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Progress in pollution Efforts to clean up Valley air paying off, but more work lies ahead

Published in the Stockton Record on 04/01/05

Progress in pollution - Efforts to clean up Valley air paying off, but more work lies ahead
By Dana Nichols
Record Staff Writer
Published Friday, April 1, 2005

FRESNO -- Despite the fact that many of us living here in the Central Valley are coughing at the moment, local air pollution cops say they are making huge progress in cleaning from the air the tiny particles that make us sick.

San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District officials reported this week that the district has for the past two years met federal standards for so-called PM 10 pollution, airborne particles about the width of a human hair or smaller. If the Valley meets the standard one more year, then it will finally be in compliance with federal law.

Originally, the region was supposed to have met the federal standard by the end of 2001.

And a recent air district report found that the district has either already taken action or will within a few years act on a list of 103 different methods for controlling the particles produced by everything from farm dust to diesel fumes to wood smoke.

California air districts were ordered by the Legislature to review the list of rules already adopted by all the various districts around the state.

But the progress doesn't mean Valley residents' breathing woes are over. The district must next by 2008 come up with a plan for reducing PM 2.5, even smaller particles measuring 2.5 microns or less. The Valley also has failed to meet the health-based limits for PM 2.5.

The sources of a majority of the most toxic PM 2.5 -- cars, trucks, and buses -- are regulated by the state and federal governments and are beyond the control of the local air district.

"Yes, there's a source problem because mobile sources are better than 51 percent of the particulates and probably some of the worst in terms of the diesel and emissions out of smoking cars," said Dr. David Pepper, with the University of California, San Francisco, medical branch in Fresno where he treats many patients with lung ailments.

Pepper is part of Medical Alliance for Healthy Air.

He blamed federal authorities for setting up the local air district for failure.

"We're being forced to clamp down and not being given the tools," Pepper said.

The air district estimates that more than 1,000 Valley residents die each year from air pollution.

But both federal and air district officials said they are cooperating well and expect to see steady improvements in Valley air.

"I think all the elements are in place and it will be getting better," said Kelly Drake, associate director of the air division for the EPA's regional office in San Francisco.

Dave Mitchell, planning manager for the district, agreed. He said state and federal authorities are spending money on a variety of programs to retrofit diesel engines to reduce pollution and replace old vehicles with cleaner modern ones. The federal government also is setting higher standards for new vehicles.

One problem is that diesel engines can last for decades, which means it may take 20 years to get the older polluters out of truck and bus fleets.

"That's where some of our incentive programs come into play to replace them early," Mitchell said.

Bonnie Holmes-Gen, assistant vice president of government relations for the American Lung Association of California, said state government also is doing its part.

She said the state this year is spending $141 million just to replace or upgrade dirty diesel engines, including many that operate farm pumps in the Valley.

Still, she said a lot more needs to be done, especially since the Valley's growing population and growing number of cars offset some of the gains that come through tighter rules.

"And a lot more needs to be done with smart growth at the local level to reduce vehicle trips," Holmes-Gen said.

She said the state government should be passing laws that give cities and counties incentives to plan their growth in ways that encourage people to walk more and drive less.

The local air district is working on a rule that would charge developers for the pollution impacts of sprawling development.

That money would then be used to reduce pollution in other ways and encourage smart growth.

To reach reporter Dana Nichols, phone (209) 546-8295 or e-mail dnichols@recordnet.com

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