State micropollution standards may become world's strictest

Oakland Tribune ^ | June 20, 2002 | By Andrew Bridges, AP

[Robert357]

The California Air Resources Board will consider amending the state's air quality standards for dangerous microscopic pollutants to make them the world's strictest.

But it could be at least a decade before technology allows those standards to be met.

The revised standards to be considered Thursday target a class of pollutants made up of particles of soot and dust one-seventh the diameter of a human hair or smaller.

The material comes from a variety of sources, including combustion in cars and power plants, and can contain heavy metals that contribute to lung, heart and other health problems.

In recent years, studies have linked the particles to the deaths of thousands of Californians.

The Air Resources Board estimates that 99 percent of Californians are exposed to air that on an average daily basis exceeds current health standards for PM10, particles that are smaller than 10 microns in diameter.

If adopted, the revised standards would be the most stringent in the world, even stronger than those set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. However, the revised standards lack the penalties contained in federal law.

Bonnie Holmes-Gen, a lobbyist for the American Lung Association of California, said PM10 standards have not been reviewed for 20 years.

Last month, the Environmental Working Group, a Washington, D.C., advocacy organization, said particulate pollution kills 9,300 Californians a year.

The Air Resources Board estimated that 2,431 tons of the tiny particles were emitted every day in California in 2001. Sources include activity on farms, construction sites and wildfires. Dust from roads is the largest single contributor and can contain tiny pieces of brakes and tires.

At its meeting in El Monte, the board will consider dropping the annual average standard to 20 micrograms per cubic meter of air, from the current 30.

Standards for daily averages would remain unchanged.

Cass Andary, director of regulatory programs for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, said the Southfield, Mich., group opposes the new standards.

"Any time you have an ambient air quality standard, which in this case is going to be very, very hard to meet, the next step is implementing controls," Andary said. "We think we are already well-controlled."

The air board will also consider imposing for the first time annual standards for particles 2.5 microns across and smaller. The subclass of even tinier pollutants are commonly produced by the burning of fuels and are believed to be especially toxic.

The panel had intended to impose daily averages for the smaller particles as well but delayed action following the discovery by researchers at Johns Hopkins University that a software glitch may have led to overestimates of any rise in mortality rates attributable to the particles, which can lodge deep in the lungs.

That software was used in recommending standards for daily averages but not the annual averages. The Air Resources Board said it will take a year of additional research before it can recommend daily average standards for PM2.5 pollution.

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The Cal Air Resources Board Website

[Robert357]

But it could be at least a decade before technology allows those standards to be met.

OK, so let's see if we can translate this.

Small particles are "bad." Really small particles are really really bad (except not as bad because Johns Hopkins used a flawed methodology-i.e. blame it on the computer.) But small particles are still bad, so California needs to:
(1)...make it almost impossible to allow any kind of power plant to be sited and
(2)...for almost all existing power plants that are not hydro, nuclear or natural gas fired to operate.

Oh, and any of those natural gas fired combined cycle combustion turbine plants that were built within the last few years and that are capable of using a back up fuel such as oil....they won't be allowed in the future to use a back up fuel. That means the state's electricity supply will be extremely dependent on natural gas even more than it is now.

I am so glad that California is not concerned about what this might do to its supply of electricity. Earth to Gov. Davis, WAKE UP YOU IDIOTS!

Sorry it has been a hard day and I didn't see this anywhere else.

[Robert357]

I thought that you folks might find humor in how the Cal Air Resouces Board is digging the state into an even deeper california power crisis.

Have a great day!

[DoughtyOne]

The California Legislature is out of control. Honestly, these folks go off often. You just wonder what's going to be next with these idiot.

[JackOfVA]

for almost all existing power plants that are not hydro, nuclear or natural gas fired to operate.

Let's see. Can't have hydro, because the dams stop the little fishies from swimming up stream. Can't have nuclear because it's too dangerous (fill in your favorite reason to fear it.)

Not much left is there? Glad I'm on the opposite coast.

Jack

[snopercod]

Unbelievable.

Ban pollen! Ban Mold Spores! Pave California, then purify it with Napalm!

[Fzob]

I wonder when they will ban pollen?

[edger]

California has not yet begun to think about the problem. Thirty years ago, we counted the number of vehicles past a point on the freeway near LAX--20,000 vehicles per hour. But 20,000 vehicles per hour means 80,000 tire miles per hour per mile of freeway. And 80,000 tire miles means, at absolute minimum, two wornout tires per hour per mile of freeway.

So, maybe 20 pounds of groundup rubber per hour per mile of freeway times 24 hours per day times many, many miles of freeway......

I don't see that power plants are a significant part of the problem.

[balrog666]

So, maybe 20 pounds of groundup rubber per hour per mile of freeway times 24 hours per day times many, many miles of freeway......

Tires?? What the hell are you smokin'?

The real problem will be diesel soot. When the day comes that trucks don't roll in Kaliforniac, you can kiss the entire state goodbye.

[Reeses]

The material comes from a variety of sources, including combustion in cars

A big and unnecessary source of soot is all the Diesel buses run by the socialist state, yet buses have always been and always will be exempt from pollution controls as well as taxes.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Buses in Orange County burn compressed natural Gas.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

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[Carry_Okie]

The real problem will be diesel soot.

Bingo.

[Robert357]

Pave California, then purify it with Napalm!

Hmmmmm....I would hate to write the Draft EIS on that one, let along deal with the enviro-wacko's at the public hearings. Besides the napalm, would create too much smoke and particulate to comply with the clean air regulations! (/sarcasm)

Loved your comment.

[Robert357]

I wonder when they will ban pollen?

Probably, when folks become more concerned about Killer Bees than they are about fresh California fruits and vegetables.

[okie01]

"But 20,000 vehicles per hour means 80,000 tire miles per hour per mile of freeway."

Clearly, this is convincing evidence that dooleys and semis should be banned (along with buses). And, along with requiring hybrid/electric power, all passenger vehicles in California should be converted to a tricycle undercarriage.

If these regulations aren't in full force by 2010, all Californians are doomed!

[Reeses]

Buses in Orange County burn compressed natural Gas.

Oh, so that's the cause of the natural gas shortage that sent the socialists into bankruptcy! Maybe they could equip each bus seat with a rubber hose for natural gas. Well maybe not, too many empty seats.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

ROFL!!