Is Kern County going to defend itself?

It will cost them some money because there are plenty of faults with the environmental documents.  Maybe the county approved this to appease Tejon Ranch (who paid off everyone who could be bought) but know the courts will throw it out.

In any case, it will cost the county and Tejon Ranch some serious dollars and a lot of time to straighten this thing out with the Judge.  Then the Supervisors will get to show their loyalty to the money people and approve it again.  This time around there will be even more overwhelming evidence against the project.

The lawsuit was filed today in Bakersfield court according to my sources.

As Milk Prices Rise Look for a Corresponding Increase in Local Air Pollution Levels

Of course, there will be a lag period, but milk prices have gone back to average levels for the past 5 years and dairy herds will begin to increase again after massive culling the past 12 months.

One reason for better air quality last summer was smaller herds at local dairies.  I was  eyeballing a couple freestall barns lately while driving by some local milk factories and it seems that many are half empty.  That should not be true a year from now if prices continue their upward trend. 

Too bad we can't find a more sustainable way to make money in this part of the world.  Anyone notice an increase in flies lately?

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Our local air monitors indicate violations of health standards for ozone and particulate matter today.

The graph shows how high we are, so far today, above the federal health standard for PM 2.5.  The red line is the level where damage to heart and lungs begins to be noticed.  Today, we are approaching the higher levels where warnings should be issued to parents and schools to keep kids inside.  Forget about sports for today.  The air will be much better by Friday.

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Our Air District totally miscalled the air quality for today as Moderate

The federal standard for the PM 2.5, 24-hour average, is 35 ppm but the average today in Bakersfield is going to be well above 50 ppm.  It is clearly an unhealthy air day.

We will also experience a violation of the state's 8-hour ozone standard this afternoon here in Kern County.

So, a double air quality whammy!!  And, it was all over the news last night and this morning by forecasters that today the air quality would be moderate.

You will know what I'm talking about if you go outside and view the haze (particulates).  You will really understand if you try and get some cardio-vascular exercise outside and feel the pain in your chest.  Those with even slight breathing problems are probably wondering why they are so hoarse today.

By the way, this is one of those typical days where studies have shown positive links between the poor air quality and higher hospitalization rates for heart and lung problems.

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What is the nature of our particulate problem?

This time of year begins an almost daily period of high particulate levels in the air we breathe.  Also, the problem is much worse at midnight than at noon.

The health effects are many.  Ultra-fine particulates are linked to premature death and lowered quality of life in dozens of studies because of how these tiny foreign particles can enter the bloodstream through the lungs and do damage from the inside to various aspects of the circulatory system.  Early onset of dementia has even been linked to this form of pollution.

The sources of these particulates are many.  Diesel exhaust from trucks and farm equipment gives us a steady and direct source of fine particulates which peaks during the day.  Those most affected from this source live or work within a few hundred yards of freeways. 

Another source is smoke from fireplaces.  In the city, a neighborhood full of smoking fireplaces can cause breathing difficulties to anyone with asthma or respiratory problems.  This problem peaks more in the evening and early morning hours.  This year, farmers will also not be allowed to burn on days of fireplace bans but unless you live near an almond orchard you would not be affected directly by this ban.

One other source of PM 2.5 is very predominate here in Kern County and it is indirect in nature.  This is ammonium nitrate which forms in the cool damp hours of the day from the ammonia in our air and the NOx from vehicle exhaust.  These particulates dissipate during the day when temperatures rise.   The attached graph of November 1, 2009, from Bakersfield data, shows the higher levels of PM 2.5 during the night and the lower levels during the day. 

Since our ammonia levels have increased dramatically the past few years, due to the doubling of our cow population, we have also seen a corresponding increase in PM 2.5 levels, despite rules like the fireplace ban being strengthened.  The second attached graph shows this general increase over the past several years. Year 8 on this graph corresponds to last year (08-09).

Maybe, the recent decrease in our cow numbers, due to low milk prices, will have a beneficial effect this year on particulate matter. 

Although the bad economy can lower our particulate pollution through fewer cows and traffic, it might also lead to more people burning wood for heat which could negate most of the improvement.  Either way, expect a lot of bad air over the next 16 weeks unless we a have a stormy winter.  There is nothing better than a warm fireplace on a rainy day.

Pollution helps pretty it up.  It is always special to watch the sun settle at the end of the road on the last day of summer.  Sometimes you can't hardly see the sun reach the horizon but this year we had a couple days of fresh air and the particulates haven't yet built up that much.  It will be worse tomorrow, guaranteed.

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Some Children Exposed to Diesel Exhaust Regularly

The rest of us are exposed constantly as well but children on older buses can get hit with really heavy doses as the exhaust can sometimes come right into the bus through cracks in the floorboards.

A recent study clearly links the fine particulate matter found in diesel exhaust to cancer.  We have plenty of that kind of pollution around here.  In the study they put one milligram per cubic meter of diesel exhaust into the filtered experimental air for mice to breathe.  That was enough to begin the growth of cancer cells after just a few hours.

Our air has between 20 and 30 micrograms per cubic meter of similar particles (pm 2.5) everyday in the summer and double that amount quite often in the winter.  Places near highways, like at the air monitor on Golden State Highway in Bakersfield, often measure above 100.  Not all of this pm 2.5 is diesel exhaust but it can be safely assumed that a half or more is due to this source.  The rest is usually other sources of fine soot like the exhaust from restaurant grills that refuse to put on filters and the mixture of ammonia from dairies and NOx which forms ammonium nitrate, another dangerous, ultra-fine particle.

The air is bad enough yesterday and today to cancel football and cross country practice.  It is over 100 degrees and the ground level ozone levels are on the line between unhealthy and very unhealthy.  If there were school flags indicating air quality in Kern County they would be either red or purple today.

The attached chart is from Sacramento.  I can find no such guidance from our air district but that is not unusual since they usually try to downplay the severity of our air quality problem.  Why do they do that?  Because otherwise they would have to put some real restrictions on our business and personal activities in order to protect our health.

Below is part of the instructions that goes with the chart and is apparently sent out to all schools in the greater Sacramento area.

"Ground-level ozone is an invisible pollutant and a strong irritant that can cause constriction of the airways, forcing the respiratory system to work harder in order to provide oxygen. It can also cause other health problems such as aggravated respiratory disease, damage to the deep portions of the lungs, wheezing, dry throat, headache, nausea, increased fatigue, weakened athletic performance and more.  Long term exposure can have permanent health effects including decreased lung function, possible development of diseases such as asthma and bronchitis, or a shortened life span."

The Video Tells the Story

Occidental Burns Off Gas

A filthy oil flare was observed yesterday afternoon and again early this morning.  Must be the cheapest way to get rid of foul gas but it sure doesn't help our air quality.

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Our Air is getting better?

Wishful thinking on the part of the air district.  You would think our air should be better with the economic downturn.  But, whatever the air district thinks it has been doing is not helping.  With a day to go, we already have 26 violations of the federal ozone health standard this month.

A cool June like we had is obviously going to help air quality.  I don't understand what the air district is taking credit for in this article so gratuitously published by the Californian on their behalf.

Do you know that Three Rivers often has the worst air in the San Joaquin Valley?  They have only measured it for the past eleven years but it is bad.  Going up to around 1500 feet in an area downwind from Fresno is obviously not good for your health.  A lot of wealthy people up there better stay inside with some good filters on their air conditioners.  Kaweah Lake is not a healthy place to recreate in the summer and I bet Lake Success has about the same problem with air quality.  Buena Vista is not good either but that has more to do with nearby dairies and sewage sludge dumping.

Looking at the graph, I don't see a lot of improvement in the air at Three Rivers the past 11 years.  The graph takes the average for July which we know is the hottest month of the year and would generally have the worst ozone levels.

I will skip the part for now about how bad ozone is for your lungs and heart; Lois might be reading.

Improving Gas Mileage to Save Money

Here is the question: 

My older pickup, which I need on the farm and at the cabin, gets about 14 mpg.  I am considering trading it for a newer model which should average 18 mpg.  I put on about 10,000 miles per year.

My wife's car is getting 26 mpg and she wouldn't mind trading it for a hybrid model that would get 40 mpg.  She drives around 12,000 miles per year.

Both vehicles are equally old, high mileage, and worth about the same.  Both of the new vehicles we are considering cost about the same.

Who gets to go first if the only consideration is saving the most money from the improved gas mileage?  My  wife says it is obviously her with the 14 mpg improvement.  I am not so sure.

Any recommendations?  I also figure whoever saves the most gas improves our air quality the most.

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Oxy Announcement Not So Good For Planet

If you don't believe fossil fuel use is causing global warming then you may be rejoicing a little at the announcement by Occidental that they have found the equivalent of 250 million barrels of oil in western Kern County.

I understand the excitement about local jobs and tax money.   When we finally leave oil in the dust it will be painful for some but new jobs will fill in.

If all of this oil is recoverable it will add about 100 million tons of CO2 to the atmosphere as it is consumed.  The current state goal is to get emissions in California down to 120 million tons per year by 2050.  We are currently around 600 million tons per year.  If most of this find is natural gas it will add even more CO2.

The fact that this discovery will serve to keep energy prices down a little for a couple years is not good when we need more incentives, not less, to move into renewable energy sources like wind and solar. The fact that oil production is the single biggest polluter in Kern County isn't helped either.

The time must come when we simply walk away from most of the remaining fossil fuel still in the ground.  But, it is not coming soon enough.  We need a carbon tax now more than ever.  It can be rebated equally to every resident so government does not grow but it would still do what is necessary to wean us off of our addiction to fossil fuel.

OK, I admit this is heresy here in Kern County.

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Orchard Production Declines with Climate Change

Fruit and nut trees need a certain amount of chilling hours every winter in order to maximize production.  In many areas of the San Joaquin Valley these chilling hours have decreased by about 30% since 1950.  Clearly a warming trend is happening.  In a UC Davis study (don't let Lois Henry see this) researchers determined the present trends and made a forecast for the future which does not look good for our current varieties of tree crops.  They analyzed many scenarios and every time the result showed far fewer chilling hours and adaptation to new crops would be necessary in the coming years.  The study points out that orchard crops are planted for the long term and some of these changes are happening so rapidly that it could mean some devastating losses in the short term.

Farmers, in many cases, are reluctant to accept these results so they may be slow to adapt.  Many farmers have also ignored the results of studies at the UC Kearney Research Station in Parlier showing our current ozone levels in the valley currently reduce crop yields up to 20%. 

It looks like warmer temperatures may bring a triple whammy to agriculture.  Less water, more ozone, and fewer chilling hours.

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How is Kern Doing with their Sludge Ban?

I haven't heard recently but no news is not necessarily good news.

Apparently the White House organic garden is contaminated with past applications of sewage sludge and the lead levels makes produce from the garden unsuitable for consumption.  (see www.huffingtonpost.com/andrew-kimbrell/the-obama- organic-family_b_224398.html )

Since compost made from "biosolids" is sold commercially for home gardens, I wonder how many Bakersfield residents have this toxic sh*t in their so-called organic plots?

Here in Kern, land application continues unabated.  There is also a huge land fill operation for sludge in Lost Hills which got approved after voters banned land application.  I guess the wrong words were used in the ballot measure which passed with 83% of the vote.

Now, Liberty Energy wants to build an incinerator for sewage sludge out at Lost Hills.  They will use more energy than produced just trucking the stuff from LA.  Removing the moisture out of it so it will burn also requires more energy than produced.  But, tipping fees will make the venture profitable because LA will pay anything to get the stuff out of their backyard. 

The sad part is we get the continued pollution from the trucks.  We will also get the air pollution from the incinerator (lots of particulates, VOC's, and NOx).  On top of that, the ash will contain heavy metals and toxic substances that did not get out into the air and that will also be disposed of somewhere in Kern County.   Liberty Energy will also be paid for the carbon credits they produce for using a waste product to produce energy.

Has anyone noticed the ash pile out at Famoso?  That contains the ash from nearby coal burning plants and also contains toxic contaminants.  It is like talcum powder and easily blows off of the sight onto the adjacent drag strip and just a few miles downwind lies Bakersfield.

Welcome to the land of local government that is not concerned with public health.

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Ridiculous Letter to the Editor

Mike Polyniak, in a recently published Letter to the Editor , claims that people spoke out inappropriately at the last Air District Meeting.  He even accuses the few who spoke in Spanish of treason. 

This dude needs a lesson in civics.   It is a constitutional right to assemble and address political bodies like the Air District Board.   He also is incorrect in saying Supervisor Nelson apologized for his disrespectful comments about tuning out certain people who come before him.  Nelson clearly apologized only to his fellow board members for being the cause of so much trouble at the meeting.

I think Polyniak is used to representing portions of the oil industry at air district meetings undisturbed and doesn't like it when the general public also requests some attention.  Both the Air District Board and people like him need to learn that the district does not exist just for special interests.

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Best Air for 150 Miles on Valley Floor

This past Sunday was a pretty bad air day .  Ozone violations were widespread.  Arvin and Edison were awful.  Bakersfield and Fresno were not far behind.  Shafter, in the southern end of the valley should have been bad as well.  I guess it is upwind from Bakersfield and that makes all the difference.

On Sunday, only Stockton had slightly better air than Shafter on the valley floor section of the San Joaquin Air Pollution Control District.  A reading of 75 is a violation of the federal standard.

This proves again that our bad air is of local origin.  If it was blowing in from the Bay Area or Los Angeles there is no particular reason for Shafter to be better than Bakersfield.

The Evidence Keeps Getting Stronger

(and the news keeps getting worse)

Researchers at MIT do not have good news.  The earth is changing and warming faster than predicted.    web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2009/roulette-0519.html  They say it had been predicted that there would be a 4 degree Farenheit increase in global temperature by 2100 but now the prediction is more like 10 degrees.

Two hundred idiots voted against the Waxman-Markey bill in the House of Representatives the other day because they didn't think the situation was serious enough to take action or they put politics above common sense.   A few others voted against the bill because they correctly thought it was not strong enough.   The people who should be locked up were the ones who voted no because they still believe climate change to be a hoax.

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I wish everyone could see this billboard.

Carbon in Soil is Important Climate Stabilizer

Organic Agriculture has been on the fringe in America for too long.  The Rodale Institute, a well-known promoter of organic methods, was not taken seriously at all back in the 70’s and 80’s.   Today, they are leading researchers in organic no-till farming methods which some claim can save the planet.

There is currently a growing segment of the population interested in the benefits of a more organic based food system.   The movement to eat locally is tied into eating organically.  Climate change is forcing a new look at the benefits of not using so much fossil fuel based inputs in our agriculture.

A recent USDA study has concluded that organic farming practices sequesters more carbon in the soil than no-till methods.  Both are much better at sequestering carbon than traditional plow, fertilize and spray methods which are based on the availability of cheap fossil fuel.

Since most proposed climate change legislation does not regulate agriculture it can only be hoped that carbon fees and offset money, for which farms could be eligible, will be used appropriately to encourage farming practices that actually make a difference.

If you add the eating local and eating organic movements together with climate change incentives to increase organic methods on farms, we may have something that not only benefits the climate, but adds immeasurably to the health of people, the planet, and last, but not least, local air quality.