Utah Moms for Clean Air

Dept of Mechanical Engineering
University of Utah
Seminar Series:
1:30-3:30 PM, Thursday May 22, 2008
1250 Warnock Eng. Building
University of Utah Campus

Air Pollution in the Utah Valleys:
Causes, Effects and Solutions

Professor Delbert Eatough
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, BYU

John Veranth
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, UofU

Robert Sawyer
Department of Mechanical Engineering, UC, Berkeley

The air quality in populated valleys in Utah ranks
among the worst in the country. The financial and
human costs of that pollution are enormous. This
seminar is an exploration the causes, effects and
solutions to this problem with a focus on recent
scientific and engineering understanding. The goal is
to inform university researchers, community health
professionals, community activists and governmental
representatives about the challenges and priorities of
work to be done to improve the air quality in the
State.

The seminar will consist of four parts. The first is a
presentation by Delbert Eatough. Professor Eatough
will discuss the chemistry of anthropogenic pollution,
particularly fine particles and aerosols. He will
present result of his studies and others related to
formation of the most toxic forms of pollution and
provide some insight into ways that public health
might be protected.

The second presentation will be by John Veranth.
Professor Veranth will discuss transport of fine
particles in the atmosphere and biological responses
to transition metals found in inorganic, air borne
particles. Professor Veranth will then discuss options
for reducing the toxicity of the more problematic
compounds found in fine particles.

The third presentation will be given by Robert Sawyer.
Professor Sawyer will discuss solutions to air
pollution that have been implemented in California and
the relevance of those approaches to the local
problems in Utah .

Following the presentations, the three speakers will
form a panel to discuss priority actions that might be
taken to improve the quality of our air.

For more information contact Prof. Kent Udell: 585-0369

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Summit County Library Auditorium

(Sheldon Richins Building – Kimball Junction)

Park City

Rowland Hall St Mark’s and Utah Moms for Clean Air present:

“Air Quality Where Children Live and Breathe: A Focus on Schools,” a free informational lecture for parents, teachers, students, or anyone else interested in learning more about the dangers of poor air quality around schools and what you can do about it.

Topics will include basic information about the types and sources of air pollution and the health impacts for our children as well as practical solutions for schools, including idle reduction campaigns, diesel school bus improvements, and air quality education for kids.

• The lecture is free to the public.
  February 11, Monday, 7 p.m.
  McCarthey campus of Rowland Hall-St. Mark’s School
  720 Guardsman Way

For more information about Utah Moms for Clean Air, visit www.utahmomsforcleanair.org.

Thanks to all of you who came to hear Utah Moms speak last night as part of the Post Carbon Salt Lake and First Church Environmental Ministry First Friday speakers series.

Representative Christine Johnson was kind enough to introduce us.

Speakers were:

Cherise Udell - Introduction
Cameron Cova - Transportation
Debbie Sigman - Quality Growth & School Bus Initiatives
Dana Clark - Clean Energy & Coal
Lori Taylor - Legislation

We emphasized ways people can get involved in clean air activities. See our updated Volunteer requests for details — a lot of details.

Elaine Jarvik of the Deseret News did a good job of summing up some of our current activities on clean energy and transportation in her article “Moms group all fired up to help curb air pollution.”

We understand it will be a minority who can make the trip to Ely. If you’d like to make your voice against new coal plants heard in another way, please join us for a “Clean Energy, No Coal, please!” poster-making party for kids and parents. We will make posters and banners for the No Coal Express to take to Ely.

Bring your creative ideas, photos of your children or other relevant photos, and any favorite art supplies. We will provide large poster board, lots of markers and pens, glue sticks, etc. There will be a brief child-oriented discussion of the problems with this coal plant to kick things off. We want to send the message that clean energy is better for everyone and coal is not the answer.

This event is sponsored by Utah Moms for Clean Air.

Date: Monday, January 7
Time: 3:00 - 5:00 pm
Place: Sprague Library downstairs meeting room (2131 S 1100 E, SLC)
Contact: Travis Harvey travis@utahmomsforcleanair.org

The two biggest culprits in Utah’s air pollution problem can be summed up by cars and coal. Coal-fired power plants in Utah and neighboring states contribute greatly to the dangerously unhealthy air we are all breathing. Several new coal-fired power plants are being proposed for Nevada upwind from the Wasatch front. One of them called the Ely Energy Center (EEC) will be just north of Ely, NV. Let’s stamp out the EEC before it even gets off the ground.

The Nevada Department of Environmental Protection (NDEP) is holding a public hearing in Ely on Wednesday, January 9 regarding the air quality permit being considered for the EEC. An environmental impact study has already been conducted by the NDEP and they are strongly considering granting the permits.

Several groups are arranging to take a busload of Utahns to Ely, NV to attend the public hearing. The bus would depart SLC at approximately 1:00 pm to make the 6:00 pm hearing. Because of the late hour, we would most likely stay in a comfortable hotel in Wendover, NV that would include a buffet breakfast the next morning. Arrival time back in SLC would be approximately 11:00 am, January 10. The maximum cost would be about $40 to $45 per person. Donors are helping to underwrite part of the trip and reduce the cost substantially if not completely. The firm details of cost are yet to be worked out. A small sacrifice of 24 hours of your precious time, and a few dollars could make a dramatic difference in stopping this ugly coal plant.

National media are covering this trip, and a private film company making a documentary on the national movement to stop the coal rush will be taking note. The fact that a busload of people would travel 5 hours to tell a neighboring state that we don’t want their coal emissions is a big message that will resonate loudly across the country to the large financial institutions that may finance such a large project. So, the impact of the trip will be greater than just the outcome of the public hearing.

If you wish to join the No Coal Express, contact Travis Harvey of Utah Moms for Clean Air (travis@utahmomsforcleanair.org) as soon as possible. We ideally need to confirm attendees by January 2.

Post Carbon Salt Lake and the Environmental Ministry of the First Unitarian Church of Salt Lake City are co-sponsoring the First Friday speakers series. Previous speakers include outgoing Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson, Dr. Brian Moench of Utah Physicians for a Health Environment, and newly elected Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker.

~~~~ This Friday ~~~~
~~ Utah Moms for Clean Air speak ~~

Date: Friday, January 4th
Time: 7:00-8:30pm
Place: First Unitarian Church, 569 S. 1300 East, SLC

After a quick overview of what Utah Moms for Clean Air have done in 2007 in response to the alarming health effects of dirty air on Utah’s children, we will be addressing several of the projects we are working on for 2008 — Transportation, Diesel School Bus Retrofits, Clean Energy, Coal, and Legislation.

We will talk about practical ways to get involved in Clean Air for Utah.

Come prepared to take action!

This past Saturday evening, Utah Moms for Clean Air attended a presentation given by Dr. Brian Moench of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment on the effects of coal on human health. It helps to get a reminder slap in the face every once in a while that our choices as citizens of Utah do matter.

Learn about coal and make your voice heard.

Those of you in Southern Utah, please attend the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) public meeting Tuesday. They want to know what you think of the Toquop Energy Project just outside Mesquite, upwind from St. George.

The plant was originally approved as a gas-fired power plant, but another Environmental Impact Study must be conducted because the developer wants to switch to cheaper coal-fired power.

What: BLM public meeting on coal-fired power plant
When: Tuesday, November 6, 4:00-7:00pm
Where: Dixie Center, St. George

Read more

• News article from St. George: “Weighing in on coal: Public meeting to focus on possible new power plant,” Alyson Van Deusen, The Spectrum, November 4, 2007.
• Comments from Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment on another coal plant, mentions Toquop and expected cumulative effects. In particular, includes information on mercury contamination. PDF. “White Pine Energy Station DEIS,” Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, 2007.

• “Mercury Fact Sheet,” Pennsylvania Department of Health.
• “Mercury Contamination of Aquatic Ecosystems,” U.S. Geological Survey.