1998_04 Insight April 1998

              Extended Forecast:
S
moggy
It looks like a beautiful
summer morning in the San
Joaquin Valley. From the kitchen window the sky
seems clear and blue. But from the front door,
the air is just a wall of brown smog.
Many days during the year, thick, stagnate
air covers the San Joaquin Valley. On some days,
The People's Church, which is only a few blocks
away from Fresno State, is nearly invisible.
So too is the Sierra Nevada Mountain
Range, though it is just more than an hour away.
The wind blows so much dust, pollen and
smog through the air that at times, it is almost
impossible to breathe. Some who go outside are
plagued with watery eyes and runny noses. Many
can't stop coughing and sneezing.
Since the Valley is surrounded on all sides
by mountains, air pollution becomes trapped
within the bowl of the Valley. This leads to the
harmful pollution levels.
Air pollution in the San Joaquin Valley is
dangerous to the people, environment and
economy. Though there have been recent improvements in pollution levels. Valley air pollution rates are well above federal allowances.
The Valley is in serious non-attainment of
federal standards for both ozone (O,) and total
suspended panicles (TSPor PM10). Federal standards allow three days in a three-year period to
be above approved levels. Last year, Fresno was
above federal standards 19 times. The problem
used to be even worse. In previous years of non-
attainment, the Valley would average 44-45 days
above federal standards.
The passing of the Clean Air Act in 1970
improved the quality of air, not just in the San
Joaquin Valley, but the entire country. But the
Valley has not come far enough.
The Valley is required to reach federal attainment standards by November 1999. Joset
Merced Bello and Wayne Clark of the San
Joaquin Valley Unified Pollution Control District, think this is unlikely. If the Valley has not
reached attainment more stringent regulation will
be imposed.
"Modeling projects will eventually lower
the pollution levels to federal standards," Clark
said.
Recent reviews of ozone levels show it is
unlikely the Valley will reach federal standards.
The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to re-evaluate the San Joaquin Valley in
mid 2000. It is likely the Valley will be re-classified from serious to severe non-attainment of
the ozone standard. If this happens, the Valley
will be given six more years to reach attainment.
and will be expected to submit a plan of action.
Increasing population of the Valley makes
it difficult to lower pollution levels because tbere are more automobiles traveling further distances. The Valley's population
is expected to double. Urban
sprawl will force residents of the
Valley to travel further to work
caused by ai
creases plan
' We're
probably
second in line
and to run errands. Improve- _. - .
ments in emission standards help      tO LOS jr\ngel€S
in ozone
problem.
Lower emission levels help prevent pollution levels from skyrocketing as the Valley's population continues to grow.
High pollution levels can
lead to a number of health, environmental and economic problems. Air pollution causes short-
term respiratory infections, as
well as chronic heart and respiratory problems. Short term exposure to air pollution can lead
to nausea and dizziness.
Every year, pollution causes more than
$115 billion in losses from crop damage Bello
said.   Ozone causes 98 percent of damage.
pollution to agriculture. Pollution de-
yield and fruit size, injures leaves.
stems and roots and kills
plants.
According  to the
California Air Resource
Board, the Valley annually
"• 25 percent of its
grape crop:
• 16 percent of its
cotton yield;
• 30 percent of its orange yield: and f
•40 percent of its potato yield.
Nationally, pollution
reduces crop yield by more
than S5 billion a year.
"We're probably second in line to Los Angeles
in ozone levels." Clark
said.
Air pollution has existed since the first volcano erupted. The problem
initially thought to only be in London, where
Criteria Pollutants
levels."
WAYNE CLARK
San Joaquin Valley
Unified Pollution Control
District
GASSES
sulfur dioxide
carbon monoxide
ozone
hydrocarbons
nitrogen dioxide
RESULTS
toxic to plants; causes acid
rain; irritates respiratory
tract
headaches; dizziness;
impaires perception; fatal
irritates respiratory tract
and eyes
forms ozone; causes cancer
irritates respiratory tract; toxic to
plants; forms ozone and add rain
LIQUIDS & SOLIDS RESULTS
particulate matter irritates respiratory tract; corrodes
damages nervous system, blood
and kidneys
see AIR, page 6
photos by Mahito Tomoi
A machine at the Air Quality Monitoring
Station in Clovis collects samples of air from
outside then is pumped through a filter to
pick up the dust. The filter is changed twice
a week because of Fresno's poor air quality.
George Jung attends the machines that
check levels of ozone, nitrogen oxide,
carbon monoxide and other air
contaminants and print results.
The view from Fresno State near the Clovis Corporation yard where the San Jc^quin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District tests samples of the city's air is evidence of the poor air quality.
photo by Mahito Tomoi
Insight Special § April 22,1998