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December 01
November 12, 2009
Weathersfield awards pact for new salt-storage building (OWBs mentioned)
By Mary R. Smith Thursday, November 12, 2009 MINERAL RIDGE — Trustees also warned residents against outside burning, which is prohibited by law. Numerous calls are being received about outside burning at the township office, Trustee James Stoddard said. Fire Chief Randy Pugh said the standard course of action is to issue a verbal warning, then a written warning and then a citation to Niles Municipal Court. Fines can be between $500 to $1,000, at the discretion of the court. Trustees will have a public hearing for proposed zoning amendments at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the township administration building. A zone change of properties located within McKinley Heights along U.S. Route 422 from Residential A, C, and Commercial B to Commercial C will be under consideration. Also to be reviewed is a new section on Outdoor Wood Furnaces. Full Article: CLICK HERE
November 17, 2009
Burning ordinance fails to get unanimous vote (OWBs mentioned)
By Mike Rose | Austin Daily Herald
Published Tuesday, November 17, 2009
A proposed ordinance that would ban outdoor, solid-fuel burning appliances in Austin isn’t law — yet. City council on Monday voted 4-3 to support the ordinance — which would prohibit outdoor stoves that burn solid materials, such as corn or other waste — but per the city’s charter, an ordinance needs unanimous approval to pass during it’s first presentation. So, the proposal will have to come back to the next meeting, though it will no longer require a 7-0 vote to pass. The ordinance was drafted partly as a reaction to a number of northeast Austin homeowners that complained about outdoor burning at a local pallet-making factory, community development director Craig Hoium said last month. He said the homeowners have expressed concerns about excess smoke, especially when it gets sucked into homes through ventilation systems. The ordinance would not, however, include natural-gas-fired fireplace logs, wood-burning fireplaces and wood stoves inside a property. Also, outdoor, solid-fuel burning stoves installed and permitted by the city before the ordinance takes effect would be grandfathered in. Full Article: CLICK HERE
November 16, 2009
City considers ban on certain outdoor appliances
By Mike Rose | Austin Daily Herald
Published Monday, November 16, 2009
The City of Austin, MN is considering banning outdoor, solid-fuel burning appliances. City council is set to vote on a proposed ordinance Monday that would prohibit outdoor stoves that burn solid materials, such as corn or other waste. However, the ordinance would not include natural-gas-fired fireplace logs, wood-burning fireplaces and wood stoves inside a property. Also, outdoor, solid-fuel burning stoves installed and permitted by the city before the ordinance takes effect would be grandfathered in. Community development director Craig Hoium said during an October council meeting that a number of northeast Austin homeowners had complained about outdoor burning at a local pallet-making factory. He said the homeowners have expressed concerns about excess smoke, especially when it gets sucked into homes through ventilation systems. Full Article: CLICK HERE
November 17, 2009
Burning ordinance fails to get unanimous vote (OWBs mentioned)
By Mike Rose | Austin Daily Herald
Published Tuesday, November 17, 2009
A proposed ordinance that would ban outdoor, solid-fuel burning appliances in Austin isn’t law — yet. City council on Monday voted 4-3 to support the ordinance — which would prohibit outdoor stoves that burn solid materials, such as corn or other waste — but per the city’s charter, an ordinance needs unanimous approval to pass during it’s first presentation. So, the proposal will have to come back to the next meeting, though it will no longer require a 7-0 vote to pass. The ordinance was drafted partly as a reaction to a number of northeast Austin homeowners that complained about outdoor burning at a local pallet-making factory, community development director Craig Hoium said last month. He said the homeowners have expressed concerns about excess smoke, especially when it gets sucked into homes through ventilation systems. The ordinance would not, however, include natural-gas-fired fireplace logs, wood-burning fireplaces and wood stoves inside a property. Also, outdoor, solid-fuel burning stoves installed and permitted by the city before the ordinance takes effect would be grandfathered in. Full Article: CLICK HERE
City considers ban on certain outdoor appliances
By Mike Rose | Austin Daily Herald
Published Monday, November 16, 2009
The City of Austin, MN is considering banning outdoor, solid-fuel burning appliances. City council is set to vote on a proposed ordinance Monday that would prohibit outdoor stoves that burn solid materials, such as corn or other waste. However, the ordinance would not include natural-gas-fired fireplace logs, wood-burning fireplaces and wood stoves inside a property. Also, outdoor, solid-fuel burning stoves installed and permitted by the city before the ordinance takes effect would be grandfathered in. Community development director Craig Hoium said during an October council meeting that a number of northeast Austin homeowners had complained about outdoor burning at a local pallet-making factory. He said the homeowners have expressed concerns about excess smoke, especially when it gets sucked into homes through ventilation systems. Full Article: CLICK HERE
November 12, 2009
Weathersfield awards pact for new salt-storage building (OWBs mentioned)
By Mary R. Smith Thursday, November 12, 2009 MINERAL RIDGE — Trustees also warned residents against outside burning, which is prohibited by law. Numerous calls are being received about outside burning at the township office, Trustee James Stoddard said. Fire Chief Randy Pugh said the standard course of action is to issue a verbal warning, then a written warning and then a citation to Niles Municipal Court. Fines can be between $500 to $1,000, at the discretion of the court. Trustees will have a public hearing for proposed zoning amendments at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the township administration building. A zone change of properties located within McKinley Heights along U.S. Route 422 from Residential A, C, and Commercial B to Commercial C will be under consideration. Also to be reviewed is a new section on Outdoor Wood Furnaces. Full Article: CLICK HERE
MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY (INC)
Grant: $452,086 - National Institutes of Health - Sep. 30, 2009 - Post a comment
Are you satisfied with this award? or 22% voted satisfied - 78% voted not satisfied - 9 vote(s) cast
Award Description: One potential result of climate change in the United States is increased frequency and intensity of wildland fires. These wildfire fires have the potential to destroy large amounts of public and private property, as was seen during the summer of 2003 and 2007 in San Diego County, California. In addition to this, there is evidence that particulate emissions from these extreme fire events lead to public health problems, particularly respiratory and cardiac related distress. It is important to understand the effects that climate change will have on the health of populations that are vulnerable to increased exposure to particulate emissions from wildfires. In this project we propose to create a comprehensive descriptive and predictive wildland fire particulate emissions model that will allow us to quantify the exposure of populations to particulate emissions during fire events. Levels of exposure will be compared to public health records to quantify the effect of wildland fire emissions on public health. In specific aim #1, we will construct an emissions profile for the 2003 and 2007 forest fires in our study area of Southern California. This will be accomplished using remotely sensed burn intensity, fire progression, posterior severity profile, and fuels modeling. In specific aim #2, we propose the use and modification of an existing plume advection and dispersion model to relate the wildfire emissions to particulate matter concentrations in downwind populated areas. The spatial estimate of particulate matter concentrations will be conditioned to in situ particulate matter concentrations measurements from ground stations. For specific aim #3, we will use the results of the plume dispersion model along with spatially explicit health surveillance data to quantify particulate emission exposure levels on a ZIP code or finer scale, relating these exposure levels to respiratory and cardiovascular health responses. Finally, for specific aim #4, we will use our modeling framework to examine realistic changes in the fire regime under different climate change scenarios and estimate the impact that changes in particulate emissions will have on public health. This will allow for public health officials to plan for scenarios where air quality may be affected by more frequent and intense wildland fires during a potentially longer fire season. In addition, systems can be implemented to preemptively alert the public to potential decreases in air quality from smoke events. Project Description: The project start date is September 30, 2009; therefore, there was no quarterly activity. Infrastructure Description: N/A Jobs Summary: N/A (Total jobs reported: 0) Project Status: Not Started This award's data was last updated on Sep. 30, 2009. Help expand these official descriptions using the wiki below.
County issues Stage 1 air pollution alert
by Tribune Staff
Jul 02, 2008 |
The Washoe County District Health Department has issued a warning that the Air Quality Index (AQI) for particulate matter (PM 2.5) in the Reno-Sparks area has once again slowly climbed into the unhealthful range, requiring a Stage I Air Quality Alert. Winds from the west and the fires that continue to ravage Northern California are causing the air pollution problems that have hit the Truckee Meadows throughout the last week and have dropped into the high-moderate range for only a few days since the fires started, mostly remaining in the unhealthful range. “Any of the control strategies that we would use during winter air pollution alerts are useless during summer fire season,” Andy Goodrich, division director for the Air Quality Management Division of the Washoe District Health Department (AQMD), said in a release. With the upcoming holiday weekend, Goodrich said the greatest health concern is for the very young, the very old and those with existing heart and lung ailments. “People who have existing conditions can have those exacerbated when the air quality is high for just one day,” he said. “This population, as well as healthy individuals has now been breathing fine particulate matter for over a week and we are concerned for their health.” Goodrich said temperature inversions usually occur everyday in the Truckee Meadows, even during summer months because of the “bowl” created by surrounding mountains. During the night, colder air drops to the valley floor and traps pollutants close to our breathing space until either the warmth of the sun allows the inversion to lift or winds scour out the valley. The AQMD is stressing the need for everyone to stay indoors until the smoke moves out of the Truckee Meadows. Residents are strongly urged to refrain from outdoor activities including all sports practices, until the smoke clears. The AQMD will update information as pollution levels change. This information can be obtained by calling 785-4110. General information about air quality issues can be found on online at www.washoecounty.us/health. You can also reach the AQMD office by calling 784-7200. 2009 Dec. 1: Montana: UM Undergraduate Research: Student research on health effects of residential wood stoves
UM preparing to showcase students’ work
Story by Jayme Fraser | December 1, 2009
Montana Kaimin
Classes will be canceled for two days next semester as students from colleges across the country gather on the University of Montana campus to present their research or creative work at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research April 15 to 17.
While students take finals later this month, UM professors will begin reviewing thousands of abstracts to select the 2,000 students who will be invited to the conference.
UM grad Emily Weiler was selected to go to the conference at other campuses for three consecutive years and is excited it’s coming to Missoula.
“Anything you can study as an undergraduate you will find at the conference,” she said. “They have dance showcases and chemistry projects.”
Weiler said she hopes UM students will submit their projects for consideration because it provides unique opportunities to meet other undergraduates with the same interests and to have their work reviewed by professionals.
“It gave me ideas for where my research could go in the future,” Weiler said. “Also, it’s nice to put your hard work in the spotlight.”
Weiler’s projects analyzed air quality by measuring particulates in the air such as those in smoke from wildfires. Today, Weiler works at UM’s Center for Environmental Health Studies.
Using many of the same collection methods she learned as an undergrad, Weiler is collecting data about air quality in homes with woodstoves and asthmatic children, looking for a link between woodstove quality and a child’s symptoms.
Weiler said the communication skills she learned in her presentations at the conference continue to help her today.
“You are talking to people in the science world and people who don’t know anything about your topic, so you learn to be a better communicator,” she said.
UM chemistry professor Garon Smith is organizing the conference with help from UM Continuing Education and hopes that once students see the size of the event and the wide array of topics presented, they will attend sessions and perhaps submit an abstract for next year’s event.
“It’s the greatest show on earth,” Smith said. “No, really, it’s a big deal. When else do you get students from 250 to 300 colleges and universities on your campus?”
Selected students either present a poster or give a 15-minute presentation about their work. They can also submit a manuscript version for possible publication in a peer-reviewed journal. A few poster presenters could be selected to present their work on Capitol Hill later that month.
Smith said the conference encourages more evaluative thinking and looks great on resumes for graduate school.
“It used to be assumed that somewhere between undergraduate and graduate school you would instantly transform into a researcher or creative artist,” Smith said.
UM hosted the conference once before in 2000. Smith said the event will again require hundreds of student and faculty volunteers to help everything run, whether professionally reviewing submissions or handing out box lunches.
Abstracts of 200 to 300 words are due Friday. Guidelines for submission and more information on the conference can be found at umt.edu/ncur2010.
2009 Dec. 1: MT: UM article about particulates includes information on wood stoves' contribution to ill health
‘Warming up the car’ not worth the environmental cost
Story by Laura Lundquist | December 1, 2009
Montana Kaimin
The other day, as gray clouds shrouded the valley, I stopped into Orange Street Food Farm and noticed two cars out front idling unattended. Ten minutes later, I came out to find them still running, the exhaust curling cruelly into the cold air. Riding away on my bicycle, I held my breath, feeling dizzy at the unnecessary pollution contributed to the less-than-clean air of Missoula by just those two cars.
Multiply those cars by all the stores where other people leave their engines idling over the course of a day, and marginal air quality becomes bad — and bad becomes worse.
To avoid eventually rivaling Los Angeles as a smog capital, an easy partial fix would be to turn cars off when not in transit and never idle the engine just to warm up.
Missoula has long struggled with its air quality in the winter. The surrounding mountains create a bowl in which a warm air layer traps colder air in the valley in a reversal of a normal weather pattern. Remember, cold air sinks so it can’t escape and creates an inversion. Tiny particles, invisible except when en masse, are similarly trapped and can cause big problems for people, who ironically are the cause of such particles. Wood smoke, industrial emissions and car exhaust all conspire to make it more difficult to respire. Particulates and poisonous gases build up and can sometimes reach potentially dangerous levels until winds blow them out.
Asthmatics and others with respiratory difficulties can sense the particulate levels caused by idling engines before air quality sensors can. Sometimes their inhalers aren’t enough to help them. First responders can attest that the numbers of emergency room visits and heart attacks surge when particulate concentrations rise.
To help such people, government agencies can regulate some pollution emissions, but they can’t control people’s bad habits. Tony Ward, a professor at the UM Center for Environmental Health Sciences, has analyzed the valley’s air quality and found the proportion of particulates from car exhaust is increasing. And it’s only going to get worse. Missoula County computer models predict a population increase of 23 percent and an increase of 47 percent in vehicle miles traveled by 2015. Missoula residents’ personal habits must change if we have any hope of offsetting this increasing pollution source.
Exhaust is responsible for more than particulate pollution. It contributes at least 60 percent of all carbon monoxide emissions that become even more concentrated during inversions, according to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality. One car without a catalytic converter, many of which still exist in Montana due to no emissions testing, puts out a concentration of 1,400 times the average level found in homes. If not diluted, such a concentration would cause death within 20 minutes.
But dilution is not the solution to pollution during inversions and where idling cars collect, such as busy intersections. Carbon monoxide concentrations regularly reach dangerous levels at the intersection of Brooks Street and Russell Avenue. Banks have, for good reason, signs at their drive-up windows asking people to turn off their engines, which some people ignore to the detriment of tellers. People may have little choice but to idle for five minutes at the interminable lights on Reserve Street, but they do have a choice in their own driveway. Pollution could be reduced if every car owner reduced his or her idling time by even five minutes every day.
People probably should drive less, especially if they don’t have far to go. But the lazy habit was already ingrained enough by the 1980s to be parodied in movies such as “The Gods Must Be Crazy.” One scene shows a man backing down his driveway to get to his mailbox then pulling back into his garage. Although the film is Australian, that is the American mentality. Idling a car to warm up the interior is another manifestation of that mentality but may be easier to correct.
When I ask friends or family not to start their cars minutes before they get in, they claim they do it to make the engine run better. Nice try, but gone are the days when cars had to be warmed before driving. That went out with big collars and disco music. According to the Maggliozi brothers of National Public Radio’s “Car Talk” fame, engines in newer cars need only one minute to warm up when temperatures are less than 25 degrees, and the best way to warm up a car is to begin driving. If people need a monetary incentive, idling is actually bad for a car, fouling spark plugs and using costly fuel.
If idle hands are the devil’s playground, idling engines are the devil’s incense. But devilish fumes don’t belong in Missoula. This winter, as you drive around and see the dirty yellow 2009 Dec. 1: IL Chicago: Industrial wood fired boiler fined by EPA for excessive particulates CONTACT: William Omohundro, 312-353-8254, omohundro.william@epa.gov For Immediate Release No. 09-OPA234 EPA reaches agreement with Sauder on clean-air violations (Chicago – Dec. 1, 2009) — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 has reached an agreement with Sauder Woodworking Co. on alleged Clean Air Act violations at the company’s cogeneration plant at 820 W. Barre Road, Archbold, Ohio. The agreement, which includes a $79,500 penalty, resolves EPA allegations that, among other things, Sauder violated federal and state regulations by emitting excessive amounts of visible particulates (smoke, dust, ash), nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds from its wood-fired boilers. Inhaling high concentrations of particulates can have adverse health effects, particularly in children, the elderly and people with heart and lung disease. Nitrogen oxides can irritate the lungs and lower resistance to respiratory infections. They also contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone (smog) and acid rain. Volatile organic compounds also contribute to the formation of smog. Smog is formed when a mixture of pollutants react on warm, sunny days. Smog can cause respiratory problems, including coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and chest pain. People with asthma, children and the elderly are especially at risk, but these health concerns are important to everyone. Information about EPA Region 5’s air enforcement program is at http://www.epa.gov/region5/air/enforce/index.html. Potential environmental violations may be reported at http://www.epa.gov/compliance/complaints. Note: If a link above doesn't work, please copy and paste the URL into a browser. View all Region 5 News Releases 2005 Feb. 2: IA Des Moines: Air Quality Alert for particulate pollution
Iowa air quality alert issued
Posted: Wednesday, February 2, 2005 12:00 am |
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- An air quality alert has been issued for the state because of high levels of particulate pollution, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources reported Tuesday.
The conditions are expected to continue until Wednesday night, when a cleaner air mass is expected to move over the state, said Brian Button, a DNR spokesman.
"Basically, we've got an air mass that, through a great depth of the atmosphere, it's the same temperature," he said. "And that's preventing mixing of different air layers."
Particulate matter -- microscopic particles of soot or smoke -- causes problems because it can be inhaled deeply, increasing breathing difficulty in sensitive populations, including children, the elderly and those with heart or lung disease.
"Certainly, if you have heart or lung disease, asthma, even healthy adults, it's better to wait until Thursday before doing your outdoor exercising," Button said.
The Air Quality Index on Monday measured 119 in Des Moines, 112 in Cedar Rapids and 104 at Viking Lake State Park in southwest Iowa. The higher the number, the worse the pollution.
A healthy range is 1 to 50. Moderate pollution is 51 to 100. Levels of 101 to 150 are deemed unhealthy for sensitive groups and levels above 150 are unhealthy for everyone.
Iowa's air quality meets federal health standards, but Iowa typically has several days of unhealthy area every year.
"We still have good air quality compared to the rest of the country," Button said. "Other areas of the country, they might have 60, 80 or more days per year."
2009 Dec. 1: CA Bay Area: Wood smoke produces 1/3 of particulate pollution on a winter night
Wood SmokeThe nine counties that surround San Francisco Bay are home to almost seven million residents and an estimated 1.4 million fireplaces and woodstoves. Wood smoke air pollution from these wood-burning appliances has been a health concern in the Bay Area for many years, especially on winter evenings. Wood burning produces about one-third of the particulate pollution on a typical winter night.
November 27
2009 Nov. 27: AK Fairbanks & North Pole: Voluntary wood burning halt asked & comment
Air quality drops in Fairbanks, North Pole
by The Associated Press
Friday, November 27, 2009
FAIRBANKS, Alaska -- Fairbanks' municipal government is asking people to voluntarily halt wood burning after air quality in the area dropped below federal standards.
The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports this week's drop in air quality was the first time since the summer wildfires that air pollution has worsened.
Fairbanks North Star Borough air quality technician Jim McCormick says pollution monitors show North Pole is being hit the hardest.
The drop in air quality happens when a layer of warm air sits on top of cold air, trapping pollution close to the surface. It's known as temperature inversion.
McCormick says the area is at mercy of Mother Nature and that's why they're asking people to cut back on wood burning.
The weather forecast suggests conditions for temperature inversion will continue throughout next week.
2009 Nov. 27-20: AK Fairbanks: EPA standards for particulate pollution exceeded
FAIRBANKS — Some air pollution in the Fairbanks area has dispersed, but the air remains unhealthy for sensitive groups, primarily the very old, very young and people with respiratory diseases. Jim McCormick, air quality technician with the Fairbanks North Star Borough, said pollution detectors show the air had improved from unhealthy for sensitive groups to moderate on Thursday. But on Friday, pollution monitors in Fairbanks and North Pole registered higher amounts of fine particulate pollution, McCormick said. The particulates are known to embed in the lungs and make people sick. Studies show the particulate pollution is caused primarily by wood smoke. Residents are asked to use cleaner-burning oil heat instead of wood or coal and to burn only dry, seasoned wood. McCormick said conditions should improve Saturday evening when snow showers are expected. “Hopefully, as clouds and possible snow showers move in, it will break it up,” he said.
« GoodByeAK wrote on Saturday, Nov 28 at 07:24 AM » Larmex, i'll tell you what has changed... the population. Oh yeah and there is that lovely new fad known as the outdoor wood burning stove. Dozens more have gone up over this last summer. They are horrible things. With the pupolation increase you also have not only the wood stove jerks but all the other pulotion the average person generates. I know that it must seem that if somone isnt from the interior of Alaska they must not have an idea what they are talking about. Truth is they do. But what you fail to realize is they are trying to help, they are not running from state to state looking to prove people wrong and threaten their way of life. In addition, since this state is part of the United States (many fail to realize) the EPA does belong here and is obligated to inform people of dangerous situations. But i guess you should fire the mayor of North Pole so a new bold one can send the EPA packing, that will help the air quality... or will it?
Air pollution exceeds federal standards in Fairbanks
by Amanda Bohman / abohman@newsminer.com
9 hrs ago | 692 views | 11  | 5  |  | 
FAIRBANKS — Air pollution in the Fairbanks area has exceeded federal standards since Friday, and the municipal government is asking people to voluntarily halt wood burning. “We’re at the mercy of Mother Nature,” said Fairbanks North Star Borough air quality technician Jim McCormick. “We are asking people to voluntarily cut back.” This is the first time air quality has deteriorated markedly since the wild fires last summer, McCormick said. Pollution monitors show North Pole is hit the hardest. High levels of invisible particulate matter caused mainly by wood smoke can embed in the lungs, making the air unhealthy for sensitive groups, mainly the very young, the very old and people with respiratory diseases, officials said. The cause is a layer of warm air on top of the cold air, trapping the pollution close to the ground in a phenomenon known as a temperature inversion. The weather forecast suggests air quality will be a problem in the Fairbanks area through the end of the week. “We don’t know when it’s going to break out,” said Allura Weimer, a hydrological meteorological technician with the National Weather Service. Light snow today could cause some mixing of warm and cold air, but it is expected to weaken the temperature inversion at best, Weimer said. As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, the 24-hour average for invisible particulate matter was 54.8 micrograms per cubic meter, according to the borough Web site. At 55.5, the air would be deemed unhealthy for the general population. “Everyone may begin to experience health effects at that point,” McCormick said. Anything more than 35.5 micrograms per cubic meter of particulate matter exceeds federal air quality standards. To comply with regulations, Fairbanks must maintain a three-year average of less than 35.5 micrograms per cubic meter. The average is based on air quality readings every third day after the two highest readings are omitted. The average for Fairbanks, calculated in 2006 through 2008, is 41 micrograms per cubic meter, said Joan Hardesty, an environmental programs specialist with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. McCormick said people can reduce their driving, plug-in their vehicles and turn down thermostats as other means to fight pollution. “The best would be to see some weather move in and break it all up,” he said. The borough has three air quality monitors in Fairbanks and one in North Pole. More information on air quality is available at www.co.fairbanks.ak.us/airquality/. Contact staff writer Amanda Bohman at 459-7544. ChenaSteamer wrote on Thursday, Nov 26 at 07:13 AM »
There is a segment of our community that does just as they please, to heack with anyone else. Baligerent and defiant, concerned only with doing what they want, when they want. The only true answere to our situation is natural gas. But in the mean time everyone needs to work togeather or this segment of our society is going to make our situation worse.
2009 Nov. 26: CA Silicon Valley: Wood Smoke/black Carbon Soot: a Major Cause of Global Warming
In the frenzied search for solutions to the global warming crisis, climatologists, policy makers and other concerned environmentalists have overlooked one of the leading causes of rising temperatures around the globe—soot—the black residue that coats fireplaces and darkens vehicle exhaust. Black carbon soot may in fact be the second largest contributor to global warming next to the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. According to Stanford environmental engineering Professor Mark Z. Jacobson, “Soot, or black carbon, may be responsible for 15 to 30 percent of global warming, yet it is not even considered in any of the discussions about controlling climate change.” (“Nature”, ScienceDaily, Feb. 9, 2001). Jacobson also observed that human beings produce most of the soot particles that pollute the atmosphere. He maintains that soot consists primarily of elemental carbon and that 90 percent of it comes from the consumption of fossil fuels (particularly coal, diesel fuel, jet fuel, natural gas, kerosene) and the burning of wood and other biomass. Jacobson also claims that a worldwide reduction in soot emissions and controlling biomass burning could quell the alarming pace of global warming and also reduce our reliance on soot-producing fuels. ( http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/02/010208075206.htm.) Besides its impact on global warming, soot is bad for your health. The World Health Organization reports that approximately 2.7 million people die each year from air pollution and that reduction of wood and other biomass burning would mitigate global warming and would also save lives and improve people’s health. Other studies have dispelled the myth that burning wood and other biomass is “green or carbon neutral” and that the fine particulates emitted during the combustion process actually hasten climate change. ( www.burningissues.org under both “Science” and “Global Warming” headings). The warming effect of black carbon soot is far greater than previously estimatedAtmospheric scientist V. Ramanathan of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and University of Iowa chemical engineer Greg Carmichael found that “black carbon soot, from burning wood and other biomass, cooking with solid fuels, and diesel exhaust has a warming effect in the atmosphere three to four times greater than prevailing estimates.” (Nature Geoscience 1, 221-227 (March 24, 2008). They calculated that soot and other forms of black carbon particulates may represent as much as 60 percent of the current global warming effect of carbon dioxide and their findings correlated with similar studies from Stanford, Caltech, and NASA. A simplified explanation for the warming effect is that wood smoke’s fine particulates thin clouds. And as total airborne particulates increase, cloud cover decreases, allowing more sunlight to reach the earth. According to Ramanathan, approximately 35 percent of black carbon in the global atmosphere comes from China and India. Yet per capita emissions of black carbon soot from the United States and some European countries is still comparable to those from Asia. Ramanathan’s research also found that the warming effects of black carbon smog appear to be accelerating the melt of Himalayan glaciers, leading to early drying of a major source of drinking water for billions of people throughout Asia. The International Global Panel on Climate Change (IGPCC) agreed that black carbon soot is a major contributor to global warmingThe 2007 Nobel-winning IGPCC panel of approximately two thousand scientists concluded that black carbon soot has a dire atmospheric warming effect. This was significant because soot had previously been unaddressed as a major contributor to global warming. Nor had the amplification of black carbon’s warming effect previously been taken into account when mixed with other aerosols, creating additional secondary fine particulates. Studies of fine particulates from wood smoke in various communitiesAn EPA study cites that “In some neighborhoods, on some days, 90% of the particle pollution is from residential wood burning.” (Jane Koenig and Timothy Larson, A Summary of Emissions Characterization and Non-Cancer Respiratory Effects of Wood Smoke, USEPA DOC #453/R-93-036,1-919-541-0888). A study in two San Jose, California locations showed that wood smoke pollution was 4.4 times that of gasoline or diesel fueled vehicles. (“A Comparison of Source Apportionments of Fine Particulate Matter at Two San Jose, CA Locations,” from San Jose Speciation Trends Network.) The next stepBecause the urgency of reducing black carbon emissions cannot be overstated, reducing soot from wood smoke would offer nearly instant benefits in improving atmospheric conditions in the United States. It would also offer immediate societal and health benefits. This would facilitate political and regulatory momentum towards mitigation of black carbon emissions. It is urgent to advance public awareness of wood smoke’s crucial role in global warming with education and policy changes. For those interested in more scientific and educational data about wood smoke, see www.burningissues.org. The Burning Issues site was founded in 1988 as a special particulate pollution project of the Bay Area Loma Prieta/Silicon Valley Chapter of the Sierra Club.
Julie Mellum is a Minneapolis realtor and president of Take Back the Air, an environmental organization focusing on the two most overlooked sources of pollution in our communities–wood smoke and chemical fragrances. She is the Midwest Diretor of Clean Air Revival, www.burningissues.org, a nonprofit online organization providing wood smoke scientific information. Julie is an enviromental activist with a focus on education and legislative changes for a healthier world.
Fires prohibited all Thanksgiving Day
Posted: 11/25/2009 08:59:39 PM PST
Updated: 11/26/2009 09:56:22 AM PST
Forget about lighting up a crackling fire for your Thanksgiving dinner guests.
A Spare the Air alert has been issued by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District for the full 24 hours of the holiday. The ban covers Santa Clara, San Mateo, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa and southern Sonoma and southwestern Solano counties.
The midnight-to-midnight alert bans the burning of wood, manufactured firedogs or any other solid fuel, indoors and outdoors.The daylong ban covers woodstoves and inserts, pellet stoves, outdoor fire pits or any other wood-burning devices.
Cold, still weather is expected to trap smoke in the air, Jack Broadbent. district executive officer, said. Wood smoke is a major source of winter air pollution in the Bay Area. There are 1.4 million fireplaces and wood stoves in the region, which contribute about a third of the harmful particulate pollution in the air, according to the district.
"We're asking Bay Area residents to respect the health of their neighbors and fellow community members this Thanksgiving, and not to burn wood in their fireplaces and woodstoves," he said.
When weather conditions trap smoke close to the ground, smoke can reach unhealthy levels, creating difficulties for people with asthma and other respiratory conditions.
2009 Nov. 26: CA Bay Area (Vallejo): 'Spare the Air' designation means no wood fires today
Posted: 11/26/2009 01:30:15 AM PST
Burning wood is illegal in much of the Bay Area today, air district officials have announced.
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District on Wednesday issued the season's first winter Spare the Air alert, which bans burning wood, pellets, manufactured fire logs and other solid fuels on today's Thanksgiving holiday.
The 24-hour ban took effect at midnight, and was called due to weather conditions that can trap smoke closer to the ground, where more people can breathe it.
"Cold, still weather will contribute to unhealthy air quality," said Jack Broadbent, the air district's executive officer. "We're asking Bay Area residents to respect the health of their neighbors and fellow community members this Thanksgiving, and not to burn wood in their fireplaces and wood stoves."
Barbecues and wood-burning ovens are exempt from the rule, district officials said.
The ban applies to most of the Bay Area, including Vallejo, Benicia and Fairfield. Vacaville is outside the district's jurisdiction, and not subject to the rule.
District officials consider wood smoke a major source of wintertime air pollution. It contains harmful pollutants such as particulate matter and carbon monoxide, as well as toxins such as dioxin, which is linked to increased cancer rates in adults.
During winter Spare the Air alerts, it is illegal to use fireplaces, wood stoves and inserts, pellet stoves, outdoor fire pits, or any other wood-burning devices. The district board passed the
policy in 2008.
The public can check for future winter air alerts on the district's Web sites, www.baaqmd.gov and www.sparetheair.org. People can also call 1-877-4-NO-BURN for updates. Automatic notification of future alerts is available by signing up at www.sparetheair.org or by calling 1-800-430-1515.
The winter Spare the Air season runs through Feb. 28.
Fires prohibited all Thanksgiving Day
Forget about lighting up a crackling fire for your Thanksgiving dinner guests.
A Spare the Air alert has been issued by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District for the full 24 hours of the holiday. The ban covers Santa Clara, San Mateo, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa and southern Sonoma and southwestern Solano counties.
The midnight-to-midnight alert bans the burning of wood, manufactured firedogs or any other solid fuel, indoors and outdoors.The daylong ban covers woodstoves and inserts, pellet stoves, outdoor fire pits or any other wood-burning devices.
Cold, still weather is expected to trap smoke in the air, Jack Broadbent. district executive officer, said. Wood smoke is a major source of winter air pollution in the Bay Area. There are 1.4 million fireplaces and wood stoves in the region, which contribute about a third of the harmful particulate pollution in the air, according to the district.
“We’re asking Bay Area residents to respect the health of their neighbors and fellow community members this Thanksgiving, and not to burn wood in their fireplaces and woodstoves,” he said.
When weather conditions trap smoke close to the ground, smoke can reach unhealthy levels, creating difficulties for people with asthma and other respiratory conditions.
Pete Carey may also be reached at 408-920-5419.
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 25, 2009 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ ----The Bay Area Air Quality Management District is issuing the season's first Winter Spare the Air Alert for Thursday, November 26, 2009 which bans burning wood, manufactured firelogs or any other solid fuel, both indoors and outdoors. "Cold, still weather will contribute to unhealthy air quality tomorrow," said Jack Broadbent, executive officer of the Air District. "We're asking Bay Area residents to respect the health of their neighbors and fellow community members this Thanksgiving, and not to burn wood in their fireplaces and woodstoves."
Air quality in the Bay Area is forecast to be unhealthy due to weather conditions that will trap the smoke in the air. During this Winter Spare the Air Alert, it is illegal for Bay Area residents and businesses to use their fireplaces, woodstoves and inserts, pellet stoves, outdoor fire pits, or any other wood-burning devices.
The public must check before they burn during the Winter Spare the Air season which runs from
November 1 through February 28. The daily burn status can be found: -- On the Air District Web sites: www.baaqmd.gov or www.sparetheair.org
-- Via the toll-free hotline 1-877-4-NO-BURN (complaints can also be filed
via the hotline)
-- By signing up for AirAlerts at www.sparetheair.org or by signing up for
phone alerts at 1-800-430-1515.
Wood smoke is a major source of wintertime air pollution in the Bay Area and contains harmful pollutants such as particulate matter and carbon monoxide, as well as toxins such as dioxin, which is linked to increased cancer rates in adults. In the winter, wood smoke from the 1.4 million fireplaces and wood stoves in the Bay Area contributes about one-third of the harmful particulate pollution in the air.
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (www.baaqmd.gov) is the regional agency chartered with protecting air quality in the Bay Area.
SOURCE Bay Area Air Quality Management District http://www.sparetheair.org
2009 Nov. 27: CA Fresno: Valley fireplace use down; bad air still on rise
Published online on Thursday, Nov. 26, 2009
By Mark Grossi / The Fresno Bee
Despite bans on fireplace wood-burning, concentrations of soot and other dangerous particles are getting worse in the Valley's air -- already the nation's worst for this kind of particle pollution. It's an odd twist because the wood-burning bans have improved air quality around Thanksgiving and the winter holidays in Fresno and Bakersfield. Yet the year-round average level of the microscopic debris -- called PM-2.5, which is linked with lung problems, heart disease and early death -- has increased more than 5% over the last several years. Local air officials say the uptick is connected to weather and record-setting wildfires in summer, not fireplace smoke in fall and winter. They point to a longer-term decline of PM-2.5 over the last decade. "What you're seeing is normal variation, and it's minimal to me," said Scott Nester, planning director of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. Valley air has an average of 45% more PM-2.5 particles than the federal health standard allows, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The agency averages readings in three-year increments to establish concentration levels. High concentrations of PM-2.5 appear as part of the Valley haze, passing easily into the lungs and the bloodstream. Wood and diesel smoke are the biggest direct sources of PM-2.5 specks. Wind-blown dust, debris from paved and unpaved roads and commercial meat cooking also contribute. But about half of the Valley's PM-2.5 forms as oxides of nitrogen from vehicle exhaust and ammonia from dairies combine. Air officials say huge plumes of the pollutant, called ammonium nitrate, drive up the Valley's concentrations of PM-2.5. Nobody knows for sure if large amounts of ammonium nitrate are harmful, because there has not been a lot of research on it. But ammonium nitrate is not considered as big of a health threat as wood and diesel smoke, because it changes to nitric acid in the body. Nitric acid occurs naturally in humans. Smoke from fireplaces and wood stoves is the bigger threat to Valley residents, air officials say, because many people in city neighborhoods are exposed to it. The smoke is more dangerous than generally known a few years ago. The latest medical research shows the tiny specks in the smoke carry many chemicals into the bloodstream. Some, such as benzopyrene and chrysene, are considered carcinogenic. The same chemicals are found in toxic diesel exhaust. "Your fireplace smells a lot better than diesel does, but as far as chemical content is concerned, they're very similar," said researcher Tim Tyner of the University of California at San Francisco-Fresno Medical Education Program. PM-2.5 pollution is blamed for 800 premature Valley deaths each year. A study from California State University, Fullerton, last year found two-thirds of Valley residents are exposed to unhealthy levels of PM-2.5. David Lighthall, district science adviser, said the worst seasons for PM-2.5 are fall and winter, when wood smoke sometimes hangs for hours in neighborhoods. The district's rules have resulted in particle-pollution reductions of more than 12% in Bakersfield and Fresno over the last several winters. "We're using a lot more burning prohibitions," he said. But summer wildfires are adding to the year-round average, as the federal government's year-round figures might indicate. In 2008, there were hundreds of wildfires and smoke entering the Valley from all directions. Scientists predict an increase of such fires as the climate warms over the next century. Air officials are working with the U.S. Forest Service to allow more prescribed burning, which would eliminate excess brush and reduce the size of the fires. But the local air district can't control wildfires, weather or the Valley's bowl shape that traps a lot of air pollution. "We have inherited the worst possible natural scenario here," said planning director Nester. "That's why we pursue the toughest rules."
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A "no burn" day throughout most of the Valley meant families should not sit down in front of the fireplace to stay warm Thursday, with the exception of Merced County The "check before you burn" season lasts from November to February so unfortunately, it encompasses some of the biggest family holidays. But the burn bans exist to protect families from serious illnesses.
A haze hung over downtown Fresno Thanksgiving morning.
The gray skies indicate danger from particulate matter, the tiny pollutants that can affect your lungs, your heart and your blood. And the Valley Air Pollution Control District can pinpoint where the problem starts in the winter.
"Smoke from fireplaces and wood stoves is the major wintertime pollutant that we see," said Jamie Holt, a spokesperson for the San Joaquin Air Pollution Control District. "It is the magic wand-silver bullet in helping us see improved wintertime air quality."
The district bans wood burning when particulate matter starts filling the sky, especially on days when there's not enough wind to blow the pollution out of the Valley.
During last year's four-month burn season, the district issued restrictions on 46 days in Fresno County, 37 in Kings County, 35 in Tulare County, and 32 in Merced County.
The district has a team of inspectors checking for violations, even on Thanksgiving, but they mainly rely on neighbors to turn in violators.
Action News asked several people if they'd turn in their neighbors, even on a holiday. Many said they would. "Yes, because the air quality in this valley is so bad," said Amanda Renfrow of Fresno. "My fiancé is asthmatic and any of the days the air is bad, he can't breathe."
Air district employees say they're often referred to as the Grinch who stole Thanksgiving, but health concerns trump holiday traditions.
"We understand it's Thanksgiving," said Holt. "We understand there's a tradition there, but there are a lot of traditions people can enjoy that don't impact their neighbors' health."
The district handed out more than 400 tickets during last year's entire season, but keep in mind that the burn ban doesn't apply to homes where wood is the only source of heat.
Solar panels catch the sun outside of Carbondale's Solar Energy International last winter. A solar surge in the valley could be slowed by the lack of rebate money for projects. Summit officials are revamping development rules to establish guidelines for renewable-energy systems, including solar arrays, wind turbines, hydropower and even small wood-burning furnaces.
Aspen Times file photo
SUMMIT COUNTY — Local officials are revamping development rules to establish guidelines for renewable-energy systems, including solar arrays, wind turbines, hydropower and even small wood-burning furnaces.
County codes currently don't specifically address some key questions about these emerging technologies,
said planning director Jim Curnutte. Updated code language could help foster more installations of small-scale renewable-energy systems.
The general thrust is to give property owners the right to use renewable-energy sources as long as there is no significant impact to neighbors or the environment.
“We want to strongly encourage the use of these things,” Curnutte said. “But it's never been clearly articulated in our code. There have been issues of uncertainty, if they're allowed here or allowed there.”
For solar arrays, the code changes make it clear they can be erected nearly anywhere on a property other than in the front yard between the house and the street.
As discussed at a work session last week, the changes would also specify that solar-energy installations can exceed the maximum building height in a particular zone district by 10 percent. Solar panels would also be allowed in setbacks (the buffer between property lines or, in some cases, sensitive areas such as rivers or wetlands).
All the new rules are still subject to additional review and public comments at upcoming planning commission meetings. Particulars on the renewable- energy system rules are available from the county planning department.
Wind power Wind turbines were also discussed, and the general direction is to encourage them in rural areas. County planners don't anticipate much demand for placing wind turbines in dense residential or urban areas. A large-scale map developed by state energy officials suggests that Summit County won't become a hotbed of wind power anytime soon. There just aren't enough locations with adequate winds, planners told the county commissioners. For example, two spots — the county landfill and Colorado Mountain College near Breckenridge — that have already been tested for wind power probably have less potential than anticipated. Commissioner Karn Stiegelmeier pointed out that the state map doesn't account for potential “micro-pockets,” and said the county's codes should allow for installation of wind power in places where it could work. Under the proposed regulations, quieter vertically mounted turbines would be allowed in all zoning districts, not to exceed maximum building heights by 10 percent. The discussion also included small-scale wood-fired burners that could make use of some of the beetle-killed lodgepole pines in the area. Such installations aren't common yet, but the technology is widely available, so Curnutte said he expects to see more of them in the future. The proposed regulations would limit wood-burning boilers to side yards and rear yards, with the stack height permitted to exceed maximum building height by 10 percent. The county would like to encourage the use of wood-burning energy systems as a way of reducing local need for non-renewable energy, as long as they meet all applicable clean-air standards and other environmental requirements, according to a staff report on the code changes. Curnutte said energy provider Xcel recently explored the possibility of a wood-fired energy installation that could be built near the Xcel substation at the landfill and feed power into the grid from there. Small-scale hydropower installations would also be allowed in all zone districts under regulations aimed at protection stream flows, water quality, aquatic habitats and impacts to surrounding areas.
DEC issues new open burning regulations
Effective October 14,2009, new statewide Open Burning Regulations prohibit burning trash in all cases. The existing incinerator rule already prohibits burning household trash in wood stoves, fireplaces, and outdoor wood boilers. Burning leaves is also banned. Exempt are small campfires, cooking fires, and celebratory bonfires. Only charcoal or clean, untreated or unpainted wood can be burned. In towns with a total population less than 20,000, you may burn tree limbs with attached leaves. The limbs must be less than 6 inches in diameter and 8 feet in length. However, this is not allowed from March 16 through May 14 due to the increased risk of wildfires. Organic agricultural wastes may be burned on-site where they are grown or generated, including brush and wood produced by clearing fields and other activities. The fire must be located on contiguous agricultural land larger than 5 acres, and the materials capable of being fully burned within 24 hours. The burning of pesticides, plastics or other non-organic material is prohibited. Open burning of household trash releases dangerous compounds including arsenic, carbon monoxide, benzene, styrene, formaldehyde, lead, hydrogen cyanide and dioxin, among others. Open burning is also the single greatest cause of wildfires in New York. DEC recommends that you recycle all appropriate materials (such as newspaper, paper, glass and plastic) and compost your organic kitchen and garden waste. To report environmental law violations call 1-800-TIPP DEC (1-800-847-7332).
Posted: Thursday, November 26th, 2009 November 25
November 25, 2009
California Takes Step to Limit Emissions
WASHINGTON — California has taken a major step toward creating a broad-based trading system to limit emissions of pollutants blamed for harmful climate change. The California Air Resources Board, often a trailblazer in environmental regulation, released a draft rule on Tuesday establishing a cap-and-trade program that sets a declining ceiling on emissions of greenhouse gases and allows companies to buy and sell permits to meet it. California’s goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. The proposed system would begin in 2012 with 600 major sources of global warming pollutants, including power plants, refineries and concrete factories. Similar proposals to reduce emissions are stalled in Congress with little hope of moving through this year. And next month, world governments will assemble in Copenhagen to discuss the issue but are not expected to produce any binding agreements on how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions globally. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said the new rules would help California address a serious environmental problem, while giving companies flexibility in meeting clean-air goals. The proposed rule also includes reductions in emissions from industrial and transportation fuels beginning in 2015. California joins a number of other states and regions, including the 10 states of the Northeast, in moving ahead with programs to address global warming as Congress debates a nationwide program. One point of dispute in the legislation is whether the federal government will pre-empt these local and regional efforts and create a single national cap-and-trade program. California, the world’s eighth-largest economy by some measures, was one of the first states to recognize the potential effects of a changing climate. State scientists have identified reduced snowpack in the Sierra Nevada, prolonged droughts, increasing wildfires and growing infestation of pests as some of the results of the warming. The draft of the California program dodges one of the toughest issues in designing any cap-and-trade system: how to allocate permits that allow companies to emit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. A bill that passed the House in June distributes roughly 85 percent of the permits to various parties and industries free in the early years of the program, with more of them auctioned in later years. Mary D. Nichols, the chairwoman of the Air Resources Board, said her preference was for virtually all of the California permits to be auctioned from the start. “Congress started this, you know, as a political exercise to see how many allowances you had to give out to which groups to get them to buy into the program,” Ms. Nichols said in a briefing for reporters, according to Reuters. “We know how many emissions we have to reduce. The question is how do we do it in a way that costs less.” The resources board has scheduled months of hearings and public comment on the rule before it is to be finalized next October.
Air district issues burn restriction reminder
Posted: 11/24/2009 02:46:56 PM PST
Updated: 11/25/2009 06:37:53 AM PST
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has issued a reminder that restrictions on wood burning are in effect through Feb. 28. The regulations mean no burning is allowed when a Spare the Air alert has been issued; violators face a fine after the first infraction. The rules are intended to curtail wintertime air pollution, to which wood smoke is the largest contributor and constitutes a health hazard, the district says. The district will declare a Spare the Air alert when air pollution is forecast to reach unhealthy levels. During an alert, the use of wood-burning devices — including fireplaces, pellet stoves, wood stoves and outdoor fire pits — is forbidden. Air district air-quality forecasts are made by 2 p.m. daily and remain in place for 24 hours. First-time violators will receive a warning. The fine for a second violation is $400 and increases with subsequent infractions. Wood smoke contains particulate matter and carbon monoxide, as well as toxins such as dioxin, which is linked to increased cancer rates in adults. The district says that wood smoke from the Bay Area's 1.4 million fireplaces and wood stoves contributes about one-third of the harmful particulate pollution in the air. Residents can check Spare the Air status before they burn by visiting www.baaqmd.gov or www.sparetheair.org, calling 877-4-NO-BURN or signing up for e-mail alerts at www.sparetheair.org or phone alerts at 800-430-1515.
An air quality alert that was issued Monday afternoon was lifted Tuesday morning after the rain came. The air quality alert for eastern Iowa that included Jackson, Clinton, Scott and Muscatine counties was issued at 3:30 p.m. Monday and remained in effect until 8 a.m. Tuesday, Iowa Department of Natural Resources spokeswoman Mindy Kralicek said. The alert was issued because fine particulate levels were near or exceeded EPA health standards, she said. The health standard is below 35 micrograms per cubic meter. “That is about the size of a red blood cell,” Kralicek said. “That’s why it can get imbedded in your lungs or absorbed into your blood stream.” Once the rain moved into the area the air quality improved, she said.
Do wood stoves pollute?
Do they harm local air
quality and contribute to
global warming?
Wood stoves are still not clean. The pri
mary culprit in wood smoke is fine particles,
so small that several thousand of
them could fit on the period at the end
of this sentence. Inhaling such particulate
matter has been associated with
acute respiratory symptoms, chronic
bronchitis, lung problems and premature
death, according to the EPA’s office
of air quality. Faulty stoves
can also leak poisonous
carbon monoxide.
Wood stoves produce carbon
dioxide, the primary
global warming gas. In many parts of
America, wood
stoves and fireplaces are the largest
single source of particulate matter entering homes, says Dr. Wayne Ott
of Stanford University. This has
caused such states as Alaska, Colorado,
Montana, Oregon and
Washington, as well as many local
communities, to get tougher on wood
burners. In King County,WA, all new
or remodeled homes must have a
source of heat other than wood, and
any existing non-certified wood stoves
must be removed before a house is
sold. In Telluride, CO, open fireplaces
are banned in new home construction,
and old wood stoves must be retrofitted
with clean-burning technology.
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