cal-EPA
headquarters in Sacramento. More information and webcasts are available at the air board website,
www.arb.ca.gov. Other meetings on the plan are set for 10 a.m. Saturday at the Faulkner Gallery in
Santa
Barbara and 10 a.m. Nov. 12 at Central Park Senior Citizen Center in Rancho Cucamonga. More
discussion is
expected Friday when the board of the South Coast Air Quality Management District holds a special
meeting in
Long Beach to report on the scope of port-related air pollution, discuss potential solutions and hear
from the
public. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. at Long Beach City Hall. Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Traffic congestion; Trucking; Railroads; Ships; Cargos; Air pollution; Shipping industry;
Transportation
planning
Location: California
People: Schwarzenegger, Arnold
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2005
Publication date: Oct 31, 2005
Year: 2005
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422033825
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422033825?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2005 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-31
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 88 of 213
17 March 2013 Page 184 of 483 ProQuest
Diesel Fumes From Ports Raising Cancer Risk in Region, Study Says; Pollution from L.A. and
Long
Beach harbors is cited in findings released by Air Resources Board.
Author: Schoch, Deborah
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 05 Oct 2005: B.3.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: "What we are saying is that on top of that, 100 [in the study area] are going to have cancer
for no
other reason than the diesel pollution from the ports," [Jerry Martin] said. He said lung cancer is the
primary risk
from diesel fumes. Lung cancer is usually fatal. "Diesel PM emissions from the ports result in elevated
cancer
risk levels over the entire 20-mile by 20-mile study area," the study states. It determined that the
Port of Los
Angeles emitted 965 tons of diesel particulate matter in 2002, while the Port of Long Beach emitted
795 tons.
The health effects of diesel fumes from the two ports extend beyond cancer, the report states. It
estimates that
such pollution each year causes 29 premature deaths of people aged 30 and older, 750 asthma
attacks, 6,600
lost workdays and 35,000 days of minor restricted activity.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: 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, a new study shows. It is the first state study that shows
that air
pollution from the ports is increasing cancer risk in the Los Angeles Basin, said Jerry Martin,
spokesman for the
California Air Resources Board, which released a draft of the study Tuesday. 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. Two million people live within the study area, which includes
southern Los
Angeles County and western Orange County. Studies show that one in four Californians will get some
form of
cancer from all causes, including diet, lifestyle and environmental causes, amounting to a cancer risk
of 250,000
in a million, regulators say. "What we are saying is that on top of that, 100 [in the study area] are
going to have
cancer for no other reason than the diesel pollution from the ports," Martin said. He said lung cancer
is the
primary risk from diesel fumes. Lung cancer is usually fatal. The 53,000 people who live nearest the
two
seaports face a risk exceeding 500 in a million from port pollution alone, according to the study.
Under state
law, fixed facilities such as refineries and dry cleaners must post warnings if the potential cancer risk
exceeds
10 additional cases of cancer per million people. In the Los Angeles area, polluters must prepare
detailed plans
and slash emissions if the risk exceeds 25 cases per million. The sources of much of the diesel
exhaust,
however, are not covered by those rules because ships, trains, trucks and cargo equipment are
considered
"mobile sources" that are regulated less stringently. That distinction has handcuffed local and state
regulators
who are attempting to reduce port pollution. Air experts call the latest study the most thorough to
date of the
potential health problems caused by pollution at the adjacent seaports, the two largest in the nation.
Earlier
research had found that diesel fumes accounted for 71% of the cancer risk associated with air
pollution in the
Los Angeles region. Other reports have looked at cancer risk from a variety of sources. But the state
study is
the first comprehensive look at the cancer risk of diesel fumes generated within the ports. The fumes
are
especially harmful to children and the elderly. "I'm not aware of any other assessment on emissions
and risks
from the ports that have been done in so much detail," said Jean Ospital, health effects officer at the
South
Coast Air Quality Management District, which regulates air quality in the Los Angeles Basin. One
surprise in the
study is that pollution from within the two ports extends so far inland, Ospital said. The new study
pays close
attention to the particulate matter in diesel emissions, made up of soot as well as particles that can
form from
nitrogen oxides released from diesel engines. Such particles can exacerbate lung and cardiovascular
disease
and have been linked to an increased risk of lung cancer. "Diesel PM emissions from the ports result
in elevated
cancer risk levels over the entire 20-mile by 20-mile study area," the study states. It determined that
the Port of
17 March 2013 Page 185 of 483 ProQuest
Los Angeles emitted 965 tons of diesel particulate matter in 2002, while the Port of Long Beach
emitted 795
tons. The health effects of diesel fumes from the two ports extend beyond cancer, the report states. It
estimates
that such pollution each year causes 29 premature deaths of people aged 30 and older, 750 asthma
attacks,
6,600 lost workdays and 35,000 days of minor restricted activity. Some activists say the study
seriously
underestimates the medical impact of port-related emissions because it fails to consider truck and
train activity
that extends beyond the ports' boundaries. The study does not include such emission sources as the
truckclogged
710 Freeway and the sprawling rail yards of Los Angeles and Commerce. Air Resources Board staff
members Tuesday said several upcoming health assessments would look at other pollution sources
outside the
ports. The study released Tuesday focused on pollution produced within the ports because the board
will be
reviewing proposed rules dealing with ships and cargo equipment in coming months. Both ports
have launched
programs to reduce emissions. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has named an all-new Board
of Harbor
Commissioners and vowed to make port air pollution a top priority. The board is expected to set
guidelines for
curbing emissions at a meeting next Wednesday. Many harbor-area residents are expected to protest
a
proposed Port of L.A. rail yard at a Thursday night meeting at Silverado Park in Long Beach, and
activists
throughout the region are challenging a proposed memorandum of understanding between the state
board and
two major railroads. It would require the railroads to conduct their own health-risk assessments for
individual rail
yards and advance the deadline for using low-sulfur diesel fuel. Community groups say the proposed
pact is too
weak. The two ports are expected to triple their activities by 2020, which could increase diesel
emissions by
60% without stepped-up pollution controls, the study states. Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Studies; Public health; Air pollution; Diesel engines; Cancer; Ports
Location: Los Angeles California, Long Beach California
Company / organization: Name: Port of Los Angeles; NAICS: 488310; Name: Port of Long BeachCalifornia;
NAICS: 488310
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.3
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2005
Publication date: Oct 5, 2005
Year: 2005
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422024445
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422024445?accounti
d=10362
17 March 2013 Page 186 of 483 ProQuest
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2005 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-31
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 89 of 213
THE STATE; L.A. Could Use Breath of Fresh Air
Author: Schoch, Deborah
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 01 Oct 2005: A.21.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Wildfires produce smoke thick with tiny particles and potentially toxic gases that can
aggravate
breathing problems, [Ed Avol] said. The fire itself produces particles much like the particulate matter
emitted by
car engines, Avol said. The particles irritate the throat and lungs and cause other problems. Those at
greatest
risk include people with heart or lung diseases such as asthma, emphysema and chronic lung
problems,
cautioned officials at the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. The elderly are also
sensitive to
smoke, so relatives and friends should check with them to ensure they are not having problems.
CORRECTION: SEE CORRECTION APPENDED; Air quality -- An article in Saturday's Section A about
smoke
from wildfires said that air samples collected Thursday near the Rocketdyne facility west of
Chatsworth showed
unusually high levels of contaminants. In fact, the samples did not show unusually high levels of
contaminants.
In addition, Dr. Jonathan Fielding, the Los Angeles County health officer and director of public health,
was
misidentified as the county health director. Wildfires produce smoke thick with tiny particles and
potentially toxic
gases that can aggravate breathing problems, [Ed Avol] said. The fire itself produces particles much
like the
particulate matter emitted by car engines, Avol said. The particles irritate the throat and lungs and
cause other
problems. Smog officials issued an advisory Friday morning, warning that smoke from the wildfires
was harming
air quality in a wide swath across the Los Angeles Basin, from the San Fernando Valley east to the
western San
Bernardino Valley.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: CORRECTION: SEE CORRECTION APPENDED; Air quality -- An article in Saturday's Section
A
about smoke from wildfires said that air samples collected Thursday near the Rocketdyne facility
west of
Chatsworth showed unusually high levels of contaminants. In fact, the samples did not show
unusually high
levels of contaminants. In addition, Dr. Jonathan Fielding, the Los Angeles County health officer and
director of
public health, was misidentified as the county health director. Wildfires spewed smoke across much
of the Los
Angeles Basin on Friday, and air experts warned residents to limit activities, stay indoors and keep
the air
conditioning running. People with health problems such as heart and lung disease were most at risk,
but
officials cautioned that no one in smoky areas should exercise vigorously outdoors. "You don't want
to be
running a track meet," said air pollution expert Ed Avol, professor of preventive medicine at the USC
Keck
School of Medicine. Schools in the San Fernando Valley suspended outdoor athletic activities through
Monday,
and the Los Angeles Unified School District advised all schools in areas affected by smoke to restrict
student
outdoor activity. "Kids' lungs are still growing," said county health director Dr. Jonathan Fielding,
"and you don't
want them breathing anything more than they already are -- which is Los Angeles air." Health
officials urged
adults and children with asthma to keep their inhalers and medication with them, because smoke can
trigger an
asthma attack. The elderly also were advised to take precautions. Propelled by ocean winds, the
smoky air
should start moving east and dissipate over the weekend, a National Weather Service spokesman
said.
17 March 2013 Page 187 of 483 ProQuest
Wildfires produce smoke thick with tiny particles and potentially toxic gases that can aggravate
breathing
problems, Avol said. The fire itself produces particles much like the particulate matter emitted by car
engines,
Avol said. The particles irritate the throat and lungs and cause other problems. Larger pieces of soot
and ash
can also be an irritant: "They don't get very far into your airways, but they can get into your nose and
eyes and
clog up things. They're a nuisance," Avol said. In general, residents in smoky areas should stay
indoors, keep
windows and doors closed, use air conditioning and place the system on "recirculation mode" to
avoid sucking
smoke into homes, officials with the South Coast Air Quality Management District said. Those at
greatest risk
include people with heart or lung diseases such as asthma, emphysema and chronic lung problems,
cautioned
officials at the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. The elderly are also sensitive to
smoke, so
relatives and friends should check with them to ensure they are not having problems. Smog officials
issued an
advisory Friday morning, warning that smoke from the wildfires was harming air quality in a wide
swath across
the Los Angeles Basin, from the San Fernando Valley east to the western San Bernardino Valley.
Smoky
conditions could last for days, and weather conditions will dictate how swiftly the smoke dissipates,
said AQMD
spokesman Sam Atwood. The AQMD reported Friday afternoon that air in the San Fernando Valley is
expected
to remain unhealthful today. In other areas, sensitive people should avoid extensive activity outdoors
today,
AQMD officials said. Those areas include downtown and central Los Angeles; the Westside, Malibu
and
Topanga areas; the west San Gabriel Valley; and the Santa Clarita Valley. Air samples collected
Thursday near
the Rocketdyne facility west of Chatsworth did show unusually high levels of contaminants, but air
officials said
Friday that they will continue tests to ensure that hazardous materials weren't released when flames
reached
the facility. References Message No: 53167 Illustration Caption: PHOTO: BREATHING EASIER: Deputy
Mike
Thibodeaux wears a mask while talking to a motorist in Calabasas.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Al Seib Los
Angeles
Times Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Forest & brush fires; Air pollution; Public health
Location: Los Angeles California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.21
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2005
Publication date: Oct 1, 2005
Year: 2005
Section: Main News; Part A; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422039905
17 March 2013 Page 188 of 483 ProQuest
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422039905?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2005 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-31
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 90 of 213
New Harbor Panel Aims to Cut Pollution While Expanding Port
Author: Schoch, Deborah
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 29 Sep 2005: B.6.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Commissioners are grappling with a Pandora's box left by former Mayor James K. Hahn: a
report
concluding that 2,200 premature deaths from port-related air pollution could be avoided by 2025
through
technological fixes and other measures to reduce pollution. In the last decade, emissions have
transformed the
Los Angeles- Long Beach port complex into the single largest air polluter in the Los Angeles Basin.
People who
live near the ports and related transportation corridors -- especially the Long Beach Freeway and rail
hubs in the
Inland Empire -- have grown increasingly angry about pollution, which many blame for cancer,
asthma and
other illnesses in their neighborhoods. Recent scientific studies have found evidence that pollution
near
freeways may be linked to higher levels of asthma and stunted lung growth in children. Some
shippers, skittish
about a possible repeat of a major 2004 cargo logjam, have rerouted freight to Seattle and other
ports. Others
warn that they are increasingly troubled by recent turnover among port senior staff and by the
prospect that
environmental concerns have trumped the port's commitment to cargo growth. That situation alarms
business
leaders who call the port an integral economic engine for the region.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Los Angeles harbor commissioners zeroed in Wednesday on what promises to be one of the
toughest
challenges facing Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa: how to expand the nation's largest seaport while
slashing air
pollution that threatens the health of residents who live near the port. The panel's new president, S.
David
Freeman, sternly told port managers to accelerate efforts to pinpoint new ways to cut emissions from
ships,
trains and trucks serving the port. "Start acting like our lives are depending on it, because our lives
do depend
on it," he said. Commissioners are grappling with a Pandora's box left by former Mayor James K.
Hahn: a report
concluding that 2,200 premature deaths from port-related air pollution could be avoided by 2025
through
technological fixes and other measures to reduce pollution. But those improvements could cost more
than $11
billion, and shippers fear that they would bear much of the cost. Hahn, who set up a task force to craft
the
report, left office before acting on its recommendations. The new commission asked the port staff at
its first
meeting Sept. 14 to report back Wednesday night on which measures in the Hahn plan could be put
in place
now. In response, port environmental director Ralph Appy promised that the staff would start
looking at all new
technology -- including fuel cells on ships and biofuel-powered trucks -- to achieve dramatic
emissions
reductions. The port also may be able to speed up current plans with more conventional technology,
such as
using cooler-burning dock tractors and powering ships with electricity while at shore, Appy said. The
port could
increase its spending from $17.3 million to $23 million this year and budget an additional $53.4
million for next
year to move those plans forward, he said. This was only the second meeting of the five
commissioners picked
17 March 2013 Page 189 of 483 ProQuest
by the new mayor and headed by Freeman, a former general manager of the city Department of
Water and
Power. In the last decade, emissions have transformed the Los Angeles- Long Beach port complex
into the
single largest air polluter in the Los Angeles Basin. People who live near the ports and related
transportation
corridors -- especially the Long Beach Freeway and rail hubs in the Inland Empire -- have grown
increasingly
angry about pollution, which many blame for cancer, asthma and other illnesses in their
neighborhoods. Recent
scientific studies have found evidence that pollution near freeways may be linked to higher levels of
asthma and
stunted lung growth in children. Some shippers, skittish about a possible repeat of a major 2004
cargo logjam,
have rerouted freight to Seattle and other ports. Others warn that they are increasingly troubled by
recent
turnover among port senior staff and by the prospect that environmental concerns have trumped the
port's
commitment to cargo growth. That situation alarms business leaders who call the port an integral
economic
engine for the region. Freeman has promised a "green-green" agenda for the port, reducing
pollutants and
simultaneously promoting new business. Hahn charged a 28-member task force with crafting a
blueprint to
make good on his 2001 promise to hold the line on port pollution. That plan, completed in June, is
designed to
reduce emissions to 2001 levels. But with the boom in Asian imports, port emissions have soared
60% since
2001, a point that Freeman has raised repeatedly as commission president. He said the city should
insist on
further rollbacks.. A detailed study prepared by the state Air Resources Board to determine the
public health
benefits of reducing Port of Los Angeles pollution to 2001 levels found that in the next 20 years the
proposed
"no net increase" plan would curb particulate matter pollution enough to prevent 2,200 premature
deaths.
Particulate matter from diesel fumes is a carcinogen and has been tied to exacerbating respiratory
illnesses.
Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Expansion; Ports; Emissions control; Air pollution
Location: Los Angeles California
Company / organization: Name: Harbor Commission-Los Angeles CA; NAICS: 926120; Name: Port of
Los
Angeles; NAICS: 488310
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.6
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2005
Publication date: Sep 29, 2005
Year: 2005
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422003659
17 March 2013 Page 190 of 483 ProQuest
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422003659?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2005 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-31
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 91 of 213
Study Links Freeways to Asthma Risk; USC research adds to evidence that air pollution can
cause
respiratory problems.
Author: Schoch, Deborah
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 21 Sep 2005: B.3.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The closer that children live to Southern California freeways, the greater their risk of being
diagnosed
with asthma, USC researchers have found in a study that bolsters growing evidence that air pollution
can cause
asthma. Earlier studies have demonstrated a relationship between children's asthma and traffic
exposure, but
results have not been consistent as to whether air pollution causes asthma, according to the article
by a team of
seven researchers at the USC Keck School of Medicine. Researchers also found that air pollution from
freeways influenced nitrogen dioxide levels more strongly than pollution from smaller roads. [James
Gauderman] said that the current findings do not allow researchers to determine at what distance
from a
freeway children can avoid an increased asthma risk.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: The closer that children live to Southern California freeways, the greater their risk of being
diagnosed
with asthma, USC researchers have found in a study that bolsters growing evidence that air pollution
can cause
asthma. Children who lived a quarter mile from a freeway, for example, had an 89% higher risk of
asthma than
children living about a mile from a freeway, according to the new research. Even in areas such as
Santa Maria,
with generally good air quality, the researchers found that the risk of asthma increased for children
who lived
near freeways. Separately, a different team of University of Southern California researchers has
concluded that
the chronic health effects of smog among adults are two to three times greater than earlier research
showed.
The team pinpointed a link between the tiny particles contained in air pollution and increased deaths
from heart
disease. Articles on the two studies, conducted in Southern California, appear in the November issue
of the
journal Epidemiology. USC released the findings Tuesday. The freeway article is part of an ongoing
landmark
study of how air pollution affects children's respiratory health. That study, which began in 1993,
produced
findings last fall that showed smog can permanently stunt lung growth in children and lead to
lifelong health
problems. Dr. Elisa Nicholas, project director for the Long Beach Alliance for Children with Asthma,
called the
freeway study significant. "There's increasing evidence demonstrating a link between air pollution
and the
development of asthma," Nicholas said Tuesday. "The more evidence we have, the more political will
there will
be to clean up emissions from the freeways." Earlier studies have demonstrated a relationship
between
children's asthma and traffic exposure, but results have not been consistent as to whether air
pollution causes
asthma, according to the article by a team of seven researchers at the USC Keck School of Medicine.
Nor has
research been conducted in Southern California, said lead author James Gauderman, a USC associate
professor of preventive medicine. So researchers tracked 208 children living in 10 cities in the
region, including
17 March 2013 Page 191 of 483 ProQuest
31 children, or 15%, with asthma. They installed air samplers outside the children's homes to
measure nitrogen
dioxide for two-week periods in the summer and fall of 2000. Nitrogen dioxide is produced by
pollutants from
cars and trucks. Researchers measured the distance between each home and freeways, and counted
how
many vehicles traveled within 164 yards of the homes. They found that children with higher levels of
nitrogen
dioxide near their homes were more likely to have asthma. For each increase of 5.7 parts per billion
of the
pollutant, the risk of asthma increased by 83%, the study states. The researchers have not
determined that
nitrogen dioxide is causing asthma, but it is found with other pollutants -- including particulate
matter that has
been tied to other diseases. Researchers also found that air pollution from freeways influenced
nitrogen dioxide
levels more strongly than pollution from smaller roads. Gauderman said that the current findings do
not allow
researchers to determine at what distance from a freeway children can avoid an increased asthma
risk. He
emphasized that the study does not show that every child living near a freeway gets asthma. "We
have to
realize that even for a kid to live very close to a freeway, odds are that they're not going to get
asthma. There's
only a fraction of kids that get asthma," he said Tuesday. Gauderman also said the study does not
provide the
type of information that researchers can use to advise individual parents. "The message is probably
more
general, in terms of thinking about not planning tracts or schools close to a major freeway," he said.
The
findings might also be useful for government regulators studying the impacts of air pollution. "From
a regulatory
standpoint, it might suggest that we need to look not only at background air quality but also the more
local
exposures that one might have by living next to a major roadway," Gauderman said. The study
involved children
living in the cities of Alpine, Atascadero, Lake Elsinore, Lancaster, Long Beach, Mira Loma, Riverside,
San
Dimas, Santa Maria and Upland. Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Studies; Air pollution; Asthma; Roads & highways
Location: Southern California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.3
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2005
Publication date: Sep 21, 2005
Year: 2005
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422040036
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422040036?accounti
d=10362
17 March 2013 Page 192 of 483 ProQuest
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2005 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-31
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 92 of 213
Outage Sparks New Air Quality Worries; A long-running debate over pollution is intensified
when oil
refineries lose power and burn gases as a safety precaution.
Author: Schoch, Deborah
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 19 Sep 2005: B.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Although last week's flaring was a one-day curiosity for most Angelenos, it's a familiar sight
at
refineries. The flames emerge from tall stacks designed to vent gases. Pilot lights at the top of the
stacks ignite
the gases to prevent them from wafting into nearby neighborhoods. Flares at the two ConocoPhillips
refineries
in Wilmington and Carson together produced 496 tons of sulfur oxide emissions in 2003. The next
largest
amounts: 121 tons at Valero-Ultramar in Wilmington, 75.6 tons at the BP refinery in Carson and 23.7
tons at
Shell's Equilon refinery in Wilmington. ConocoPhillips has agreed to install a vapor recovery system
to sharply
reduce its emissions, an air district spokeswoman said. Flaring up; CREDIT: PAUL DUGINSKI Los
Angeles
Times; PRESSURE BUILDS: When the Valero-Ultramar refinery and others in Wilmington lost power
on Sept.
12, they burned off gases, sending flames and billowing black smoke into the air and adding fuel to an
air
quality debate over curbs on the practice of flaring.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Richard Hartog Los Angeles
Times
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: The flames and black smoke that rose from three oil refineries after last week's Los Angeles
blackout
have stirred up the debate over how to stem the pollution that comes from burning excess gases. The
Sept. 12
blackout caused three Wilmington refineries to shut down abruptly. The plants then used open
flames or flares
as safety measures to reduce pressure. The result produced the eerie spectacle of leaping flames and
billowing
black smoke captured by television news helicopters. The vivid pollution has hardened the resolve of
some
harbor-area residents to press for strong curbs on flaring. Wilmington activist Jesse Marquez took
photographs
of the flames and is mounting a door- to-door effort to document any health problems residents
experienced.
"People here were really worried, really upset," Marquez said. Joe Sparano, president of the Western
States
Petroleum Assn., an industry trade group, said the flares are a safety measure to prevent pressure
from building
dangerously in the plants. "The flares did exactly what they're supposed to do," he said "They did
their job
splendidly." But Southern California air quality regulators believe that curbs are needed on
nonemergency
flaring, the most common flaring use in the region. They have drafted a proposal they say would
remove more
than two tons of air pollutants emitted daily by the 27 flares at eight Los Angeles-area refineries and
two other
plants. The oil industry is guardedly optimistic about the proposal, but environmental activists claim
that recent
revisions weakened it so much that they cannot support it. Although last week's flaring was a oneday curiosity
for most Angelenos, it's a familiar sight at refineries. The flames emerge from tall stacks designed to
vent
gases. Pilot lights at the top of the stacks ignite the gases to prevent them from wafting into nearby
neighborhoods. Harbor-area residents fear the practice close to their homes is releasing dangerous
amounts of
chemicals into the air. The area also gets air pollution from ships, trucks and trains moving cargo in
and out of
the port complex. Flaring can lead to the release of sulfur oxides, hydrocarbon gases, nitrogen oxides
and
particulate matter. Air regulators are focusing on sulfur oxides, which can cause breathing problems,
aggravate
17 March 2013 Page 193 of 483 ProQuest
asthma and chronic bronchitis and mix with other pollutants to create a more potent health risk. The
eight
refineries in southern Los Angeles County make up the largest cluster of them on the West Coast,
with three in
Wilmington alone. The forced shutdown of the ConocoPhillips, Equilon and Valero- Ultramar
refineries last week
was expected to reduce gasoline supplies statewide by at least 8%, according to the California Energy
Commission. Flaring at Los Angeles refineries emitted two tons of sulfur oxides each day in 2003, or
as much
as all large diesel trucks in Southern California, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management
District,
which regulates air quality in the region. Air quality district records show that most area refineries
reduced sulfur
oxide emissions significantly between 2001 and 2003, dropping from 1,793 tons to 735 tons
annually. Amounts
vary widely among refineries. Flares at the two ConocoPhillips refineries in Wilmington and Carson
together
produced 496 tons of sulfur oxide emissions in 2003. The next largest amounts: 121 tons at ValeroUltramar in
Wilmington, 75.6 tons at the BP refinery in Carson and 23.7 tons at Shell's Equilon refinery in
Wilmington.
ConocoPhillips has agreed to install a vapor recovery system to sharply reduce its emissions, an air
district
spokeswoman said. The air district conducted tests in Wilmington during last week's flaring, with
most samples
showing hydrocarbon concentrations "well within expected levels." But heightened levels of
hydrogen sulfide, a
gas that smells like rotten eggs, were found downwind of the ConocoPhillips refinery, in an amount
that could
produce reports of headaches and nausea, district experts said. District officials are still investigating
the
Wilmington flaring. A ConocoPhillips spokesman said Friday that air samples conducted by refinery
health and
safety staff "registered no readings that would have adverse health effects to our employees,
contractors and
surrounding neighbors." Emergencies like the power outage account for only 4% of flaring at
refineries in the
Los Angeles area, according to figures from 1999 to 2003 that the air district's staff analyzed. That
compares to
4% for maintenance, 5% for planned shutdowns and start-ups, 35% for unknown reasons and 45%
for
nonemergency events that did not require recordkeeping, the staff found. "Basically they use the
flares like a big
wastebasket," said Julia May, a Bay Area environmental consultant working for Communities for a
Better
Environment, an activist group with offices in Huntington Park and Oakland. She wants the refineries
to recycle
more of their gases rather than burning them off with flares. Sparano said the industry turns to
flaring as a last
resort. "Refiners don't flare as a matter of practice because, if nothing else, it's money up the stack,"
he said.
"There is a basic premise in every business where you don't want to waste your product." Flaring
attracted little
attention until the late 1990s. "It's like a lot of other things that have slipped through the regulatory
cracks," said
Bahram Fazeli, a policy advisor for Communities for a Better Environment. "There was a community
outcry over
the fact that there are these big flare events happening, and there's really no accountability or serious
regulatory
ability to reduce flaring." The industry has been studying how to reduce flaring, said Ron Chittim,
senior refining
associate at the American Petroleum Institute. "Just like improvements in a lot of technologies, there
have been
improvements in flaring technologies," he said. The South Coast air district staff began monitoring
flaring in
1999. Although emissions have dropped considerably, the staff believes emissions need to be
controlled. In
September 2004, the air quality district board directed the staff to draw up a rule. Industry and
community
representatives have monitored the evolution of that proposed rule in a series of meetings. That
process gets
high marks from Sparano at the petroleum association, who has been deeply involved in the talks.
"Refiners
have not fought having a rule. We have been embedded in the process," he said. "This is one of the
most
intense and effective collaborations that I've seen for a long time." The rule would add more
monitoring
requirements and require certain improvements, such as video cameras to record flaring. Each
refinery would
be assigned a specific standard to meet in reducing flaring. It would cut emissions of all pollutants at
county
refineries, with daily sulfur oxide emissions dropping to 1.5 tons by 2006 and 0.7 tons by 2010. Some
community and environmental activists, however, say they want the district to devise a rule similar
to one
adopted in July by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District That rule requires each refinery to
draw up a
plan showing how it will reduce emissions. A similar provision was dropped from the proposed
South Coast rule
this summer, riling environmentalists. May, of Communities for a Better Environment, is also
concerned that
17 March 2013 Page 194 of 483 ProQuest
refineries would be allowed to flare for "essential operational needs," which she dismisses as a grab
bag of
excuses that provides refineries with a major loophole. But an air quality district official involved in
designing the
rule says that requiring each refinery to design a plan would be cumbersome and difficult to enforce.
Sparano
declined to discuss specific concerns his group has with the proposed rule, saying he does not want
to
negotiate in public. But Fazeli said the current version is fraught with loopholes. "We cannot support
it in its
current form," he said. * (BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX) Flaring up During last week's blackout, some
Angelenos
were worried by large flames and smoke rising from refinery stacks that are designed to be relatively
smokeless. Here is what happens in emergencies: 1. Excess pressure forces gases through springloaded
valves and into a network of pipes. 2. Pressure builds and forces the flammable gases to break
through the
water seal and flow to the stack. 3. Pilot lights ignite the gases. A large release of gases, as happened
during
the blackout, produces flame and smoke. * Source: Western States Petroleum Assn. Graphics
reporting by
Cheryl Brownstein-Santiago Illustration Caption: GRAPHIC: Flaring up; CREDIT: PAUL DUGINSKI Los
Angeles
Times; PHOTO: PRESSURE BUILDS: When the Valero-Ultramar refinery and others in Wilmington
lost power
on Sept. 12, they burned off gases, sending flames and billowing black smoke into the air and adding
fuel to an
air quality debate over curbs on the practice of flaring.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Richard Hartog Los
Angeles Times
Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Air pollution; Outdoor air quality; Refineries
Location: Wilmington California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2005
Publication date: Sep 19, 2005
Year: 2005
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422030879
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422030879?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2005 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-31
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
17 March 2013 Page 195 of 483 ProQuest
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 93 of 213
Wines Fail the ... Smog Test?; Controls are proposed to curb ethanol, a pollutant, from San
Joaquin
Valley vintners.
Author: Bustillo, Miguel
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 22 Aug 2005: A.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The San Joaquin Valley's 109 wineries emit 788 tons a year of smog-forming gases, air
pollution
officials estimate. The vintners - - which include E.&J. Gallo, Ironstone and Bronco -- are some of the
world's
biggest winemakers, producing more than 300 million gallons of wine annually. The largest valley
wineries
mass-produce a wide array of red, white and blush wines, but their biggest volume is in inexpensive
table wines
sold in bulk sizes. In exchange for not installing the equipment on fermentation tanks, large wineries
would have
to make similar pollution reductions elsewhere in the San Joaquin Valley, such as reducing emissions
from their
delivery truck fleets or paying to curtail air pollution from other businesses, said Seyed Sadredin, the
district's
deputy air pollution control officer. The San Joaquin Valley's 18 largest wineries are responsible for
95% of the
smog-forming gases that the region's wineries emit during fermentation, regulators estimate.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Uncork a bottle of fine California wine and the delightful aroma it exudes is called bouquet.
But multiply
that bottle by the millions produced in the Central Valley, and regulators refer to those same wine
gases by a
less pleasant name: smog-forming pollution. By the standard the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency uses to
gauge the severity of smog, the San Joaquin Valley in recent years has surpassed Los Angeles and
Houston to
become America's bad air capital. Charged with cleaning up the country's dirtiest air, the San Joaquin
Valley Air
Pollution Control District is preparing to adopt the nation's first air quality restrictions on
winemaking. The gases
wafting from the valley's sprawling wineries, which produce most of the wine made in America, do
not rank with
car exhaust or cow flatulence as leading causes of the region's thickening air pollution. But regulators
maintain
that the wineries are giving off far more than a subtle hint of unhealthful air. The San Joaquin Valley's
109
wineries emit 788 tons a year of smog-forming gases, air pollution officials estimate. The vintners - which
include E.&J. Gallo, Ironstone and Bronco -- are some of the world's biggest winemakers, producing
more than
300 million gallons of wine annually. The largest valley wineries mass-produce a wide array of red,
white and
blush wines, but their biggest volume is in inexpensive table wines sold in bulk sizes. The district is
scheduled to
approve the proposed regulations before the end of the year. As it stands, the rules would require
mass
producers of wine to install on their fermentation tanks the pollution controls that are typically used
in oil
refineries and steel mills. The equipment, which could cost each large winery millions of dollars,
would be used
primarily to catch wayward emissions of ethanol, alcohol produced during the fermentation of wine.
Ethanol is
considered a volatile organic compound, one of two major classes of pollutants that combine to
create smog.
Winemakers say that they are willing to help clean the valley's air but are concerned that illconceived pollution
controls could collect bacteria and contaminate their carefully crafted Pinot Grigios, Merlots and
Chardonnays.
"The industry in general is for clean air. We are environmentally conscious, we have a code of
sustainable wine
growing practices," said Chris Indelicato, chief executive of Delicato Vineyards and scion of one of
California's
oldest wine families. "The problem here is that this is going to cost millions of dollars, and it's not
even proven to
work," he said. "And there would not even be that much of a benefit, because we really are not gross
polluters."
Industry lawyers and winemaking engineers say that by sucking wine vapors from the fermentation
tanks like
vacuums, the pollution controls could even harm the smell and taste of wines, one of California's
most
17 March 2013 Page 196 of 483 ProQuest
celebrated exports. "It's technology that is used on refineries. But you don't drink gasoline," said
Wendell Lee,
an attorney for the Wine Institute, a trade association representing more than 800 California
wineries. "We want
to help improve air quality, but not in a way that compromises the winemaking tradition."
Acknowledging that the
pollution controls have the potential to affect food sanitation and the flavor of wines, San Joaquin air
officials
said last week that they are considering revisions to their proposed rule that would allow wineries to
effectively
buy their way out of the requirements. In exchange for not installing the equipment on fermentation
tanks, large
wineries would have to make similar pollution reductions elsewhere in the San Joaquin Valley, such
as reducing
emissions from their delivery truck fleets or paying to curtail air pollution from other businesses,
said Seyed
Sadredin, the district's deputy air pollution control officer. "The old days when we just copied the
rules" of Los
Angeles-area smog regulators "are long gone," Sadredin said. "We are leading the world in
developing
solutions to our own problems, which in many ways are now worse than the problems in Southern
California."
Though the region is rapidly becoming urbanized, much of its pollution comes from its large
agribusiness
operations. As a result, air quality officials have begun proposing a series of groundbreaking rules to
slash air
pollution from previously unregulated sources, such as dairy cows, and are offering incentives to
replace old
diesel-burning water pumps and farm tractors with cleaner, more modern equipment. Households
are also
being required to cut back the pollution they emit with a rule that prohibits the burning of logs in
fireplaces on
days when smog reaches unhealthful levels. "What we're seeing in the valley is what you probably
saw in L.A.
in the early '70s, where people are being asked to change their lifestyle, and businesses are being
asked to
change what they do," said state Sen. Dean Florez (D-Shafter), author of a law that eliminated an
exemption
that had allowed agriculture to escape air pollution regulations. "That's still new to people here, but
the air
quality problem has gotten to a point where everyone will have to do their part." "Everyone" should
certainly
include wineries, Florez said. Napa and Sonoma may garner the praise of the gastronomes, but the
inland
counties of the Central Valley are California's true winemaking workhorses. The region is responsible
for
roughly 70% of the table wines produced in California, according to federal statistics, making it the
nation's
leader. Most of that wine is grown by fewer than two dozen winemakers, including the massive Gallo
Winery in
Fresno, Livingston and Modesto and the Mission Bell Winery in Madera, which is owned by
Constellation
Brands, the world's largest wine company. The San Joaquin Valley's 18 largest wineries are
responsible for
95% of the smog-forming gases that the region's wineries emit during fermentation, regulators
estimate. The
ethanol emissions also help form another type of air pollution: particulate matter, or tiny airborne
flecks that
have been linked to a wide array of respiratory problems. San Joaquin Valley air officials promised
the EPA they
would reduce particulate pollution from the wineries as part of a blueprint for compliance with the
Clean Air Act.
As a result, they are required to pass rules restricting winery pollution by year's end. "Wine
fermentation should
have been regulated years ago," said Brent Newell, an attorney with the Center on Race, Poverty &the
Environment who has pushed San Joaquin Valley regulators for years to crack down on air pollution.
"The fact
that it is 2005 and it has yet to happen reflects the district's traditional deference to agriculture."
Credit: Times
Staff Writer
Subject: Smog; Environmental impact; Emissions control; Ethanol; Air pollution; Wineries &
vineyards
Location: San Joaquin Valley
Company / organization: Name: Environmental Protection Agency; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 05-7944910;
Name: EPA; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 05-794-4910
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.1
Number of pages: 0
17 March 2013 Page 197 of 483 ProQuest
Publication year: 2005
Publication date: Aug 22, 2005
Year: 2005
Section: Main News; Part A; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 421997661
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421997661?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2005 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-31
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 94 of 213
2 Ports Split on How to Clear the Air; L.A. and Long Beach share a bay but fight pollution in
different
ways. Environmentalists and area residents express their concerns.
Author: Schoch, Deborah
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 13 Mar 2005: B.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Port air pollution is attracting considerable attention, especially in the wake of studies
showing a high
risk of respiratory ailments in the port area. Rapid growth at both ports, spurred largely by imports
from Asia,
has increased emissions of particulate matter and nitrogen oxides from ships, trains and trucks. The
problem is
increasing not only near the port but also along freeways and near warehouses as far east as
Riverside and
San Bernardino counties. Long Beach council members -- clearly wary of trailing Los Angeles -grilled their port
representatives last week to explain how their new "green port" policy compared with L.A.'s. Some
were
puzzled by the absence of concrete pollution reduction goals, a concern echoed by environmentalists
and
residents in the audience. Air district officials cite, by way of example, the Los Angeles proposal that
ships
arriving at the port slow down 40 miles offshore to reduce air pollution, a measure that could
become
mandatory. Both ports now ask ships to voluntarily slow down 20 miles away.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: The nation's two largest seaports are pursuing different strategies to reduce air pollution,
worrying
environmental officials and residents who say that the lack of coordination could harm efforts to
clean the air
throughout the Los Angeles Basin. Some fear the division will lead to conflicting regulations and a
scenario in
17 March 2013 Page 198 of 483 ProQuest
which dirtier ships could choose the port with weaker standards. Taken together, the ports of Los
Angeles and
Long Beach, which are side by side in San Pedro Bay, are the largest source of air pollution in
Southern
California. And the decades-old rivalry between them is evident as they forge separate plans to clean
the air.
The two ports recently conducted expensive surveys of the pollution they produce, using the same
consulting
firm. But one port chose to study the year 2001, and the other 2002, making comparisons impossible.
The ports
are using different methods to measure pollution. And Los Angeles has asked regional air regulators
to help
craft its plan, while Long Beach has not. In the most dramatic sign of bad communication, Long Beach
declined
a recent invitation from Los Angeles to join in its much- publicized clean-air effort, spurning the
opportunity to
develop a unified approach. The gulf between the ports became clear last Tuesday as Long Beach City
Council
members struggled to decipher the air-pollution plan forged by a Los Angeles task force five days
earlier. No
one from the port or city of Long Beach attended the task force's sessions, which had been held six
miles away.
The lack of coordination is frustrating residents and environmental officials, who point out that the
tons of diesel
fumes and nitrogen oxides from the two ports do not respect geographic boundaries; together they
cause lifethreatening
respiratory problems across the region. "It all goes into the same air," said Peter M. Greenwald,
senior policy advisor at the South Coast Air Quality Management District. He said he fears that
shippers would
use whatever port has less- stringent rules, undermining his agency's clean-air efforts. San Pedro
activist Janet
Gunther implored Long Beach officials last week to work with Los Angeles. "To continue denying you
are one
port becomes a little bit ridiculous. Look at a map! It's just one port." Some observers, however, think
the
variances between the approaches taken by the two ports are largely cosmetic. "For the most part, I
would
argue that the differences are very minor," said T.L. Garrett, vice president of the Pacific Merchant
Shipping
Assn., which represents owners and operators of U.S. and foreign vessels operating in the Pacific
Basin. "I do
think that the programs are in sync with one another," said Garrett, who until January was in charge
of the air
resources section in the environmental planning division at the Port of Los Angeles. Neither port has
formally
compared evolving plans, although Long Beach planners are assembling a point-by-point comparison
in
response to a City Council request. But officials are nonetheless sparring over who has the better
plan. Long
Beach port officials are dismissive of much of the Los Angeles plan, saying it contains many measures
that are
likely to become state or federal regulations. But Los Angeles officials bristle at that comment,
contending that
they will put these measures in place regardless of whether they become law. In addition, Long Beach
officials
say their plan is more realistic. "It's my opinion that we're less words and more action," said Robert
Kanter, Long
Beach port planning director. For example, he said, Los Angeles planners are eyeing the potential for
electrifying the Alameda Corridor to reduce railroad emissions. Neither port has the power to
accomplish such a
project, he said. "There are some radical ideas, pie-in-the-sky ideas, that I don't think are likely to
take place in
the near term," he said. That characterization irks Ralph Appy, director of port environmental
management in
Los Angeles, who notes that his port invited its rival to join its six-month planning effort. "If they
thought this was
all pie in the sky, they should have been over here. They could have set us all straight," he said. Port
air
pollution is attracting considerable attention, especially in the wake of studies showing a high risk of
respiratory
ailments in the port area. Rapid growth at both ports, spurred largely by imports from Asia, has
increased
emissions of particulate matter and nitrogen oxides from ships, trains and trucks. The problem is
increasing not
only near the port but also along freeways and near warehouses as far east as Riverside and San
Bernardino
counties. Ports and shippers are adopting cleaner methods of moving cargo, but those advancements
are
outstripped by growth, and cargo shipments are expected to triple by 2025. Staff members at both
ports say
they work together frequently, as in their current effort to bring cleaner-burning locomotives to the
ports. Still, the
two remain fierce competitors, and Los Angeles recently edged ahead of Long Beach to seize the title
of the
nation's largest seaport. Los Angeles wooed the shipping giant Maersk Sealand away from Long
Beach in
2002, and its rival scored a coup a year later by bringing Carnival Cruise Lines to Long Beach. Now
that rivalry
is surfacing again. Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn last summer charged a task force with reducing
port
17 March 2013 Page 199 of 483 ProQuest
pollution to 2001 levels. The draft plan approved March 3 would employ 65 measures to reach the
2001 goal
sometime between 2009 and 2011. The group is still researching the costs of those measures and
what
legislation would be needed to implement them. The Long Beach policy, by contrast, does not list
specific antismog
measures but outlines major goals that the port has set, including "protect the community from
harmful
side effects of port operations" and "employ best available technology to minimize environmental
impacts." At
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Matt Haber, deputy director of the regional air division,
said that
although the two ports are pursuing different approaches, their objectives are the same. He
commended the
new Long Beach policy, noting the emphasis on "best available technology." But Long Beach council
members - clearly wary of trailing Los Angeles -- grilled their port representatives last week to explain how
their new
"green port" policy compared with L.A.'s. Some were puzzled by the absence of concrete pollution
reduction
goals, a concern echoed by environmentalists and residents in the audience. "The report I heard
tonight has no
sense of urgency or immediacy," complained Regina Taylor, a resident of Long Beach's Wrigley area.
Council
member Rae Gabelich asked port representatives to explain why they did not accept the invitation
from Los
Angeles. One official responded that she was unaware an invitation was delivered. Another said he
did not
know about the meeting last week. Gabelich was not appeased. "If we can't even keep track of each
other's
meetings," she retorted, "how are we going to keep track of goals and objectives?" A Long Beach port
official
promised Friday that a representative would attend the next meeting of the Los Angeles task force.
Some Long
Beach critics also point out that the Los Angeles port invited the regulatory "heavies" -- the Air
Quality
Management District, the state Air Resources Board and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency -to
participate. The agencies, whose support could be crucial in implementing plans, played a major role
in
reviewing technologies and crafting measures. "It's pretty clear that the port of L.A. has involved us
to a greater
degree in their decision-making. We think that's a good thing," the AQMD's Greenwald said. He added
that he is
seriously concerned that the absence of coordination will lead to unequal standards. "We do think it
can
undermine the controls to have differing levels of stringency," he said. Air district officials cite, by
way of
example, the Los Angeles proposal that ships arriving at the port slow down 40 miles offshore to
reduce air
pollution, a measure that could become mandatory. Both ports now ask ships to voluntarily slow
down 20 miles
away. The Los Angeles plan would subsidize cleaner vehicles using both ports. The port already has
allocated
more than $21 million to a regional program that has replaced 350 trucks. The Long Beach port has
not
contributed. Clean-air activists say that places the burden unfairly on Los Angeles, because many of
the
participating truckers serve both ports. Long Beach port spokesman Art Wong said the port had
planned to
contribute to the program to offset emissions from a pier expansion that has been delayed. He did
not rule out
future support. "These are things we are exploring," Wong said. "This 'green' policy says we want
leadership in
environmental protection, and we have to figure out how to do that." Illustration Caption: GRAPHIC:
MAP: Long
Beach; CREDIT: Los Angeles Times; PHOTO: PLANNING IN L.A.: Drafting a plan to reduce Port of L.A.
pollution are, from left, Barry Wallerstein, AQMD executive officer; Norm Tuck of the International
Longshore
and Warehouse Union; and attorneys Cynthia Burch and Gail Ruderman Feuer.; PHOTOGRAPHER:
Karen
Tapia- Andersen Los Angeles Times Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Environmental cleanup; Ports; Air pollution
Location: Los Angeles California, Long Beach California
Company / organization: Name: Port of Los Angeles; NAICS: 488310; Name: Port of Long BeachCalifornia;
NAICS: 488310
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
17 March 2013 Page 200 of 483 ProQuest
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2005
Publication date: Mar 13, 2005
Year: 2005
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422012805
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422012805?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2005 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-31
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 95 of 213
CALIFORNIA; Panel Backs Plan to Curb Pollution at Port; Industry and regulatory
representatives
meet to address emissions from ships, trucks and trains.
Author: Schoch, Deborah
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 04 Mar 2005: B.3.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: A sweeping plan to slash air pollution caused by the Port of Los Angeles was endorsed
Thursday by a
blue-ribbon panel in what some experts are calling a historic first step in controlling pollution from
the ships,
trains and trucks serving California's fast-growing cargo industry. The preliminary plan approved
unanimously
Thursday consists of 65 proposed methods to clean the air, including such measures as requiring
low-sulfur fuel
for ships and trains, subsidizing truckers' purchase of cleaner-burning vehicles and making ships
calling at the
port plug into onshore power sources instead of idling their diesel-burning engines. DRAFTING
PROPOSAL:
Lauren Dunlap, left, and Noel Park react during meeting with regulators and industry
representatives. The task
force was appointed by Mayor [James K. Hahn] last summer to hold the line on pollution at the Port
of Los
Angeles.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Photographs by Karen Tapia-Andersen Los Angeles Times; WEIGHING
OPTIONS: Christopher Patton listens during the two-day task force meeting in San Pedro.;
PHOTOGRAPHER:
Karen Tapia-Andersen Los Angeles Times
Links: Check Find It for Availability
17 March 2013 Page 201 of 483 ProQuest
Full text: A sweeping plan to slash air pollution caused by the Port of Los Angeles was endorsed
Thursday by a
blue-ribbon panel in what some experts are calling a historic first step in controlling pollution from
the ships,
trains and trucks serving California's fast-growing cargo industry. The draft plan created by airquality experts
and regulators is a response to public concerns about the damaging health effects of diesel fumes and
other
contaminants generated by the nation's largest seaport and by increasing rail and truck traffic
crisscrossing the
Los Angeles Basin. The experts said they believed that the blueprint could help drive a nationwide
cleanup of
ships, trains and trucks, much as California has led the country in other clean-air measures since the
1960s.
"We are out front. These really will have pretty significant impacts nationally," said Daniel E.
Donohoue, chief of
the emissions assessment branch of the California Air Resources Board, which helped formulate the
plan. Matt
Haber, deputy director of the regional air division for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, said
the
approach used in Los Angeles might become the "gold standard" for cleaning up ports nationwide.
"We want to
do what we can to have it replicated at other West Coast ports," he said. The preliminary plan
approved
unanimously Thursday consists of 65 proposed methods to clean the air, including such measures as
requiring
low-sulfur fuel for ships and trains, subsidizing truckers' purchase of cleaner-burning vehicles and
making ships
calling at the port plug into onshore power sources instead of idling their diesel-burning engines.
Some
measures would rely on cleaner-burning ship and rail technology that is not yet commercially
available -- what
engineers call "technology forcing" measures. The task force still needs to study how much the
measures will
cost and how they can be implemented. The preliminary plan of technological measures will be
forwarded to
Mayor James K. Hahn, and a final plan incorporating costs and legal steps will go to the mayor's office
this
spring. Deputy Mayor Doane Liu said Thursday evening that as Hahn moves to implement the plan,
he will need
to look at funding sources and possible new legislation as well as meeting with industry. The mayor
"has met
already with a number of shipping lines and rail lines. They knew this is coming, it's going to take
cooperation
on their part," Liu said. The plan could spur new businesses focused on environmental technology in
the area,
he said. The task force was appointed by Hahn last summer to carry out his 2001 pledge to hold the
line on
pollution at the port, which, together with the Port of Long Beach, has become the single worst air
polluter in
Southern California. But the port has grown so rapidly that even the lineup of measures developed
this winter
will not reduce the two pollutants of most concern -- particulate matter and nitrogen oxides -- until
2010 or later.
Barry Wallerstein, chief of the South Coast Air Quality Management District, attended the two-day
session in
San Pedro and took an active role in shaping the plan. Without it, he warned, "the region will be
doomed to dirty
air for the next 10 to 15 years." The task force includes representatives of the shipping industry,
railroads,
unions and environmental and community groups, as well as the three regulatory agencies -- the
state air
board, EPA and AQMD - - that helped draft the measures reviewed during a two-day meeting. The
most vocal
opponents of the plan have been two railroad giants, Burlington Northern and Union Pacific, who say
it depends
too much on costly and untested technology for things like new locomotives that have yet to be
developed. "It's
a real stretch when you consider these things don't exist," said Union Pacific attorney Carol Harris.
Task force
member Michele Grubbs, vice president of the Pacific Merchants Shipping Assn., said the group still
had work
ahead to deal with the financial and legal implications. Illustration Caption: PHOTO: DRAFTING
PROPOSAL:
Lauren Dunlap, left, and Noel Park react during meeting with regulators and industry
representatives. The task
force was appointed by Mayor James K. Hahn last summer to hold the line on pollution at the Port of
Los
Angeles.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Photographs by Karen Tapia-Andersen Los Angeles Times; PHOTO:
WEIGHING
OPTIONS: Christopher Patton listens during the two-day task force meeting in San Pedro.;
PHOTOGRAPHER:
Karen Tapia-Andersen Los Angeles Times Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Task forces; Air pollution; Emission standards
Location: Los Angeles California
17 March 2013 Page 202 of 483 ProQuest
Company / organization: Name: Environmental Protection Agency; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 05-7944910;
Name: EPA; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 05-794-4910; Name: Port of Los Angeles; NAICS: 488310
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.3
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2005
Publication date: Mar 4, 2005
Year: 2005
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422138724
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422138724?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2005 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-31
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 96 of 213
Port Clean-Air Plan Nearly Set; Experts ready proposals for pushing pollution back to 2001
levels with
strict rules, growth cap.
Author: Schoch, Deborah
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 03 Mar 2005: B.3.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: A road map to cleaner air in and around the Port of Los Angeles could be crafted today as a
highpowered
panel of experts wrestles with how to roll back air pollution to 2001 levels at the country's largest
seaport. "That's the ultimate backstop," said port environmental expert Christopher Patton. He is
helping lead
the task force appointed last summer by Mayor James K. Hahn with orders to determine how to
reduce pollution
to 2001 levels. A controversial measure to rein in pollution from railroad locomotives will be
discussed this
morning, and a representative from Union Pacific railroad expressed concerns Wednesday that a
railroad
representative had not been included in the working group.
17 March 2013 Page 203 of 483 ProQuest
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: A road map to cleaner air in and around the Port of Los Angeles could be crafted today as a
highpowered
panel of experts wrestles with how to roll back air pollution to 2001 levels at the country's largest
seaport. Officials overseeing the effort said Wednesday evening that they are increasingly optimistic
that the
panel will move ahead today to approve a preliminary plan to slash pollution from ships, trains,
trucks and yard
equipment over the next 20 years. The push to create the first-in-the-nation clean-air plan for a
seaport comes
amid mounting public concern that the fast-growing Los Angeles-Long Beach port complex has
become the
region's worst air polluter. Diesel fumes and other contaminants created by moving cargo through
the ports are
fouling the air, not only in the Harbor area, but along freeways and railroad lines east to the
warehouses of
Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Measures being weighed include stringent regulations and
voluntary
steps, but one little-noticed proposal, known as "03" -- on Page 104 of the draft plan -- would impose
a growth
cap if pollution grew above certain levels. "That's the ultimate backstop," said port environmental
expert
Christopher Patton. He is helping lead the task force appointed last summer by Mayor James K. Hahn
with
orders to determine how to reduce pollution to 2001 levels. But the panelists learned Wednesday
that even the
barrage of more than 60 cutting-edge measures in their plan would take five years or longer to roll
back
pollution to 2001 levels. For the first time, they also saw charts showing how two major types of
contaminants -particulate matter and nitrogen oxides -- would continue to mount until 2010 or later, despite the
ambitious
curbs, some of which would require new laws or still-to-be- perfected technology. Hahn's effort to
create a
clean-air plan gained momentum when three major agencies that regulate Southern California air
quality - - the
South Coast Air Quality Management District, the state Air Resources Board and the U.S.
Environmental
Protection Agency -- dispatched some of their top technical staff to work with port experts and
consultants on a
working group advising the larger task force. They have devised the preliminary plan now being
reviewed by
task force members at a marathon two-day session at the Sheraton in San Pedro. Those members
include
representatives of the railroad and shipping industry, community and environmental groups, and
unions.
Several members said they were encouraged by the convivial atmosphere of the Wednesday meeting.
"We got
consensus on most issues," said Port Commissioner Thomas Warren, co-chairman of the group. Gail
Ruderman Feuer, senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council, said she was "very
encouraged.
I'm optimistic that this task force will deliver to the mayor a strong plan that will achieve no net
increase." But a
controversial measure to rein in pollution from railroad locomotives will be discussed this morning,
and a
representative from Union Pacific railroad expressed concerns Wednesday that a railroad
representative had
not been included in the working group. Some members voiced disappointment that the adjacent
Port of Long
Beach, the nation's second-largest port, did not accept an invitation from rival Los Angeles to join the
task force
deliberations that began last fall. Richard Steinke, executive director of the Port of Long Beach,
confirmed
Wednesday that his port received an invitation, but he said the port's harbor commissioners chose to
develop
their own "green port" plan adopted in January. Los Angeles task force members said that is not
enough.
"There needs to be a level playing field. It's unfair to do it in Los Angeles and not in Long Beach,"
Feuer said.
Hahn is seeking to fulfill his 2001 vow to hold the line on emissions at the city-owned port. Credit:
Times Staff
Writer
Subject: Environmental protection; Air pollution; Ports
Location: Los Angeles California
Company / organization: Name: Port of Los Angeles; NAICS: 488310
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.3
17 March 2013 Page 204 of 483 ProQuest
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2005
Publication date: Mar 3, 2005
Year: 2005
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 421956432
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421956432?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2005 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-31
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 97 of 213
It's Not All Blue Skies for Drilling Project; Expansion of gas wells in Rocky Mountain states
will
degrade the air at several national parks.
Author: Bustillo, Miguel
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 29 Jan 2005: A.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: [Gutzon Borglum]'s vision endures in the Black Hills of South Dakota about 130 miles from
here, but
for nearly a month every year, it may soon become harder to see the famous faces through the manmade haze
generated by the addition of 50,000 gas wells in northeastern Wyoming and southeastern Montana.
Emissions
are also expected to hinder visibility at Wyoming's Yellowstone National Park on 13 days, at South
Dakota's
Badlands National Park on 28 days and at Montana's Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation on 92
days. At
Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming, the monolithic rock formation made famous by the
movie "Close
Encounters of the Third Kind," air pollution will degrade visibility on 47 days, the analysis found.
Paul Beels, a
BLM official who oversaw the environmental review for the Wyoming portion of the project, said
Wyoming did
not want the BLM to require measures to reduce air pollution.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: When he turned Mt. Rushmore into his granite canvas, sculptor Gutzon Borglum wrote that
the faces
of Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln would remain visible, Lord willing, "until
the wind
17 March 2013 Page 205 of 483 ProQuest
and the rain alone shall wear them away." Borglum's vision endures in the Black Hills of South
Dakota about
130 miles from here, but for nearly a month every year, it may soon become harder to see the famous
faces
through the man-made haze generated by the addition of 50,000 gas wells in northeastern Wyoming
and
southeastern Montana. It is just one of several ways in which the largest expansion of natural gas
drilling
approved by the federal government is expected to degrade air quality in the region that today has
the clearest
skies in the lower 48 states. The federal Bureau of Land Management, under pressure from the White
House to
fast-track energy production, approved the drilling plan two years ago without incorporating any
requirements to
reduce the resulting air pollution. Government scientists expect that the drilling expansion, combined
with a
planned increase in coal mining and oil drilling in the northern Great Plains, will nearly double smogforming
emissions and greatly increase particulate matter pollution in a thinly populated region that has
produced less
than 3% of the amount of unhealthful air found in Los Angeles. The BLM moved forward with the
project despite
its own air quality analysis, which concluded that the pollution would cloud views at more than a
dozen national
parks and monuments, exceed federal air quality standards in several communities and cause acid
rain to fall
on mountain lakes, where it could harm fish and wildlife. The Environmental Protection Agency,
National Park
Service and U.S. Forest Service expressed similar concerns to the BLM. The agency was told to expect
particle-laden dust clouds and smog- forming exhaust from what amounted to a new industrial zone
of gas
wells, compressor stations and service roads spanning more than 30 million acres. "From our review,
it appears
this project may be inconsistent with the Clean Air Act," Forest Service officials wrote in a 2002 letter
to the
BLM. The letter stated that the Forest Service was particularly concerned about the effects of
pollution and acid
rain on several popular wilderness recreation areas. EPA officials wrote in a similar 2002 letter to the
land
management agency: "Monitoring and mitigation are given short shrift." They added that the
agency's
environmental review did not "adequately link the modeled impacts, which are clearly above
regulatory criteria,
with what BLM proposes that it would do or it would recommend others do to mitigate impacts."
BLM officials
acknowledged they were under orders from Washington to quickly approve the projects, which the
Bush
administration considered vital to meeting the nation's energy needs. The U.S. Energy Department
predicted
last year that natural gas demand would grow 38% by 2025. The Powder River Basin, the energy-rich
region of
Wyoming and Montana where the drilling plan was authorized, is believed to contain enough natural
gas to
power the country for a year. The administration has also accelerated drilling in Utah, Colorado and
New
Mexico, raising concerns about environmental effects. But the increase in drilling activity has been
greatest in
Wyoming. There, BLM officials said they were collaborating with state officials and industry groups
to see that
steps were taken to prevent serious problems. "Even though we approved these wells, we were
careful to
disclose all impacts, and we have been working to mitigate them," said Richard Zander, assistant field
manager
for minerals and lands at the BLM field office in Buffalo, Wyo. Wyoming officials, now flooded with
permit
applications to run heavy equipment at the gas fields, are planning a massive network of monitoring
sensors to
measure how much air pollution the fields are generating. Officials, however, concede that they are
not sure
how the state will pay for all of it. Gas companies are helping purchase some of the monitors. "We
definitely
want to make sure we don't violate the Clean Air Act," said John Corra, director of the Wyoming
Department of
Environmental Quality. Critics say it will be difficult for government regulators to control the
pollution after failing
to address it upfront. "It was one of the worst pieces of work I have seen in a long time, and it made
me mad,"
said John Molenar, an air pollution consultant who has worked for the National Park Service. He was
hired by a
Wyoming environmental group, the Powder River Basin Resource Council, to review the gas project.
"Let's be
honest about the consequences," Molenar said. "There will be an observable brown cloud at some
times of the
year that people will get mad about." Now underway, the drilling boom, which will take two decades
to complete,
has already added more than 3,000 natural gas wells to the Powder River Basin, a picturesque
landscape of
meandering streams, rolling hills and expansive ranches where Crazy Horse once fought U.S. soldiers
and
Butch Cassidy hid from lawmen. The air pollution from the gas project, when combined with existing
emissions
17 March 2013 Page 206 of 483 ProQuest
from cars, coal mines and power plants, is expected to diminish visibility at Mt. Rushmore National
Memorial 26
days a year, according to the BLM's air quality analysis. Other government estimates, which did not
take into
account local weather factors, said the haze could obscure views of the monument for up to 180 days
a year.
Emissions are also expected to hinder visibility at Wyoming's Yellowstone National Park on 13 days,
at South
Dakota's Badlands National Park on 28 days and at Montana's Northern Cheyenne Indian
Reservation on 92
days. At Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming, the monolithic rock formation made famous
by the
movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," air pollution will degrade visibility on 47 days, the
analysis found.
Oil and gas companies began pushing to expand drilling during the last two years of the Clinton
administration,
as natural gas prices surged. Those efforts went into overdrive under President George W. Bush, who
made
energy development in the Rocky Mountain states a top priority. As the size of the expansion became
clear,
numerous government agencies filed written complaints with the BLM about the effect on air, water
and wildlife.
"We are particularly concerned that the project may result in significant or potentially adverse
impacts to several
units of the National Park System," park service officials wrote. In addition to concerns over haze,
park service
officials warned that air pollution could produce more acid rain, which occurs when emissions of
sulfur dioxide
and nitrogen oxides react in the atmosphere. EPA officials noted that particulate matter, mainly a
result of
surface coal mining, had already violated federal limits in parts of Wyoming on 13 days during 2001
and 2002.
They warned that increased traffic at gas fields was sure to kick up dust, making the problem worse.
Paul Beels,
a BLM official who oversaw the environmental review for the Wyoming portion of the project, said
Wyoming did
not want the BLM to require measures to reduce air pollution. "They basically didn't want the feds
messing
around and telling them how this was going to be regulated," Beels said. Unpersuaded, four
environmental
groups have filed a federal lawsuit accusing the U.S. Department of the Interior, which oversees the
land
management agency, of failing to protect air quality as required by the Clean Air Act and other
federal laws.
They assert that the natural gas blueprint the BLM approved should be scaled back or put on hold
unless the
potential for pollution can be reduced. In response, industry groups are pressing Congress to rewrite
the rules
protecting visibility at national parks, arguing that they have become a way for environmentalists to
hold up
energy production. Their effort is supported by Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal, who is worried that
the haze
rules will take away the state's power to police energy projects. In a letter to Bush administration
officials last
year, the Democratic governor argued that the visibility guidelines should be withdrawn. Wyoming,
which has
roughly half a million residents, depends on natural resource extraction for its financial health. It
enjoys a $949million budget surplus, largely due to revenue from natural gas and mining. "You are going to see this
issue
addressed -- no doubt about it," said Jim Sims, a former communications director for Vice President
Dick
Cheney's energy task force who is now executive director of the Western Business Roundtable.
"These tools
have given antidevelopment groups grounds for a lawsuit. Some of these [visibility] changes are
hardly even
noticeable." Wyoming oil and gas groups are downplaying the effects, contending that the region's
gas deposits
will be drained in two decades. "When you are building a house, there is a lot of activity; but after
that you put in
the grass and the trees, and it calms down considerably," said Bruce Hinchey, president of the
Petroleum Assn.
of Wyoming. "It's similar with these wells." However, early data from natural gas fields in another
part of the
state show that state and federal officials underestimated the extent of air pollution. The fields in the
Upper
Green River Valley, approved during the Clinton administration, produced 2 1/2 times more nitrogen
oxide
pollution than government officials anticipated. Nitrogen oxides are one of the main ingredients of
smog. "It's
pretty obvious that since 1999, we have seen a marked increase" in nitrogen oxide emissions, said
Ted Porwoll,
an air- quality technician at Bridger-Teton National Forest, who has been monitoring air quality since
1984.
Federal officials are now proposing to expand drilling in the Upper Green River area to more than
10,000 wells
over the next two decades. Meanwhile, ranchers and residents have complained about flaring, or
open burning
of impure natural gas, which releases plumes of pollutants into the air. They have petitioned the state
to
regulate it. One of the more outspoken critics is Perry Walker, a retired Air Force physicist and
amateur
17 March 2013 Page 207 of 483 ProQuest
astronomer. Two years ago, he began noticing that his nighttime views of the Sombrero Galaxy
seemed to be
getting cloudier. Walker, who set up his own monitors to track pollution in the Upper Green River
Valley, says
that views of the state's most majestic landmarks, such as the 13,000-foot peaks of the Wind River
Range, are
starting to lose clarity. "We've got two beautiful mountains behind me here," Walker said, "and
they're
disappearing into the haze. "The problem with this state is that people are afraid that these oil and
gas men are
going to get in their white pickups and go back to Texas," he said. "Of course, that's garbage. What
they want is
in the ground right here, and they have to work with us to get it." Illustration Caption: GRAPHIC:
Clouding the
air; CREDIT: Paul Duginski Los Angeles Times; PHOTO: ARTIST: Gutzon Borglum designed and
created Mt.
Rushmore. Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Environmental impact; Air pollution; Natural gas exploration; Wells; National parks
Location: United States, US, Rocky Mountain states
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2005
Publication date: Jan 29, 2005
Year: 2005
Dateline: GILLETTE, Wyo.
Section: Main News; Part A; National Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 421988206
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421988206?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2005 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-08-31
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 98 of 213
Los Angeles; Plans for L.A. Port Focus on Pollution; Mayor's task force hears several
environmental
measures designed to cut levels of toxic emissions.
17 March 2013 Page 208 of 483 ProQuest
Author: Jack Leonard and Deborah Schoch
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 30 Dec 2004: B.3.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Port staffers presented the proposals at a meeting in San Pedro of a task force appointed by
Los
Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn. Hahn has asked the 28-member team -- drawn from the ranks of
industry,
labor, community and environmental groups -- to deliver a blueprint to meet a pledge he made to
keep
emissions from the port at 2001 levels. The task ahead will not be easy. Port emissions have already
risen
beyond 2001 levels despite efforts to roll back pollution with measures such as encouraging shipping
companies to use electricity for shipboard operations on docked vessels. In 2001, the port produced
nearly
20,000 tons of nitrogen oxides and 1,000 tons of particulate matter -- specks of dust and soot that can
be
inhaled into the lungs and increase the risk of cancer and heart disease. By 2012, according to a draft
report
released by port officials Wednesday, nitrogen oxide emissions could increase by 8,712 tons and
particulate
matter could climb by 906 tons.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Port of Los Angeles officials unveiled an array of environmental initiatives Wednesday that
could
become part of the city's bid to curb rising levels of air pollution at the fast-growing facility. Among
the measures
are proposals to take aim at ship engines that belch high levels of toxic emissions, to convert the rail
line from
the port to electric power, and to replace older trucks with newer models with cleaner burning
engines.
Environmentalists and local community representatives welcomed the suggestions, which were
released at the
same time new port calculations indicate recent antipollution efforts alone will fail to rein in
pollution. "These are
all good," said Noel Park, a San Pedro resident and longtime port critic who sits on the port's
Community
Advisory Committee. "We believe that the survival of these communities as a viable place to live is in
the
balance." Representatives from the railroad and shipping industries said they would need more time
to study
the proposals. But they noted that port officials have yet to calculate the costs of the measures and
said that
legal obstacles might rule out some initiatives. Sharon Rubalcava, who represents a prospective
terminal
operator, said she believed that requiring diesel-powered ships to add expensive new electricpowered
equipment to use while docked could be challenged in court by ship owners. "I don't think it would
survive a
constitutional challenge," she said. Port staffers presented the proposals at a meeting in San Pedro of
a task
force appointed by Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn. Hahn has asked the 28-member team -- drawn
from the
ranks of industry, labor, community and environmental groups -- to deliver a blueprint to meet a
pledge he made
to keep emissions from the port at 2001 levels. Hahn's sister, L.A. Councilwoman Janice Hahn, who
represents
San Pedro, attended the meeting and praised the effort to put a lid on the region's largest single
source of air
pollution. "This is not just a harbor issue," she said. "This is an issue for the entire L.A. Basin." The
task ahead
will not be easy. Port emissions have already risen beyond 2001 levels despite efforts to roll back
pollution with
measures such as encouraging shipping companies to use electricity for shipboard operations on
docked
vessels. In 2001, the port produced nearly 20,000 tons of nitrogen oxides and 1,000 tons of
particulate matter -specks of dust and soot that can be inhaled into the lungs and increase the risk of cancer and heart
disease. By
2012, according to a draft report released by port officials Wednesday, nitrogen oxide emissions
could increase
by 8,712 tons and particulate matter could climb by 906 tons. Port officials have yet to calculate how
much the
proposals would reduce pollution, but plan to do so in the next few weeks. Hanh's task force is
scheduled to
submit a draft plan to the mayor by the end of February. Credit: Times Staff Writers
Subject: Environmental impact; Shipping; Reforms; Ports; Air pollution
Location: Los Angeles California
17 March 2013 Page 209 of 483 ProQuest
Company / organization: Name: Port of Los Angeles; NAICS: 488310
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.3
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2004
Publication date: Dec 30, 2004
Year: 2004
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 421981037
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421981037?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2004 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 99 of 213
Plan to Cut Port Smog to Be Unveiled; Potential new rules and initiatives to reduce air
pollution could
require widespread changes and cost billions of dollars.
Author: Schoch, Deborah
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 27 Dec 2004: B.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: In 2001, ships and other sources of pollution at the Port of Los Angeles produced an
estimated 1,000
tons of particulates, specks of dust and soot that can be inhaled deep into the lungs and increase the
risk of
cancer and heart disease. By 2025, as port traffic continues to soar, the amount of particulates, much
of which
comes from diesel exhaust, could more than double, to 2,724 tons, according to worst-case
projections. [James
K. Hahn] has pledged to keep emissions from the port at 2001 levels - - a level the port already has
far
exceeded. When residents complained last summer that city and port officials were doing little to
achieve the
goal, Hahn assembled a 28-member task force including representatives from the shipping industry,
labor, the
community and environmental groups and charged them with deciding by the end of this year how to
reduce
port pollution. Michele Grubbs, who represents the Pacific Maritime Shipping Assn., a trade group of
shippers
17 March 2013 Page 210 of 483 ProQuest
and terminal operators, wonders if the team is overestimating its pollution projections. Newer cargo
ships are
cleaner and carry more containers, meaning fewer ships emitting less pollution will be calling at the
port, she
said.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: In an effort to put a lid on Southern California's largest single source of air pollution, local,
state and
federal experts this week plan to unveil dozens of potential new rules and initiatives to cut smog
from the fastgrowing
Los Angeles port complex. In all, the proposals could cost billons of dollars and demand widespread
changes at the nation's busiest seaport. One of the most novel ideas: a trade-in program to replace all
trucks
calling at the port with cleaner models built in 2004 or later. Replacing 1,000 trucks would cost $35
million to
$40 million, and officials estimate that several thousand older trucks could be affected. Other ideas
would
employ technology rarely, if ever, used in the United States, including new power sources for ships
docked at
the port or idling near shore. Some ideas, such as restrictions on fuels for ships and trucks, might
require new
state or federal legislation. For the last two months, as they crafted their plan, which is scheduled to
receive its
first public airing Wednesday, experts from the port and state and federal air quality agencies have
been
meeting for six hours a week or more via telephone conference calls, huddled over spreadsheets,
graphics and
calculators in offices and conference rooms. One call in late November was expected to last two hours
but
lasted seven, interrupted only by a half-hour lunch break. The experts, conscious of California's
reputation for
innovative environmental rules, hope to produce a model of how to cut pollution at U.S. seaports,
even as Asian
imports continue to drive shipping to record levels. "I can't think of anything that's more important
for us to do
right now," said Ed Avol, a professor of preventive medicine at USC who is helping to prepare
Wednesday's
presentation to a task force appointed by Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn. "This will really set the
tone for
how other ports deal with pollution." The stakes are high. Although toxic emissions from cars and
other sources
have dropped dramatically in recent years, the Los Angeles area is still beset with the worst air
pollution of any
U.S. metropolitan area. The fast-growing Los Angeles-Long Beach port complex is not only the largest
air
polluter in Southern California, it is one of the few where emissions are "large and growing," said
Michael
Scheible, deputy executive director of the state Air Resources Board. In 2001, ships and other sources
of
pollution at the Port of Los Angeles produced an estimated 1,000 tons of particulates, specks of dust
and soot
that can be inhaled deep into the lungs and increase the risk of cancer and heart disease. By 2025, as
port
traffic continues to soar, the amount of particulates, much of which comes from diesel exhaust, could
more than
double, to 2,724 tons, according to worst-case projections. Similarly, emissions of nitrogen oxides, a
key
component of smog, could increase from 20,000 tons in 2001 to 39,700 tons in 2025, the projections
show.
Hahn has pledged to keep emissions from the port at 2001 levels - - a level the port already has far
exceeded.
When residents complained last summer that city and port officials were doing little to achieve the
goal, Hahn
assembled a 28-member task force including representatives from the shipping industry, labor, the
community
and environmental groups and charged them with deciding by the end of this year how to reduce
port pollution.
For the last two months, out of public view, the team of experts that will report to Hahn's task force
has been
studying how to reduce pollution at the port and along freeways and railroad lines across the region.
Aside from
its sheer scope, what makes the initiative so unusual is that experts from local, state and federal
regulatory
agencies are working closely with the port staff. Typically, the port would produce a plan that would
then be
reviewed by those agencies. "What it shows is there's a sense of the importance of this, and a sense
that we
have to move quickly," said one of the experts, Peter Greenwald, a senior policy advisor at the South
Coast Air
Quality Management District. The bulk of the work has been done by a group of technical experts
from the port
and the three major agencies overseeing air quality: the South Coast air district, the state Air
Resources Board
and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Showcasing an array of measures, from the use of
low-sulfur
fuel to cleaner-burning engines, the experts hope to show the task force how to close the gap
between the
17 March 2013 Page 211 of 483 ProQuest
amount of pollution three years ago and the amount expected by 2025. Both the shipping industry
and Hahn
have incentives to support the cleanup effort. In the last two years, growth of the port and the
neighboring Port
of Long Beach have sparked an intense debate over how to weigh the economic benefits of moving
goods
through the Los Angeles region against the costs to public health. Residents from San Pedro to
Riverside have
castigated government and business leaders for what they see as an emphasis on moving goods
rather than
cleaning the air. Industry officials fear the outcry could derail key transportation projects such as the
Long
Beach Freeway expansion or lead to no-growth campaigns directed at the ports. The political
implications are
significant for Hahn, who faces stiff competition in the March mayoral primary. Hahn's opponents
sharply
criticized the mayor during a recent televised debate for what they termed his slowness in dealing
with port
pollution. Air quality regulators say their unusual involvement in the project stems from their own
concerns about
increasing port pollution. The biggest polluters at the ports are diesel-burning ships. They are largely
foreignowned
and unregulated by state or federal agencies. Other major sources, such as trucks and railroad
locomotives, are bound by far less stringent regulations than cars. The course of the debate over port
pollution
may hinge on the control methods the experts identify and how those measures are viewed in
coming weeks by
a variety of interests, including community groups and the shipping and railroad industries. After
Wednesday's
presentation, the task force will study the proposal and prepare a draft report for the mayor to be
followed by
public hearings. An array of government agencies and business groups would have to agree to the
plan. No
one expects smooth sailing. Residents remain wary, although task force member Noel Park of San
Pedro, a
longtime port critic, said he is guardedly optimistic that the panel will produce useful information
about how to
control pollution. "I'm less optimistic that programs will be implemented without some fierce budget
fights," said
Park, who fears the effort will be undermined by what he describes as "political and legal
maneuverings" by port
officials and industry leaders. Business representatives on the mayor's task force also are taking a
cautious
approach. Michele Grubbs, who represents the Pacific Maritime Shipping Assn., a trade group of
shippers and
terminal operators, wonders if the team is overestimating its pollution projections. Newer cargo
ships are
cleaner and carry more containers, meaning fewer ships emitting less pollution will be calling at the
port, she
said. One major issue is how to pay for new control measures. Some task force members would like
to see
subsidies to industry to speed the adoption of controls. Others hope the federal government will step
in, since
the Los Angeles-Long Beach complex handles more than 40% of the nation's international container
trade. The
Wednesday presentation will include models of how the amount of pollutants might be reduced to
2001 levels
by the years 2008, 2010 and 2012, said Christopher Patton, a port staff environmental expert on the
technical
team. Some team members were planning to work through the holiday weekend to complete those
models,
Patton said. "Everyone is holding their breath, wanting to see how close we get," he said. "I am
cautiously
optimistic that we'll have something that demonstrates that it can be done, without some draconian
measures
like putting growth caps on, but that's always in the wings." Illustration Caption: GRAPHIC: Tough
target to meet
(includes MAP); CREDIT: Los Angeles Times Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Air pollution; Vehicle emissions; Environmental regulations; Pollution control costs;
Pollution control;
Smog
Location: Los Angeles California
Company / organization: Name: Port of Los Angeles; NAICS: 488310
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2004
17 March 2013 Page 212 of 483 ProQuest
Publication date: Dec 27, 2004
Year: 2004
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 421942923
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421942923?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2004 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 100 of 213
Drugs May Offer Shield From Pollution's Harm; Researchers find that two types of
medications taken
for high blood pressure can apparently block the deadly effects of air contaminants.
Author: Cone, Marla
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 08 Dec 2004: A.32.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The scientists reported that calcium channel blockers "had the most profound effect" on
preventing air
pollution from disrupting heart rates, according to the study published in this week's online journal
Environmental Health Perspectives. Widely used for two decades, the medications, such as Procardia
and
Cardizem, are prescribed for high blood pressure and some cardiac problems. Beta blockers,
prescribed for the
same conditions, also were protective but less so. Dozens of studies conducted worldwide have
shown that
deaths and hospitalizations from heart attacks, strokes, asthma attacks and other diseases increase
when
concentrations of fine particles and ozone rise. Researchers at Yale and Johns Hopkins universities
recently
calculated that ozone causes several thousand more deaths throughout the United States each year.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Medications commonly prescribed for people with high blood pressure may protect them
from the
potentially deadly effects of air pollution, according to a new study that examined hundreds of older
men.
Numerous studies have shown that people die more often from heart attacks, strokes and other
cardiovascular
problems on smoggy and sooty days. But Harvard University researchers have found that two types
of drugs,
calcium channel blockers and beta blockers, apparently can shield the effects of the pollutants. The
scientists
reported that calcium channel blockers "had the most profound effect" on preventing air pollution
from disrupting
17 March 2013 Page 213 of 483 ProQuest
heart rates, according to the study published in this week's online journal Environmental Health
Perspectives.
Widely used for two decades, the medications, such as Procardia and Cardizem, are prescribed for
high blood
pressure and some cardiac problems. Beta blockers, prescribed for the same conditions, also were
protective
but less so. Epidemiologists believe that fine particles of soot, mostly from diesel exhaust and
factories, and
ozone, the main ingredient of smog, can interfere with the nervous system's control over variations
in heart
rates. People with low heart rate variability are considered prone to heart attacks. The team at
Harvard's School
of Public Health, led by Dr. Sung Kyun Park, examined 497 men -- average age 72 -- from the Boston
area,
comparing their heart functions to air pollution levels recorded nearby. The scientists reported that
on days
when ozone and fine particle pollution increased, the men had lower readings for heart rate
variability; there
was less of an effect on those taking the medications. Dr. Henry Gong, a USC professor of medicine
who
specializes in the health effects of air pollutants, said it was plausible that the medications could
shield people
from all causes of heart rate problems, including air pollution. But scientists would have to compare
people
taking the drugs who were breathing purified air with those breathing polluted air to offer more
substantial
evidence, he said. Because the lungs and heart work together, experts theorize that when tiny
particles are
inhaled, they inflame the lungs, triggering a neurological response in the heart. The calcium blocker
medications, designed to stop calcium from reaching heart cells and allow blood to flow more freely
to the heart,
also may block that unwanted neurological response. Dozens of studies conducted worldwide have
shown that
deaths and hospitalizations from heart attacks, strokes, asthma attacks and other diseases increase
when
concentrations of fine particles and ozone rise. Researchers at Yale and Johns Hopkins universities
recently
calculated that ozone causes several thousand more deaths throughout the United States each year.
Studies,
including the new Harvard one, also have found that diabetics are at high risk because the pollutants
alter their
heart rates. Health experts welcomed the news that commonly prescribed medications might protect
the millions
of people who are most vulnerable to air pollution. But they say that efforts must continue to combat
particulates
and smog. Levels of the pollutants in the Boston area where the heart study was conducted were
considerably
lower than in Southern California. About 100 million Americans live in areas that violate federal
health standards
for ozone, and about 20 million live in areas that exceed particulate standards, according to the
Environmental
Protection Agency. But numerous studies have found increased deaths even in areas that are not
considered
highly polluted. Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Medical research; Hypertension; Air pollution; Prescription drugs
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.32
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2004
Publication date: Dec 8, 2004
Year: 2004
Section: Main News; Part A; National Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
17 March 2013 Page 214 of 483 ProQuest
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 421999925
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421999925?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2004 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 101 of 213
Study Finds Smog Raises Death Rate; Scientists researching pollution's short-term health
effects in
95 U.S. urban areas link mortality rates to higher daily ozone levels.
Author: Cone, Marla
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 17 Nov 2004: A.20.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Scientists have long known that ozone, the main ingredient of smog, aggravates asthma and
other
respiratory illnesses and causes hospital visits to surge, particularly in severely polluted areas such
as Southern
California. But the study in the Journal of the American Medical Assn. is the first major nationwide
endeavor that
links day-to-day ozone levels with an increased number of deaths. In New York, the small increase in
ozone
caused an additional 319 deaths annually. For the 95 areas nationwide, 3,767 more people died per
year when
ozone increased by 10 parts per billion. Ozone levels fluctuate greatly, and increases of that
magnitude occur
routinely. In the Los Angeles region, the current federal health standard, 120 parts per billion, was
violated 27
days this year. One day last year, it reached as high as 216 parts per billion, almost double the
amount deemed
healthful. The worst levels occur in San Bernardino County. Dr. Henry Gong, a professor of medicine
at USC
and a leading air pollution researcher, called the increase in deaths "plausible" because ozone was a
potent
irritant that inflamed airways and triggered asthma attacks and other breathing problems. Recent
research also
has implicated air pollutants, especially particulates, in heart attacks, based on evidence that they
damage the
nervous system's ability to vary the heart rate to handle stress.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: On smoggy days, deaths from heart and respiratory ailments and other diseases rise,
causing several
thousand more people throughout the United States to die each year, according to a study published
Tuesday
that links air pollution and mortality in 95 urban areas. Scientists have long known that ozone, the
main
ingredient of smog, aggravates asthma and other respiratory illnesses and causes hospital visits to
surge,
particularly in severely polluted areas such as Southern California. But the study in the Journal of the
American
Medical Assn. is the first major nationwide endeavor that links day-to-day ozone levels with an
increased
number of deaths. About 40% of the U.S. population lives in the areas analyzed -- including Los
Angeles,
Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, which have some of the nation's worst smog -according to
the authors, from Yale and Johns Hopkins universities. Other places studied include parts of the Bay
Area, the
Central Valley and San Diego. Outside California, cities include Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, New York,
Atlanta,
Detroit, New Orleans, Nashville and Seattle. Francesca Dominici, a biostatistician at Johns Hopkins
Bloomberg
17 March 2013 Page 215 of 483 ProQuest
School of Public Health and a co-author of the report, said the study "provides strong evidence of
short-term
effects of ozone on mortality" because it pooled results from a large number of urban areas. The
researchers
said they found a link between mortality and ozone even in areas with low pollution, at
concentrations less than
the current federal health standard. Previous smaller studies reached varying conclusions, some
finding an
increase in deaths and some not. Scientists have already documented in several dozen studies around
the
world that deaths increase when airborne pollutants called particulates, or fine pieces of soot, rise.
Particulates
come mostly from diesel engines. In contrast, ozone, a colorless gas that develops mostly in summer,
is formed
when nitrogen and hydrocarbon gases from cars, industries and consumer products react with
sunlight. The Los
Angeles basin -- with its large population, pollution- trapping mountains and stagnant, sunny
conditions -- is like
a smog- forming machine. The region has battled ozone for half a century with state and local
controls on cars,
businesses and other sources. As a result, levels have declined sharply. "This is a reminder call for the
public
and for this agency that ozone still is a pollutant with some very serious health effects and one in
which we have
to be just as aggressive in reducing as particulates," said Sam Atwood, a spokesman for the South
Coast Air
Quality Management District, which regulates air pollution in the Los Angeles basin. The study found
that, when
ozone levels increased by a fairly small amount, 10 parts per billion, the daily deaths from noninjury
causes over
the next few days increased an average of 0.52%. For cardiovascular and respiratory deaths, the
increase was
slightly higher, 0.64%, and for senior citizens, deaths increased by 0.70%. "In terms of the overall
mortality risk,
these changes are small, but they do add up," said Jean Ospital, the air quality agency's health effects
officer.
"Because so many people are exposed, the cumulative effects can be significant." In New York, the
small
increase in ozone caused an additional 319 deaths annually. For the 95 areas nationwide, 3,767 more
people
died per year when ozone increased by 10 parts per billion. Ozone levels fluctuate greatly, and
increases of that
magnitude occur routinely. In the Los Angeles region, the current federal health standard, 120 parts
per billion,
was violated 27 days this year. One day last year, it reached as high as 216 parts per billion, almost
double the
amount deemed healthful. The worst levels occur in San Bernardino County. Dr. Henry Gong, a
professor of
medicine at USC and a leading air pollution researcher, called the increase in deaths "plausible"
because ozone
was a potent irritant that inflamed airways and triggered asthma attacks and other breathing
problems. Recent
research also has implicated air pollutants, especially particulates, in heart attacks, based on
evidence that they
damage the nervous system's ability to vary the heart rate to handle stress. "Ozone is still lurking out
there,
particularly in Southern California during the summer, and there are many sensitive people to it,
such as
asthmatics," Gong said. The study's lead author, Michelle Bell of Yale University's School of Forestry
and
Environmental Studies, and the co-authors said the study underestimated the number of deaths
because it only
captured those within a few days of high pollution levels, not from lifetime exposure. "We've known
for a long
time that smog is unhealthy, but this is some of the strongest evidence yet that smog actually kills,"
said Nat
Mund of the Sierra Club. John L. Kirkwood, president of the American Lung Assn., said the study,
funded by the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other federal sources, comes "at a critical time in the fight
against air
pollution" when the Bush administration and Congress are proposing to ease environmental
regulations. Credit:
Times Staff Writer
Subject: Air pollution; Ozone; Studies; Urban areas; Smog; Public health; Mortality
Location: United States, US
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.20
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2004
17 March 2013 Page 216 of 483 ProQuest
Publication date: Nov 17, 2004
Year: 2004
Section: Main News; Part A; National Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 421946737
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421946737?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2004 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 102 of 213
BEHIND THE WHEEL; Stuck on the Freeway? Here's Something Else to Fume About; Recent
studies suggest that exposure to air pollution in stop-and-go traffic could increase
cardiovascular
risks.
Author: Liu, Caitlin
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 16 Nov 2004: B.2.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: In a follow-up study to be published in the journal Particle and Fibre Toxicology, [Wayne E.
Cascio]
and his colleagues found that the connection between air pollution and cardiovascular changes
seemed
particularly strong when it came to stop-and-go traffic, which generates more air toxins than smooth
driving.
Chemical analyses of the air inside patrol cars found that acceleration increases the level of aldehyde
in the air,
while braking releases copper metal particles. The amount of black carbon in the air is an indicator of
the level
of diesel exhaust. According to the AQMD, 90% of the cancer- causing air pollution in the region
comes from
vehicle emissions, and the major source of cancer-causing toxins is diesel exhaust. GRIDLOCK: Cars
creep
along the Riverside Freeway. Exposure to pollution during stop-and-go traffic could cause
cardiovascular
changes, studies suggest.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Gina Ferazzi Los Angeles Times; TEST: A truck's exhaust
is
measured at a checkpoint in Sun Valley. The major source of cancer-causing toxins is diesel
emissions,
according to the AQMD.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Los Angeles Times
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Spending time in traffic -- especially when the conditions are stop-and-go -- could be bad for
your
health because of the air pollution flowing into your automobile, recent research shows. Although
rolling up the
17 March 2013 Page 217 of 483 ProQuest
windows might help a bit, no car is airtight. Turning on the fan makes only a modest difference at
best, experts
say. Short of donning a gas mask or holding your breath, your best bet is to avoid driving behind
certain types of
diesel vehicles and to minimize your time on congested freeways. "Since traffic is the major source of
toxins,
you're getting substantial exposure to these agents in your daily commute," said Jean Ospital, health
effects
officer for the South Coast Air Quality Management District. The health risks, he added, increase with
the
amount of exposure. One recent study, funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, suggests
that
exposure to air pollution particulate matter while driving could cause cardiovascular changes that
have been
associated with increased risks of heart attacks, inflammation and arteriosclerosis. Published in the
April 15
issue of the American Journal of Respiratory Critical Care Medicine, the study followed nine North
Carolina
state highway troopers for four days. The officers -- all nonsmokers between the ages of 23 and 30,
and in
"excellent physical condition" -- were connected to electrodes that kept track of their heart rate.
Blood samples
were drawn before and after each work shift. Patrol cars were equipped with devices to monitor air
quality. By
having the troopers keep a log of their daily activity, researchers were able to factor out stressful
events -- such
as a high-speed chase -- that might be responsible for some cardiovascular responses. Still, they
observed that
for these healthy men, exposure to particulate matter while inside their vehicles was correlated with
irregular
heart rhythm, elevated blood protein levels and other blood cell changes. "The higher the dose of air
pollution,
the more we saw a [cardiovascular] change," said study co-author Dr. Wayne E. Cascio, chief of
cardiology at
Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. "A high level [of pollution] for a short term
could be the
same as a smaller dose over a long period of time." In a follow-up study to be published in the journal
Particle
and Fibre Toxicology, Cascio and his colleagues found that the connection between air pollution and
cardiovascular changes seemed particularly strong when it came to stop-and-go traffic, which
generates more
air toxins than smooth driving. Chemical analyses of the air inside patrol cars found that acceleration
increases
the level of aldehyde in the air, while braking releases copper metal particles. A separate study,
published in
August in the journal Atmospheric Environment, found that driving behind certain types of diesel
vehicles can
dramatically elevate the levels of black carbon -- or diesel soot -- in the air inside your car. The study
said that
being behind a diesel bus with a low tailpipe could subject you to 18 times as much black carbon than
if you are
tailing a modern, gasoline-powered passenger vehicle. The amount of black carbon in the air is an
indicator of
the level of diesel exhaust. According to the AQMD, 90% of the cancer- causing air pollution in the
region
comes from vehicle emissions, and the major source of cancer-causing toxins is diesel exhaust.
Ironically, the
study showed that exposure to black carbons may be higher when you're behind a medium-size
delivery truck
with a low tailpipe or a diesel passenger car than when you're tailing a big rig with exhaust piping
out its top.
That's because the smaller vehicles blow toxic particles directly at your car. "By far, the best thing to
do is avoid
driving behind these vehicles and avoid driving on freeways dominated by these vehicles," said
Arthur M.
Winer, professor of Environmental Health Services at the UCLA School of Public Health and a coauthor of the
study. "That will help reduce your exposure." Winer and his colleagues also found that the time
people spend
inside their car averaged 1 1/2 hours a day -- or about 6% of their time -- but accounted for one-third
to one-half
of their daily exposure to diesel exhaust. The diesel study analyzed data that had been collected in
1997 by
researchers funded by the California Air Resources Board. By equipping a car with an air-quality
monitor,
researchers measured real-time black carbon levels inside a car driving on freeways and roads in Los
Angeles
and Sacramento. Windows were closed, and different fan settings were used. Each run was recorded
by a
video camera aimed at capturing what was in front of the driver. The most important predictor of
black carbon
levels inside the test vehicle was the type of vehicle followed, the 2004 analysis found. Researchers
did not
control for whether air conditioning was used, but found that variables such as speed, following
distance and
ventilation did not matter much. "Vehicles are very porous," Winer said. "They're not space capsules.
They're
not submarines. They're not airtight." Some manufacturers of car air purifiers sold in stores and over
the Internet
claim their products can eliminate toxins and remove odors. But air pollution experts and others are
skeptical.
17 March 2013 Page 218 of 483 ProQuest
Last year, Consumer Reports tested several in-home air purifiers and deemed them "not effective."
The
organization has not reviewed any in-vehicle air purifiers. "Some of them generate ozone to destroy
odors,"
professor Roger Atkinson, director of the Air Pollution Research Center at UC Riverside, said of such
devices in
general. "The thing about ozone is it kills your sense of smell. That's why you don't notice odors
anymore."
Atkinson and others say it is ironic that such devices can add ozone, considering that it's the main
ingredient in
Southern California's smog. "We've worked 35 years trying to reduce ozone!" said Jerry Martin,
spokesman for
the Air Resources Board. Illustration Caption: PHOTO: GRIDLOCK: Cars creep along the Riverside
Freeway.
Exposure to pollution during stop-and-go traffic could cause cardiovascular changes, studies
suggest.;
PHOTOGRAPHER: Gina Ferazzi Los Angeles Times; PHOTO: TEST: A truck's exhaust is measured at a
checkpoint in Sun Valley. The major source of cancer-causing toxins is diesel emissions, according to
the
AQMD.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Los Angeles Times Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Indoor air quality; Air pollution; Traffic; Vehicle emissions; Cardiovascular disease
Location: Los Angeles California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.2
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2004
Publication date: Nov 16, 2004
Year: 2004
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 421925585
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421925585?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2004 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 103 of 213
The State; State Money Helped Dairies Dirty the Air; Angelides freezes future loans after
saying
bonds were used to build bigger, smoggier farms.
17 March 2013 Page 219 of 483 ProQuest
Author: Arax, Mark
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 11 Oct 2004: A.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: [Phil Angelides] now says that this reasoning was faulty and that the dairies never should
have
received the bond money. The larger dairies might have made some progress in protecting
groundwater, but
they continue to rank among the major air polluters in the San Joaquin Valley, according to local
regulators.
Simply put, more cows mean more gases are released into the air to form smog and particulate
pollution. "The
state has missed a major opportunity to push these big dairies in the direction of new pollution
control methods,"
said Vicki Lee, a Sierra Club member in Sacramento who first questioned the dairy loans in an Aug.
30 letter to
Angelides. "The dairies haven't taken a single step to justify this financing." Under Angelides, the
board has
moved away from financing oil companies and utilities and began awarding loans as large as $91
million to
solid-waste firms now required under law to recycle and reduce garbage at landfills. Angelides said
he has tried
to direct more of the agency's $200 million to $300 million in annual pollution control bond funds to
projects that
carry a real potential for environmental cleanup.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Over the last four years, nearly $70 million in state bond money designated for pollution
control has
financed a score of giant dairies that have helped turn the San Joaquin Valley into the nation's most
polluted air
basin. In several cases, the tax-exempt, low-interest loans to fight pollution have been used by
dairymen to
close smaller operations in Chino and open dairies with as many as 14,000 cows each in the valley,
which
produces more milk than any other region in the country but has more violations of the eight-hour
ozone
standard than even Los Angeles. "It's hard to believe that low-interest loans set aside by California to
fight
pollution are instead being used to expand some of the biggest polluters in agriculture," said Brent
Newell, an
attorney for the Center on Race, Poverty &the Environment, a San Francisco-based law firm that has
joined the
Sierra Club to fight the expansion of industrial dairies. State Treasurer Phil Angelides, who heads the
Pollution
Control Financing Authority and approved the loans, now says the $70 million in bond money for
dairies was
misspent. He said the blame lies not with the dairy farmers but with the pollution control authority,
which failed
to scrutinize the environmental impacts of the big dairies. In their loan applications, the farmers
stated that their
bigger dairies would provide an "environmentally sound method of disposing of animal waste." By
expanding
their acreage, they would have more land to spread manure, and thus lessen its effects on
groundwater. But
Angelides now says that this reasoning was faulty and that the dairies never should have received the
bond
money. The larger dairies might have made some progress in protecting groundwater, but they
continue to rank
among the major air polluters in the San Joaquin Valley, according to local regulators. Simply put,
more cows
mean more gases are released into the air to form smog and particulate pollution. Angelides said only
businesses that take important steps to curtail their pollution should qualify for the financing. The 18
dairies
awarded state bond money since 2001, by contrast, never offered any plans to use new air pollution
control
technology, he said. Citing the concerns of the Sierra Club and others, Angelides has decided to freeze
an
additional $24 million in loans approved this year for a new set of dairies. "We're going to stop
financing dairies
until we can do a comprehensive review," Angelides said. "In the future, I'm going to press hard to
make sure
that any dairy we finance will be taking steps to resolve environmental problems, not contribute to
them." The
decision to finance dairies -- and now declare a moratorium on that funding -- is a setback to a
program that the
state treasurer has worked to reform since taking office in 1999, making the bond money available to
a broader
range of industries. David Albers, whose 4,000-cow dairy in Fresno County got a $5.8- million loan at
1%
interest in 2003, said he thinks his new dairy deserved the financing. "It's remarkable that Phil
Angelides is now
saying that his own agency has fallen short, but we didn't do anything wrong," he said. "We went
through the
process and got the money fair and square." Albers emphasized that his new dairy warranted funding
because
17 March 2013 Page 220 of 483 ProQuest
it posed fewer risks to groundwater than his old dairy had. "We have about twice as many acres as
we need to
handle the manure that we produce," he said. "The chances of our new dairy polluting the
groundwater are slim
and none." But Albers and other dairy farmers acknowledge that they continue to use an old
recycling system
that adds considerable pollutants to the air. Dairy waste is shunted into large, open-air lagoons that
cook in the
sun. Those lagoons emit millions of pounds of smog- forming gases each year, according to regulators
at the
San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. In addition, they say, dairies here account for more
than 100
million pounds of ammonia per year -- a major source of particulate matter that can lodge deep in the
lungs and
cause disease. Over the last six years, the San Joaquin Valley has violated the national eight-hour
ozone
standard 689 times, as opposed to 569 violations for the South Coast Air Quality Management
District. The
eight-hour measure is now regarded by federal regulators as the best standard for gauging the effects
of smog.
Los Angeles and Houston still lead the nation in one-hour peak violations. The recycling process used
by dairies
also carries risks to the water supply, say state water regulators. As dairies spread their liquid and
dry fertilizer
on adjacent cropland, it can leach into the aquifer or run off into rivers. One Solano County dairy
receiving the
bond financing was fined recently by the state for spilling 1.3 million gallons of liquefied manure into
local
irrigation canals. State records show that the pollution control authority under Angelides never
required the
dairies to employ methane digesters or other new technologies that enclose lagoons and reduce the
amount of
harmful gases. Neither did the agency encourage stricter standards on lining the lagoons with clay
and other
material to protect groundwater. "The state has missed a major opportunity to push these big dairies
in the
direction of new pollution control methods," said Vicki Lee, a Sierra Club member in Sacramento who
first
questioned the dairy loans in an Aug. 30 letter to Angelides. "The dairies haven't taken a single step
to justify
this financing." The pollution control board's rationale in awarding the loans was clearly wrong,
Angelides now
says. In every instance, the three- member board -- which includes state Controller Steve Westly and
the
governor's finance director, Donna Arduin -- cited the same reason: Each new or expanded dairy
would benefit
the environment by diverting waste from a state landfill. But dairies, by long-standing practice, do
not send their
waste to landfills. The dumping fees alone would be prohibitive. "Diversion from landfills is not
accurate,"
Angelides said. "That's a staff error." The controversy over the dairy loans has shined a light on a
rather
obscure state program that delivers hundreds of millions in tax-exempt revenue bond money to fight
pollution.
The pollution control financing board was established by the Legislature in 1972 "to provide
industry within the
state, irrespective of company size, with an alternative method of financing" to build or expand
pollution control
facilities. After the authority approves a project for financing, the tax-exempt, variable-rate bonds are
sold to
money market funds, insurance companies and other investors. In the early years, much of the
financing went
to Mobil and Arco, Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas &Electric to fund programs that cut
back on their
pollutants. Under Angelides, the board has moved away from financing oil companies and utilities
and began
awarding loans as large as $91 million to solid-waste firms now required under law to recycle and
reduce
garbage at landfills. Angelides said he has tried to direct more of the agency's $200 million to $300
million in
annual pollution control bond funds to projects that carry a real potential for environmental cleanup.
"When I
came here, we wanted to turn it into a much more aggressive, cutting-edge, environmentally friendly
authority,"
he said. "And I think we've done that." Three years ago, for instance, the board gave a $15.4-million
loan to a
cheese manufacturer in Tulare County to install a state- of-the-art waste recovery system. This year,
the board
has given initial approval for $89 million in financing to a Glenn County company that will produce
fiberboard by
recycling 200,000 tons of rice straw each year. In the case of the dairies, most recipients have been
financed
under the agency's so-called Small Business Assistance Fund. The fund has allowed each dairy to also
receive
grants of up to $250,000 to cover the loan's administrative costs. At least six of the dairy farmers who
got
financing have consolidated or closed operations in Chino and other Southland cities where suburbia
continues
to swallow up farmland. By selling their land to developers, many third-generation Dutch and
Portuguese dairy
farmers have become wealthy. But it also has sent them over the mountain to the San Joaquin Valley
in search
17 March 2013 Page 221 of 483 ProQuest
of dairy land for their children and grandchildren. The dairies now rising in Kern, Tulare, Kings and
Fresno
counties are among the nation's largest, transforming the middle of California into a milk-producing
marvel even
as they pollute the air and threaten to degrade the groundwater. Nearly 2 million cows are spread
out over 625
dairies across the San Joaquin Valley, industry figures show. Outside Bakersfield, the B&B, a dairy
owned by
James Borba, who received $8 million in state bond money at 1.1% interest last year, milks 14,400
cows. His
cousin, George Borba, has built his own 14,400-cow dairy next door with $3.8 million in state bond
financing.
Like the Borba dairies, Albers' Vintage Dairy on the far west side of Fresno County is built on an
industrial scale.
More than 4,000 Holsteins feed in tight stalls in open-air metal barns bigger than football fields.
Twice a day, like
clockwork, comes the call of the milking line. Albers' dairy produces not only a river of milk, but also
9,000 tons
of wet sewage a year, according to state bond documents. Dairy experts say that is the equivalent
waste of a
city of 80,000 people. "Yes, big dairies do emit certain pollutants," Albers said. "So doesn't it make
sense for
society to allocate resources to control that pollution?" As a condition of the $5.8-million loan, the
pollution
control board never required Albers to install technology to reduce pollutants from the lagoons.
Instead, Albers
bought enough adjacent land to plant 2,500 acres of corn, alfalfa and wheat. That way, the manure
from his
cows can be completely utilized as fertilizer. "No, we don't have any of the new technology, but we're
using
manure to grow crops and enrich the soil," said Albers, a third- generation dairyman who practices
law in
Bakersfield. "This new dairy is much more environmentally efficient than our older one." But
regional air district
regulators point out that before cow waste is spread as fertilizer, it releases much of its reactive and
other gases
into the air. Whatever efficiency Albers has gained by building a new dairy, they say, he will more
than offset by
eventually doubling the size of his herd to 8,000 cattle. Part of the problem, Angelides said, is that
local and
state regulators have been toothless in holding dairies to more rigorous standards. Last month, for
instance, the
San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District delayed requiring dairies to install new technologies
to reduce
air pollutants. Likewise, the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board is monitoring fewer
than 15%
of the dairies for groundwater impacts. Angelides said the pollution control financing board under
his leadership
shared the blame. "In absence of those tougher standards from regulators and the Legislature, I'm
going to now
urge the board to set our own tough standards," he said. "If we decide to finance dairies in the future,
the
pollution controls will be real." Illustration Caption: GRAPHIC: Milk money (includes MAP); CREDIT:
REBECCA
PERRY Los Angeles Times; PHOTO: BOVINE POLLUTION: Dairy waste lagoons emit millions of
pounds of
smog-forming gases each year, according to regulators.; PHOTO: RIVERS OF MILK: Dairy cattle line
up to feed
near the San Joaquin Valley town of Lamont. State bond money designated for pollution control has
financed a
number of giant farms that have helped turn the valley into the nation's most polluted air basin.;
PHOTOGRAPHER: Photographs by David McNew Getty Images Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Pollution control; Municipal bonds; Expansion; Environmental impact; Public finance; Dairy
farms; Air
pollution
Location: California
Company / organization: Name: Pollution Control Financing Authority-California; NAICS: 924110
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2004
Publication date: Oct 11, 2004
Year: 2004
17 March 2013 Page 222 of 483 ProQuest
Dateline: FRESNO
Section: Main News; Part A; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 421940177
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421940177?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2004 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 104 of 213
Air Quality Improves Markedly; Officials credit cooler weather for less ozone. But Southern
California
i s still failing to meet federal standards.
Author: Bustillo, Miguel
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 04 Oct 2004: B.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Houston exceeded federal health standards for ozone over a one- hour period on 31 days so
far this
year, making it the smog capital - - at least by that test. But the San Joaquin Valley fared far worse
than
Houston according to another federal measure of ozone over an eight-hour period, leaving room for
debate.
High as it was, that reading was the lowest recorded in the region for any year since air-quality
officials began
carefully monitoring ozone in 1976. The same area registered a high of .216 ppm ozone a year ago.
The federal
health standard for ozone over a one-hour period is .12 ppm. Even a decade ago, Southern California
violated
ozone standards nearly twice as often as it does today. Peak ozone levels were also higher, which
triggered
public health alerts by local officials warning people to stay indoors. Until high ozone levels required
one last
year, Southern California had not seen a Stage 1 health alert since 1998.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: California's air quality took a substantial turn for the better in 2004, after three years of
steadily
worsening smog had sparked fears that the state was losing its decades-long war against air
pollution. The
explanation for the improvement, air-quality experts say, boils down to simple meteorology: It has
not been as
hot this year in California. The good news regarding bad air days demonstrates that the state's
notoriously hazy
skies are not only a product of pollution, but of weather conditions that often make California a
perfect hothouse
for smog. "Every year, the fleet of cars gets a little cleaner, and we see improvements in the pollutants
that form
17 March 2013 Page 223 of 483 ProQuest
smog," said Jerry Martin, a spokesman for the California Air Resources Board. "The big unknown is
the
weather. You don't get really high levels of ozone until pollution has spent several days cooking in the
sun."
Last year, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties surpassed a key federal health
standard for ozone, the main ingredient in smog, on 64 days by the end of September -- nearly onefourth of
the time. So far this year, the region has exceeded the standard on just 27 days. Similarly, the San
Joaquin
Valley, which has begun to challenge L.A. as the state's smog capital, has violated the ozone standard
on only
nine days, compared with 36 at the same time a year ago. By contrast, Houston, which has vied with
regions in
California for the title of the nation's smoggiest place, experienced a slight increase in exceptionally
bad air days
this year. Houston exceeded federal health standards for ozone over a one- hour period on 31 days so
far this
year, making it the smog capital - - at least by that test. But the San Joaquin Valley fared far worse
than
Houston according to another federal measure of ozone over an eight-hour period, leaving room for
debate.
Breathing air with high levels of ozone can cause shortness of breath, nausea and headaches.
Repeated
exposure has been linked to serious health problems including asthma and heart disease. Cars are
the largest
source of smog-forming emissions in California, followed by household chemicals from cleaning
supplies and
paints. Diesel engines powering trains, ships, buses and construction equipment also are a major
contributor,
and remain loosely regulated compared with other causes of pollution. There were several smog
hotspots in
Southern California this year, notably Santa Clarita. It violated the federal maximum for ozone more
often than
any other area of Southern California. Meanwhile, the twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, a
growing
source of air pollution, barely registered on the smog meter, largely because the emissions they spew
do not
form smog until they blow farther inland. The year's highest smog reading -- .163 parts per million of
ozone in
the air -- was registered in the central San Bernardino Mountains, historically the smoggiest part of
Southern
California due to wind-blown pollution from the Los Angeles area. High as it was, that reading was
the lowest
recorded in the region for any year since air-quality officials began carefully monitoring ozone in
1976. The
same area registered a high of .216 ppm ozone a year ago. The federal health standard for ozone over
a onehour
period is .12 ppm. Scientists have long known that high temperatures help cook the chemical stew of
pollutants that forms smog. Milder weather makes the stew boil more slowly, resulting in lower
ozone levels. Airquality
experts say the spring cloud layer, known locally as "June gloom," seemed to last longer this year,
lowering temperatures. "It was a very cool early part of the summer. There were a few exceptions,
but the real
severe weather days were not there this year," said Joe Cassmassi, senior meteorologist for the South
Coast
Air Quality Management District. The lower occurrence of smoggy days this year conforms with a
trend toward
cleaner air in California, which has been aggressively regulating air pollution for more than 50 years.
"Certainly,
the long-term trend shows improvement in ozone air quality," said Lynn Terry, deputy executive
officer of the Air
Resources Board. Although the air above Los Angeles still shrouds the downtown skyline in a brown
pall,
pollution experts say it is almost pristine compared with the thick smog the city was notorious for
following World
War II. Even a decade ago, Southern California violated ozone standards nearly twice as often as it
does today.
Peak ozone levels were also higher, which triggered public health alerts by local officials warning
people to stay
indoors. Until high ozone levels required one last year, Southern California had not seen a Stage 1
health alert
since 1998. A surge of smoggy days in California in recent years, however, had undermined the
pattern of
reductions, leading some experts to fear that the state had begun losing ground. In 2001, the fourcounty South
Coast Air Basin experienced 36 days exceeding the federal one-hour ozone standard, followed by 45
days in
2002 and 64 days in 2003. Although air quality may be improving, Southern California is still failing
to meet
federal standards, which are becoming tougher due to growing knowledge about the dangers of air
pollution,
critics note. The Environmental Protection Agency this year announced that by 2021 cities will have
to meet the
ozone standard that measures the pollutant in the air over an eight-hour span. It requires levels to
remain below
.08 ppm. So far this year, the South Coast area has violated that standard on 86 days -- roughly a third
of the
time. The San Joaquin Valley, which is expected to have a harder time meeting the eight-hour
standard
17 March 2013 Page 224 of 483 ProQuest
because its pollution lingers longer, has exceeded it on 97 days so far this year. Although ozone has
been the
barometer used to measure air pollution in California, air-quality experts are increasingly concluding
that
particulate matter -- microscopic specks commonly released into the air by car, truck and ship
exhaust -- may
be more dangerous. A recent USC study that tracked Southern California children from fourth grade
until they
graduated from high school found that children growing up in polluted areas were more likely to
have
underdeveloped lungs, leading to a lifetime of possible health problems. Illustration Caption:
GRAPHIC: Cleaner
air; CREDIT: Leslie Carlson Los Angeles Times Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Emission standards; Pollution control; Weather; Ratings & rankings; Environmental
monitoring; Smog;
Outdoor air quality
Location: California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2004
Publication date: Oct 4, 2004
Year: 2004
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 421950479
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421950479?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2004 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 105 of 213
AQMD Critical of Port Plan to Grow; The agency says Long Beach officials have
underestimated the
amount of smog likely to result from added berths.
Author: Schoch, Deborah
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 16 Sep 2004: B.1.
17 March 2013 Page 225 of 483 ProQuest
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Officials at the South Coast Air Quality Management District said that they informed port
officials in
letters in October 2003 and again this July that its calculations of future air pollution were
inadequate, but the
port still used those calculations in environmental documents to support the expansion of Pier J.
Susan
Nakamura, AQMD planning and rules manager, reiterated the agency's concerns at a Long Beach City
Council
meeting Tuesday. Port officials maintained Wednesday that their calculations were sound. The
AQMD letters
were sent by the air agency's planning and regulatory department, but port administrators said they
received
guidance from other AQMD staff members. In its letters, the AQMD took issue with the port's
assertion that the
harbor would eventually see a 75% reduction in diesel particulate matter from vehicles. That
decrease will occur
only in new trucks meeting federal standards being phased in beginning in 2007, air officials said.
Even though
many old trucks will remain on the road long after the standards take effect, the port seems to be
assuming that
all trucks entering the port after 2007 will have the new, cleaner engines, the AQMD said.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Long Beach port commissioners approved a 115-acre expansion plan last month even
though smog
regulators warned them that the harbor's environmental review underestimated how much air
pollution would be
generated by trucks and other vehicles. Air pollution has emerged as the central issue in the debate
over
whether to expand a pier near the Queen Mary. Critics of the plan point out that the Los Angeles and
Long
Beach ports are already the single largest source of air pollution in Southern California and that the
new berths
would simply make the problem worse. Officials at the South Coast Air Quality Management District
said that
they informed port officials in letters in October 2003 and again this July that its calculations of
future air
pollution were inadequate, but the port still used those calculations in environmental documents to
support the
expansion of Pier J. Susan Nakamura, AQMD planning and rules manager, reiterated the agency's
concerns at
a Long Beach City Council meeting Tuesday. After hearing Nakamura's comments, the council
abruptly
postponed until November a final decision on whether to sign off on the Pier J project. "When you've
got AQMD
coming out in two separate letters saying you're inadequate, and you're ignoring it -- that was the
most
damaging thing," said City Councilman Val Lerch, a critic of the proposal. Port officials maintained
Wednesday
that their calculations were sound. The AQMD letters were sent by the air agency's planning and
regulatory
department, but port administrators said they received guidance from other AQMD staff members.
"We're very
concerned that we have an agency that we're depending on for guidance and we're not getting
consistent
information," said Robert Kanter, the port's planning director. Kanter also said he was puzzled by
what he called
the "eleventh- hour" testimony from Nakamura. In its letters, the AQMD took issue with the port's
assertion that
the harbor would eventually see a 75% reduction in diesel particulate matter from vehicles. That
decrease will
occur only in new trucks meeting federal standards being phased in beginning in 2007, air officials
said. Even
though many old trucks will remain on the road long after the standards take effect, the port seems
to be
assuming that all trucks entering the port after 2007 will have the new, cleaner engines, the AQMD
said. The
port's environmental documents "did not provide any enforceable commitment to ensure this level
of control
would occur at the project site," one letter said. Addressing the council on Tuesday, Nakamura said
the AQMD
believes its concerns "were not adequately addressed" by the port and that the environmental report
underestimates certain emissions. The battle over Pier J reflects an emotional debate about growth at
the Los
Angeles-Long Beach port complex, the busiest in the United States. Residents of the harbor area and
along
major area freeway corridors blame the port for increased air pollution and traffic congestion. That
debate
escalated after USC scientists released the results of two studies in the last two weeks, one reporting
on
unexplained pockets of cancer downwind of the port, and the other on the loss of lung function in
children in six
cities with dirty air, including Long Beach. One resident of Camden Harbor View, a new residential
development
overlooking the port in the city's downtown, took the podium Tuesday night and pulled a soiled rag
out of a
17 March 2013 Page 226 of 483 ProQuest
plastic bag. The dirt on the rag had accumulated in one week on a terrace off his living room, David
Carden Jr.
told council members. "Just think what it must be doing to our lungs when we breathe," Carden said.
A total of
28 people addressed the council, with most residents criticizing the project; union members and port
businesses
praised it. Supporters said the project would create more high-paying dock jobs. One member of the
pipe fitters
union said that an estimated 500,000 people recently applied for 3,000 new jobs at the port. Lawyers
from the
Natural Resources Defense Council spent nearly an hour critiquing what they called flawed
assumptions and
calculations throughout the environmental impact report. Port officials, in turn, said the public may
be
misunderstanding the intricacies of port operations. Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Expansion; Smog; Environmental impact; Ports; Air pollution
Location: Long Beach California
Company / organization: Name: South Coast Air Quality Management District-Los Angeles County
CA; NAICS:
924110; DUNS: 01-598-6159; Name: Port of Long Beach-California; NAICS: 488310
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2004
Publication date: Sep 16, 2004
Year: 2004
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 421935079
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421935079?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2004 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 106 of 213
Los Angeles; Port's Effort to Cut Smog Is Criticized; Some Long Beach council members
react after
residents say that a report on an expansion project underestimates emissions.
17 March 2013 Page 227 of 483 ProQuest
Author: Schoch, Deborah
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 15 Sep 2004: B.3.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: In the process, the port complex has become the single largest air polluter in the fivecounty South
Coast region, responsible for 24% of the region's diesel emissions. Diesel, a probable carcinogen,
comes
mostly from the mammoth container ships serving the ports, along with big-rig trucks, trains and
port yard
equipment. The Pier J expansion would involve creating more landfill around the current Pier J
directly south of
the Queen Mary and the central downtown area of Long Beach. Construction would be done in
phases, with the
first phase opening in the year 2007, and the final phase in 2015. The major tenant would be China
Ocean
Shipping Lines, or Cosco. Port officials say their plans include an assortment of measures to reduce
air
pollutants, including requiring ships to use cleaner- burning fuels, adding "cold ironing" for certain
ships and
requiring the terminal operator to use only diesel-powered equipment that meets federal standards.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Amid growing concerns from residents about air quality, some Long Beach City Council
members
Tuesday chastised the city's port for what they called an insufficient effort to reduce air pollution.
Their
comments came after residents and clean-air activists pleaded with the council to reject the
environmental
documents the port has prepared and approved, supporting an 115-acre expansion project. The
council voted
to put off a final decision on the expansion until November, saying that they hope the two sides can
work out
their differences. Port officials defended those documents and urged the council to let them stand.
Port
representatives said their plan came after a thorough, four-year-long review and would help rein in
air pollution.
Critics dismissed that review as a deliberate effort to underestimate the project's emissions, which
they said put
the port's economic growth over people's health. "Shame on you guys for coming in here with the
'minimum
legal' rather than taking the high road," Councilman Val Lerch told port officials. The debate over the
Pier J
expansion has escalated sharply into what some are labeling a referendum on the benefits and
problems of
international trade in the Los Angeles area. While many laud port trade for creating thousands of
jobs, a
growing number of residents blame the port for increased air pollution and traffic congestion. The
Los AngelesLong Beach port complex has grown swiftly in the last two decades to become the busiest in the
United States,
largely because of imports from Asia. Today the ports handle more than 43% of the nation's
seaborne cargo,
with about 15% being transported by truck on the Long Beach Freeway. In the process, the port
complex has
become the single largest air polluter in the five-county South Coast region, responsible for 24% of
the region's
diesel emissions. Diesel, a probable carcinogen, comes mostly from the mammoth container ships
serving the
ports, along with big-rig trucks, trains and port yard equipment. The Pier J expansion would involve
creating
more landfill around the current Pier J directly south of the Queen Mary and the central downtown
area of Long
Beach. Construction would be done in phases, with the first phase opening in the year 2007, and the
final phase
in 2015. The major tenant would be China Ocean Shipping Lines, or Cosco. Port officials say their
plans include
an assortment of measures to reduce air pollutants, including requiring ships to use cleaner- burning
fuels,
adding "cold ironing" for certain ships and requiring the terminal operator to use only dieselpowered equipment
that meets federal standards. But the Pier J environmental documents state that even with those
measurements, emissions of key air contaminants -- including a kind of particulate matter contained
in diesel
exhaust -- would still be considered significant. Critics call those plans woefully inadequate. In fact,
two large
environmental groups -- the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Coalition for Clean Air -have fought
the project with a barrage of letters and reports. The same two groups sued the city and port of Los
Angeles in
2001, alleging an inadequate environmental review of the new China Shipping pier. Illustration
Caption:
GRAPHIC: MAP: Proposed Pier J expansion; CREDIT: Los Angeles Times Credit: Times Staff Writer
17 March 2013 Page 228 of 483 ProQuest
Subject: Air pollution; Emissions control; Smog; Ports
Location: Long Beach California
Company / organization: Name: City Council-Long Beach CA; NAICS: 921120; Name: Port of Long
BeachCalifornia; NAICS: 488310
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.3
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2004
Publication date: Sep 15, 2004
Year: 2004
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 421950011
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421950011?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2004 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 107 of 213
Kids Face Danger in the Air
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 10 Sep 2004: B.10.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The administration has seriously undercut some of California's efforts to control smog.
When
Southland air regulators tried to force private vehicle fleets to replace worn-out diesel engines with
cleanerburning
ones, the administration sided with engine makers and oil companies in court, killing the regulations.
The administration also rejected any move to require environmental reviews before allowing
Mexican diesel
trucks, which tend to be older and dirtier, to travel on U.S. roads. And the Environmental Protection
Agency has
made it easier for coal plants -- a major source of particulates -- to avoid installing new pollution
equipment
when they renovate.
17 March 2013 Page 229 of 483 ProQuest
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Everyone knows smog makes breathing harder. But the findings by USC researchers
published
Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine showed it can also impair children's lungs for life.
Air pollution
-- specifically, particulates -- doesn't just make ailments worse, it can create them. A child who grows
up in
Upland, for example, stands a nearly 10% chance of growing up with weak lungs, making him or her
prone to
respiratory problems, cardiopulmonary disease and even premature death. Particulates -microscopic particles
in the air typically caused by diesel exhaust, dust and fumes from animal waste -- have only recently
received
serious regulatory attention. The new findings should have politicians jumping into action. A good
place to start
would be for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to sign AB 2042, the port pollution bill. The ports of Los
Angeles and
Long Beach account for nearly a quarter of the particulate pollution in the region, and there are plans
to expand
them. The modest legislation of Assemblyman Alan Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) would cap port
pollution at 2004
levels. The Bush administration, in probably its strongest environmental initiative so far, announced
new
regulations this year requiring cleaner fuel and cleaner engines for off-road diesel vehicles such as
construction
equipment. Diesel emissions are the major source of particulate pollution in the L.A. area, and the
new
regulations will make a real difference. But the administration has seriously undercut some of
California's efforts
to control smog. When Southland air regulators tried to force private vehicle fleets to replace wornout diesel
engines with cleaner-burning ones, the administration sided with engine makers and oil companies
in court,
killing the regulations. The administration also rejected any move to require environmental reviews
before
allowing Mexican diesel trucks, which tend to be older and dirtier, to travel on U.S. roads. And the
Environmental Protection Agency has made it easier for coal plants -- a major source of particulates - to avoid
installing new pollution equipment when they renovate. Credit California policymakers for moving
forward
anyway. The California Air Resources Board this summer passed a regulation limiting the time diesel
trucks can
idle. Schwarzenegger helped put together a deal to raise money to help companies switch to cleanerburning
engines, and he is expected to sign the enabling legislation. Another bill on his desk, AB 1009 by
Assemblywoman Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills), would require Mexican trucks entering California to
meet smog
standards. It too deserves the governor's signature. If Washington doesn't want to help, at least it
might do
California kids the favor of staying out of the state's way.
Subject: Air pollution; Airborne particulates; Public health; Children & youth; Federal legislation;
Federal state
relations; Editorials -- Air pollution
Location: California, United States, US
Company / organization: Name: Air Resources Board-California; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 62-691-2737
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.10
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2004
Publication date: Sep 10, 2004
Year: 2004
Section: California Metro; Part B; Editorial Pages Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
17 March 2013 Page 230 of 483 ProQuest
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: Editorial
ProQuest document ID: 421952805
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421952805?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2004 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 108 of 213
Smog Harms Children's Lungs for Life, Study Finds; Eight years of research yield the most
definitive
evidence yet that dirty air stunts lung growth.
Author: Bustillo, Miguel
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 09 Sep 2004: A.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Despite decades of cleanup efforts that have greatly reduced smog, the amount of air
pollution still
found in parts of Southern California and elsewhere in the country can stunt lung growth in children,
according
to the most comprehensive study ever conducted on children's exposure to air pollution. The
children lived in
Atascadero in San Luis Obispo County; Santa Maria and Lompoc in Santa Barbara County; Lancaster,
San
Dimas and Long Beach in Los Angeles County; Upland and Lake Arrowhead in San Bernardino
County; Mira
Loma, Riverside and Lake Elsinore in Riverside County; and Alpine in San Diego County. The
researchers did
not pinpoint how air pollution was affecting the children's lungs. They theorized, however, that
pollution may
reduce the growth of alveoli, the tiny air sacs within lungs where the exchange of oxygen and carbon
dioxide
takes place.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Despite decades of cleanup efforts that have greatly reduced smog, the amount of air
pollution still
found in parts of Southern California and elsewhere in the country can stunt lung growth in children,
according
to the most comprehensive study ever conducted on children's exposure to air pollution. The lung
damage is
serious enough to lead to a lifetime of health problems and, in some cases, premature death, the
research
found. Scientists have long known that smog aggravates respiratory conditions such as asthma. But
until
recently, they were uncertain whether the dirty air caused the problems or simply made pre- existing
medical
conditions worse. The study, to be published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, provides
the most
definitive evidence yet that routine exposure to dirty air during childhood actually harms lung
development,
leading to a permanently reduced ability to breathe. Underpowered lungs are known to cause a wide
range of
health problems. The study was conducted by a team of USC researchers that monitored the lungs of
1,759
schoolchildren in 12 Southern California communities from fourth grade until they graduated from
high school.
"We were surprised at the magnitude of the effect we witnessed," said W. James Gauderman of USC's
Keck
17 March 2013 Page 231 of 483 ProQuest
School of Medicine, one of the researchers who conducted the eight-year study. "It pushed a lot of
kids beyond
that critical threshold of low lung function, and that was a surprise." Children breathing dirty air
were nearly five
times more likely than children in less polluted communities to grow up with weak lungs, they found.
The
damage was similar to what is found in children whose parents regularly smoked around them. In
the
communities with the dirtiest air, such as Upland in San Bernardino County, almost 10% of the
children studied
had "clinically significant" reductions in their ability to breathe. In Long Beach, where air pollution
levels were
lower but still significant, the number was about 6%. In Lompoc, where air pollution levels were low,
it was only
2%. "There is a perception out there that air pollution has gotten a lot better, and certainly that is the
case,"
Gauderman said. "But these findings indicate that from a health standpoint, a lot of people are still in
danger."
The greatest danger appears to come from tiny particles -- typically produced in diesel exhaust, by
road dust
and in animal waste from large-scale farms. Until recently, such particles have not been regulated as
strictly as
ozone -- the main ingredient in Southern California's smog. Ozone did not show up in the study as a
major
contributor to childhood lung problems. While emphasizing risks, the study also pointed to a way to
improve
public health, according to C. Arden Pope III, an economics professor at Brigham Young University
who wrote
an editorial that accompanies the findings in the New England Journal. "From at least one
perspective, the
overall results of research involving air pollution are good news -- the control of air pollution
represents an
important opportunity to prevent disease," Pope said. According to a policy brief released
Wednesday by the
USC Urban Initiative, roughly 4 million children currently live in areas of the Greater Los Angeles
region where
the air remains polluted at least part of the year. Five million more children are expected to be born
between
now and 2021, the latest deadline set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to clean the area's
air.
Strict clean air laws have greatly reduced smog, particularly in coastal areas of Southern California,
but serious
pollution remains a regular occurrence inland as well as in areas subjected to heavy truck traffic.
Because the
findings suggest that the threat to children posed by air pollution may be greater than scientists and
health
officials had suspected, the research is likely to lead to calls for tougher environmental regulations.
Wednesday, for example, environmental activists concerned about expansion of the ports of Los
Angeles and
Long Beach said the study's findings provided evidence for greater restrictions. The ports have
become the
busiest in the United States. As they have grown, residents near them -- as well as people living near
the inland
rail yards and warehouses that help move goods from the docks -- have become increasingly worried
about the
potential health effects of diesel fumes and other air contaminants. The activists said they hoped the
new study
would cause politicians to balance the economic benefits of port expansion against health concerns.
"I don't
know what it's going to take to get people to stop and really analyze this," said Penny Newman of
Riverside,
who has campaigned against increased truck traffic serving port-related warehouses in her area. To
reach their
conclusions, the researchers began tracking the children in 1993. As the children passed from
adolescence to
adulthood, technicians visited their schools to test their lung capacity. By age 18, girls' lungs are fully
formed
and boys' lungs are nearly mature, likely making whatever damage occurs in childhood nearly
irreversible, the
researchers concluded. The children lived in Atascadero in San Luis Obispo County; Santa Maria and
Lompoc
in Santa Barbara County; Lancaster, San Dimas and Long Beach in Los Angeles County; Upland and
Lake
Arrowhead in San Bernardino County; Mira Loma, Riverside and Lake Elsinore in Riverside County;
and Alpine
in San Diego County. The researchers also took measurements from pollution-monitoring stations in
each of the
communities to measure hourly levels of acid vapors, particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide and
ground-level
ozone. The pattern of lung damage being worst in communities with more polluted air held true
across racial
and economic lines, and applied to children with or without asthma. Underpowered lungs are a wellknown
cause of health problems. Reduced lung function ranks second only to smoking as a respiratory risk
factor
increasing a person's chances of premature death. It strongly increases a person's chances of
developing
respiratory ailments such as wheezing during viral infections and can trigger more serious
conditions such as
cardiopulmonary disease later in adulthood, studies have shown. The researchers did not pinpoint
how air
17 March 2013 Page 232 of 483 ProQuest
pollution was affecting the children's lungs. They theorized, however, that pollution may reduce the
growth of
alveoli, the tiny air sacs within lungs where the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place. *
Staff
writer Deborah Schoch contributed to this report. * (Begin Text of Infobox) Schoolchildren and smog
* A study
that followed Southern California children from fourth grade through high school found that those in
communities with higher air pollution were more likely to have underpowered lungs. *--*
Microscopic particles/
Percent of children found
Source: Department of Preventive Medicine, USC Illustration Caption: GRAPHIC: Schoolchildren and
smog;
CREDIT: Los Angeles Times Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Air pollution; Studies; Children & youth; Health hazards; Smog; Environmental impact;
Lungs
Location: Southern California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2004
Publication date: Sep 9, 2004
Year: 2004
Section: Main News; Part A; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 421920440
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421920440?accounti
d=10362
communities to have low lung function Low levels
Lancaster 0% Lompoc 2.0% Santa Maria
2.0% Lake Arrowhead 2.8% Atascadero 2.9%
Alpine 3.4% Medium levels Lake Elsinore
2.0% San Dimas 4.0% Long Beach 5.9% High
levels Riverside 6.0% Mira Loma 6.3%
Upland 9.6%
__ *
17 March 2013 Page 233 of 483 ProQuest
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2004 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 109 of 213
Los Angeles; Long Beach Port Goes "Green"; The pollution-reduction program, thought to be
the first
i n the U.S. for visiting oil tankers, aims to switch them from diesel to electricity.
Author: Schoch, Deborah
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 31 Aug 2004: B.3.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The switch to electricity is expected to reduce BP tanker air emissions for five types of
contaminants -nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, carbon monoxide, particulate matter and hydrocarbons -- by three to
four tons
per vessel call. And BP experts calculate that greenhouse gas emissions would be reduced by 75 to 80
tons per
call. BP initially will equip two of its tankers to plug into onshore power, and will gauge the
effectiveness before
remodeling the other four to six BP tankers that call at Long Beach. The company plans to spend $1
million
apiece to equip two brand-new tankers, named the Alaskan Frontier and the Alaskan Explorer. It will
also pay
for berth maintenance and for electricity. The port plans to spend $2.5 million to develop and build
the
necessary equipment at Berth T121, including gear to attach power cables to the ships. UNDER
CONSTRUCTION: Todd Schaefer, third mate, takes a look at the control room in the Alaskan Frontier.;
PHOTOGRAPHER: Don Kelsen Los Angeles Times; DITCHING DIESEL: James Bobbitt, BP port
superintendent, stands in front of a tanker that is planned to use onshore electricity.;
PHOTOGRAPHER:
Photographs by Don Kelsen Los Angeles Times
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: When BP tankers pump oil ashore at the Port of Long Beach, they burn 10,000 gallons of
diesel fuel a
day, boosting pollution in a port complex that ranks as the largest air polluter in the Los Angeles
region. But in
late 2006, at least two BP tankers will be able to plug into onshore electricity and shut down their
diesel
engines. The pollution-reduction program is believed to be the first in the nation for oil tankers. BP
and port
officials, who announced the plan Monday, called it a pioneering effort to balance economic growth
with
environmental concerns. The switch to electricity is expected to reduce BP tanker air emissions for
five types of
contaminants -- nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, carbon monoxide, particulate matter and
hydrocarbons -- by
three to four tons per vessel call. And BP experts calculate that greenhouse gas emissions would be
reduced by
75 to 80 tons per call. "We want to do more than live and work in communities. We want to make a
difference,"
said Tim Scruggs, BP business unit leader in the Los Angeles area. BP's participation is voluntary. In
contrast,
container ships owned by China Shipping are required to use electricity in the neighboring Port of
Los Angeles
as part of a court settlement. The technology, known as "cold ironing," allows vessels to shut down
their main
and auxiliary engines and substitute electric power. Residents of southeastern Los Angeles County
have grown
increasingly worried about diesel fumes and other air pollution from the ships, trucks and trains
serving the twin
ports, which make up the largest seaport complex in the United States. Some residents have labeled
the harbor
area the "diesel death zone" because of studies showing that diesel fumes are a toxic air contaminant
and
probable carcinogen. The two ports produce nearly one quarter of the diesel fumes in the Los
Angeles area.
Monday's announcement comes at a crucial time in the debate over port air quality. Port officials and
clean-air
advocates are waiting nervously to see whether Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signs a controversial
bill
17 March 2013 Page 234 of 483 ProQuest
approved by the Legislature this month that would require port air emissions to be capped at 2004
levels. The
governor has until Sept. 25 to sign or veto the so-called "no net increase" bill. The Port of Long Beach
opposes
the bill, and, although the Long Beach City Council voted unanimously to support it, Mayor Beverly
O'Neill said
Monday that she questioned how the bill would work. "I agree with the intent, but I think the process
needs more
explanation," she said. Some residents and activists said they were unaware of O'Neill's reservations.
"As far as
we know, the city of Long Beach is in favor of 'no net increase,' and we have no reason to believe that
they will
not continue to support that bill," said Julie Masters, a senior attorney at the Natural Resources
Defense
Council. She also noted that Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn has ordered a new task force to create
a nonetincrease plan for the Los Angeles port by the end of the year that would cap emissions at 2001 levels.
Simultaneously, environmental and clean-air groups are asking the Long Beach City Council to
overturn the
harbor commission's approval of environmental documents supporting a 115-acre expansion of the
Pier J
terminal. The council will hear the appeal on Sept. 14. BP initially will equip two of its tankers to plug
into
onshore power, and will gauge the effectiveness before remodeling the other four to six BP tankers
that call at
Long Beach. The company plans to spend $1 million apiece to equip two brand-new tankers, named
the
Alaskan Frontier and the Alaskan Explorer. It will also pay for berth maintenance and for electricity.
The port
plans to spend $2.5 million to develop and build the necessary equipment at Berth T121, including
gear to
attach power cables to the ships. The project grew out of a recent study conducted for the Long
Beach port that
concluded cargo vessels with high energy demands and frequent visits could make cold ironing
economical. In
an independent financial analysis, BP determined that it could absorb the cold ironing costs. While
some cruise
ships in Alaska already use plug-in technology, the Port of Los Angeles was the first to apply it to
industrial
vessels, as required in a March 2003 settlement of a lawsuit brought by the Natural Resources
Defense Council
and other groups. The groups sued the port, charging that there were flaws in its environmental
review process
for the new China Shipping terminal. Another Los Angeles port tenant, Yusen Terminals, has
voluntarily built a
container ship equipped for cold ironing, and an existing terminal will be remodeled so that it can
plug into
onshore power. A new expansion of Pier 400 that will open this fall contains some cold ironing
technology, but
electrical lines must be built and the pier's owner, Maersk Sealand, still needs to retrofit its ships. The
two ports
appear to be at the cutting edge of the technology nationwide. A spokeswoman for the American
Assn. of Port
Authorities said Monday that she did not know of any other U.S. ports with formal plans to install
cold ironing
equipment. Illustration Caption: PHOTO: UNDER CONSTRUCTION: Todd Schaefer, third mate, takes a
look at
the control room in the Alaskan Frontier.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Don Kelsen Los Angeles Times; PHOTO:
DITCHING DIESEL: James Bobbitt, BP port superintendent, stands in front of a tanker that is planned
to use
onshore electricity.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Photographs by Don Kelsen Los Angeles Times Credit: Times
Staff
Writer
Subject: Electric power; Shipping industry; Environmental policy; Air pollution; Emissions control
Location: Long Beach California
Company / organization: Name: Port of Long Beach-California; NAICS: 488310
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.3
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2004
Publication date: Aug 31, 2004
Year: 2004
17 March 2013 Page 235 of 483 ProQuest
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 421927032
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421927032?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2004 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 110 of 213
The State; State May Put Time Limit on Idling Trucks; Pollution officials are expected to pass
a rule
barring large diesel- powered vehicles from leaving engines running more than five
minutes.
Author: Bustillo, Miguel
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 22 July 2004: B.6.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: California air pollution officials are expected to approve a new rule today that would bar
large dieselpowered
trucks and transit buses from idling their engines for longer than five minutes. State officials said
they
plan a public awareness campaign to inform truckers and private bus lines of the change. Many
drivers leave
their diesel vehicles running because of concerns about wear and tear caused by restarting engines,
but those
don't apply to newer vehicles, officials said. State officials initially proposed implementing the rule in
two
phases, with one immediately banning general idling and another, starting in 2009, restricting the
idling of the
trucks while drivers are resting in their sleeper cabins. But the second phase may be further delayed
or
scrapped altogether, officials said Wednesday, because of concerns about the effect on the trucking
business.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: California air pollution officials are expected to approve a new rule today that would bar
large dieselpowered
trucks and transit buses from idling their engines for longer than five minutes. The rule, which comes
two years after the California Air Resources Board adopted similar restrictions on school buses, is
expected to
help reduce particulate matter pollution by about 1% and cut the gases that help form smog, officials
said.
Particulate matter, small flecks that can become lodged in the lungs, have been found to aggravate
respiratory
ailments, and elevated levels have been linked to increased emergency room visits and premature
deaths.
Environmentalists strongly support the idling rule, which some called long overdue. Twenty states
and
numerous cities already have similar restrictions. The rule would be enforced primarily by the air
board's 20member diesel inspection team, which focuses on areas with a lot of truck traffic, such as the Port of
Los
17 March 2013 Page 236 of 483 ProQuest
Angeles and the Nevada border. But the California Highway Patrol would also be able to levy fines of
$100. "I
am very pleased this is moving forward, because in my own city, I have heard an earful about it," said
Todd
Campbell, a Burbank city councilman and policy director for the Coalition for Clean Air. "This is a big
complaint
for a lot of people. There are complaints about trucks sitting around residential areas at night." State
officials
said they plan a public awareness campaign to inform truckers and private bus lines of the change.
Many
drivers leave their diesel vehicles running because of concerns about wear and tear caused by
restarting
engines, but those don't apply to newer vehicles, officials said. "You might look at this as low-hanging
fruit that
was overlooked. It's rare for us to find ways to cut this much air pollution this easily," said air board
spokesman
Jerry Martin. Five minutes "gives a guy time to run into the mini-market and grab a cup of coffee ...
but if he left
that same truck running for an hour while he had lunch, that would be a problem," Martin said. The
rule, which
could take effect as soon as January, would apply to all diesel-powered commercial vehicles weighing
10,000
pounds or more. State officials estimate that 409,000 such vehicles, including transit buses,
construction and
delivery vehicles and large freight trucks, operate in the state every day. Buses would be allowed to
idle for 10
minutes prior to loading passengers. Vehicles that need to run while standing still to operate cranes
and other
loading equipment would be exempt. State officials initially proposed implementing the rule in two
phases, with
one immediately banning general idling and another, starting in 2009, restricting the idling of the
trucks while
drivers are resting in their sleeper cabins. But the second phase may be further delayed or scrapped
altogether,
officials said Wednesday, because of concerns about the effect on the trucking business. Stephanie
Williams,
vice president of the California Trucking Assn., said the group supports the idling rule -- as long as
truckers can
continue sleeping in their cabins during breaks with the motors running, so that they can use air
conditioners
and heaters. Truck drivers are required under federal law to take rest breaks, and Williams
suggested they
would have to use hotel rooms or add electric motors to power air conditioning systems if the second
phase of
the rule took effect. "We wouldn't want to treat truck drivers with less respect than dogs left in cars,
would we?"
Williams asked jokingly. "Sleeping in a truck in 100-degree weather somewhere would not be a
smart thing to
do. Animal shelter rules can't be more protective than the rules for our truck drivers. That would be
inhumane."
Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Trucks; Rules; Diesel engines; Air pollution
Location: California
Company / organization: Name: Air Resources Board-California; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 62-691-2737
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.6
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2004
Publication date: Jul 22, 2004
Year: 2004
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
17 March 2013 Page 237 of 483 ProQuest
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 421912871
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421912871?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2004 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 111 of 213
Los Angeles; Ships Are Single Largest Polluter of Air at Port of L.A., Study Finds
Author: Schoch, Deborah
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 08 July 2004: B.3.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The Port of Los Angeles on Wednesday made public its first-ever list of air pollutants
produced by port
operations, but the report sparked questions from residents who have spent years fighting for more
information
about the contaminants emitted at the nation's largest port. The hefty 265-page emissions report,
brimming with
technical charts and graphs, used modeling rather than actual testing to measure the specific
amounts of port
emissions in 2001. Emissions include nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide, particulate matter and sulfur
dioxide.
Port officials assured the audience that the report was part of larger plans to address pollution at the
port
complex and that more would be done.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: CORRECTION: SEE CORRECTION APPENDED; Port pollution -- A photo in Thursday's
California
section with a story about pollution at the Port of Los Angeles was misidentified as showing the L.A.
port. The
photo showed the Port of Long Beach. The Port of Los Angeles on Wednesday made public its firstever list of
air pollutants produced by port operations, but the report sparked questions from residents who
have spent
years fighting for more information about the contaminants emitted at the nation's largest port. The
thousands of
ships that call at the port each year are the single biggest source of air pollution at the complex, the
report said.
The report is intended to be used as a baseline as city officials juggle the tasks of serving the evergrowing
volume of cargo traffic at the port while also attempting to clean the air. Los Angeles Mayor James K.
Hahn has
promised Harbor-area residents that there would be "no net increase" in air emissions at the port,
even as it
expands. The port complex remains a strong economic engine for the region. The twin ports of Los
Angeles and
Long Beach are running at record levels for the third straight year. Cargo ships are waiting offshore
as shippers,
longshoremen, trucking companies and railroads struggle to keep up with the increase, fueled largely
by
shipments from China. Port officials hailed the report as a groundbreaking document. One
independent expert,
Ed Avol, a USC professor specializing in environmental health, said he was impressed by how it
inventoried
pollutants in the area. "It does represent probably the best available approach to emissions
inventories," he
said. "It serves a very important purpose." The report and other data were presented to community
residents
Wednesday night at a meeting at the port's headquarters in San Pedro. Some residents greeted it
with
17 March 2013 Page 238 of 483 ProQuest
skepticism. Some said, for instance, that the report underestimated emissions from trucks because of
the
technique used to measure truck traffic. The hefty 265-page emissions report, brimming with
technical charts
and graphs, used modeling rather than actual testing to measure the specific amounts of port
emissions in
2001. Emissions include nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide, particulate matter and sulfur dioxide. It
studied
pollution from five sources: oceangoing vessels, harbor craft, cargo handling equipment, railroad
locomotives
and heavy-duty vehicles. The report does not recommend new programs or laws to reduce pollution.
Also
Wednesday night, residents heard a presentation from a consultant who said the port accounts for
12% of
diesel particulate matter in the region. The Port of Long Beach generates about the same amount,
meaning that
the two ports together generate nearly one-quarter of the diesel pollution regionwide. Port officials
assured the
audience that the report was part of larger plans to address pollution at the port complex and that
more would
be done. The report was prompted, in part, by years of protest by residents of San Pedro, Wilmington
and other
communities close to the port who fear that pollutants are causing cancer, asthma and other lung
diseases.
Their fears were spurred on by a 1999 report showing diesel emissions were responsible for 71% of
the cancer
risk from air pollution in the Los Angeles Basin. The Los Angeles/Long Beach port complex is the
single-largest
concentrated source of air pollution -- including diesel emissions - - in the region. The $425,000
report released
Wednesday by Houston-based Starcrest Consulting Group focused solely on the Port of Los Angeles.
In the
meantime, the ever-growing port, expected to triple in size by 2020, has been continuing to approve
expansion
projects, while the Starcrest report -- originally due last winter -- was delayed and not made public
until late
Wednesday afternoon. "This report may turn out to be the best piece of science in the history of
science -- but
the way it's been done only shows the problems in this process," said San Pedro activist Noel Park
before he
saw the document. In addition to the Starcrest report, a second report was released, billed as a "plan
to achieve
no net increase of air emissions at the Port of Los Angeles." A number of residents berated the second
report,
saying it was no more than a series of projections of how pollution might rise or fall based on existing
and
proposed regulations. References Message No: 41859 Illustration Caption: PHOTO: GROWING PAINS:
The
Port of Los Angeles, which is expected to triple in size by 2020, continues to approve expansion
projects.;
PHOTOGRAPHER: Gina Ferazzi Los Angeles Times Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Studies; Air pollution; Shipping industry
Location: Los Angeles California
Company / organization: Name: Port of Los Angeles; NAICS: 488310
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.3
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2004
Publication date: Jul 8, 2004
Year: 2004
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
17 March 2013 Page 239 of 483 ProQuest
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 421909416
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421909416?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2004 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 112 of 213
Clean-Air Order Undercut
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 01 July 2004: B.14.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: [Bush] also rejected the idea of environmental reviews before allowing dirtier Mexican
diesel trucks to
drive U.S. roads. That decision, backed by the high court in June, would disproportionately pollute
Southern
California. The administration extols its "Clear Skies" initiative, stalled in Congress, as a pollution
cutter even
though it would leave more soot and smog in the air than the Clean Air Act, which it would replace.
Under Bush,
the EPA has made it easier for coal plants -- the major source of fine particulates in the East -- to
avoid
installing state-of-the-art pollution equipment when they renovate.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: CORRECTION: SEE CORRECTION APPENDED; Clean-air rules -- A July 1 editorial
erroneously said
nonroad diesel engines, such as those used for construction equipment, are unregulated. There are
regulations
for such engines, with much tougher ones to take effect in coming years. Some of the most
microscopic
particles in the air are of the greatest concern to health because they easily find their way to the deep
recesses
of our lungs. Such pollutants, which include diesel exhaust and wildfire ash, can cramp lung function
and cause
coughs and shortness of breath. They aggravate asthma and turn bronchitis into a chronic condition.
They're
behind thousands of hospitalizations and premature deaths each year and have been linked to
increased lung
cancer risk. Because the risks only recently became clear, though, fine particulates have taken a back
seat to
ozone when it comes to air regulations. That's not likely to change under a new directive from the
U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency ordering 243 counties nationwide to reduce unhealthful levels of
fine
particulate pollution by 2010. As on-target as EPA Administrator Mike Leavitt's demand sounds, it is
seriously
undercut by his own efforts and those of his boss, President Bush, to erode even existing protections.
That's
especially true of the administration's decision to file a friend-of-the-court brief against an important
antipollution
initiative in Southern California, where some of the worst particulate pollution occurs. The U.S.
Supreme Court in April struck down a regional air quality rule that would have required fleet owners
to buy
cleaner engines when they replaced their dirty diesel vehicles. The White House could and should
have left
engine makers to mount their own attack, giving the state a better chance of winning. Bush also
rejected the
idea of environmental reviews before allowing dirtier Mexican diesel trucks to drive U.S. roads. That
decision,
backed by the high court in June, would disproportionately pollute Southern California. The
administration extols
its "Clear Skies" initiative, stalled in Congress, as a pollution cutter even though it would leave more
soot and
17 March 2013 Page 240 of 483 ProQuest
smog in the air than the Clean Air Act, which it would replace. Under Bush, the EPA has made it easier
for coal
plants -- the major source of fine particulates in the East -- to avoid installing state-of-the-art
pollution equipment
when they renovate. The EPA put forth a valuable air regulation in May, when it announced tough
pollution
standards for construction vehicles and other non-road diesel engines. Because those engines are
now
unregulated, the rules will make a real difference in the long term. But diesels last decades, and it will
take
about 25 years to replace most of them. California and many other states are way ahead of the feds in
trying to
scrub the air of these particles, thousands of which could fit on the period at the end of this sentence.
The
regional Air Quality Management District is forging ahead with a more limited fleet- replacement
rule, covering
only public agencies and perhaps private companies that want public contracts. Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger
recently announced an innovative way to keep funding incentive payments that nudge diesel owners
to replace
their engines with cleaner technology. New state legislation seeks to keep foreign trucks out of
California unless
they meet federal pollution standards. California doesn't need to be forced by the Bush
administration to clean
up the air. What it needs is for the administration to stop erecting roadblocks. References Message
No: 40474
Subject: Air pollution; Federal regulation; Environmental cleanup; Public health; Politics; Editorials -Air
pollution
Location: United States, US
People: Leavitt, Michael (public official), Bush, George W
Company / organization: Name: Environmental Protection Agency; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 05-7944910;
Name: EPA; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 05-794-4910
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.14
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2004
Publication date: Jul 1, 2004
Year: 2004
Section: California Metro; Part B; Editorial Pages Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: Editorial
ProQuest document ID: 421918517
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421918517?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2004 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
17 March 2013 Page 241 of 483 ProQuest
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 113 of 213
Regulators Order L.A., Orange Counties to Cut Fine-Particle Pollution
Author: Elizabeth Shogren and Miguel Bustillo
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 30 June 2004: B.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Nationwide, the EPA concluded that the air in all or part of 243 counties -- home to 99
million people -contains dangerous levels of particulate matter, tiny flecks as small as one-thirtieth the diameter of a
human hair
that penetrate deep into the lungs. The EPA has concluded that the particles cause thousands of early
deaths in
older people and aggravate asthma in children. The San Joaquin Valley and the greater Los Angeles
area,
covering 12 counties, were the only two regions in the nation that failed both of the standards the
EPA used to
determine violations, said Wayne Nastri, regional EPA administrator for California and much of the
West. Road
dust includes soot particles from diesel-burning trucks and buses. Although Southern California
officials are
taking aggressive measures to reduce diesel pollution in the sources they have authority over, they
may have to
consider measures such as particle filters to suck up the dust, EPA officials said.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: The Environmental Protection Agency declared Tuesday that 13 California counties,
including Los
Angeles, Orange and San Diego, are shrouded with unhealthy levels of fine particles and must reduce
the
deadly air pollutants or lose federal funding. As a result of the EPA requirement, air pollution officials
in the
greater Los Angeles area must develop detailed blueprints to clean the air of the fine particles, just as
they must
for ozone, one of the main ingredients of smog. Nationwide, the EPA concluded that the air in all or
part of 243
counties -- home to 99 million people -- contains dangerous levels of particulate matter, tiny flecks as
small as
one-thirtieth the diameter of a human hair that penetrate deep into the lungs. The EPA has concluded
that the
particles cause thousands of early deaths in older people and aggravate asthma in children. The two
worst
areas in the country were in California: the San Joaquin Valley and the greater Los Angeles area.
Except for
California, a corner of northwestern Montana and the St. Louis area, all the most polluted counties
are east of
the Mississippi River. "Reducing fine particles is the single most important action we can take to
make our air
healthier for Americans," EPA administrator Mike Leavitt said. Leavitt said much of the problem of
particle
pollution could be solved when two of the EPA's new programs -- one to clean exhausts from off-road
diesel
engines and the other to reduce emissions from power plants -- are fully implemented. However,
some
California officials said they would need more help from Washington to meet the new standards.
They said cars,
trucks, planes, trains, ships and many of the other sources of particulate pollution are largely
regulated by the
federal government. "We can wipe out our entire share and still not address all of these [particle]
emissions,"
said Elaine Chang, deputy executive officer of the South Coast Air Quality Management District, the
local
agency charged with reducing air pollution for 16 million people in the Los Angeles Basin, which
includes
Orange County and parts of Riverside and San Bernardino counties. "We have more control over
ammonia and
some other sources ... but we definitely need stronger federal action to attain the new standard."
Tuesday's
results were preliminary. The EPA will make final decisions on which areas have unhealthful particle
levels in
November after hearing appeals from the states, which proposed that only 141 counties be on the
list. The
states will have until 2008 to develop plans to reduce the airborne flecks. Then they must reduce the
fine
particles to acceptable levels by 2010, though areas can seek an extension to 2015. Those that fail
will risk the
17 March 2013 Page 242 of 483 ProQuest
loss of federal funds. For three decades, the federal government has been designating communities
that violate
health-based standards for smog and soot -- larger particles. But this is the first time it has
designated areas
that violate the health-based standards for fine particles. The standards were set in response to
research
showing that fine particles aggravate lung and heart disease. But in a case that went to the Supreme
Court, a
broad coalition of industry groups sued the EPA over the fine-particle standards, delaying
implementation of the
standards for several years. Although health concerns provided the primary impetus for reducing
fine particle
pollution, successful cleanups would also remove much of the haze over cities and rural areas. "The
value of
this will be seen as well as felt," Leavitt said. The San Joaquin Valley and the greater Los Angeles area,
covering 12 counties, were the only two regions in the nation that failed both of the standards the
EPA used to
determine violations, said Wayne Nastri, regional EPA administrator for California and much of the
West.
Those benchmarks were an annual average of 15 micrograms of fine particles per cubic meter and a
24-hour
average of 65 micrograms. San Diego County also was deemed out of compliance. State officials had
asked the
EPA to add Imperial County at the southeast corner of California to the list of violators. But EPA
officials
concluded that the county passed under both of the benchmarks. All states with counties on the list
will have to
show that plans for new roads and public transit systems conform to the air quality goals, and new
industrial
polluters in the violating areas will be required to use pollution controls. Beyond that, states have
leeway to craft
solutions to their fine-particle problems. Although California has a decades-long history of combating
air
pollution and is ahead of federal standards in many areas, the fine- particle rules probably will
require the state
to tackle other sources of emissions that it has not focused on in its fight against smog. The solutions
may have
to be different for separate areas of the state, because the source of the problem varies. In the heavily
urbanized Los Angeles region, 19% of the particles directly emitted into the air come from paved
road dust, the
EPA said. Pollutants released into the atmosphere also can react chemically to form particles. Road
dust
includes soot particles from diesel-burning trucks and buses. Although Southern California officials
are taking
aggressive measures to reduce diesel pollution in the sources they have authority over, they may
have to
consider measures such as particle filters to suck up the dust, EPA officials said. By contrast, in the
San
Joaquin Valley, historically an agricultural area that has seen a tremendous population spurt in
recent decades,
25% of the directly emitted particles come from the burning of farm waste, EPA officials said. And in
San Diego,
the biggest direct source is ash and other residue from seasonal wildfires (16%), followed closely by
particles
from residential fuel combustion involving home uses such as fireplaces. That may require air
pollution officials
in San Diego to pass restrictions on new wood-burning fireplaces, or to consider incentives for
homeowners to
swap existing fireplaces with gas- burning models. Illustration Caption: GRAPHIC: Particular
pollution violators
(includes map of the United States); CREDIT: Los Angeles Times Credit: Times Staff Writers
Subject: Environmental cleanup; Environmental impact; Public health; Federal funding; Federal
regulation; Air
pollution
Location: Los Angeles County California, Orange County California
Company / organization: Name: Environmental Protection Agency; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 05-7944910;
Name: EPA; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 05-794-4910
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2004
Publication date: Jun 30, 2004
17 March 2013 Page 243 of 483 ProQuest
Year: 2004
Dateline: WASHINGTON
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 421958307
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421958307?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2004 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 114 of 213
THE STATE; Court Upholds Imperial County Clean Air Rules; U.S. justices reject contention
by
farmers and the EPA that Mexico is source of pollution.
Author: Weinstein, Henry
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 22 June 2004: B.6.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The suit was filed by Earthjustice, an environmental law firm representing the Sierra Club,
after the
EPA in 2001 allowed Imperial County to skirt stronger Clean Air Act requirements. The county
asserted that its
violations were caused by pollution from Mexico. EPA spokeswoman Lisa Fasano said the agency
would work
with officials from Imperial County and the California Air Resources Board to come up with a plan.
She
acknowledged that even if pollution from Mexico is part of the problem, Imperial County has to take
steps to
curb its own sources of particulate pollutants. The goal, she said, is to bring clear air to the area.
"Imperial
County Farm Bureau stands firm in its belief that the majority of airborne pollution in our valley
travels across
the border from Mexicali," said Nicole M. Rothfleisch, the bureau's executive director. "Agriculture is
an
insignificant source ... when compared to naturally occurring [dust] and that which is coming from
our millionplus
neighbors across the border.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: The Supreme Court on Monday let stand an order requiring stronger clean air protections
for Imperial
County, a region that has one of the highest childhood asthma rates in the state. In October, the U.S.
9th Circuit
Court of Appeals ruled 3 to 0 that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency erred in blaming Mexico
for
unhealthful air quality in the Imperial Valley and ordered the agency to impose more stringent
control measures
17 March 2013 Page 244 of 483 ProQuest
on the U.S. side of the border. The Imperial County Air Pollution Control District, the defendant,
objected and
asked the Supreme Court to review the case. The high court, without explanation, declined. "This is
great news
for public health," said attorney David S. Baron, who argued the case before the 9th Circuit on behalf
of the
Sierra Club. "We hope that the state and the county will now move on with the job of adopting the
stronger
antipollution measures required by the law." Imperial County, Baron said, has exceeded federal
health
standards for airborne particulates hundreds of times over the last 10 years, according to EPA
estimates, with
levels sometimes double the permissible amount. The goal of the environmental groups is to get
farms, mines,
factories and developers to take steps that will lower the level of particulate pollutants -- including
diesel soot,
tire fragments, oil droplets and dust -- that cause haze and health hazards. The suit was filed by
Earthjustice, an
environmental law firm representing the Sierra Club, after the EPA in 2001 allowed Imperial County
to skirt
stronger Clean Air Act requirements. The county asserted that its violations were caused by pollution
from
Mexico. Last year, however, the 9th Circuit ruled that the facts did not support that contention.
"Based on the
data and the reports in the record, there simply is no possibility that Mexican transport could have
caused" the
observed levels of airborne particles, Judge Diarmuid F. O'Scannlain wrote. The court concluded that
the EPA
relied on faulty data and misinterpretations of pollution and wind measurements. In his opinion,
O'Scannlain,
one of the 9th Circuit's most conservative judges, took the unusual step of ordering the EPA to act
immediately,
rather than performing more research on the issue. "We fail to see how further administrative
proceedings
would serve a useful purpose; the record here has been fully developed, and the conclusions that
must follow
from it are clear," he added. It is not known how much time Imperial County has to comply with
national air
quality standards, but Pat Gallagher of the Sierra Club said the county needs to act swiftly. "They
already are
long overdue." Stephen Birdsall, Imperial County's air pollution control officer, said it already has
been redoing
an inventory of emissions sources to identify the primary polluters. Among the candidates, he said,
are
agriculture, dirt roads that generate dust, and Mexico. EPA spokeswoman Lisa Fasano said the agency
would
work with officials from Imperial County and the California Air Resources Board to come up with a
plan. She
acknowledged that even if pollution from Mexico is part of the problem, Imperial County has to take
steps to
curb its own sources of particulate pollutants. The goal, she said, is to bring clear air to the area.
Imperial
County produces about $1.2 billion worth of alfalfa, carrots, lettuce and sugar beets annually, and
farm owners
are worried about the impact of the ruling. "Imperial County Farm Bureau stands firm in its belief
that the
majority of airborne pollution in our valley travels across the border from Mexicali," said Nicole M.
Rothfleisch,
the bureau's executive director. "Agriculture is an insignificant source ... when compared to naturally
occurring
[dust] and that which is coming from our million-plus neighbors across the border. "Although I hope
that we can
come up with a reasonable plan for farmers to stay in compliance with these stringent air quality
rules, my
concern is that this new ruling will devastate the already struggling agriculture industry here in the
Imperial
Valley." Janie Davis, president of the American Lung Assn. of San Diego and Imperial counties, said
Monday's
action "will be so important to the future health of the county." She said the pollution had contributed
to
significant asthma problems among children in the area and breathing difficulties for senior citizens.
Credit:
Times Staff Writer
Subject: Air pollution; Environmental policy; State court decisions
Location: Imperial County California
Company / organization: Name: Supreme Court-California; NAICS: 922110
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.6
Number of pages: 0
17 March 2013 Page 245 of 483 ProQuest
Publication year: 2004
Publication date: Jun 22, 2004
Year: 2004
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 421900589
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421900589?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2004 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 115 of 213
AQMD Moves to Corral Cow Pollution
Author: Wilson, Janet
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 17 June 2004: B.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: About 250,000 dairy cattle are packed onto farms in the Chino area. The dairy lands that
straddle the
Riverside-San Bernardino line generate millions upon millions of pounds of manure annually, much
of it stored
in towering, open-air piles. "All of this comes down to the fact that they want to build houses in
Southern
California," said Art Marquez, Jr., a third- generation dairy farmer and owner of Marquez Dairies in
Chino, where
2,000 Holsteins on 34 acres are milked twice a day. Each of those cows produces an estimated 120
pounds of
manure a day. Part of the pollution problem with the Chino dairies involves location. Cars, trucks and
factories
in Los Angeles and Orange counties emit nitrogen oxides that are carried east by prevailing winds.
When the
nitrogen oxides pass over the airborne ammonia from the dairies, chemical reactions in the
atmosphere yield
bursts of particulate-laden smog over parts of western Riverside and San Bernardino counties that
are the worst
in the United States on an average annual basis, [Barry Wallerstein] said.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Southern California air quality officials, whose regulatory efforts already cover smoke
stacks, paint and
hamburger stands, have taken on a new challenge -- cow manure. About 250,000 dairy cattle are
packed onto
farms in the Chino area. The dairy lands that straddle the Riverside-San Bernardino line generate
millions upon
millions of pounds of manure annually, much of it stored in towering, open-air piles. Ammonia
emissions from
17 March 2013 Page 246 of 483 ProQuest
those stockpiles contribute significantly to air pollution in heavily populated areas farther inland -and downwind
-- helping give parts of the Inland Empire the worst air quality in the nation. The new rules, which
would require
more frequent cleaning of corrals and more stringent measures for disposing of manure, would cost
the dairy
industry about $3.5 million a year, officials at the South Coast Air Quality Management District say.
The regional
dairy industry has revenues of about $1 billion a year, industry officials said. AQMD Executive Officer
Barry
Wallerstein called the proposed rule "a cost-effective means to reduce dairy emissions and improve
public
health." An area dairy farm group and individual farmers said they are not totally opposed to the new
regulations, which are expected to go into effect at the end of this year. But they warned that the
rules could
drive up the price of milk and are likely to speed the replacement of the Southland's dairy lands with
housing
developments that will generate more traffic. "Just remember, for every cow that leaves the Chino
basin, two
cars are going to replace it," said Bob Feenstra, executive director of the Milk Producers Council in
Chino. "All
of this comes down to the fact that they want to build houses in Southern California," said Art
Marquez, Jr., a
third- generation dairy farmer and owner of Marquez Dairies in Chino, where 2,000 Holsteins on 34
acres are
milked twice a day. Each of those cows produces an estimated 120 pounds of manure a day. Marquez
said the
proposed air quality rules come on top of tough new water-quality rules and skyrocketing land
values. He also
said regulators were underestimating how much the new rules would cost. The new rules would
require manure
to be removed from corrals at least four times a year. Current water-quality rules require the cleanup
twice a
year. Starting in 2006, manure that was not used on agricultural fields would either have to be sent to
an
anaerobic digester, where it could be recycled as "biogas" energy, be placed in a stringently regulated
composting facility or be processed by alternative means such as enclosed composting bags. Much of
the
waste now is trucked to an open-air composting facility in Chino that is due to close in 2006, or is
spread on
crop fields in the Inland Empire and Imperial and San Joaquin counties. The Milk Producers Council
has been
working with AQMD for years on the rules and is trying to negotiate exemptions during the rainy
season. "When
it's wet, it's heavier," said Nathan DeBoom, chief of staff at the council. "The manure acts like a
sponge; it gets
to be a nightmare." Part of the pollution problem with the Chino dairies involves location. Cars,
trucks and
factories in Los Angeles and Orange counties emit nitrogen oxides that are carried east by prevailing
winds.
When the nitrogen oxides pass over the airborne ammonia from the dairies, chemical reactions in the
atmosphere yield bursts of particulate-laden smog over parts of western Riverside and San
Bernardino counties
that are the worst in the United States on an average annual basis, Wallerstein said. Particulate
pollution
contributes to breathing and heart problems, particularly in children and the elderly. The Milk
Producers Council
and farmers argue that pollution caused by the dairies is decreasing even without new regulations
because of
the sheer number of cows being moved out of the region. State farming figures show that of the
quarter-million
cows in the Chino area, about 38,000 were moved to other parts of the Southwest in 2003, a 13%
decline. But
AQMD staff said that the number of cows being moved out in previous years has been uneven, in part
because
environmental activists in the Central Valley have gone to court to block the expansion of dairies
there. And
while new housing developments will yield more cars, cutting emissions from the dairies is more
important
because of the role that ammonia plays in creating particulate pollution, the staff said. Credit: Times
Staff Writer
Subject: State regulation; Cattle; Air pollution
Location: Chino California
Company / organization: Name: South Coast Air Quality Management District-Los Angeles County
CA; NAICS:
924110; DUNS: 01-598-6159
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
17 March 2013 Page 247 of 483 ProQuest
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2004
Publication date: Jun 17, 2004
Year: 2004
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 421974816
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421974816?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2004 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 116 of 213
The State; As Smog Thickens, So Does the Debate
Author: Bustillo, Miguel
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 24 May 2004: A.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: [Douglas R. Lawson] and those who agree with him argue that regulators should put less
emphasis on
nitrogen oxides and focus more on reducing the other main constituent of ozone, a class of chemicals
called
volatile organic compounds. Those compounds have many sources, natural and man-made, including
household cleaners, cars and trees. Ozone, a colorless and odorless gas, is formed in a photochemical
reaction
involving nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds. Laboratory research
has shown
that altering the ratio of nitrogen oxides to volatile organic compounds in the air can cause more
ozone to form.
Some scientists theorize that by slashing nitrogen oxide pollution in recent years, state and federal
regulators
have made the air above Los Angeles more conducive to ozone formation. California officials remain
committed
to rapidly cutting nitrogen oxides. In addition to helping cause ozone, they note, nitrogen oxides
contribute to
another type of pollution: particulate matter, tiny flecks that can become lodged in the lungs and
cause serious
respiratory problems. Diesel particulate matter is responsible for 70% of the cancer risk from
airborne toxic
substances in Southern California, according to a government study.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
17 March 2013 Page 248 of 483 ProQuest
Full text: As Southern California experiences a resurgence of smog, a growing number of scientists
say the
government's long-standing strategy for reducing air pollution may be making it worse. The doubts
have arisen
because ozone, the main ingredient of smog, is becoming more common in Los Angeles and many
other large
cities on weekends, when big trucks and other heavy polluters are least active. Known as the
"weekend effect,"
the phenomenon has long perplexed scientists and air pollution officials, who remain divided over
why ozone is
so abundant Saturdays and Sundays. Now, some scientists, armed with new research about the
weekend
effect, are suggesting that environmental officials may be putting too much emphasis on the wrong
pollutant
because they misunderstand how smog forms in the atmosphere. The dispute centers on one of the
two main
groups of chemicals that react to form ozone: nitrogen oxides, which are released into the air when
fuel burns.
Air quality regulators have pushed hard to reduce those chemicals as much as possible. It's been a
costly
process, particularly for the auto industry, and some scientists say it may be time to pull back. "It
seems like
motherhood and apple pie to reduce pollutants. That sounds like a common-sense approach," said
Douglas R.
Lawson of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado. "But things are not that simple.
The more
intelligent way to approach the question of pollution controls is: How will the atmosphere respond to
the
changes?" Lawson and those who agree with him argue that regulators should put less emphasis on
nitrogen
oxides and focus more on reducing the other main constituent of ozone, a class of chemicals called
volatile
organic compounds. Those compounds have many sources, natural and man-made, including
household
cleaners, cars and trees. A lot is at stake in the debate. Auto industry groups have tried to use the
weekend
effect as a rationale for weaker antipollution rules. During state hearings in 1998, for example,
automakers said
sport utility vehicles should not have to meet the same emissions standards as regular cars. The
scientific
arguments against cutting nitrogen oxide emissions may bolster their case. At the same time, a push
to reduce
volatile organic compounds could boost efforts to get old cars off the road. Those vehicles are major
sources of
the chemicals. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration has proposed such a program; its plan
would cost
hundreds of millions of dollars and weigh disproportionately on people who can't afford newer
vehicles. Officials
from the California Air Resources Board and the South Coast Air Quality Management District
concede that the
arguments by Lawson and others cannot be dismissed. But they say that changing successful
strategies based
on unproven claims would be irresponsible. "The weekend effect is something you can see in
different parts of
the country and the world, but people tend to overemphasize it," said Leon J. Dolislager, a state air
board
official who has researched the phenomenon. "We have to keep our eye on the big picture, not
overreact." In
Southern California last year, 68 days exceeded federal ozone standards -- nearly twice as many as
two years
earlier. A disproportionate number of the bad air days over the last five years have been Saturdays
and
Sundays. In Los Angeles County, 43.5% of the 260 days exceeding a federal ozone standard fell on
weekends.
It remains to be seen whether the smog increase is a sign of serious problems or an anomaly caused
by
unusual weather and massive wildfires, as some air experts have theorized. Ozone, a colorless and
odorless
gas, is formed in a photochemical reaction involving nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and volatile
organic
compounds. Laboratory research has shown that altering the ratio of nitrogen oxides to volatile
organic
compounds in the air can cause more ozone to form. Some scientists theorize that by slashing
nitrogen oxide
pollution in recent years, state and federal regulators have made the air above Los Angeles more
conducive to
ozone formation. Although officials have been cutting both pollutants, they have reduced nitrogen
oxides more
rapidly over the last decade. Some experts -- most notably Lawson and Eric Fujita of the Desert
Research
Institute in Nevada, both former California air pollution officials -- believe that regulators could keep
ozone in
check better by slowing the pace of nitrogen oxide reductions while doing more to cut volatile
organic
compounds. Over the last quarter century, by drastically reducing both pollutants, regulators have
slashed peak
ozone levels in the Los Angeles area by 60%, even as population has grown by 50% and traffic nearly
doubled.
By 2010, environmental regulations will have reduced nitrogen oxide enough that the atmospheric
changes
seen on weekends will be present all week, Lawson predicts. "What we are saying is that in 2010,
ozone could
17 March 2013 Page 249 of 483 ProQuest
be worse than it is now; that is the bottom line," he said. California officials said in a detailed report
last year that
there might be other explanations for why ozone in urban areas was often worse on weekends. One
theory
holds that emissions from weekdays remain aloft and "carry over" to the weekend. According to
another theory,
nitrogen oxide emissions from regular cars and trucks, which typically crest during the morning
commute on
weekdays, peak around noon on weekends. At that hour, the sun is brighter and atmospheric
conditions are
different, which might cause ozone to form faster. "There are plausible hypotheses that do not
involve the
[nitrogen oxide] reduction question," said Richard Corey, head of the California air board's research
branch.
State officials, however, increasingly appear to be in the minority. Researchers have found the
weekend effect
in American cities as diverse as San Francisco, Chicago, Denver and Philadelphia -- and many experts
say
reduced nitrogen oxide appears to be a big reason. The state officials "are the only ones who seem to
believe"
that reduced nitrogen oxides are not a leading cause of the weekend effect, said George Wolff,
principal
scientist for General Motors, who published an article on the phenomenon last year. Robert Harley, a
professor
of environmental engineering at UC Berkeley, analyzed 20 years of air-monitoring data throughout
California
and found that the weekend effect, once seen only in coastal urban areas, could now be observed as
far inland
as Sacramento and the northern San Joaquin Valley. Like other experts, he concluded that reductions
in
nitrogen oxides on weekends seemed the most credible explanation for the spike in ozone levels. "We
found
the change in diesel truck emissions to be much more important" than the later start time for regular
cars on
weekends, said Harley, who considered both hypotheses. California officials remain committed to
rapidly cutting
nitrogen oxides. In addition to helping cause ozone, they note, nitrogen oxides contribute to another
type of
pollution: particulate matter, tiny flecks that can become lodged in the lungs and cause serious
respiratory
problems. Diesel particulate matter is responsible for 70% of the cancer risk from airborne toxic
substances in
Southern California, according to a government study. "To address that, we have to do everything
possible,"
said AQMD spokesman Sam Atwood. * (BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX) Bad air days Despite lower levels
of
emissions, weekend days are more likely to violate federal ozone standards than weekdays in five
Southern
California counties. In Los Angeles County, for instance, 22% of weekend days exceeded ozone
standards over
the past five years, versus 11% of weekdays. Days exceeding ozone standards, 1999-2003 Los
Angeles
County Percent of all weekdays: 11% Percent of all weekend days: 22% Orange County Percent of all
weekdays: 0.5% Percent of all weekend days: 3% Riverside County Percent of all weekdays: 19%
Percent of all
weekend days: 24% San Bernardino County Percent of all weekdays: 21% Percent of all weekend
days: 31%
Ventura County Percent of all weekdays: 6% Percent of all weekend days: 9% Source: Calif. Air
Resources
Board References Message No: 32684 Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Air pollution; Environmental protection; Studies; Smog
Location: Southern California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2004
Publication date: May 24, 2004
Year: 2004
Section: Main News; Part A; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
17 March 2013 Page 250 of 483 ProQuest
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 421892945
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421892945?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2004 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 117 of 213
The Region; Smog District Will Not Back Down in Pushing Fleet Rules; Air pollution officials
say court
ruling does not prevent them from imposing standards on publicly owned and contractor
vehicles.
Author: Bustillo, Miguel
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 30 Apr 2004: B.5.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Manufacturers of diesel engines, along with an oil industry group, sued the AQMD because
it had
barred the owners of the private fleets from buying their products in the greater Los Angeles area,
despite
advances in clean diesel technology. The Supreme Court concluded Wednesday that the air district
had
overstepped its authority under the Clean Air Act. "The fact is that diesel remains a much higher
source of NOx
emissions than natural gas, even with the new technology," said AQMD spokesman Sam Atwood,
referring to
nitrogen oxide gases, one of the main ingredients of smog. Atwood contends that the fleet rules allow
companies to make a case for diesel trucks or any other technology if they can show it is as clean as
natural
gas. Traditional diesel engines are among the worst pollution sources in Southern California,
contributing
heavily to smog-forming gases and particulate matter, tiny particles that can become lodged in the
lungs,
causing respiratory problems. Heavy-duty diesel vehicles and stationary diesel engines are
responsible for 70%
of the air pollution cancer risks in Southern California, according to a study by the air officials.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Despite this week's U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Southern California air pollution officials say
they will
still attempt to require most large-vehicle fleets to buy low-polluting trucks and cars -- a move that is
certain to
spark more court battles with industry groups. On Wednesday, the high court invalidated rules that
had allowed
the South Coast Air Quality Management District to require private trash haulers, bus lines and other
companies
to buy low-pollution vehicles for their fleets. But AQMD officials maintain the ruling does not bar
them from
imposing the same requirement on publicly owned fleets or on private firms that provide city
services -- a
contention hotly disputed by the engine manufacturers that prevailed in the lawsuit decided
Wednesday. The
entire controversy boils down to a disagreement over diesel engines. Manufacturers of diesel
engines, along
17 March 2013 Page 251 of 483 ProQuest
with an oil industry group, sued the AQMD because it had barred the owners of the private fleets
from buying
their products in the greater Los Angeles area, despite advances in clean diesel technology. The
Supreme
Court concluded Wednesday that the air district had overstepped its authority under the Clean Air
Act. Industry
groups now say the decision should clear the way for street sweepers, bus lines and others bound by
the rule to
buy new diesel engines that emit far less pollution than older models. "The Supreme Court decision is
great for
anyone who breathes, because it will allow some of the most promising technologies available to be
used," said
Anita Mangels, a spokeswoman for the Western States Petroleum Assn. "By insisting inappropriately
on setting
standards, South Coast was denying Southern Californians the ability to purchase one of the cleanest
technologies." But South Coast officials firmly maintain that the new diesel engines, although
improved, are still
far from clean compared with alternatives such as engines that burn natural gas. "The fact is that
diesel remains
a much higher source of NOx emissions than natural gas, even with the new technology," said AQMD
spokesman Sam Atwood, referring to nitrogen oxide gases, one of the main ingredients of smog.
Atwood
contends that the fleet rules allow companies to make a case for diesel trucks or any other
technology if they
can show it is as clean as natural gas. Under the Supreme Court's ruling, key details of the decision
are still to
be worked out by a lower court in California. Since the rules were adopted in 2000 and 2001, they
have put
more than 8,900 low-polluting trash trucks, transit buses, airport shuttles and passenger cars on
Southern
California roads, according to air district officials. By 2010, the rules were expected to have
eliminated 4,780
tons per year of harmful emissions, including 1,931 tons of nitrogen oxides. The 8-1 decision by the
court also
noted that local officials could still impose fleet rules by receiving the approval of the California Air
Resources
Board as well as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Air district officials said they would seek
such
approvals if necessary to save the rules. "We think the plaintiffs in this case were strictly trying to
protect their
market share, not thinking about how to clean the air," Barry Wallerstein, executive officer of the
South Coast air
district, said of the Engine Manufacturers Assn. and the Western States Petroleum Assn. "What has
helped
clean diesel, quite frankly, has been these fleet rules, because they have created competition that has
forced
the diesel engine manufacturers to improve their performance .... But we need further progress."
Traditional
diesel engines are among the worst pollution sources in Southern California, contributing heavily to
smogforming
gases and particulate matter, tiny particles that can become lodged in the lungs, causing respiratory
problems. Heavy-duty diesel vehicles and stationary diesel engines are responsible for 70% of the air
pollution
cancer risks in Southern California, according to a study by the air officials. However, some private
firms with
large-vehicle fleets contend that there are few cost-effective alternatives available -- outside of the
newer diesel
technologies. "A government agency is trying to regulate how we do business to reduce pollution,
and to a
degree I understand that," Timothy Dillon, safety and environmental officer for Foothill Waste
Reclamation, said
of the air district's fleet rules. "But they seem to be turning a blind eye to some technologies. It's as
though we're
only allowed to look at one technology." Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Supreme Court decisions; Air pollution; Emission standards; Automobile fleets
Location: California
Company / organization: Name: South Coast Air Quality Management District-Los Angeles County
CA; NAICS:
924110; DUNS: 01-598-6159
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.5
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2004
17 March 2013 Page 252 of 483 ProQuest
Publication date: Apr 30, 2004
Year: 2004
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 421904975
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421904975?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2004 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 118 of 213
Study Details Port Pollution Threat; Environmental groups' U.S. report, which ranks L.A. and
Long
Beach in the middle, calls for stricter regulation.
Author: Schoch, Deborah
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 22 Mar 2004: C.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The report rates the environmental records of the 10 largest U.S. seaports, giving the
highest marks to
the Port of Oakland and the lowest to the Port of Houston. "So few people are talking about this
gigantic
elephant in our living room," said Thomas Plenys, one of the study's principal authors and a
transportation
policy analyst at the Coalition for Clean Air, a not-for-profit California group. Port activity, he said, is
"arguably
the most poorly regulated source of pollution in the United States." The latest study's authors, using a
variety of
reports, calculated that the Port of Los Angeles produces 31.4 tons per day of nitrous oxide, largely
from ships,
trucks and port equipment. By contrast, an average U.S. refinery produces 0.8 ton daily; an average
power
plant, 4.6 tons; and half a million cars, 23.9 tons.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: Booming global trade is taking a toll on the nation's major seaports as container ships,
trucks and port
equipment produce massive amounts of air and water pollutants that threaten residents' health, a
study
concludes. A prime example is the Los Angeles-Long Beach port complex, now the single largest fixed
source
of air pollution in Southern California, emitting as much diesel exhaust as 16,000 tractor- trailers
idling their
engines 24 hours a day, according to the study, being released today by the Natural Resources
Defense
Council and the Coalition for Clean Air. The report rates the environmental records of the 10 largest
U.S.
17 March 2013 Page 253 of 483 ProQuest
seaports, giving the highest marks to the Port of Oakland and the lowest to the Port of Houston.
Southern
California's two major ports finished in the low-to- middle range, with the Port of Long Beach edging
out its chief
competitor, the neighboring Port of Los Angeles, with higher marks for environmental compliance.
Long Beach
received a C grade and Los Angeles trailed with a C-minus. The report calls for stricter regulation of
port
pollution, raising questions about how much ports, shipping companies, retailers and consumers
may have to
pay to reduce air and water pollution. Port-related pollution across the country has been largely
ignored and
unregulated, it says. "So few people are talking about this gigantic elephant in our living room," said
Thomas
Plenys, one of the study's principal authors and a transportation policy analyst at the Coalition for
Clean Air, a
not-for-profit California group. Port activity, he said, is "arguably the most poorly regulated source of
pollution in
the United States." At some ports and shipping companies, officials countered that they already were
taking
significant steps and making major investments to reduce air emissions and curb water pollution. "I
know there
are a lot of people out there trying," said Geraldine Knatz, managing director of development at the
Port of Long
Beach, which got high marks in the report for its efforts to stem storm-water runoff. Evergreen
America Corp., a
major shipping line, already is replacing old equipment with modern models using low-emission
technology, said
Executive Vice President Wesley Brunson, adding, "We want to go as 'green' as possible." Shipping
company
APL, which operates through Eagle Marine Service at Los Angeles, Oakland and other ports, is
considering
whether to switch to cleaner, low-sulfur diesel fuel, which is 6 to 10 cents more expensive than
lower-grade
diesel fuel, spokesman Scott Dailey said. "Diesel emissions are a significant issue, and we want to be
good
citizens and good neighbors," Dailey said. Air emissions are of particular concern at Los Angeles and
Long
Beach, since the region's air problems are among the worst in the nation. A 1999 study by the South
Coast Air
Quality Management District, for instance, found that diesel exhaust was to blame for 71% of the
cancer risk
from air pollution in the region, concentrated in areas around the two ports and freeway corridors.
Ports also
produce large amounts of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, both linked to human respiratory
illnesses.
The latest study's authors, using a variety of reports, calculated that the Port of Los Angeles produces
31.4 tons
per day of nitrous oxide, largely from ships, trucks and port equipment. By contrast, an average U.S.
refinery
produces 0.8 ton daily; an average power plant, 4.6 tons; and half a million cars, 23.9 tons. The Los
Angeles
port produces 1.8 tons of particulate matter daily, in contrast to 0.4 ton from a refinery, 0.6 ton from
a power
plant and 0.5 ton from half a million cars, the report determined. Together, the two ports form the
third-largest
complex in the world, behind Hong Kong and Singapore, serving as the point of entry for 33% of the
nation's
seaborne cargo. As Asian ocean trade has swelled, rapid port expansion in both Los Angeles and Long
Beach
has antagonized residents of San Pedro, Wilmington and Long Beach, where some neighborhoods
flank
terminals and truck arteries. Their concerns have increased in the face of predictions that cargo
container
volume could quadruple in the two ports in the next 15 to 20 years. Such fears fostered a 2001
lawsuit against
the port and city of Los Angeles brought by local groups, the NRDC and the Coalition for Clean Air. In
a $60million settlement, the port agreed to improvements including installing equipment so that ships
docking at the
new China Shipping terminal could plug into onshore electric power and turn off their diesel engines.
That and
other changes haven't yet been implemented. The study praises the Los Angeles port for ordering
585 "diesel
oxidation catalysts" that can be installed on tractors and other yard equipment, making them operate
more
cleanly. But it chides the port for not installing the catalysts more quickly. A port spokeswoman,
Theresa
Adams-Lopez, said Friday that only half the catalysts had been installed. Los Angeles lags behind
Long Beach
in efforts to reduce storm- water runoff of contaminants from vast expanses of terminals and
container storage
areas. Such runoff -- including oils, metals and pesticides -- ends up in the ocean and can taint
beaches and
other coastal areas, analyst Plenys said. The report urges Los Angeles to follow Long Beach's example
and
coordinate port-wide anti-runoff efforts, rather than leaving that responsibility to individual tenants
as it does
today. Both ports are roundly criticized for poor community relations, and the report suggests that
Long Beach
create a community port committee such as the one operating in Los Angeles. At the competing Port
of
17 March 2013 Page 254 of 483 ProQuest
Oakland, officials said Friday that they were pleased to hear that the port received the highest marks
in the
study. "We've improved air quality, reduced congestion and are completing a beautiful waterfront
park for public
enjoyment," John Protopappas, president of the Board of Port Commissioners, said in a statement.
"The NRDC
ranking encourages us to continue to look for sustainability opportunities as we develop for the
future." The
report's most severe criticisms are directed at the Port of Houston, because of what it called
"deplorable
treatment of local residents and its few noteworthy programs" to reduce air and water pollution. The
port's
communications manager, Felicia Griffin, expressed concern with the finding, saying that the port
had taken
extra steps to lessen the effect of its proposed Bayport expansion. "We're setting new standards for
environmental stewardship and environmental sensitivity," said Griffin, who later declined to
comment further.
The Bayport project is currently stalled in the face of legal opposition from four cities and a number
of
environmental groups, which allege that the plans violate federal law. * (BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)
Port
grades How the nation's 10 largest seaports rank in improving air and water quality, reducing port
sprawl and
working with the community: 1. Los Angeles C- 2. Long Beach C 3. New York/New Jersey C+ 4.
Charleston,
S.C. D+ 5. Oakland B- 6. Hampton Roads, Va. C+ 7. Seattle C+ 8. Savannah, Ga. D+ 9. Houston F 10.
Miami
C- Source: "Harboring Pollution: The Dirty Truth About U.S. Ports," by the Natural Resources Defense
Council
and the Coalition for Clean Air Los Angeles Times Illustration Caption: PHOTO: TRAFFIC: Trucks line
up at the
Los Angeles-Long Beach port complex, the single largest fixed source of air pollution in Southern
California, a
report says.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Lawrence K. Ho Los Angeles Times; PHOTO: BEST MARKS: Among the
10
biggest U.S. ports, Oakland earned the highest grade for environmental practices.; PHOTOGRAPHER:
Associated Press Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Ports; Environmental impact; Water pollution; Studies; Public health; Air pollution
Location: Los Angeles California, Long Beach California
Company / organization: Name: Port of Los Angeles; NAICS: 488310; Name: Port of Long BeachCalifornia;
NAICS: 488310
Classification: 9190: United States; 8350: Transportation & travel industry
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: C.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2004
Publication date: Mar 22, 2004
Year: 2004
Section: Business; Part C; Business Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
17 March 2013 Page 255 of 483 ProQuest
ProQuest document ID: 421900554
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421900554?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2004 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 119 of 213
Trains Are Targeted in Smog Fight; As more cargo leaves ports by rail, the AQMD seeks fines
on
dirty locomotives. Railroads tout voluntary plans for cleaner engines.
Author: Bustillo, Miguel
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 07 Mar 2004: B.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The railroads helped scuttle a similar bill sponsored by the AQMD last year that would have
allowed
the agency to place a pollution fee on ships, airplanes and trains. Such a move would almost certainly
be
challenged in court as a violation of federal laws that give Washington oversight over railroads
because of their
importance to interstate commerce. The AQMD wants the railroads to begin replacing diesel engines
with
hybrids and natural gas trains, and contends that the move could easily cut emissions 50% more than
would be
accomplished under the railroads' plan. RAIL: With more trains serving local ports, the AQMD wants
to impose
a fee on locomotives that don't substantially cut emissions.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Lawrence K. Ho Los
Angeles
Times
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: The expanding rail yards east of Los Angeles, brimming with foreign cargo from the area's
two ports,
are a brawny symbol of Southern California's growing stature as one of the world's great crossroads
of
international trade. But the economic bonanza is exacting a rising price. Exhaust and soot from diesel
locomotives, ships and planes are dirtying the air in neighborhoods from Wilmington to Commerce,
threatening
to undermine decades of progress toward healthful air. Alarmed by the procession of smoke-belching
freight
trains rumbling out of the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles -- their number is expected to double
by 2020 -Southern California's chief smog-fighting agency is seeking approval from the Legislature to impose a
fee on
locomotives that do not substantially reduce smog- forming emissions. The fee proposal is part of a
broader
attempt by the South Coast Air Quality Management District to strengthen its authority over a variety
of pollution
sources, including the principal engines of global trade -- trains, ships and planes. Last year, the
Greater Los
Angeles area experienced a smoggy relapse: 68 bad air days, a 28% increase from the previous year
and
nearly 50% more than in 2001. Last summer, air quality officials declared the first Stage 1 health
alert since
1998. The public warning that the air was dangerous for everyone to breathe is one officials had
thought they
might never need to issue again. "We're trying to shine a bright light on the railroads, because of the
impact
they are having on air quality in local communities," said Barry Wallerstein, the AQMD's executive
officer,
adding that the district was going to bring railroad companies "to the table, one way or another, and
have a
serious discussion about air pollution." However, the legislation is strongly opposed by two powerful
adversaries: Union Pacific Railroad and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway. The railroads helped
scuttle a
similar bill sponsored by the AQMD last year that would have allowed the agency to place a pollution
fee on
17 March 2013 Page 256 of 483 ProQuest
ships, airplanes and trains. Such a move would almost certainly be challenged in court as a violation
of federal
laws that give Washington oversight over railroads because of their importance to interstate
commerce. The
railroads, which haul an estimated $100 billion in goods out of the region every year, note that they
are
responsible for a relatively small share of Southern California's air pollution problems -- roughly 3%
of smogforming
fumes. And they argue that they are already doing their part to clean up the air by volunteering to
bring
a fleet of cleaner locomotives to the region by 2010, replacing engines as much as 40 years old. Under
an
agreement with the California Air Resources Board, the railroads have volunteered to bring in
hundreds of
newer, cleaner locomotives, each costing $2 million to $3 million. "Railroads are dramatically better
than the
other choices society has to move goods around," said Kirk Markwald, a San Francisco- based
consultant to the
industry, adding that trains actually pollute far less than their chief competition, big-rig trucks. "It
would be wrong
to conclude railroads have not been doing anything." Acknowledging that he faces an uphill battle,
the AQMD's
Wallerstein argued that he had no choice but to seek the power to impose the fees. Four-fifths of the
emission
sources that combine to form Southern California's smog -- exhaust from trains, trucks, ships and
airplanes and
fumes from consumer products such as hairspray -- are primarily regulated by the state and federal
government. But the state air board and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Wallerstein
contends,
refuse to set policies strict enough to meet Southern California's extraordinary air pollution
challenge. Most of
the AQMD's authority lies in regulating emissions from power plants, refineries, gas stations and
factories. The
Clean Air Act requires the Los Angeles region to cut ozone, the main ingredient in smog, in half by
2010. Failure
to do so could lead to billions of dollars in lost highway funding and other economic sanctions in Los
Angeles,
Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Experts believe that the deadline will be impossible
to meet
unless government officials take drastic new measures. EPA administrator Mike Leavitt has
announced that the
federal agency is considering requiring trains to use cleaner-burning fuel as part of a new rule to be
made final
this year. The EPA is also contemplating tougher engine standards for future locomotives. However,
the agency
has not made a final decision on either move, officials said. Although cars, buses and trucks together
emit
roughly half of the area's smog-forming fumes, the railroads' contribution is not negligible. Every day,
trains in
Southern California spew 36.5 tons of nitrogen oxide, one of the building blocks of smog -- more than
the area's
100 largest factories, power plants and oil refineries combined. Diesel locomotives also emit nearly 2
tons per
day of particulate matter -- tiny airborne specks of dust and soot that can become lodged in the lungs
and lead
to respiratory problems. An AQMD study concluded that 70% of the cancer risk related to air
pollution in the
four-county area stemmed from diesel engine exhaust, making reductions a major public health
priority.
Although railroads may be more environmentally efficient, "they are really losing their edge, because
trucks are
getting cleaner," said Diane Bailey, a scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council, an
environmental
group. In Commerce, where working-class neighborhoods are only feet from bustling Union Pacific
and
Burlington Northern rail yards, residents who have complained for years about noise and flashing
lights are now
blaming smoke and soot from the trains for increased respiratory illnesses. In response to reports
that trains
belching diesel exhaust run idle for hours at a time near open residential windows, local air district
officials have
begun citing the train companies. But community activists say the railroads have made few changes.
The trains,
they say, often just move down a few blocks and idle beside someone else's house. "Interstate
commerce
should not supersede community health, but that's the way it seems to work," said Angelo Logan,
who grew up
in Commerce on a street beside a rail yard and returned to work as an activist with East Yard
Communities for
Environmental Justice. "Maybe the cumulative impact of the trains is not as bad as the trucks. But
when you live
near these trains, it's like having a thousand trucks by your house. The impact is huge."Noting that
the railroads
volunteered six years ago to replace the oldest, dirtiest engines, Mark Stehly, an assistant vice
president on
environmental issues for Burlington Northern Santa Fe, said: "We have agreed to things that others
have not
agreed to do." "We think our contributions are very positive. I will leave it to others to say, 'Where
are the trucks
and ships?' " Officials with the state air board predict that the agreement will reduce the railroads' air
pollution by
17 March 2013 Page 257 of 483 ProQuest
67%. Catherine Witherspoon, the board's executive director, said she didn't think it fair to criticize
the 1998
replacement agreement "as lacking a substantive commitment by the railroads, because it is a big
commitment.
It's a two-thirds reduction." But AQMD officials dispute that claim, asserting that, in reality, the
replacement will
only cut emissions a little more than half, because overall train traffic will grow substantially by
2010. The AQMD
wants the railroads to begin replacing diesel engines with hybrids and natural gas trains, and
contends that the
move could easily cut emissions 50% more than would be accomplished under the railroads' plan.
The
railroads' proposal, negotiated behind closed doors with the state air board, has also drawn criticism
from
environmental groups, which cite it as a classic example of railroads' sidestepping tough regulations
and setting
their own terms. Because the plan is not a government regulation, environmental groups cannot sue
to enforce
it if the freight companies fail to carry it out. Moreover, the railroads can walk away from the
proposal if the state
attempts to impose any new restrictions on the industry between now and 2010. The EPA had been
contemplating tougher regulations on the railroads before the freight companies made the voluntary
concessions. The companies later employed a similar strategy in Houston, which has a smog problem
nearly as
severe as that of Los Angeles, by agreeing to a voluntary reduction pact with Texas officials. The
railroads "are
smarter and smoother than others in the environmental arena, and they have been more successful"
in shaping
regulations to their satisfaction, said David Jesson, an EPA air expert based in San Francisco.
Illustration
Caption: PHOTO: RAIL: With more trains serving local ports, the AQMD wants to impose a fee on
locomotives
that don't substantially cut emissions.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Lawrence K. Ho Los Angeles Times Credit:
Times
Staff Writer
Subject: Air pollution; Fees & charges; Emissions control; Smog; Trains
Location: Southern California
Company / organization: Name: South Coast Air Quality Management District-Los Angeles County
CA; NAICS:
924110; DUNS: 01-598-6159
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2004
Publication date: Mar 7, 2004
Year: 2004
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 421899029
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421899029?accounti
d=10362
17 March 2013 Page 258 of 483 ProQuest
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2004 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 120 of 213
The Nation; EPA's 9/11 Air Ratings Distorted, Report Says
Author: Shogren, Elizabeth
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 23 Aug 2003: A.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The White House Council on Environmental Quality "convinced EPA to add reassuring
statements
and delete cautionary ones" from news releases, said the report by the EPA's inspector general office,
an
internal watchdog. [Jerrold Nadler], other New York officials and public health activists have
consistently
criticized the EPA for underestimating the risks and failing to do enough to protect public health.
Those critics
say the inspector general's report was confirmation from inside the EPA that their concerns were
valid.
According to the report, the White House had a role from the start in shaping EPA statements after
the Sept. 11
attacks. On Sept. 12, the EPA deputy administrator sent an e-mail to senior agency officials stating
that "all
statements to the media should be cleared through the [National Security Council] before they are
released,"
according to the report.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: In the days after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, White House officials
persuaded the
Environmental Protection Agency to minimize its assessment of the dangers posed by airborne dust
and debris
from the skyscrapers' collapse, according to an internal agency report. The White House Council on
Environmental Quality "convinced EPA to add reassuring statements and delete cautionary ones"
from news
releases, said the report by the EPA's inspector general office, an internal watchdog. For instance, a
draft EPA
news release for Sept. 16, 2001, warned that the air near the attack site could contain higher levels of
asbestos,
a carcinogen, than is considered safe. After input from the White House environmental council, the
release as
issued by the EPA said the asbestos levels met government standards and were "not a cause for
public
concern." The report also concluded that the EPA lacked sufficient data and analyses when, on Sept.
18, it
announced that the air in Lower Manhattan was safe to breathe. At the time, air-monitoring data was
not yet
available for pollutants such as particulate matter and polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, the report
stated. It
said the EPA should have qualified its assertion, warning that the air was not safe for children, the
elderly or
cleanup workers at the site that became known as ground zero. Also, while outdoor air in the
surrounding area
was safe, indoor air was not, the report said. The report, released late Thursday, said "competing
considerations, such as national security concerns and the desire to reopen Wall Street, also played a
role in
EPA's air quality statements." But White House and EPA officials said Friday that in the immediate
aftermath of
the terrorist attacks, public health was their prime concern as they worked together to provide the
most
responsible advice in an extraordinarily chaotic situation. "We were trying to quickly get out the best
information
we could so that people didn't overreact and also so people didn't underreact," said James
Connaughton,
chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. The council coordinates
environmental policy
throughout the administration. A New York lawmaker charged that the White House hid crucial
information that
could have helped residents and workers protect their health. "EPA officials lied when they initially
were telling
people that the air was safe," said Democratic Rep. Jerrold Nadler, whose district includes the attack
site.
17 March 2013 Page 259 of 483 ProQuest
"That's an outrage." But acting EPA Administrator Marianne L. Horinko, who was involved in the
Sept. 11
response, said the inspector general's report "trivialized a national emergency and focused on nits."
Horinko
said she "vehemently" disagreed with the report's assessment, saying that EPA officials used their
best
professional judgment and the best science available when declaring the air safe. "As soon as you
have data
you should tell the public what that data is, and what the data are telling you," Horinko said. "Even in
the early
days, the data were telling us that the vast majority of people were not going to have serious
problems." After
terrorists flew hijacked jets into the World Trade Center and toppled its twin towers, dust, debris and
smoke
filled the air in Lower Manhattan, inundating buildings, stinging eyes and searing lungs. The immense
scale and
reach of the acrid plume raised fears of possible widespread health risks from asbestos, lead,
concrete dust and
a variety of other chemicals. The EPA played a key role in assessing the health risks posed by the dust
and
soot, and the agency has continued to oversee the cleanup. Nadler, other New York officials and
public health
activists have consistently criticized the EPA for underestimating the risks and failing to do enough to
protect
public health. Those critics say the inspector general's report was confirmation from inside the EPA
that their
concerns were valid. According to the report, the White House had a role from the start in shaping
EPA
statements after the Sept. 11 attacks. On Sept. 12, the EPA deputy administrator sent an e-mail to
senior
agency officials stating that "all statements to the media should be cleared through the [National
Security
Council] before they are released," according to the report. An official at the White House Council on
Environmental Quality was designated to help the EPA obtain such clearance. Examples of White
House
influence on the EPA's public messages included advice given to those living close to the World Trade
Center,
according to the new report. EPA officials were said to believe the nearby residences should be
cleaned by
professional crews, but the agency's news release did not include such instructions. When asked
about it, an
associate EPA administrator said: "It was in a press release; it was removed by" the official with the
environmental quality council, according to the report. In another example, the report said a draft
EPA news
release for Sept. 13 warned that "even at low levels, EPA considers asbestos hazardous in this
situation." After
the White House suggested changes, the release as issued read: "short-term, low-level exposure of
the type
that might have been produced by the collapse of the World Trade Center buildings is unlikely to
cause
significant health effects." The report also criticizes the EPA for failing to more actively address
indoor air
pollution. The dust settled in furniture, curtains, rugs and air vents in nearby buildings. Many months
after the
attacks, residents continued to complain of health problems such as chronic coughs, which health
experts say
were caused by corrosive concrete dust, ground glass and other lung irritants. Nina Lavin, a jewelry
designer
who lives in Lower Manhattan, developed chronic bronchitis and moved into a hotel for 10 months
after high
levels of asbestos were detected in her apartment. She said Friday she was not surprised by the EPA
inspector
general's conclusions. "You couldn't be in this neighborhood at the time and think the air was OK,"
Lavin said. "I
am grateful that the report has, against all odds, come out revealing some of the truth." Although her
apartment
was cleaned, the EPA refused to scrub the ventilation system in the 460-unit building, she said. Nikki
L. Tinsley,
the EPA inspector general, said the main aim of the report was to learn from mistakes to ensure an
improved
agency response in the event of future large-scale terrorist attacks. There have not been any major
studies of
the health effects on the general public of the pollution caused by the collapse of the World Trade
Center,
according to the report. However, New York City and federal health officials are studying residents
and
employees of Lower Manhattan to try to identify long- term lung effects. Several studies have found
that a high
percentage of rescue workers and firefighters suffered from lung ailments and ear, nose and throat
problems in
the months after the attack. Public health activists in New York were disappointed that the top EPA
officials
disputed the conclusions of the agency's inspector general. "It is troubling," said Joel Shufro,
executive director
of the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health, an advocacy and training group.
"There is still
a significant amount of asbestos and heavy-metal contamination in Lower Manhattan, which should
be cleaned
up to protect public health." * Times staff writer John J. Goldman in New York contributed to this
report. Credit:
17 March 2013 Page 260 of 483 ProQuest
Times Staff Writer
Subject: Carcinogens; Environmental policy; Air pollution; Terrorism
Location: New York City New York
Company / organization: Name: World Trade Center-New York City NY; NAICS: 813910; Name:
Environmental
Protection Agency; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 05-794-4910; Name: EPA; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 05-7944910
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2003
Publication date: Aug 23, 2003
Year: 2003
Dateline: WASHINGTON
Section: Main News; Part A; National Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 421819783
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421819783?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2003 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 121 of 213
The State; San Joaquin Valley Air Board OKs Plan to Reduce Diesel Smoke, Dust; In
submitting the
rules to state regulators, the panel says it had to act to meet federal deadlines. Activists say
they are
not tough enough.
Author: Arax, Mark
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 20 June 2003: B.8.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control board voted Thursday to accept a plan to
reduce dust
and diesel smoke while treading lightly on super dairies and big farm equipment -- a plan regulators
hope will
17 March 2013 Page 261 of 483 ProQuest
stave off penalties, including the loss of federal transportation funds. The district's previous plan to
reduce
particulate pollution from farming and construction was rejected in 2001 by the EPA. If this plan
suffers the
same fate -- and local regulators don't come up with a better one by next year -- the valley stands to
lose $2
billion in federal highway funds. It also risks seeing local control of air pollution ceded to federal
regulators. The
fight against dust and smoke has fared even worse. Over the last three years, the daily amount of tiny
particles
in the sky has risen by five tons in a region that already ranks near the top on the EPA's list of
particulate
pollution.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: FRESNO -- The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control board voted Thursday to accept a
plan to
reduce dust and diesel smoke while treading lightly on super dairies and big farm equipment -- a
plan regulators
hope will stave off penalties, including the loss of federal transportation funds. Facing a deadline in
August to
cut some of the worst particulate pollution in the nation, air board members said they had no choice
but to
approve the plan, whatever its flaws. "To not move forward only prolongs the process and delays the
fight to
clean up our air," said Mike Maggard, a Bakersfield city councilman and air district board member.
"We have no
choice but to pull the trigger and move forward." He and his colleagues voted 10 to 0 to send the plan
to the
state air regulators, who have indicated that they will approve it. The plan then will move to the
federal
Environmental Protection Agency, which can require agriculture and other industries to take more
steps to
reduce dust and diesel smoke. The plan drew criticism from doctors, environmentalists and residents
who have
suffer from asthma, some of whom appeared before the board with steroid inhalers hanging around
their necks.
They said the plan does not control dust and other contaminants from the dairy and cattle industries
and allows
the rest of agriculture to police itself. They disputed the air district's calculations that the steps
detailed in the
plan will reduce particulate matter by 5% a year, as required by the federal Clean Air Act. The
district's previous
plan to reduce particulate pollution from farming and construction was rejected in 2001 by the EPA.
If this plan
suffers the same fate -- and local regulators don't come up with a better one by next year -- the valley
stands to
lose $2 billion in federal highway funds. It also risks seeing local control of air pollution ceded to
federal
regulators. "This plan is another delay in more than a decade of delays," said Kevin Hall, the local
Sierra Club
member who initiated a series of lawsuits that has turned valley air pollution into a national issue.
"By my count,
this is the fourth failed plan to reduce particulates created by big farms, trucks and the oil industry.
"They're
letting the farmer regulate himself," Hall said. "Under this plan, he can decide what pollution
measures he wants
to take and which ones he doesn't. And his final choice is kept secret from the public." Brent Newell, a
staff
attorney for the San Francisco-based Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment, said the plan
fails to
identify any source of funds to hire regulators to ensure that farmers comply with the measures. The
regulators
who wrote the plan did not dispute that characterization. Farm groups supported the board vote.
They said there
simply isn't enough scientific research to adopt specific pollution control measures on dairies and
farms during
plowing and harvesting. "The science is not there. It's not accurate," said Manual Cunha, head of the
Nisei
Farmers League. "We keep blaming the outside world for asthma," Cunha said. "We need to take a
look inside
our houses. Asthma also happens there." The matter before the board Thursday deals with only half
of the
valley's serious air pollution. The problem of smog, or ozone pollution, has yet to be addressed in a
plan,
although one was due in 2000. This 300-mile-long stretch of factory farms and sprawling suburbs
has been the
worst place in America for smog, violating the federal eight-hour ozone standard on 10% more days
than the
Los Angeles region. The valley's bad air stands in contrast to what has happened in other parts of the
country.
The local air pollution control district and the EPA have missed every deadline to improve the
valley's skies
since the district's formation in 1991. During that time, the smog-forming emissions from cars,
trucks, farms and
oil refineries have been cut by one-fourth. This improvement is far below the requirements of the
Clean Air Act.
The fight against dust and smoke has fared even worse. Over the last three years, the daily amount of
tiny
17 March 2013 Page 262 of 483 ProQuest
particles in the sky has risen by five tons in a region that already ranks near the top on the EPA's list
of
particulate pollution. The haze is a piercing mix of dust, smoke and other airborne matter from farms,
dairies,
tractors, trucks and wood- burning stoves and fireplaces. Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: State regulation; Environmental protection; Farm machinery; Diesel engines; Air pollution
Location: San Joaquin Valley
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.8
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2003
Publication date: Jun 20, 2003
Year: 2003
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422029758
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422029758?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2003 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 122 of 213
The Region; Plowing Under Southland Dairies Gets Environmental Agencies' OK; Regulators
welcome removal of farms that produce noxious fumes in combination with the pollution
produced by
traffic.
Author: Polakovic, Gary
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 06 May 2003: B.6.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Normally, replacing farms with suburbs would bring on more pollution from increased
traffic. But for
hundreds of thousands of people living in the Riverside area -- downwind from the dairies -- the
biggest air
pollution problem is a persistent haze of tiny particles, and dairy farms are one of the chief culprits.
Haze
17 March 2013 Page 263 of 483 ProQuest
blankets many of California's inland valleys during warm weather, but it is especially abundant in the
Inland
Empire. A pollution sensor in Rubidoux consistently records the highest particle pollution levels in
Southern
California, and some of the top measurements in the nation. Throughout the year, the concentration
of very
small particles averages 31 micrograms per cubic meter of air in Riverside, more than double the
federal healthbased
standard, government records show. SUBURBAN PASTURE: Housing encroaches on dairy lands off
Schleisman Road in Riverside County. For people living downwind, the biggest air pollution problem
is a
persistent haze of tiny particles, and dairy farms are one of the chief culprits.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Gina
Ferazzi
Los Angeles Times
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: It is an oft-repeated pattern across Southern California: farmland yields to the bulldozer's
blade. But in
contrast to other parts of the state, where pitched battles have been fought to save farms from urban
sprawl, the
rapid transformation of the dairy lands near Chino is being welcomed by environmental regulators
as a
significant step toward cleaner air. Normally, replacing farms with suburbs would bring on more
pollution from
increased traffic. But for hundreds of thousands of people living in the Riverside area -- downwind
from the
dairies -- the biggest air pollution problem is a persistent haze of tiny particles, and dairy farms are
one of the
chief culprits. Ammonia rises from the dairies -- an estimated 21 tons each day, making the farms the
largest
source of ammonia emissions in Southern California. The prevailing winds wafting over the region
carry tons of
nitrogen oxides produced by cars, power plants and factories. The two chemicals mix in the air to
produce tiny
particles of ammonium nitrate -- the same stuff as lawn fertilizer -- swirling in the sky. Health studies
have linked
particle pollution to maladies ranging from lost lung function to premature death. Western Riverside
and San
Bernardino counties suffer from some of the worst particulate pollution in the nation. But with
houses replacing
dairies, the plume of ammonia will continue to dissipate. "In this case, growth will take out the cows
and that will
have a beneficial impact on particulate matter," said Roger Atkinson, director of the Air Pollution
Research
Center at UC Riverside. Haze blankets many of California's inland valleys during warm weather, but it
is
especially abundant in the Inland Empire. A pollution sensor in Rubidoux consistently records the
highest
particle pollution levels in Southern California, and some of the top measurements in the nation.
Throughout the
year, the concentration of very small particles averages 31 micrograms per cubic meter of air in
Riverside, more
than double the federal health- based standard, government records show. Under the right
conditions, a person
standing downwind from the Chino area can watch at midday as a billowing curtain of gray haze
forms out of
thin air as onshore breezes pass over the dairies. The towering mass contains billions of particles
efficient at
reducing visibility -- many of the specks are the diameter of the wavelength of light and scatter the
sun's rays -and it descends on the area from Grand Terrace to Mira Loma. Vicki Fitch, 35, is one of many who
rely on their
noses to tell which way the wind is blowing. She lives in the Bridlewood tract, one of Chino's newest
communities built in dairy land. Like her neighbors, her family wanted to live in a rural area, but they
got more
than they bargained for. "It's very odiferous. There's a lot of fragrance and flies in the air," Fitch said.
"I use a lot
of air freshener in the house, and I have to walk quickly from the house to get into the car," she said.
Unlike
other polluters, the dairies have escaped regulation of their emissions. Now, the South Coast Air
Quality
Management District is preparing a measure aimed at reducing emissions by at least half over the
next decade.
The agency is considering more stringent rules on manure removal and greater use of "digesters"
that derive
methane fuel from manure. Reductions in dairy fumes could create benefits that would ripple to big
cities from
Long Beach to the San Fernando Valley. If dairy emissions are substantially reduced, smog goals for
the region
could be met without having to reduce as much of the nitrogen oxides produced by industrial sources
farther
west. Illustration Caption: PHOTO: SUBURBAN PASTURE: Housing encroaches on dairy lands off
Schleisman
Road in Riverside County. For people living downwind, the biggest air pollution problem is a
persistent haze of
tiny particles, and dairy farms are one of the chief culprits.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Gina Ferazzi Los
Angeles
17 March 2013 Page 264 of 483 ProQuest
Times Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Rural areas; Dairy industry; Environmental impact; Housing developments; Farms;
Emissions; Air
pollution
Location: Southern California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.6
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2003
Publication date: May 6, 2003
Year: 2003
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 421809209
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421809209?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2003 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 123 of 213
Air Particles Linked to Cell Damage; An L.A.-area study finds the tiniest pollutants disrupt
basic
cellular functions, likely causing a host of diseases.
Author: Polakovic, Gary
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 07 Apr 2003: B.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Dust and smoke are made of particles of about 10 microns. The smallest particles come
mainly from
burning fossil fuels. Those tiny particles float in the air longer, travel farther and are more easily
inhaled than
larger ones. Deeper inside the cells, researchers found that the one-tenth-of- a-micron particles
accumulated
inside cell structures called mitochondria. Oblong in shape, mitochondria are the workhorses of cells.
They
combine sugar and oxygen to produce the fuel that keeps cells running. "The mitochondria of a cell is
like a
17 March 2013 Page 265 of 483 ProQuest
cell's battery. Once you damage the mitochondria, you're going to kill the cell," [Melanie Marty] said.
"This
shows the ultra-fine particles are better at causing damage, and we should be paying more attention
to ultra-fine
particles because of their toxicity and ability to produce this stress in the cell."
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: A team of Southern California researchers has discovered that microscopic airborne
particles can
disrupt the inner mechanics of cells, offering a possible explanation of how air pollutants common in
urban haze
can harm the human body. The new study, led by scientists at UCLA and USC, links the most
minuscule
particles found in dust and smoke to injuries. The particles are so small -- about 1,000 could fit inside
the period
at the end of this sentence -- that they easily bypass the body's defense mechanisms. The findings
also are the
first to show that very tiny particles travel beyond the lungs and bloodstream to penetrate deep
inside cells. The
pollutant accumulates within a critical component that powers the cell and maintains its function.
Damage to that
cellular component is known to lead to an assortment of diseases. The study is scheduled to be
published this
week in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, a publication of the National Institute of
Environmental
Health Sciences, and is currently available on the journal's Internet home page. Researchers have
long known
that haze over major cities causes a wide range of health problems. Numerous studies worldwide
have linked
particle pollution to school absences, hospital admissions, shortened life spans, reduced lung
function, heart
disease and cancer. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency established rigorous standards for
curbing
particle pollution in 1997. The agency estimates that those rules will prevent 15,000 premature
deaths, 350,000
cases of asthma and 1 million cases of lung problems in children by the year 2020. But researchers
have been
unsure what types of particles were to blame for the health effects. "We have had no idea of the
biological
potency of different size particles in the air," said UCLA researcher Andre Nel, a physician and lead
author of
the study. The new research "may be a mechanism to explain how the smallest particles cause
adverse health
effects," he said. Particulate matter turns the sky gray with gauzy haze, limiting visibility. It consists
of
microscopic bits, ranging from pulverized tire fragments to diesel soot to acid droplets, and is
measured in
microns, a unit equivalent to a millionth of a meter. A human hair is about 50 microns across.
Currently,
environmental regulations try to limit particles that are 10 microns in diameter and smaller particles
in the 2.5micron range. But the particles that caused the most damage in the new study are one-tenth of a
micron across.
Dust and smoke are made of particles of about 10 microns. The smallest particles come mainly from
burning
fossil fuels. Those tiny particles float in the air longer, travel farther and are more easily inhaled than
larger
ones. The Los Angeles Basin ranks as one of the worst places in the nation for particle pollution. The
highest
concentrations typically occur in western Riverside County. But the Los Angeles-Long Beach area has
more of
the tiny particles emitted by vehicle exhaust. Using the region as a laboratory, the EPA established
one of five
national particle-pollution research centers at UCLA, which produced the latest study. In their study,
the team of
10 scientists collected particles in various sizes from air above Claremont and the USC campus near
downtown
Los Angeles between November 2001 and March 2002. The pollution was concentrated, put into
solution and
added to two types of cells. One group of cells included macrophages taken from mice. A macrophage
is a type
of cell that scavenges and destroys foreign matter in the lung and other organs. The other cells were
taken from
the lining deep inside a human lung. The scientists then measured chemical reactions in the tissues
and
examined the cells with an electron microscope. The researchers found that when the particles come
in contact
with the cells, they trigger a reaction that causes inflammation. That may help explain how particle
pollution
exacerbates asthma, an inflammation of the airways, Nel explained. Deeper inside the cells,
researchers found
that the one-tenth-of- a-micron particles accumulated inside cell structures called mitochondria.
Oblong in
shape, mitochondria are the workhorses of cells. They combine sugar and oxygen to produce the fuel
that
keeps cells running. The study shows that the pollution damaged the shape of mitochondria, causing
them to
stop producing the cellular fuel and start producing other chemicals, which lead to more
inflammation and cell
17 March 2013 Page 266 of 483 ProQuest
damage. Melanie Marty, chief of air toxicology and epidemiology at the California Office of
Environmental
Health Hazard Assessment, said the findings highlight the danger of the smallest particles, which
have not been
the focus of regulations of air pollution. She did not work on the research, but is familiar with the
paper. "The
mitochondria of a cell is like a cell's battery. Once you damage the mitochondria, you're going to kill
the cell,"
Marty said. "This shows the ultra-fine particles are better at causing damage, and we should be
paying more
attention to ultra-fine particles because of their toxicity and ability to produce this stress in the cell."
The study
comes with some limitations. Scientists examined pollutants at just two locations in the Los Angeles
region.
Particle pollution varies by concentration and type across cities. Also, the pollution that the cells
were exposed
to in the study is more concentrated than what is typically found in ambient air. The researchers
cautioned that
their observations come from the laboratory and that more studies are needed to see if similar
results occur in
people or animals exposed to less-concentrated pollution. Fernando Scaglia, a professor in the
department of
molecular and human genetics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston who has read the paper, said
damage
to mitochondria in cells can lead to various diseases, including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, as well
as strokes
and other neurological impairment. Damage to mitochondria, he said, can increase over time as cells
divide,
leading to a breakdown of cell function and early onset of disease. Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Medical research; Cells; Air pollution; Public health; Disease
Location: Southern California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2003
Publication date: Apr 7, 2003
Year: 2003
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 422000514
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/422000514?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2003 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
17 March 2013 Page 267 of 483 ProQuest
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 124 of 213
Farm Loyalist's Proposal to Curb Smog Is Heresy to Big Agriculture
Author: Arax, Mark
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 01 Mar 2003: B.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: Veteran political observers say [Dean Florez], a maverick Democrat, is a savvy politician
with an eye
toward higher office. As an assemblyman last year, Florez proved he was willing to cause a stir. He
pushed so
hard in committee hearings that exposed a no-bid $95-million computer contract with Oracle Corp.
that he
embarrassed Gov. Gray Davis' administration. That earned him a reputation for calculated political
risk and,
many believe, got him fired from a committee chairmanship. Florez could hardly blame them. For the
longest
time, he said, he also wasn't willing to tackle the immense problem of smog and particulate pollution.
But in
recent months -- after reading newspaper stories about a region that has missed more than two
dozen clean-air
deadlines and listening to tales of children dying from respiratory failure -- Florez decided to take a
stand.
TRADITION: Old trees are stacked and burned in piles in Fresno. A package of bills introduced by
state Sen.
Dean Florez, a stalwart supporter of growers and the grandson of farm workers, would end
agricultural burning,
a longtime practice in the San Joaquin Valley.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Tomas Ovalle Fresno Bee;
MAVERICK:
State Sen. Dean Florez risks angering farmers, but pleasing other residents.; PHOTOGRAPHER:
Robert Durell
Los Angeles Times
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: No politician in California has ever managed to touch it. For nearly 60 years, thanks to rural
tradition
and state law, agriculture has been exempt from clean-air rules. Even as the San Joaquin Valley has
emerged
as the smoggiest region in the nation, farmers continue to enjoy a special status, burning their
uprooted trees
and vines in big bonfires and plowing their fields into great clouds of dust. But the days of wide-open
farm
pollution in the valley may be nearing an end. Last week, state Sen. Dean Florez (D-Shafter), one of
agriculture's most loyal supporters here, walked into the state Capitol and did the heretical. He
introduced a
package of bills that, if passed, will stop agricultural burning in California and make cotton, fruit,
vegetable and
dairy farmers answer to the state and federal Clean Air acts for the first time. Environmental groups
call the
legislation historic. Some farmers consider it a betrayal, while others plan a concerted fight to water
down
several of the 10 bills. Pollsters say Florez's timing could not be better, with surveys showing air
quality as a top
concern of valley voters. "It's a gutsy move because it shows that Dean is willing to challenge
agriculture on a
sensitive issue," said Carol Whiteside of the Great Valley Center, a nonpartisan Modesto-based think
tank. "But
no issue moves politically until it's ripe, and the issue of air quality is ripe in the valley. Over the past
few years,
growth and air quality have become the No. 1 and No. 2 concerns of voters here. Like any politician
worth his
salt, Dean has a good antenna." Veteran political observers say Florez, a maverick Democrat, is a
savvy
politician with an eye toward higher office. As an assemblyman last year, Florez proved he was
willing to cause
a stir. He pushed so hard in committee hearings that exposed a no-bid $95-million computer contract
with
Oracle Corp. that he embarrassed Gov. Gray Davis' administration. That earned him a reputation for
calculated
political risk and, many believe, got him fired from a committee chairmanship. Now the Harvardeducated
freshman senator is proposing to take on the San Joaquin Valley's No. 1 employer by imposing new
regulations
on agriculture. If air quality has emerged as an issue dear to a voter's heart here, this region also
happens to be
the Bible Belt of California, where conservative viewpoints, including pro-business arguments,
resound. One
likely outcome of the legislation, analysts say, is a compromise that creates clean-air rules that
farmers can
17 March 2013 Page 268 of 483 ProQuest
stomach while acknowledging the health concerns of suburbanites, whose numbers keep growing.
Already in
talks with farmers, Florez has indicated there is some wiggle room. V. John White, a Sierra Club
lobbyist who
has opposed Florez on many issues, said the senator could make a real difference if he holds firm
under the
pressure sure to come from big agriculture. "What he is proposing here has never been done. The fact
that he's
taking on agricultural burning directly for the first time is big enough. But his approach is even more
comprehensive. If all his bills were to pass, it would lead to clean air in the Central Valley." But others
see a risk
in Florez digging in his heels and saddling farmers with regulations too onerous. "His district still
depends on
agriculture for its economic livelihood," said Tony Quinn, a Sacramento-based political analyst.
"There's a
political risk any time you take on the biggest employer." As Florez worked to finish the legislation
last month
with coauthor Byron Sher, a state senator from Stanford and longtime environmental standardbearer, he
speculated on the political danger. Sure, lawmakers in Los Angeles and San Francisco would have no
trouble
backing him. But not one of his fellow legislators from the San Joaquin Valley would sign on as a cosponsor.
Florez could hardly blame them. For the longest time, he said, he also wasn't willing to tackle the
immense
problem of smog and particulate pollution. But in recent months -- after reading newspaper stories
about a
region that has missed more than two dozen clean-air deadlines and listening to tales of children
dying from
respiratory failure -- Florez decided to take a stand. So here was a 39-year-old grandson of farm
workers who
had never crossed farmers on a big vote holding court with the Sierra Club. Here was the same
politician who
once browbeat an environmentalist for challenging the opening of a large dairy in Kings County now
telling dairy
farmers that their lagoons full of manure are the equivalent of industrial smokestacks. As such, he
wants them
to be regulated. If Florez prevails, dairies and housing tracts will no longer be able to locate within a
three-mile
radius of each other. "Something had to be done, and it couldn't be piecemeal or Mickey Mouse," said
Florez, a
former track and football star at Shafter High School who became student body president at UCLA.
He worked
as a fellow for former Democratic state Sen. Art Torres of Los Angeles and as an investment banker
before
winning an Assembly seat in 1998. Some farmers see SB 700 and its companion legislation as
something else:
a good, old-fashioned stab in the back. One bill seeking to reduce farm dust would alter the way a
tractor tills
the land by utilizing different techniques or equipment. Few issues are more dear to a farmer's heart
than his
plow. What these changes might entail isn't made clear in the bill. "A lot of what Dean is suggesting
just isn't
practical," said Pete Belluomini, a Kern County potato and citrus farmer. "We create dust for small
periods of
time but we prevent dust for longer periods" by planting crops such as alfalfa. Belluomini said he met
with
Florez last week and came away encouraged. He believes there is plenty of room for negotiation. "It's
very early
in the process, and these bills are going to be restructured again and again. Some will come to pass,
others will
drop by the wayside." Farm groups question why none of the bills focus on the building industry and
its role in
valley sprawl. Over the last decade, new freeways and suburbs to accommodate a growing
population have
increased the daily miles traveled from 63 million to 83 million. On- road vehicles account for 40% of
the smog
here. To offset the impacts of growth and help farmers, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control
District has
talked about charging a $5,000 fee for every new house built in the valley's eight counties. That
money would
go into a fund to help farmers convert to cleaner- burning engines and fund alternatives to open-field
burning.
Florez has steered clear of any such impact fees. "You would think agriculture is the only industry in
the valley.
You would think that there isn't a Highway 99 and an Interstate 5 with cars and trucks and suburbs
all along the
way," said Cynthia Cory, director of environmental affairs for the California Farm Bureau. "Everyone
has to
share in the clean-air burden: people, developers and farmers. But these bills focus almost
exclusively on
agriculture. You lose a farm by making it too costly and what pops up in its place? Another strip mall
with more
cars belching fumes." Over the last two decades, as cities up and down the state's farm belt have
undergone
extensive growth, dirty air has veiled the mountains in a year-round curtain of brown. The San
Joaquin Valley
hasn't seemed in any hurry to take corrective action. Yet when this basin recently found itself ranked
ahead of
Los Angeles as the smoggiest region in the country over the last two years, with more days in
violation of the 817 March 2013 Page 269 of 483 ProQuest
hour federal ozone standard, the complacency disappeared. Suddenly, no matter where you turned -the
preschool, the coffee shop, the Friday night football game -- people were talking about air pollution
and their
children's breathing problems. Whether Republican or Democrat, politicians have done their best to
steer clear
of air pollution as a campaign or policy issue. In four years of state office, Florez never wrote a single
news
release on air quality. He said the reason was simple: It was an issue sure to anger the valley's Big
Three:
agriculture, oil and the building industries. Florez said he began to open his eyes after reading a long
story in
The Times in December on the failure of local, state and federal regulators to clean the air. A week
later, the
Fresno Bee published a 24-page special section titled "Last Gasp." The letters-to-the- editor page
began filling
up with angry missives from longtime residents who had grown tired of business as usual. "There's a
growing
recognition among people in the valley that they've been left behind in the state's fight against air
pollution," said
White. "People are angry because it's affecting not only their health, but economic development."
When
children's asthma grows worse breathing dirty air, White explained, it can't help bring businesses to
the region.
Farm groups had been hoping to beat back a recent set of legal challenges by EarthJustice, a San
Franciscobased
environmental group that wants the federal government to enforce the Clean Air Act here. One of the
lawsuits was settled last year after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency agreed to seek an end
to
California's farm exemption. If the state fails to follow through by regulating agriculture, it risks
losing billions of
dollars in federal highway funds. But the 10 bills put forward by Florez and Sher go far beyond
simply removing
the exemption. In addition to banning agricultural burning and controlling dairy emissions by Jan. 1,
2005, the
legislation would add a respiratory specialist and environmentalist to the regional air-quality board.
Currently,
the board regulating air pollution here is made up of county supervisors and city council members
whom Florez
believes are reluctant to challenge farmers, developers and oil companies. Three of the bills call for
tax-exempt
bonds and other funding to help underwrite the costs of converting to cleaner farm operations. One
bill seeks to
end the practice of San Joaquin Valley biomass plants processing only construction debris from
Southern
California. Florez wants any local plant utilizing state funds to set aside at least 30% of its capacity
for farm
waste. Farmers and residents will get a closer look at the proposals in hearings chaired by Florez
over the next
six months. But by offering the package after just one hearing in Sacramento, he has plunged into the
fight.
Illustration Caption: PHOTO: TRADITION: Old trees are stacked and burned in piles in Fresno. A
package of
bills introduced by state Sen. Dean Florez, a stalwart supporter of growers and the grandson of farm
workers,
would end agricultural burning, a longtime practice in the San Joaquin Valley.; PHOTOGRAPHER:
Tomas
Ovalle Fresno Bee; PHOTO: MAVERICK: State Sen. Dean Florez risks angering farmers, but pleasing
other
residents.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Robert Durell Los Angeles Times Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Environmental protection; Legislation; Air pollution; Agriculture
Location: California
People: Florez, Dean
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2003
Publication date: Mar 1, 2003
Year: 2003
Dateline: FRESNO
17 March 2013 Page 270 of 483 ProQuest
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 421974743
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421974743?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2003 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 125 of 213
Debris Fire Burns Unchecked in Fresno; Schools keep students indoors as blaze casts a
smoky pall
over city. State, U.S. agencies join efforts to douse it.
Author: Arax, Mark
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 18 Jan 2003: B.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: INFERNO: Smoke pours from sprawling debris pile at a recycling center on the edge of
Fresno,
above. City firefighters tried dousing it with water last Saturday and thought they had extinguished it.
But the
water acted as a form of fuel, only increasing the fire's intensity. At left, Fresno Fire Capt. Vic
Bringetto watches
as a large fan blows mist onto the flames Friday. Earth-moving equipment and other firefighting gear
are
expected to be brought in to tackle the blaze over the weekend.; PHOTOGRAPHER: ERIC PAUL
ZAMORA
Fresno Bee; INFERNO: Smoke pours from sprawling debris pile at a recycling center on the edge of
Fresno,
above. City firefighters tried dousing it with water last Saturday and thought they had extinguished it.
But the
water acted as a form of fuel, only increasing the fire's intensity. At left, Fresno Fire Capt. Vic
Bringetto watches
as a large fan blows mist onto the flames Friday. Earth-moving equipment and other firefighting gear
are
expected to be brought in to tackle the blaze over the weekend.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Darrell Wong
Fresno Bee;
NO END IN SIGHT: [Archie Crippen] watches as flames and smoke continue to pour from a blaze in a
debris
pile earlier this week at Archie Crippen Excavation, his recycling operation on the southeastern
outskirts of the
city.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Tomas Ovalle Fresno Bee; DILEMMA: A thick pall of acrid smoke from the
debris fire
hangs over Tulare Street in downtown Fresno.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Kurt Hegre Fresno Bee
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: A smoldering fire in a giant woodpile continued to burn stubbornly Friday on the outskirts
of this city as
many residents already choking on a winter of foul air stayed indoors or wheezed their way to the
doctor's
office. Over the past week -- since the football field-sized woodpile combusted spontaneously and
began its
17 March 2013 Page 271 of 483 ProQuest
slow, smoky burn -- the air in Fresno has turned so hazardous that schools have canceled basketball
games
and kept all students indoors. "We've have 81,000 students inside for the past four days and they're
getting a
little stir crazy," said Jill Marmolejo of the Fresno Unified School District, the state's fourth-largest.
"We've
canceled basketball games, wrestling, soccer, baseball practice and track. Kids are missing school
because of
respiratory illnesses." Winter is never a time for pleasant air in the San Joaquin Valley, as thick
blankets of fog
trap particles of smoke and dust for weeks at a time. Small particles from chimney fires and
construction sites
can lodge deep in the lungs and have been linked to heart disease and cancer. The woodpile fire at a
Fresno
recycling center could not have come at a worse time. A lid of warm air, winter's dreaded inversion
layer, had
hunkered down and was going nowhere when the 25-foot- tall pile of construction debris, wood and
grass
clippings at the recycling center ignited on its own. City firefighters tried dousing it with water and
mistakenly
thought they had extinguished it last Saturday. But the water from their hoses acted as a form of fuel,
creating
more moisture and heat in the pile. The result was an even more daunting blaze. As monitoring
stations began
recording two and three times the healthy limit for particulate pollution in town, city officials
appealed for help.
On Thursday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the California Environmental Protection
Agency, the
state Office of Emergency Services and the state Integrated Waste Management Board joined the
effort. More
than $300,000 in state and federal aid has been pledged to put out the blaze. The agencies expect to
wade into
the pile this weekend with huge earth-moving equipment and firefighters in special gear, pulling
apart the debris
chunk by chunk and dousing it with retardant foam. "This is a big pile with a lot of things going on
inside it," said
federal EPA spokesman Mark Merchant. "We're going to put in any amount of money needed to stop
this fire.
This is a unified effort with the state and the city." The dirty, dangerous task could take another week
or 10
days. "It's not until we get in there and start separating the pile that we'll know the material that's
burning and
the depth of the fire," said Eric Lamoureux of the state's Office of Emergency Services. "Until we do
that, it's
hard to say how long this thing will burn." Dr. Malik Baz runs an allergy and asthma clinic eight miles
north of
the woodpile and, as soon as he heard about the fire, he braced for a rush of patients. That rush began
Thursday, with children and older people complaining of burning throats and lungs. "We're putting
them on
inhalers and giving them steroids," Baz said. "It's bad out there. You can smell it. We're telling people
to stay
indoors and, if they can afford it, take a trip to the coast or go skiing in the mountains. Get out of town
and stay
out of town until the fire is out." State and federal regulators have begun testing debris from the site
and
particles in the nearby air, looking for possible toxins. School officials say they welcome the Monday
holiday. If
the inversion layer lifts and the smoke from the fire eases, they expect students to resume gym and
sports
activities Tuesday. In the meantime, city officials are contemplating what action, if any, to take
against the
owner of the site, Archie Crippen Excavation. Crippen's property, according to the Fresno Bee, was
annexed to
the city in the mid-1980s and was supposed to operate as a recycling center. In the early 1990s, a city
inspector
noted that the debris pile contained material not allowed under Crippen's work permit, but it is
unclear if the city
issued a citation. Illustration Caption: PHOTO: INFERNO: Smoke pours from sprawling debris pile at a
recycling
center on the edge of Fresno, above. City firefighters tried dousing it with water last Saturday and
thought they
had extinguished it. But the water acted as a form of fuel, only increasing the fire's intensity. At left,
Fresno Fire
Capt. Vic Bringetto watches as a large fan blows mist onto the flames Friday. Earth-moving
equipment and
other firefighting gear are expected to be brought in to tackle the blaze over the weekend.;
PHOTOGRAPHER:
ERIC PAUL ZAMORA Fresno Bee; PHOTO: INFERNO: Smoke pours from sprawling debris pile at a
recycling
center on the edge of Fresno, above. City firefighters tried dousing it with water last Saturday and
thought they
had extinguished it. But the water acted as a form of fuel, only increasing the fire's intensity. At left,
Fresno Fire
Capt. Vic Bringetto watches as a large fan blows mist onto the flames Friday. Earth-moving
equipment and
other firefighting gear are expected to be brought in to tackle the blaze over the weekend.;
PHOTOGRAPHER:
Darrell Wong Fresno Bee; PHOTO: NO END IN SIGHT: Archie Crippen watches as flames and smoke
continue
to pour from a blaze in a debris pile earlier this week at Archie Crippen Excavation, his recycling
operation on
17 March 2013 Page 272 of 483 ProQuest
the southeastern outskirts of the city.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Tomas Ovalle Fresno Bee; PHOTO:
DILEMMA: A
thick pall of acrid smoke from the debris fire hangs over Tulare Street in downtown Fresno.;
PHOTOGRAPHER:
Kurt Hegre Fresno Bee Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Fires; Health hazards; Air pollution
Location: Fresno California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2003
Publication date: Jan 18, 2003
Year: 2003
Dateline: FRESNO
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 421762174
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421762174?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2003 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 126 of 213
Hold Firm on Diesel Rules
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 02 Jan 2003: B.12.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: During his first two years in office, President Bush didn't have an environmental policy so
much as an
industrial one. From building roads in national forests (he's for it) to cutting emissions from power
plants
(against), his administration has favored loggers and energy companies over wildlife or clean air. So
it's terrific,
if surprising, to hear that the Environmental Protection Agency is starting 2003 by drafting rules that
would, for
the first time, restrict emissions from diesel-powered bulldozers, tractors and other heavy
equipment used in
17 March 2013 Page 273 of 483 ProQuest
agriculture, construction and mining.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: During his first two years in office, President Bush didn't have an environmental policy so
much as an
industrial one. From building roads in national forests (he's for it) to cutting emissions from power
plants
(against), his administration has favored loggers and energy companies over wildlife or clean air. So
it's terrific,
if surprising, to hear that the Environmental Protection Agency is starting 2003 by drafting rules that
would, for
the first time, restrict emissions from diesel-powered bulldozers, tractors and other heavy
equipment used in
agriculture, construction and mining. Now if the administration only will stand up to industry pleas
to weaken or
delay those rules. The EPA is expected to formally propose changes this spring that would apply the
same
tough standards adopted under the Clinton administration for diesel big rigs and buses to these offhighway
uses. Held to a lower standard since 1977, these exempt diesel engines are, along with power plants
and
oceangoing tankers, among the largest polluters linked by scientists to lung cancer, asthma and other
respiratory diseases. Even California, known for strict emissions restrictions, has been unable to
regulate them
since powerful lobbyists won a federal exemption from state controls. By limiting particulates,
nitrogen oxide and
other pollutants, the EPA projects that the federal rules under discussion would prevent more than
8,000
premature deaths and hundreds of thousands of cases of respiratory illnesses each year. This
translates into
billions of dollars in savings on health care, a compelling side benefit at a time when medical costs
are soaring
almost as quickly as federal and state deficits. But it also means that oil refiners and engine makers
would have
to spend more money developing low-sulfur diesel fuel and installing devices to treat exhaust gases,
costs that
would be passed on to farmers, miners and contractors. Those affected are clamoring to soften or
delay the
rules, never mind the 30 years they have had without any. Tax credits to mitigate the pain are
acceptable.
Delayed or weakened rules are not. Even the Office of Management and Budget concedes that the
health
benefits far outweigh the costs to industry. And that's strictly the dollars-and-cents argument. Mudcolored skies
and kids who need inhalers make the moral case. Proximity to the 2004 election makes the political
one. Surely
the president's astute advisors recall how former House Speaker Newt Gingrich's 1995 campaign
against
environmental laws cost House Republicans votes. The year before an election year is the one voters
remember. Industrial lobbyists may not care for clean air. Voters do.
Subject: Environmental policy; Air pollution; Emissions; Editorials -- Environmental policy
Location: United States, US
People: Bush, George W
Company / organization: Name: Environmental Protection Agency; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 05-7944910;
Name: EPA; NAICS: 924110; DUNS: 05-794-4910
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.12
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2003
Publication date: Jan 2, 2003
Year: 2003
Section: California Metro; Part B; Editorial Pages Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
17 March 2013 Page 274 of 483 ProQuest
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: Editorial
ProQuest document ID: 421760905
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421760905?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2003 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-22
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 127 of 213
Los Angeles; Solis Seeks Better Monitoring of Pollution From Gravel Pits; Citing a new
congressional
report, legislator calls for closer scrutiny of the mining operations' effects on air and water.
Author: Bustillo, Miguel
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 14 Dec 2002: B.4.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: State and federal regulators have failed to adequately monitor the environmental
consequences of
massive gravel mining that has carved canyon-sized holes in the San Gabriel Valley, Rep. Hilda L. Solis
(D-El
Monte) charged Friday. San Gabriel Valley residents suffer higher rates of asthma and other
respiratory
ailments than others in the region, a situation Solis and some local politicians suspect is linked to
dust and
particle pollution from mining. Residents of Irwindale, Baldwin Park, Azusa and El Monte "should be
able to get
a better quality of life, and they should get better information" on the health risks of the gravel pits,
Solis said,
standing outside Geddes Elementary School in Baldwin Park.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: State and federal regulators have failed to adequately monitor the environmental
consequences of
massive gravel mining that has carved canyon-sized holes in the San Gabriel Valley, Rep. Hilda L. Solis
(D-El
Monte) charged Friday. Gravel mining has taken place in the Irwindale area for more than 100 years,
supplying
the sand and rock for more than 70% of California's roads and much of the building material for Los
Angeles'
sprawling real estate development. Yet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state air
quality officials
appear to lack even the most basic information needed to assess the mines' contributions to air and
water
pollution in the surrounding area, now home to more than a quarter-million people, Solis said. She
based her
statements on the findings of a congressional report commissioned by her and another California
Democrat,
Rep. Henry Waxman of Los Angeles, that found a lack of environmental oversight of the gravel pits.
San Gabriel
Valley residents suffer higher rates of asthma and other respiratory ailments than others in the
region, a
situation Solis and some local politicians suspect is linked to dust and particle pollution from mining.
Residents
of Irwindale, Baldwin Park, Azusa and El Monte "should be able to get a better quality of life, and they
should
17 March 2013 Page 275 of 483 ProQuest
get better information" on the health risks of the gravel pits, Solis said, standing outside Geddes
Elementary
School in Baldwin Park. Responding to Solis' concerns, officials with the South Coast Air Quality
Management
District announced Friday that they would begin to monitor specific mining operations in the area.
But they
noted that they had regulated the operations for years and have a general air monitoring station in
Azusa within
a mile of most of the gravel pits. This year, that monitor found 22 violations of the state's standard for
particulate
pollution, said Chung Liu, the AQMD's deputy executive officer for science and technology
advancement.
Arnold Brink, a general manager with United Rock Products, which runs one of Irwindale's 17 gravel
pits, said
the firm would cooperate with regulators. But it is hardly lacking for oversight, he said, noting that,
he once
counted 26 different governmental entities at the local, state and federal level that were reviewing its
mining
practices. "I honestly think we do a good job and are good stewards of the environment," Brink said.
"If you sat
at my desk and saw things from my perspective, I don't think you could say we are under- regulated."
Solis and
others at the news conference, including a woman whose husband suffered from asthma and whose
father had
worked in a local quarry, emphasized that they valued the economic benefits the mines had brought.
But they
added that the health effects to which the operations might be contributing needed a closer
examination. "The
residents in this area are absolutely right to be concerned," said Constantinos Sioutas, a professor
and deputy
director of the Southern California Particle Center at USC. Particles in the lungs that are stirred up by
gravel
mining "stay much longer than gases" and have been linked to higher mortality rates, he said.
Illustration
Caption: PHOTO: BIG DIG: A skip loader is dwarfed by a mountain of sand at Vulcan Materials Co. in
Irwindale,
where the gravel pits have supplied the building material for 70% of the state's roads.;
PHOTOGRAPHER:
Robert Gauthier Los Angeles Times Credit: Times Staff Writer
Subject: Environmental impact; Regulation; Water pollution; Air pollution; Sand & gravel; Mining
Location: Irwindale California
People: Solis, Hilda
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.4
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2002
Publication date: Dec 14, 2002
Year: 2002
Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: News
ProQuest document ID: 421970243
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421970243?accounti
d=10362
17 March 2013 Page 276 of 483 ProQuest
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2002 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-21
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 128 of 213
Clearing the Air at the Ports
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 09 Dec 2002: B.10.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The ill wind blowing through the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles comes from
container ships
that each day belch tons of diesel particulate matter and gases. In addition to being inhaled by the
ports'
immediate neighbors, the fouled air moves inland dozens of miles to cast a pall over millions. So a
proposal that
could noticeably cut emissions from ships docked at the ports is cause for cheering, even if it is only a
start.
Under financial incentives offered by the state and the South Coast Air Quality Management District,
tugboat
owners are already installing cleaner-burning diesel engines. Shipping lines are eliminating two tons
of
emissions daily simply by slowing down ships as they enter and leave the harbor. New federal
regulations mean
that old diesel-powered trucks gradually will be replaced with cleaner models.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: The ill wind blowing through the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles comes from
container ships that
each day belch tons of diesel particulate matter and gases. In addition to being inhaled by the ports'
immediate
neighbors, the fouled air moves inland dozens of miles to cast a pall over millions. So a proposal that
could
noticeably cut emissions from ships docked at the ports is cause for cheering, even if it is only a start.
The ports
are the local linchpin in international trade, which anchors Southern California's economy by
accounting for
420,000 jobs across the region. Port operators and shipping lines foresee 6% annual increases in the
number of
containers passing through the ports. Good news for the economy but potentially bad for clean air.
Cleaning up
the waterfront is not an easy sell. There is a worldwide glut of cargo ships, so cash-strapped owners
resist
buying pollution-control devices. The United States can do little to force foreign owners to clean up
their diesel
fleets. No single agency has port jurisdiction, and international, federal, state, regional and local
authorities have
not yet agreed on ways to act in concert. Nobody, of course, wants to throttle back the region's most
important
economic engine. Against that backdrop, any progress is notable. Executives at some of the world's
largest
shipping lines are talking about shutting down big ships' dirty diesel engines while the vessels are in
port and
drawing power from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power grid. Shipping lines could
recoup their
considerable equipment costs through energy savings, the DWP would get a new customer and
Southern
Californians could breathe easier. During his Friday "state of the harbor" address, L.A. Mayor James K.
Hahn
promised that a third of the ports' own vehicles and equipment would be replaced with loweremissions
alternatives. Under financial incentives offered by the state and the South Coast Air Quality
Management
District, tugboat owners are already installing cleaner-burning diesel engines. Shipping lines are
eliminating two
tons of emissions daily simply by slowing down ships as they enter and leave the harbor. New federal
regulations mean that old diesel-powered trucks gradually will be replaced with cleaner models.
Right now,
however, the ports are the region's single worst air pollution problem. On an average day, 16 cargo
ships
anchored at the ports release more smog-forming gases than 1 million cars. Diesel- powered
tugboats, yard
tractors and trucks add to the pollution mix. Taxpayers have poured tens of billions of dollars into
improvements
at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. The port's operators, shipping lines, longshore workers
and others
17 March 2013 Page 277 of 483 ProQuest
with an interest in the waterfront can return the favor by working with regulatory agencies to clean
up their act.
Subject: Ports; Diesel engines; Air pollution; Container ships; Environmental impact; Environmental
cleanup;
Editorials -- Ports
Location: Los Angeles California, Long Beach California
Company / organization: Name: Port of Los Angeles; NAICS: 488310; Name: Port of Long Beach;
NAICS:
488310
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: B.10
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2002
Publication date: Dec 9, 2002
Year: 2002
Section: California Metro; Part B; Editorial Pages Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: Editorial
ProQuest document ID: 421758809
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421758809?accounti
d=10362
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2002 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-21
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 129 of 213
SUNDAY REPORT; A Bumper Crop of Bad Air in San Joaquin Valley; Growth brings more
smog and
health woes. Cleanup seems a low priority for officials.
Author: Mark Arax and Gary Polakovic
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 08 Dec 2002: A.1.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: (map)Making farms more environmentally friendly; CREDIT: Los Angeles Times; PRICE OF
GROWTH: West of Fresno, above, a huge dust cloud is created when the dry remains of a cotton field
are
turned. Agriculture is the valley's biggest industrial polluter and the biggest source of haze. In
addition,
17 March 2013 Page 278 of 483 ProQuest
emissions from dairies and feedlots are growing 5% a year, state figures show. In the last decade,
more than
500,000 cows -- many of them from Southern California, where the dairy farm has given way to gated
communities -- have joined the people moving over the mountains and settling into new tracts, such
as this one,
below, in Fresno; PHOTOGRAPHER: Spencer Weiner Los Angeles Times; PRICE OF GROWTH: West of
Fresno, above, a huge dust cloud is created when the dry remains of a cotton field are turned.
Agriculture is the
valley's biggest industrial polluter and the biggest source of haze. In addition, emissions from dairies
and
feedlots are growing 5% a year, state figures show. In the last decade, more than 500,000 cows -many of
them from Southern California, where the dairy farm has given way to gated communities -- have
joined the
people moving over the mountains and settling into new tracts, such as this one, below, in Fresno.;
PHOTOGRAPHER: Spencer Weiner Los Angeles Times; PRICE OF GROWTH: West of Fresno, above, a
huge
dust cloud is created when the dry remains of a cotton field are turned. Agriculture is the valley's
biggest
industrial polluter and the biggest source of haze. In addition, emissions from dairies and feedlots are
growing
5% a year, state figures show. In the last decade, more than 500,000 cows -- many of them from
Southern
California, where the dairy farm has given way to gated communities -- have joined the people
moving over the
mountains and settling into new tracts, such as this one, below, in Fresno; PHOTOGRAPHER: Spencer
Weiner
Los Angeles Times; [Mike Biskup], below, with son Eli; PHOTOGRAPHER: Spencer Weiner Los
Angeles
Times; [Kathy Riley], with asthmatic daughter [Krissy Riley], 13.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Spencer Weiner
Los
Angeles Times; POLLUTED: In the last 22 months, the San Joaquin Valley has violated the federal
ozone
standard on 226 days. The L.A. region, with four times the people and cars, violated it on 201 days.;
PHOTOGRAPHER: Spencer Weiner Los Angeles Times
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: FRESNO -- The sun is setting on California's great valley, but the brilliant light no longer
shines as it
used to. The mountains to the east and west are gone too, blotted from the horizon by a sky the color
of mud.
When the first settlers arrived here in the early 1800s, it was the wildflowers of the San Joaquin
Valley and the
divine view of the Sierra that set them to poetry. Today, this 300-mile-long stretch of factory farms
and sprawling
suburbs is the worst place in America for smog and one of the worst for haze. The state's big middle - by the
measure of smog throughout the day -- has now overtaken Los Angeles as the nation's capital of bad
air.
During the last 22 months, the San Joaquin Valley, boasting 3.4 million people and 2.4 million cars
and pickups,
has violated the federal eight-hour ozone standard 226 days. The Los Angeles region, with four times
as many
people and cars, has violated the same ozone standard 201 days. This year the valley failed to achieve
a single
day of clean air in June, July, August and October. During the last 12 months, the "good air" standard
has been
reached only 53 days -- an average of once a week. But a sky full of colorless ozone, the main
ingredient in
smog that can sear and scar the lungs, is only half of what plagues this region. Dust and soot, the
same hazy
particles that erase the Sierra and alter the light, contribute to the deaths of an estimated 1,300 valley
residents
each year -- especially children, the elderly, the poor and people already suffering from respiratory
disease.
That's more deaths than from car accidents, murder and AIDS combined, according to a 2002 study
of state
health figures by the Environmental Working Group, an independent watchdog based in Washington,
D.C.
Even as people continue to move into the valley, some local residents, fearing the health effects on
their
children, are packing their bags. "I spent a year in the valley and decided it wasn't for me," said Paul
Kim, a
radiologist who quit his job at a Fresno hospital this summer and moved his wife and baby to Orange
County.
"It didn't take long to figure out that the valley is run by farmers and developers," he said. "The whole
place is
consumed with building cheap tracts farther and farther out of town. When it comes to the air,
there's a
collective complacency." The valley's lingering bad air stands in sharp contrast to what has happened
in other
parts of the country. While Los Angeles, San Diego and Denver have posted substantial gains in the
campaign
for less polluted air, the flatland between Bakersfield and Stockton has amassed the worst cleanup
record in the
17 March 2013 Page 279 of 483 ProQuest
West. The local air district and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have missed every federal
deadline to
improve the valley sky since the district's formation in 1991. During that time, the smog- forming
emissions from
cars, trucks, farms and oil refineries have been cut by one-fourth. This modest improvement is far
below the
requirements of the U.S. Clean Air Act and far short of what Los Angeles and other regions have
accomplished.
The fight against haze has fared even worse. Over the last three years, the amount of tiny particles in
the sky
has risen 17%, adding more haze to a region that already ranks near the top on the EPA's list of
particulate
pollution. The haze is a piercing mix of dust, smoke and other airborne matter from farms, vehicles,
home
construction and wood-burning stoves and fireplaces. The particles are small enough to lodge deep
in the lungs
and can cause cancer, asthma and heart disease. The year-round assault from smog and haze also
includes a
considerable punch from pollen and pesticides. As a matter of topography, it would be hard for
nature to design
a more perfect smog factory than this place, the nation's longest valley, pinched by the Sierra and the
Coast
Range. An inversion layer traps emissions beneath a broiling sun in summer and a stagnant fog in
winter. So
adverse are the climate and terrain that it takes half as many emissions in the valley to produce about
the same
levels of smog found in the Los Angeles Basin. Poet Philip Levine, the only Fresnan other than
William Saroyan
to win a Pulitzer Prize, now spends part of his year in Brooklyn to get a dose of fresher air. "This past
summer
was the worst I've experienced. I really had trouble breathing. As crazy as it sounds, New York is a
whole lot
better for my lungs." At a graduation ceremony in June, the sixth-graders at Malloch Elementary
School in
affluent northwest Fresno were asked who among them used asthma inhalers. Parents and
grandparents, who
had gathered in the cafeteria to celebrate, gasped when 30 of the 59 students raised their hands. "I
had no idea
it was that high," Principal Ellen Hedman said. More than 16% of the children in Fresno County have
been
diagnosed with asthma. That is the highest rate in California and twice the rate in Los Angeles
County,
according to a survey by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. Indeed, every place in this
region -- San
Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare and Kern counties -- has a rate higher than
Los
Angeles. Krissy Riley, 13, who attends a kindergarten-through-eighth- grade school, no longer hides
her asthma
inhaler from classmates. "Embarrassed? Heaven's no," said her mother, Kathy Riley. "The inhaler is a
fact of
life here. It's almost cool to have one. It's right up there with a cell phone." No one needs to tell Tony
Souza that
his dairy in Kingsburg is harsh on the lungs and bad public relations. Each late summer evening as
the sun
sets, a curtain of dust drifts from the dairy to nearby Highway 99. Passing drivers try turning off the
flow of their
air conditioners, but there's no escape. What's floating in the air isn't only dirt but dung. The manure
cloud,
kicked up by the hooves of 2,000 Holsteins, bakes in the hot sun. "We want to be good neighbors, but
it's not
that easy," said Souza, manager of Jensen Dairy. "We'd have to redesign our entire dairy to cut down
on the
dust and gases. You're talking about $3 [million] or $4 million to fix it." If the rest of California has
emerged as a
world leader in the fight for clean air, a laboratory for innovative solutions and tough regulations,
then smack in
its middle lie eight counties and 24,000 square miles where the clean-air campaign is sadly broken.
Not only
does the valley lack a plan to achieve healthful air, it has failed to cast the cleanup net as far and wide
as Los
Angeles has. In Southern California, for instance, there are regulations on idling big rigs and vehicle
fleets,
whereas the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District has none. Cars, pickups, sport utility
vehicles and
big rigs remain this region's biggest polluters. Over the last decade, new freeways and suburbs to
accommodate a growing population have increased the daily miles traveled from 63 million to 83
million. Onroad
vehicles now account for 40% of the smog here, state figures show. Agriculture, meanwhile, stands as
the
valley's biggest industrial polluter and the biggest source of haze. Farming operations, which include
tilling and
harvesting of cotton, grapes, tree fruit, almonds and pistachios, account for 62% of particles in the air
and 20%
of the smog. Emissions from dairies and feedlots -- the gases and dust that help form smog and haze - are
growing 5% a year, state figures show. The fight to clean up the air has now fallen so far behind
schedule that
the rest of the decade promises no real change. "I can't tell you of a single political leader here who
has taken
on air quality as an issue," said Cliff Garoupa, a Fresno City College professor who serves on a
committee to
17 March 2013 Page 280 of 483 ProQuest
reduce vehicle trips to and from campus. "They don't want to upset the building industry and
agriculture or mess
with the sanctity of the automobile. "Here we are, the worst place in the nation, and the only solution
our
politicians and air district can come up with is a pathetic list of voluntary programs. 'Spare the Air'
days, they call
them. Talk about fiddling while Rome burns." In October, for example, the county Board of
Supervisors in
Madera voted to push forward a "new town" that will plant 6,500 houses on farm fields 15 miles
outside the city.
At no time during the debate did the supervisors delve into the project's impact on air quality.
Supervisor Ronn
Dominici, who cast the swing vote, regrets not bringing up the issue. "I probably should have raised
more
questions," said Dominici, who is also vice chairman of the valley air district. "Enough attention isn't
being
directed at our bad air by boards of supervisors and city councils." Elected officials point to the
valley's deep
poverty and 15% unemployment as rationale for not imposing regulations that might drive away
industry.
Farming throughout California, for instance, has been largely exempt from state air pollution laws
since 1947
and has never had to answer to the U.S. Clean Air Act. The local air district has never challenged this
exemption or asked the EPA to regulate agriculture's biggest polluters. Nor has the EPA stepped in to
do it on
its own. "You can't go to the San Joaquin Valley and not be impacted by the conditions there," said
Wayne
Nastri, administrator for the EPA's Pacific Southwest office. "We have a long way to go, and there
hasn't been
much progress." By law, the valley should be cutting its daily emissions by a third, or 300 tons. But
even as the
air district has reduced some smog-forming emissions, new suburbs and freeways emit almost as
many new
pollutants into the air. In the face of such growth, the daily discharge of noxious substances is being
reduced by
a mere 23 tons. David Crow, the local air district's top administrator, said the region has made
progress, but not
fast enough. "Our [air quality] has been improving over the past decade despite a population increase
of
500,000 people," he said. "The improvements just aren't enough to meet the federal standards."
Doctors on the
front line of the asthma and allergy wars are surprised to find patients who don't make the
connection between
what ails them and the bad air. It got so frustrating that Fresno doctor Malik Baz decided to do
something bold
when he built his 9,000-square-foot medical complex along Freeway 41 north of town: He equipped
it with a tall
tower that flashes each day's air quality to commuters. All summer long, as the big electronic red
letters shouted
"UNHEALTHY," the Baz Allergy and Asthma Center filled with people wheezing and coughing and
clutching
steroid inhalers that had run dry. "I had patients this summer who took their vacations on the coast
and told the
same story," he said. "As soon as they got out of town, their sinuses and lungs cleared up and they
stopped
taking their medications. Then, as soon as they headed back and hit the valley floor, they had to pull
out their
inhalers again." This summer, the San Joaquin Valley -- touted as the area that will have more to say
about the
state's future than any other because of wide open land and affordable housing -- became the first
region in the
nation to seek the designation of "extreme noncompliance" with federal law. By moving to the worst
category,
the valley would accept a stigma in return for a reprieve: Federal officials will grant seven more years
for the
valley to reach air-quality standards without forfeiting $2.2 billion in highway funds and exposing the
region to
$30 million in industry cleanup costs. The delay, some fear, will only play into the valley's impulse to
put off yet
again making tough decisions. Dan McCorquodale, the retired state senator from San Jose who wrote
the law
that established the valley air district in 1991, said he feels like "a disappointed parent who's
watched his child
grow up to accomplish nothing." "My worst fears have been realized," he said. "The air district has sat
on its
hands, and the people haven't gotten their money's worth." McCorquodale recalled that the counties
had to be
dragged "kicking and screaming" to form one big air district back in 1991. Oilmen in Bakersfield,
farmers in
Tulare, builders in Stockton, chamber of commerce heads in Fresno -- no one wanted a regional
agency that
took away local control. Lawmakers ended up passing the measure but on one condition: The air
district's board
would be made up of only county supervisors and city council members. Unlike in other regions of
the state, the
valley's air board would have no voice from the fields of health, education or science. "Our bill got
pretty
watered down at the end," McCorquodale said. "By filling up the board with only elected officials, the
cause of
clean air was lost right there. It guaranteed that the only voices heard were those of industry and
business." In
17 March 2013 Page 281 of 483 ProQuest
1991-92, shortly after the formation of the regional air district, local neighborhood groups concerned
about
sprawling suburban development urged the agency to impose a fee on new construction. The idea
behind the
so-called "indirect source rule" was to make sprawl offset its own impacts. By assessing a fee of
$5,000 per
house, the air district could raise tens of millions of dollars to clean the air. The money could fund
everything
from mass transit to farmers converting their diesel irrigation pumps to cleaner-burning fuel. But as
soon as the
idea was floated, records show, the letters of protest poured in from state and local building groups.
The head of
the Fresno-area Building Industry Assn. told residents they were wasting their time supporting the
measure. The
fee would be killed, he said, and it was. With few brakes on growth, the state's midsection has
sprouted new
suburbs in every direction. In Fresno, Mike and Lisa Biskup have watched the city march north all the
way to the
San Joaquin River, filling an area once reserved as a greenbelt with 2,500 houses. The small farm
where they
raise lambs, chickens, llamas and vegetables can now feel the breath of suburbia. Their two sons,
ages 4 and
2, have grown up hearing the sound of heavy equipment tearing out nearby orchards and vineyards.
Eli, their
oldest, knows the different functions of a backhoe, grader, roller and trencher. But the Sierra outside
his front
door is a mystery veiled in brown. "We've got a perfect view of the mountains, but we haven't seen
them all
summer," Mike Biskup said. "For the past five years, my wife and I have been looking at the sky and
saying, 'My
gosh, we breathe this stuff. This is so sick!' " Biskup, who works for an irrigation district, began
wheezing at
night, and his cough lingered for months. His doctor diagnosed asthma. His wife, Lisa, a
schoolteacher, loves
their little rural patch, but the bad air has them looking elsewhere to raise their boys. "It's a
geographic fact that
the valley can't sustain the development they're talking about without destroying the air," she said.
"But they just
want to keep doing what they're doing." Builders say that they aren't indifferent to the problem of air
pollution but
that slowing growth is the wrong approach. The mantra here should be "smart growth," said Jeff
Harris, head of
the Building Industry Assn. of the San Joaquin Valley. "As long as people continue to be born, we have
a moral
and ethical obligation to put a roof over their heads," he said. "Now, how you do that is the key. It
doesn't mean
drawing a line around our cities with permanent greenbelts. It means higher densities and building
out in
increments." It's not just people and their cars moving over the mountains and settling into new
tracts and
befouling the air that are the problem. More than 500,000 cows -- many of them refugees from
Southern
California, where the dairy farm has given way to gated communities - - have joined them in the past
decade.
That's one cow for every new resident. The valley now boasts 2.8 million dairy and feedlot cows - more than
all the vehicles on its roads. Most dairymen have needed only to fill out a simple application with the
county to
start up. The regulatory process was so lax that in 1999 the state attorney general sued Tulare
County, the
nation's No. 1 milk producer, and imposed a basic environmental review requirement. The industrial
dairies of
the San Joaquin Valley bear little resemblance to the bucolic California farms in TV ads, extolling
"Great
Cheese Comes From Happy Cows." Thousands of cows squeeze in and out of tight concrete stalls,
kicking up
dust on manure-laden running paths. Emissions from dairies and feedlots will become the largest
source of
smog-forming gases in the next three years, according to air district projections. The California Air
Resources
Board estimates that dairies also account for 44% of valley air's ammonia, which contributes to
particle
pollution. "There is ammonia coming off these diaries, and it's probably a significant amount," said
J.P.
Cativiela, a spokesman for dairy industry groups. "[But] the 44% figure comes from a study of just
one dairy
over a few days. "We're willing to do our part, but we need more research before they start imposing
new
regulations." This same argument can be heard from fruit, nut and vegetable farmers, as well as
cotton and
grain growers, who form the backbone of California's $27-billion-a-year agriculture industry. They
don't dispute
that pesticides and fertilizers release more hydrocarbons than the valley's petroleum industry. Or
that thousands
of acres of almond trees, the valley's new boom crop, create great dust clouds during harvest. They
even
concede a link between the fall spraying of cotton fields and what people here refer to as "defoliant
colds." But
many of the farmers say that they are barely hanging on in the face of global competition and that any
clean air
measures adding to their costs could drive them out of business. Like dairymen, cotton and grape
growers
17 March 2013 Page 282 of 483 ProQuest
believe that more studies are needed to identify agriculture's exact role in air pollution and what
solutions should
be undertaken. A $30-million particulate study backed by farm groups has been gathering data since
1993.
"We've had some problems with some of the more recent samples, and we're still working to
complete the
study," said Manual Cunha of the Nisei Farmers League. "We know farming is part of the problem, but
without
that science we can only do so much." A state program that pays farmers to convert their diesel
irrigation
pumps to cleaner fuel has slashed emissions from farm equipment by nearly a third. But farmers
have resisted
proposals to do more. Last March, the California air board announced a statewide cleanup plan that
outlined
new restrictions on livestock waste and irrigation pumps and raised the possibility of "no spray"
pesticide days.
Farm groups reacted so negatively that Gov. Gray Davis' staff moved quickly to scuttle the plan.
Winston
Hickox, head of the state EPA, said the no-spray idea was "dead on arrival." The rest of the plan was
also
shelved. Kevin Hall, a local Sierra Club member, is no stranger to the farmer's viewpoint or power.
Before
becoming a clean air activist, Hall spent 13 years editing California farm journals and organizing farm
equipment
shows. "It's been the same song for 12 years. 'We need better science. We need more money to fund
more
studies.' It's one delay tactic after another," Hall said. "Their end game is pretty simple. Avoid federal
regulations
at all costs." Hall brought in EarthJustice, the San Francisco-based environmental defense fund, to file
a series
of lawsuits. Citing a pattern of neglect and inaction, EarthJustice challenged, among other things, the
state's
exemption on agriculture and the failure of the federal EPA and air district to oppose this free pass. In
May, the
EPA settled one of the lawsuits by agreeing to seek an end to the farm exemption, though it's likely to
be years
before farms will be required to change their practices. Chuck Sant'Agata, executive director of the
American
Lung Assn. in Fresno, senses a shift in public awareness. The air district, for instance, may soon ban
winter
fireplace use on bad air days, and it has pledged to reconsider the idea of a fee on builders. "Public
sentiment is
changing," Sant'Agata said. "People are starting to open their eyes. Now we have to get the politicians
aboard."
That may not be such an easy thing. In April, a poll by the Public Policy Institute of California ranked
air pollution
as the No. 1 concern of valley residents, with sprawl not far behind. Yet two prominent state
legislators -- Sen.
Dean Florez (D-Shafter) and Assemblywoman Sarah Reyes (D-Fresno) -- have never made cleaning
up the air
an issue. "We have not touched on that issue yet," said Reyes' press secretary, Karen Clifton. Last
year, state
Sen. Roy Ashburn (R-Bakersfield), then an assemblyman, did take a stand when the Bakersfield
Californian
interviewed him for an in-depth report on air quality. He told the newspaper he was too busy dealing
with other
state issues to concern himself with improving the air. This September, even as local schools canceled
Friday
football games for the first time because of bad air, local officials took the following actions: * The
Tulare County
Board of Supervisors approved a new dairy with 14,000 Holsteins. * The Council of Fresno County
Governments urged voters to pass a tax to fund $1.3 billion in new highways. * The air district
allowed farmers
to conduct open-field burning of more than 6 million tons of paper and plastic trays used to make
raisins. * The
city councils in Fresno, Clovis, Visalia and Tulare pushed ahead plans for more housing tracts and
more strip
malls -- without studying impacts on traffic and air. "There's such a pressure to expedite these
projects that no
one in the planning departments is asking hard questions about traffic congestion and how it impacts
air
quality," said Moses Stites, an assistant planner for the California Department of Transportation in
Fresno. "It's
business as usual." At the Biskup farm on the northern edge of the city, a "For Sale" sign now marks
the
frontyard. As soon as their third child is born in January, Mike and Lisa Biskup, lifelong Fresnans, are
moving -to the Olympic Peninsula in Washington. "I love my job, and I love this farm," he said. "But I can't put
my kids in
harm's way anymore. We're 10 years away from breathing even marginally better air." * Arax is a
state
enterprise reporter based in Fresno; Polakovic is an environment reporter based in Los Angeles.
Illustration
Caption: GRAPHIC: (map)Making farms more environmentally friendly; CREDIT: Los Angeles Times;
PHOTO:
PRICE OF GROWTH: West of Fresno, above, a huge dust cloud is created when the dry remains of a
cotton
field are turned. Agriculture is the valley's biggest industrial polluter and the biggest source of haze.
In addition,
emissions from dairies and feedlots are growing 5% a year, state figures show. In the last decade,
more than
17 March 2013 Page 283 of 483 ProQuest
500,000 cows -- many of them from Southern California, where the dairy farm has given way to gated
communities -- have joined the people moving over the mountains and settling into new tracts, such
as this one,
below, in Fresno; PHOTOGRAPHER: Spencer Weiner Los Angeles Times; PHOTO: PRICE OF GROWTH:
West of Fresno, above, a huge dust cloud is created when the dry remains of a cotton field are turned.
Agriculture is the valley's biggest industrial polluter and the biggest source of haze. In addition,
emissions from
dairies and feedlots are growing 5% a year, state figures show. In the last decade, more than 500,000
cows -many of them from Southern California, where the dairy farm has given way to gated communities -have
joined the people moving over the mountains and settling into new tracts, such as this one, below, in
Fresno.;
PHOTOGRAPHER: Spencer Weiner Los Angeles Times; PHOTO: PRICE OF GROWTH: West of Fresno,
above, a huge dust cloud is created when the dry remains of a cotton field are turned. Agriculture is
the valley's
biggest industrial polluter and the biggest source of haze. In addition, emissions from dairies and
feedlots are
growing 5% a year, state figures show. In the last decade, more than 500,000 cows -- many of them
from
Southern California, where the dairy farm has given way to gated communities -- have joined the
people moving
over the mountains and settling into new tracts, such as this one, below, in Fresno; PHOTOGRAPHER:
Spencer Weiner Los Angeles Times; PHOTO: Mike Biskup, below, with son Eli; PHOTOGRAPHER:
Spencer
Weiner Los Angeles Times; PHOTO: Kathy Riley, with asthmatic daughter Krissy, 13.;
PHOTOGRAPHER:
Spencer Weiner Los Angeles Times; PHOTO: POLLUTED: In the last 22 months, the San Joaquin
Valley has
violated the federal ozone standard on 226 days. The L.A. region, with four times the people and cars,
violated
it on 201 days.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Spencer Weiner Los Angeles Times Credit: Times Staff Writers
Subject: Public health; Smog; Air pollution
Location: San Joaquin Valley, Los Angeles California
Publication title: Los Angeles Times
Pages: A.1
Number of pages: 0
Publication year: 2002
Publication date: Dec 8, 2002
Year: 2002
Dateline: FRESNO
Section: Main News MN; Part A; Metro Desk
Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company LLC
Place of publication: Los Angeles, Calif.
Country of publication: United States
ISSN: 04583035
Source type: Newspapers
Language of publication: English
Document type: Feature
ProQuest document ID: 421755358
Document URL:
http://ezproxy.lib.calpoly.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/421755358?accounti
d=10362
17 March 2013 Page 284 of 483 ProQuest
Copyright: (Copyright (c) 2002 Los Angeles Times)
Last updated: 2011-09-21
Database: Los Angeles Times,ProQuest Newsstand
_____________________________________________________________
__
Document 130 of 213
NAFTA; Emissions by the Truckload
Author: Meyerhoff, Al
Publication info: Los Angeles Times [Los Angeles, Calif] 25 Aug 2002: M.2.
ProQuest document link
Abstract: The North American Free Trade Agreement originally provided that Mexican trucks be
allowed access
to border states in 1995 and throughout the U.S. by January 2000. Citing safety concerns, however,
the Clinton
administration allowed Mexican trucks to operate only within a 20-mile buffer area inside the
border. In 2001, a
NAFTA trade panel took up the issue, ultimately ordering the U.S. to allow Mexican trucks to operate
throughout
the U.S. Since then, [Bush] has indicated his intention to lift the Clinton moratorium, insisting that
NAFTA
requires him to do so. But there are ways to satisfy the requirements of NAFTA other than by simply
throwing
open our borders. The short answer is no. Had the Bush administration chosen to follow American
environmental laws rather than run roughshod over them, the transition to increased cross-border
trucking from
Mexico could have occurred in an orderly fashion. The trade agreement with Mexico requires us to
allow
Mexican trucks access to U.S. roads, but that doesn't mean we have to exempt the trucks from all U.S.
laws.
Pre-1994 trucks, which make up 80% to 90% of Mexico's fleet, could be excluded from U.S. roads
unless they
were retrofitted. Better emissions inspections at the border could ensure that Mexican trucks met
U.S.
standards. Illegal so-called "defeat devices" (which allow diesel engines to run dirty when on the
open road),
now being removed from U.S. trucks, could be removed from Mexican trucks as well. And, most
important, the
Bush administration could require that, starting in 2007, any Mexican truck entering the U.S. meet
the very strict
engine and fuel standards that will apply in the U.S. starting that year. Instead, the administration,
intoxicated
with the idea of deregulation, simply assured us there would be no negative effect.
Links: Check Find It for Availability
Full text: In the next few weeks, President Bush is likely to issue an executive order opening the
Mexican border
to cross-border trucking. Tens of thousands of big rigs from Mexico will then be free to travel
throughout the
United States--bringing with them serious environmental consequences, especially for California and
other
border states. Caving in to diplomatic pressure, the Bush administration has chosen to simply ignore
American
environmental laws. Bush is compromising public health in the process. The North American Free
Trade
Agreement originally provided that Mexican trucks be allowed access to border states in 1995 and
throughout
the U.S. by January 2000. Citing safety concerns, however, the Clinton administration allowed
Mexican trucks
to operate only within a 20-mile buffer area inside the border. In 2001, a NAFTA trade panel took up
the issue,
ultimately ordering the U.S. to allow Mexican trucks to operate throughout the U.S. Since then, Bush
has
indicated his intention to lift the Clinton moratorium, insisting that NAFTA requires him to do so. But
there are
ways to satisfy the requirements of NAFTA other than by simply throwing open our borders.
Mexico's fleet of
tractor trailers is much older--and dirtier-- than that in the U.S. Before 1993, truck engines in Mexico
were
unregulated. Even engines manufactured more recently don't begin to meet environmental standards
being
phased in for U.S. engines. Yet, in deciding to open the border, the administration declined to
consider the
environmental impacts of these diesel-spewing behemoths. As a condition to opening the border,
Congress
17 March 2013 Page 285 of 483 ProQuest
required the Department of Transportation to promulgate regulations governing the process. But in
doing so, the
agency simply ignored the mandate of the National Environmental Policy Act, which requires that the
government fully evaluate the impact of any "major federal action" on the environment and public
health.
Instead, without any significant evidentiary or scientific support, the department issued a "finding of
no
significant impact," insisting that opening the borders would not harm the environment. In reaching
its
conclusion--a ludicrous one in light of studies showing that Mexican trucks on average generate
150% more
smog- forming nitrogen oxide and 200% more dangerous particulate matter than U.S. trucks--the
administration
looked at the effect of opening the border on the nation as a whole. The potentially heavy impact on
border
states was balanced against the far lighter effect on, say, New England states. This was ridiculous.
California
already has some of the most polluted, unhealthy air in the nation, the cause of respiratory disease
and
premature death. The brunt of increased Mexican truck traffic will fall most heavily on Southern
California, in
municipalities like Los Angeles, which is already far out of compliance with the federal Clean Air Act.
In fact, the
act prohibits the federal government from causing or contributing "to any new violation of any [clean
air]
standard [or] increas[ing] the frequency or severity of any existing violation" in already troubled
areas. The
proposed presidential action once again raises a question central to the NAFTA debate: Must
increased free
trade come at the expense of American environmental standards and the public health? The short
answer is no.
Had the Bush administration chosen to follow American environmental laws rather than run
roughshod over
them, the transition to increased cross-border trucking from Mexico could have occurred in an
orderly fashion.
The trade agreement with Mexico requires us to allow Mexican trucks access to U.S. roads, but that
doesn't
mean we have to exempt the trucks from all U.S. laws. Pre-1994 trucks, which make up 80% to 90%
of
Mexico's fleet, could be excluded from U.S. roads unless they were retrofitted. Better emissions
inspections at
the border could ensure that Mexican trucks met U.S. standards. Illegal so-called "defeat devices"
(which allow
diesel engines to run dirty when on the open road), now being removed from U.S. trucks, could be
removed
from Mexican trucks as well. And, most important, the Bush administration could require that,
starting in 2007,
any Mexican truck entering the U.S. meet the very strict engine and fuel standards that will apply in
the U.S.
starting that year. Instead, the administration, intoxicated with the idea of deregulation, simply
assured us there
would be no negative effect. To oppose this threat to public health, a collection of environmental,
labor and
business organizations, including the California Trucking Assn., Public Citizen, the Teamsters, the
California
Labor Federation, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Planning and Conservation League,
has filed
a lawsuit in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. California Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer has supported the suit
as a friend
of the court. But the Bush Justice Department has indicated that the administration will not wait on
the court's
action to open the border to Mexican trucks. Last year, Congress acted to prevent the Bush
administration from
moving ahead. Hearings were held, testimony was taken and concerns were expressed about the
safety of
Mexican trucks and the training of their drivers--as well as about possible terrorism. As a result, by a
wide
majority, the Republican-controlled House passed a rider to the Transportation Department
appropriations bill
preventing Bush from opening the border. The Senate followed suit, but in the face of a veto threat
compromise
legislation was enacted requiring various safety checks before the border could be opened. Those
safety
checks must address environmental concerns, because a truck that increases the risk of cancer or
other
diseases through its pollution is not a safe truck. Illustration Caption: PHOTO: (no caption);
PHOTOGRAPHER:
WES BAUSMITH / Los Angeles Tim