one supervisor sees it that way

I have to agree with Supervisor Don Maben.  He shows some common sense.

All but one Supervisor approve corn ethanol plant

 “I can’t support this project,” said Supervisor Don Maben. “I can’t support a plant that converts food crops to fuel, that uses so much water when we have a shortage of water.”

Unfortunately, his was the only dissenting voice.

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Idling Longer Than 5 Minutes is Illegal

The new 5 minute idling rule is not being enforced.  Yesterday morning a dozen trucks were observed idling for much longer periods of time at the Flying J truck stop on Merced and Hwy 99.  My friend tells me several trucks are still idling all night at the Flying J in Lebec.

I understand the CHP would rather not enforce this law.  They care more about speeders and drunks who kill other people.  The problem is, the bad air, produced in part by these idling trucks, also kills.

Air Board Chair Encourages Investment in Air Quality

Mary Nichols is chairman of the California Air Resources Board.  She claims over the past 40 years that California has spent $85 billion in cleaning up the air.  The benefits of this partial cleanup to the economy are estimated at $340 billion.  She also claims the industry of cleaning our air is currently valued at close to $10 billion per year in jobs and manufacturing.

Forbes Magazine article by Mary Nichols

We have a long way to go to just meet federal standards for clean air.  It has already been calculated that meeting these standards will be worth at least $3 billion per year to the economy of the San Joaquin Valley. 

It is time to again invest some serious money in air quality.  It will be good for the economy.

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Equinox Sunset is Unique

I take the time to watch our hazy sunsets twice per year.  I have always enjoyed seeing the sun set at the end of the road.  The rest of the year the haze in our air usually makes the setting sun quite orange but it is not pretty in my opinion. 

It Works

I've been hanging up clothes for 35 years.  My mother showed me how to do it before that.

Whether you are trying to prevent "war for oil", save some money, lessen air pollution, make your clothes seem fresher, or reduce your carbon footprint; drying your clothes on the line is a relatively painless option.

What are the savings?  Each household could save the equivalent of 9 million Btu's per year which is maybe $10 per month in electric bills.  If every household in America did the same, the equivalent energy found in 200 million barrels of oil could be saved.

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New Standard Opposed by Staff

Bush appointee, Steven Johnson, has again ignored the recommendations of his staff and scientists.  He sided with industry as he reluctantly lowered the 8 hour ozone standard by 9 parts per billion in the face of huge calls by scientists and health experts to lower the standard significantly more.  He recently turned down California's request to set stricter standards on vehicle emissions which was also in opposition to his staff.

The chart shows the changes to the Air Quality Index.  The EPA estimates the San Joaquin Valley will be one of the few places unable to meet this new standard by 2020.  Well, I have news for them.  Our current plan is to meet the old higher standard by 2024.  That goal assumes that new, unknown technology can be developed and put in place. 

Don't expect the local economy to attract anything more than distribution centers, refineries, and sludge dumps any time soon.  What highly trained person would ever want to live and work in this unhealthy environment?

We Obviously Have Lots of Money

The proposed military budget for 2009 is $515 billion.  That is at least as high as the rest of the world's combined military spending.  It doesn't even count what we are spending in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Nor does it count the military share of the national debt which is another $50 billion.  When everything is counted we are either approaching or have surpassed $800 billion.  Most people agree the military is also one of the most wasteful spenders of tax payer dollars.

So, I hope no one complains if they hear the cost of really clean air in the San Joaquin Valley might approach a billion dollars spread out over the next 10 years.  Think of the lives that could be saved and the better quality of life that could be enjoyed with that single billion.

With one percent of the US Population here in the San Joaquin Valley (Stockton to Bakersfield) we are already paying $8 billion annually of this military spending.

P.S.  You may jump to any conclusions you want about whether I support this level of military spending or not.  But, I certainly support spending a large amount of money on clean air.

Land Planing Can Be Fun

But, as of noon today we have had 28 straight hours above the federal health standard for PM 2.5.  Again it's that ammonia and NOx mixing it up along side our oxygen molecules.  Better not go out and play.

By the way, it is not the tractor and dust I object to; it's the haze in the background.  No mountains in view today.

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Approve it now and apologize later?

Our Supervisors welcomed Green Acres and Honey Bucket sludge farms with open arms.  Then they jumped on the bandwagon a couple years later to ban the same with their token support of the anti-sludge ballot measure.  Now they are getting ready to approve a private sludge dump in Lost Hills.  We didn't want the sludge spread onto farm land but it's apparently ok to bury it in the ground.  What is the difference?

The saddest part is this means hundreds of trucks per day will continue to bring the sewage sludge from LA crowding our highways and polluting our air with their diesel soot and fumes.