BS: Huge Improvement In Air Quality - So CA

Subject: BS: Huge Improvement In Air Quality - So CA
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 06 Jan 08 - 07:50 PM

Cancer risk from SoCal smog declines

Danger from air pollution down 15 percent, new study finds

The Associated Press
updated 1:43 p.m. CT, Sun., Jan. 6, 2008

DIAMOND BAR, Calif. - A study released Friday found the cancer risk from air pollution in Southern California is down 15 percent, but the good news was tempered by the reality that the region still has some of the dirtiest air in the country.

"While we see some improvements, the remaining risk level is way too high," said Barry Wallerstein, executive officer of the South Coast Air Quality Management District, which conducted the two-year study.

Scientists estimate that about 1,200 of every one million people in the region will get cancer linked to the dirty air if they live about 70 years. Health experts consider an acceptable level to be 10 cases for every one million people.

[WOW!!! - it's now only 120 times as risky to live in So Cal as in the two(?) places that meet "acceptable levels." Let's all ban second-hand smoke NOW!]

The study said the risk more than doubled to 2,900 per million for those who live around the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, where diesel use is significant.

Diesel exhaust alone accounts for 84 percent of the region's cancer risk, the study said

Remaining risk 'unacceptable'

William Burke, chairman of the air district board, said progress was being made in reducing toxic air pollution.

"However, the remaining cancer risk is completely unacceptable," he said. "Thousands of residents are getting sick and dying from toxic air pollution. Some of them live in low-income, minority neighborhoods that may be heavily impacted by cancer-causing air pollution."

The two ports combined account for more than 40 percent of all containerized cargo entering the U.S. each year. Port growth has raised concerns in surrounding communities about the impact of pollution from trucks, cargo ships and other vehicles.

Officials have been working on a plan to reduce air pollution by an estimated 80 percent over the next five years.

"I believe the 800-pound gorilla is the particulate matter from diesel emissions," said air district board member Miguel Pulido, who represents Orange County.

The study said high cancer risk areas include Burbank, downtown Los Angeles, Fontana, Huntington Park and Wilmington. The area with the lowest cancer risk was Anaheim.

Researchers collected more than 18,000 air samples from ten sites. The samples showed a decrease in pollution related to some toxic cleaning solvents.

The study found that the overall cancer risk from air pollution declined from a study done in 1999. The current study began in 2004.
The air district covers parts of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties and all of Orange County. The areas have a total population of 16 million people.

Board members suggested tackling the problem by working more closely with the California Air Resources Board and joining a state lawsuit against the federal government that would create the country's first greenhouse gas limits on cars, trucks and SUVs.

[The main source is from shipping, but we CAN penalize cars 'cause they don't have a huge $$$$ lobby in Congress(?)]

Burke also proposed creating teams of experts to identify specific sources of air pollution that could be targeted with regulations.
The board will solicit public comments on the study for 90 days and will prepare an update to its Air Toxics Control Plan based on the study's findings. That plan will be presented to the board this summer.

"There's tremendous work to do still," Burke said.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press

John

Subject: RE: BS: Huge Improvement In Air Quality - So CA
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Jan 08 - 01:29 AM

I haven't spent much time in LA since I quit work in 1999, but I was there a lot before that. In the winter, the grass is green and the sky is blue, and the area is beautiful. I especially love the Pasadena area, with its rolling hills an remarkable architecture - but its sky is yellow-green with smog much of the year. In fact, almost everything east of Western Avenue is shouded in smog a good part of the year.
What a shame.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Huge Improvement In Air Quality - So CA
From: Donuel
Date: 07 Jan 08 - 09:48 AM

The new low sulpher diesel fuel is a great alternative to the old black smoke diesel. The particulants are still large in comparison to gas but 75% "cleaner" than the old fuel.

Subject: RE: BS: Huge Improvement In Air Quality - So CA
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 07 Jan 08 - 11:40 AM

In most of Europe, the use of very-low-sulfur diesel fuel has resulted in diesel cars that are at least as pollution-free as the best gasoline=powered ones. Seems that the required filtering system won't work with fuel available in the US.

Subject: RE: BS: Huge Improvement In Air Quality - So CA
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 07 Jan 08 - 04:06 PM

A careful reading of the article will show, I believe, that about 80% of the particulate smog comes from the crude oil (that barely can be called diesel) fuel used the very large number of ships in the harbor.

Under current "international agreements" there's virtually NOTHING that can be done about this source, so instead new rules are proposed for automobiles and trucks.

The current administration has flatly refused to permit California to impose local regulations even on auto and truck greenhouse emissions, on the pretext that "national standards" are required by the auto industry "to avoid serious market impact." (So California is choking, but isn't allowed to do anything about it, because "it's not our problem" for the rest of the country, and the lobbiests for the automakers don't live there.)

For current auto and diesel powered vehicles, including Interstate trucking, there are existing US emissions inspection and inforcement rules, although they may not be as "tight" as some would prefer.

Congressional legislation to bar admission of uninspected Mexican trucks under Nafta are being ignored by the Administration on grounds that it barred any appropriation "to permit" uninspectable trucks, and the administration says "it's already been done." The assurance that Herr Bush "believes they're safe" is rather hollow when NTHS inspectors are BANNED FROM INSPECTING THEM due to their "foreign registration," even with respect to highway load limits, operable mechanical condition, or driver hour/distance regulations. In other words, they can burn unrefined crude, just like the ships, and California - or any other state - can't do a thing about it. (More likely they can just rip off the emissions controls that were on the truck when they stole it in LA to get an extra 0.2 mpg, with the same exemption from inspection.)

Too many irrational political things in all this to even scratch the surface.

John