Utah Moms for Clean Air

The new science/research committee is our team of analysts that investigates fundamental questions relating to air pollution. Questions presently on the table include: How much protection from the various air pollutants does staying indoors offer? Does having different emissions test standards for different makes of cars make sense for us from a health perspective? What growth scenarios for Utah could lead us to being less car-dependent? These are just the beginning and we expect that more areas of interest will continue to open up.

We need you!

The Utah Air Quality Board will be conducting hearings regarding whether or not to allow or withdraw the permit to build another coal-fired plant in Sevier County.

As you know, if this plant is built, many more tons of pollution will enter the air we all breathe. The hearings will be held next week on Monday, October 1 nd Wednesday October 3 (see further info below).

PLEASE COME and support the newly formed Sevier County Chapter of Utah Moms for Clean Air who are fighting tooth and nail to have this permit revoked!

This is one of those events where we need every warm body that can make it! Your attendance at these hearings (even if you are only able to do so for an hour or so) could make the difference in which way the vote goes. The larger the crowd in support of denying the permit, the better to achieve the outcome we are seeking. Furthermore, the media will likely be there and the more concerned citizens the better. Quiet (relatively speaking) children are welcome.

The details:

Where: 168 North 1950 West, SLC (2nd building after you turn onto 1950 West)

Monday, Oct 1: Regular board meeting from 8 a.m. to about 9 a.m. The hearing starts between 9 a.m. and
9:30 a.m.

Wednesday, Oct 3: Hearing starts at 8 a.m.

Each of these meetings will most likely go until about 5 p.m.

Oct 1 - Room 101
Oct 3 - Check with the front desk

Be sure to sign in as a member of MOM’s, or as a citizen concerned about pollution so that the AQB will be aware of the numbers attending that are against the Sevier permit. If you are there for a few minutes - an hour or so - or all day, please sign in.

Thanks,

Cherise

“Groups push for clean air

CALEB WARNOCK - Daily Herald

Utah Valley’s air is so dirty that it is not adequate for raising children.

That was among the opinions offered to about 30 people gathered at the Provo City Library on Wednesday to hear the founders of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment and Utah Moms for Clean Air speak about the need to clean Utah County’s air. The event was hosted by the Utah Valley Sierra Forum.

All speakers asked those gathered to get involved by demanding that the Legislature put a moratorium on coal-fired power plants in Utah.

“We are not mommy pussy cats,” said Cherise Udell, founder of Utah Moms for Clear Air. “Individual action is not enough. We are definitely putting pressure on legislators. We are boldly calling for a full-blown moratorium on coal-fired plants in Utah. I like to think of us as grizzly bear mommies. Our cubs are threatened, and we are going to protect them. Grizzly bears do not engage in fights often, but when they do, they win.”…”

Read the rest of the article here.

hello clean air mamas (and others!):

wednesday night we encourage you to partipate in a one
hour statewide conservation effort. it is very
straightfoward: just turn off all your lights btw 9
and 10 pm and light some candles instead. see the
press release below for more info.

cheers, cherise udell
founder and president, utah moms for clean air
mom to sophia and ella

Contact: Dan Furner
801-231-1202
UTAH WILL GO DARK ON SEPTEMBER 19th

SALT LAKE CITY Sept 1st —”We want every Utah home
and business to turn off all lights for one hour from
9:00 to 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 19th,” said
Dan Furner, vice president of sales and marketing for
eCube Energy, a Salt Lake City company that
specializes in energy saving devices.

The experiment called, “Lights Off Utah”, is being
organized by eCube Energy and KSL’s Nightside Project
to demonstrate how much energy can be saved and how
carbon emissions can be eliminated through the simple
act of turning off all lights statewide for one hour.

“Of course, essential services, such as hospitals and
nursing homes will not be asked to participate, and
street lighting will remain on during that period,”
said Furner.

“We got the idea after the success of ‘Lights Out
London’ that was conducted on Thursday night
(6-21-07). It was estimated that if the city’s 9
million people cooperated, the amount of carbon
emissions removed from the atmosphere would equal the
removal of 750,000 vehicles from the roads for one
day,” said Paul Isom, eCube Energy vice president of
business development.

“Based on the London success, we fully expect Utah’s
government and business leaders to fully support
‘Lights Off Utah,” said Furner. The Royal family,
Prime Minister Tony Blair and the Mayor of London,
thousands of large and small businesses and the
general public came together for the London
experiment.

To sign up as a participant or sponsor in the
September 19th project, go to “Become a Sponsor” on
the lightsoffutah.com website or contact Dan Furner at
801-231-1202.

“We are very excited to be able to show the nation
that Utah is a true energy conservation state. Utahns
truly care about the environment, and we are going to
prove it,” said Isom.

This Thursday, September 13th at 7pm in the main auditorium at the Main City Library in Salt Lake City, a “Science in Society” public dialog will take place discussing Coal, Clean Air, and Climate Change. This event is not sponsored by Utah Moms for Clean Air, but may be of great interest to those in our membership.

Panelists for this discussion will include Richard Waije, President of Rocky Mountain Power; Dianne Nielson, Energy advisor to Governor Jon Huntsman; Ray Ring, Northern Rockies Editor of High Country News; James Martin, Department of Public Health and Environment of the State of Colorado; James Steenburgh, Chairman of Meteorology at the University of Utah; and Sara Wright, Executive Director of Utah Clean Energy.

The “Science in Society” public dialog series is sponsored bi-monthly by the Utah Science Center (www.utahsciencecenter.org). “Science in Society” brings timely and sometimes controversial topics to the public in an understandable and informative manner. The dialogs are presented in an interactive, non-lecture style with public dialog as the major objective. “Science in Society” is co-sponsored by The City Library, KCPW and The Leonardo.

The Utah Science Center, along with YouthCity Artways, formerly Global Artways (www.youthcityartways.org), and the Center for Documentary Arts (www.cdautah.org.) are founding partner in The Leonardo, a one-of-a-kind art, culture and science center with a multidisciplinary approach. The mission of The Leonardo is to create opportunities for visitors to become participants by exploring “new ways of seeing” their world, themselves and each other.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued a policy statement about the health effects of air pollution on children. The report (it is in pdf format) is available here. The policy statement is intended to help educate pediatricians about the impact of air pollution on their patients’ health, but is an interesting read for anyone concerned about air pollution and kids.

Sunday, September 2, air quality is anticipated to be moderate. Air quality action is requested from you again, including reducing your vehicle emissions.

SALT LAKE & DAVIS counties: Air Quality Condition: Moderate level - Yellow Air Quality Action Day. Please reduce driving by car-pooling or taking mass transit or by consolidating trips.
Health advisory: none

UTAH County: Air Quality Condition: Moderate level - Yellow Air Quality Action Day. Please reduce driving by car-pooling or taking mass transit or by consolidating trips.
Health advisory: none

WEBER County: Air Quality Condition: Moderate level - Yellow Air Quality Action Day. Please reduce driving by car-pooling or taking mass transit or by consolidating trips.
Health advisory: none

CACHE County: Air Quality Condition: Moderate.
Health Advisory: none

If you would like to receive Utah Division of Air Quality alerts by email, go here for subscription instructions. Or, send an email directly to Subscribe-Choose_Clean_Air@list.utah.gov.