Utah Moms for Clean Air

The Salt Lake Tribune leads the editorial page today with “Ozone season: Our only defense is driving less in summer.”

We write a lot about ozone. Local papers have been writing a lot about ozone. State government has been addressing the problem of ozone. I suspect that if you are reading this, you have already heard a lot about ozone.

Not everyone understands how the deadly mix that becomes ozone is made, though. The better we understand the problem and its causes, the better we can take actions to change it.

[V]ehicle exhaust, industrial emissions, chemical fumes and wildfire smoke all cook in high-90s heat and create air that’s not safe for people with respiratory or heart problems, the very young or the elderly. Our only defense against this invisible threat is staying indoors and driving less.

The new, tighter ozone standard from the EPA will warn us of dangers at lower levels than last summer. But, health professionals and others still say the standard is not tight enough. We need to do more than just meet a compromise ozone standard. We need to act on every level to lessen emissions that contribute to ozone. Let’s start where we each have the most control.

So it’s up to us to take steps to clean up the air, beyond what the government requires. Ozone season should also be the season for taking public transportation and leaving the car at home as much as possible. Our health depends on it.

Read more:

• “Ozone season: Our only defense is driving less in summer,” Editorial, Salt Lake Tribune, June 23, 2008.

Check out this You-tube video, “the girl who silenced the world for five minutes” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQmz6Rbpnu0). Poetic. Poignant. Profound.

It’s great to see Wasatch Front air pollution as the lead story on the front page of the Salt Lake Tribune. I would prefer dirty air weren’t a problem at all so we could concentrate on other issues, but the fact is we need to address air quality as long as it continues to harm our children’s health as it does.

Red air quality flags ahead
Stricter ozone standards put our polluted air in spotlight
by Judy Fahys
Salt Lake Tribune
June 20, 2008

One of the issues in making changes has been the need for clear public education. This article includes an explanation of how ozone is formed along with clear recommendations to REDUCE DRIVING, FILL CARS LATER in the day, and MOW LAWNS LATER in the day. Why?

“Combustion-engine exhaust, power plant emissions, chemical fumes and wildfire smoke react with summer sunlight and heat to form ozone, an air pollutant that is odorless and colorless.”

Thank you, Salt Lake Tribune for the clear and prominent effort to educate the public about air pollution.

Summer is here and with it, ozone season. Today, ozone levels reached levels that are unhealthy and more of the same is expected Tuesday and Wednesday.

While ozone is good up high in the earth’s stratosphere, it is harmful to people, plants and animals at ground-level. In essence ground-level ozone is smog. It is created by chemical reactions between oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) in the presence of sunlight. Emissions from industrial facilities and electric utilities, motor vehicle exhaust, gasoline vapors and chemical solvents are some of the major sources of NOx and VOC.

Breathing ground-level ozone can jump-start a number of health problems including chest pain, coughing, throat irritation and congestion. It can also aggravate bronchitis, emphysema and asthma. Simply put, breathing ozone-polluted air gives our lungs a sunburn! Repeated exposure can permanently scar your lung tissue.

So what can you do to help reduce your contribution to ozone and protect you and your family? Start by signing-up for air alerts at the Utah Department of Air Quality (http://www.airquality.utah.gov/). DAQ will alert you at least one day in advance when our air is predicted to be unhealthy. Ozone peaks in mid-afternoon (today, for example it peaked about noon), so on red and yellow air alert days avoid physical exertion during the hottest part of the day, when ozone, which again is sunlight dependant, reaches its greatest levels. Exercise instead in the early morning or after dark. On red air days like today, I also do my best to keep my kids inside during peak ozone hours (ozone breaks down quickly indoors).

As for your reducing your contribution to ozone please consider the following, especially on Red and Yellow alert days:

• Refrain from using a gas-powered lawn mower, blower, trimmer or weed cutter. Your neighbors will thank you just for the reduction in noise pollution!

• Fill your gas tank during cooler evening hours.

• Reduce driving by carpooling, taking public transit, walking, biking or telecommuting.

• Do not idle your car for more than 10 seconds.

• Use low or no VOC paint. (Check-out the Green Building Center in Salt Lake City).

• Set your thermostat a few degrees higher in the summer (saving energy saves you money and saves our air).

• Send letters to Governor Huntsman and other elected officials demanding action on our poor air quality (Salt Lake City gets an “F” grade from the American Lung Association!)

Together, we can make a difference. Together, we can create a future where we can all breathe freely.

*EPA brochure: “Ozone.” June 2003

Dear Moms and all Utahns for Clean Air,

What’s more important than voting on November 4th? Attending your political party caucus or mass meeting on March 25th!

Party caucuses are not just for political junkies. In fact, that is where an ordinary person’s vote can make the most impact. By attending those important initial meetings, you can help ensure candidates representing you and your values make it on the ballot in November.

Join Utah Moms for Clean Air, Utahns for Public Schools, and several other Utah non-profits for a tutorial on getting involved in the Republican caucuses and Democratic mass meetings. Participating non-profits will also give briefings on key issues in the upcoming state elections—everything from air quality and the environment to education to healthcare.

There will be three informational sessions and trainings in Salt Lake County:

Thursday, March 6th, 6:30-8:00 pm
South Jordan Library, 10673 S Redwood Rd

Tuesday, March 11th, 6:30-8:00 pm*
West Valley Cultural Center, 1355 W 3100 S
*Spanish and English sessions available

Thursday, March 13th. 6:00-7:30 pm (space is limited)
Health & Wellness Building, Westminster College
1840 S 1300 E, Salt Lake City

As Governor Jon Huntsman said in his 2008 State of the State Address, “The power of our state comes from people who are concerned about their government. Government is a personal responsibility. You are the greatest safeguard against depersonalized government and the antidote to apathy.” At mass meetings, caucuses and party conventions, priorities are set and candidates are chosen. This is where we as a people determine the future direction of our communities.

These decisions should not be left to small minorities and factions within parties to decide. It should be a process engaged in by the public. With so many important issues at stake in this upcoming election, including moving our state towards cleaner air, we need candidates on the ballot who can lead us in the right direction. Please take this opportunity to get involved in the political process.

For more information about caucuses, check out Utahns for Public Schools’ website.

Thanks for working for clean air!

— Cherise, Dana, Cameron, Travis, Michelle, Pat, Deborah, Lori, and Jennifer
The Founders of Utah Moms for Clean Air

WHAT:
Please join us and special guest, Representative Chris Johnson,
for drinks and eats, and discover how you can be a part of the solution to Utah’s pollution.

Prizes for the best, three “dirty” or “clean” (air) limericks!
(Helpful hints at Poetry America.)

WHERE:
Big City Soup
235 South 400 West
Salt Lake City, UT 84111

WHEN:
Thursday, March 6th
6:00 to 7:30pm

WHY:
Utah Moms for Clean Air is hoping to have some Irish luck and discover a pot o’ gold so that we can fund our outreach and education program. You don’t have to be a “MOM” to attend this informative presentation. . . you need only care about the air we breathe.

Suggested donation is a minimum of $20.

We’re passing along the following action alert from the League of Women Voters.

Soon the Transportation, Environmental Quality and National Guard Appropriations Subcommittee will take final testimony and a final vote on the appropriation for Air Quality Planning.

We are asking you to send an email to or call members of the appropriation committee listed at the end of this message.

The Governor has requested $2.21 million for air quality planning, and the Fiscal Analyst recommended $2.21 million.

However, on January 24, in the preliminary vote, the subcommittee approved only $1.5 million.

So far, there has been no indication which amount the subcommittee intends to approve.

It would be timely for the committee to be educated that:

• Citizens think air quality is a critical issue.
• Citizens expect the Legislature to provide the financial and moral support the Department of Environmental Quality needs to do its work and clean up our air.
• We are concerned about transparency and good government.
• We are paying attention.

Please use your own words to explain how important these matters are.

REMEMBER YOU SPEAK ONLY FOR YOURSELF, NOT THE LEAGUE.

Be polite and positive. Use CONTACT INFO below.

***********************************************

Transportation, Environmental Quality, and National Guard Appropriations Subcommittee members.

Carlene Walker, Co-chair, cwalker@utahsenate.org, 733-4599 R-Cottonwood Heights dist 8
Wayne Harper, Co-chair, wharper@utah.gov, 566-5466 R-West Jordan dist 43
President John Valentine, jvalentine@utahsenate.org, 224-1693 R-Orem dist 14
Sheldon Killpack [Assistant Majority Whip], skillpack@utahsenate.org, 773-5486 R-Syracuse dist 21
Fred Fife, ffife@utahsenate.org, 521-7383 D-SLC dist 1
Glenn A. Donnelson, gdonnelson@utah.gov, 782-2640 R- N Ogden dist 7
Todd E. Kiser, toddkiser@utah.gov, 571-0179 R Sandy dist 41
Becky Lockhart, blockhart@utah.gov, 377-7428 R-Provo dist 64
Patrick Painter, ppainter@utah.gov, 636-0296 R-Nephi R dist 67
Kenneth Sumsion, ksumsion@utah.gov, 368-8299 R-American Fork dist 56
Neil A. Hansen, neilhansen@utah.gov, 393-1514 D- Ogden dist 9
Neal Hendrickson, nhendrickson@utah.gov, 969-8920 D-WVC dist 33

Ann O’Connell,
LWV Utah Legislative Action Director

Hello Utah Moms for Clean Air!

We knew that this 45-day period of the legislative session would be busy. We promised in our last call to action that we would be supporting legislative to clean up both cars and coal. Today is your chance to support a clean air and efficient vehicle tax incentive that is being voted on MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4 (9th in line for the vote) and we’re asking you to act TODAY!

House Bill 106, sponsored by Representative Roz McGee (D) of District 28 and Senator Greg Bell (R) of District 22 is called the Clean Air and Efficient Vehicle Tax Incentive. It will incentivize purchase and retrofit of clean-fuel vehicles and help reduce emissions by vehicles.

We are asking you to write (email) or call your representative to ask them to vote in favor of H.B. 106 in the upcoming vote on the bill. Time is of the essence, so contact them Monday, if at all possible. Go to the House’s website to find your Representative’s contact information. A combination of an email and a phone call will be most effective since time is so short.

The following information on H.B. 106 is provided by Utah Clean Energy:

This legislation would provide performance‑based, fuel and technology neutral incentives for efficient and clean vehicles. Consumers would receive a tax credit for the purchase of a new vehicle ($1,000) meeting air quality and fuel economy guidelines set by the US EPA, or conversion of a vehicle ($2,500) to run on clean fuel such as natural gas, propane and electricity. This tax credit would sunset on December 31, 2013.

Main Points

• Currently, Utah has a tax credit for up to half the incremental cost of an alternative fuel vehicle’s powertrain and fuel system. There are some problems with this statute, as it provides full incentives for used vehicles that have limited remaining useful life and associated benefits. Some of these used vehicles are no more efficient and no cleaner than today’s passenger cars. This bill closes this loophole and supports the cleanest and most efficient vehicles.
• This 2008 legislation seeks to improve the existing statute to provide incentives for new vehicles meeting the highest standards for fuel efficiency and air pollution. It is fuel and technology neutral.
• It proposes a $1,000 tax credit for vehicles that meet criteria for fuel efficiency and air pollution. The vehicles currently eligible for this credit include: Honda Civic GX (CNG), Honda Civic hybrid, Toyota Prius, Toyota Camry hybrid, Nissan Altima Hybrid, Mercury Mariner hybrid, Mazda hybrid Tribute, and Ford Escape hybrid. This list is may change as technology advances.
• It maintains the existing $2,500 tax credit for the conversion of vehicles to run on clean fuels through the installation of certified conversion equipment, providing an important incentive for cleaner natural gas conversions.
• It eliminates a requirement that owners of clean fuel vehicles annually purchase a clean special fuel tax certificate, which is not easily enforced and contributes little revenue to the State.

Important Point

• It is designed to let industry and the market decide the best technologies to meet air emission and fuel efficiency criteria, and streamlines the State’s administration of the credit.

What are the benefits to Utah and Utah’s Citizens?

• Help reduce reliance on foreign fuel and improve energy security. Proposed legislation would encourage the purchase of vehicles with an improved fuel economy of 41 to 44 percent, therefore reducing Utah’s reliance on foreign oil [1].
• Improve Utah’s air quality, benefiting our public health. Choosing a vehicle with the highest efficiency compared to an average economy car, can reduce of air pollutants such as NOx (by 71%), NMOG (by 89%), CO (by 50%), and HCHO (by 78%).[1]

[1] Source: Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Air Quality, 2007; NOx=Oxides of Nitrogen: Compounds containing nitrogen and oxygen; they combine with hydrocarbons in the sunlight to form smog; NMOG=Non-Methane Organic Compounds: Compounds containing carbon; they combine with NOx in the sunlight to form smog; CO=Carbon Monoxide: A colorless, odorless, poisonous gas; HCHO=Formaldehyde: A lung irritant and carcinogen

Thanks so much for all you do!

— Cherise, Dana, Cameron, Travis, Michelle, Pat, Deborah, Lori, and Jennifer
The Founders of Utah Moms for Clean Air