Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Polluted Air Welcomes Summerfest; Walker DNR Now Holds Back Information

If the Wisconsin DNR hadn't ended "air quality watches" under new Walker administration procedures about publicizing dirty air conditions as they build to unhazardous levels, people making plans to hoof it across the Summerfest grounds on opening night might have thought twice about it.

But the DNR, since this March 11, 2001 email, now issues an "air quality advisory" only after conditions are already at an unhealthy stage:

From:
 
To:

As of March 15, 2011, the Wisconsin DNR will no longer issue Air Quality Watches for ozone and particle pollution due to limited staff resources and the potential increase in the number of air quality notices under proposed revisions to federal air standards.

In the past, an air quality watch was issued when conditions were favorable for pollutants to reach unhealthy levels.
So today, Bucky, you're advised that ozone, a component of smog from tailpipe and smokestack emissions, is at an unhealthy stage for seniors, children, people doing outdoor exercises, and others with lung problems, such as asthma:

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Advisory for Ozone (Orange)

Start Time: 5:30PM CT Wednesday, June 27, 2012
End Time: 1:00AM CT Thursday, June 28, 2012
Counties: Dodge, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Rock, Kenosha

AIR QUALITY INDEX CHART

Air Quality Index
(AQI) Values
Levels of Health Concern Colors
When the AQI
is in this range:
...air quality conditions are: ...as symbolized
by this color:
0 to 50 Good Green
51 to 100 Moderate Yellow
101 to 150 Unhealthy for
Sensitive Groups
Orange
151 to 200 Unhealthy Red
201 to 300 Very Unhealthy Purple
301 to 500 Hazardous Maroon

11 comments:

Reagan's Disciple said...

Really? You honestly think people wouldn't go to Summerfest because of an air quality warning? Really?

Clementine said...

My 'alert' hit my inbox at 5:51 pm. The advisory period began at 5:30 pm

And yes, some people really do stay indoors when the air is bad. You see, some people have breathing problems, such as asthma, COPD, etc.

Gareth said...

This explains why the DNR air quality alert emails have been such a joke. They usually arrive the day after the pollution is made evident by a burning sensation in the lungs or the inability to breath. Thanks a lot.

Would I attend Summerfest if ozone and particle pollution levels were heavy? Absolutely not. People actually die or are hospitalised due to asthma attacks caused by air pollution. Amazingly enough even Conservatives can have lung problems.

Anyone with a lung disease should monitor this web site daily:

http://www.airnow.gov/

If the Mittster is elected President I suppose it will be taken down so as not to alarm the peasants.

enoughalready said...

The air quality really stinks around here today. Thanks for this notice. Very strange how our local media remain silent.

Anonymous said...

Take a look at airnow.gov

Wisconsin has worse air quality than Ohio and places downwind of it.

And all that pollution is not even caused by manufacturing. It is almost purely the result of having to drive to do so much as pick up a jug of milk.

Walker's Wisconsin for you.

And RD, yes. Those of us with lung trouble do prefer to make sure the air is clear before committing to spend a day in the outdoors and far from our homes.

Boxer said...

That's OK! Rayguns is apparently unaffected by breathing problems, so why worry? As long as he is good, the rest of you go fly a kite.

It's all about him.

Milwaukee looks like a Beijing... said...

I did not receive an alert. I went out briefly in the car to drop my wife off downtown. Guess what- the smog looks like a Colorado wildfire. breathing is hard! Any one with breathing problems would be made aware of this.. DNR / WALKER FAIL.

LITIGATE !

RD said...

Anon said "And all that pollution is not even caused by manufacturing. It is almost purely the result of having to drive to do so much as pick up a jug of milk. Walker's Wisconsin for you."

So now Walker is responsible for the poor air quality in our area?

If you guys weren't serious about this it would be funny.

Anonymous said...

"So now Walker is responsible for the poor air quality in our area?
"

Walker has opposed every concrete move that would improve it, and pushed for every concrete move that would exacerbate it.

RD said...

@anon 7:10

We are not speaking about "concrete moves." We were talking about poor air quality and the democrats trying to blame this on Walker.

Was Walker responsible for the poor air quality in July 2010?

Or, better yet, is Walker responsible for the raw sewage being dumped into Lake Michigan?

How about in your next post, really, really try not to be a hypocrite. I bet you can't do it.

Anonymous said...

Well, RD, as you correctly surmise, it would take a large amount of effort to shift things in Wisconsin to improve air quality.

So if Walker developed asthma tomorrow and started taking action, it would still take years before it bore fruit.

Now, if he actually were trying to improve air quality in Wisconsin, I would not be criticizing him for it here.

But with every single policy issue that pertains to air quality in Wisconsin, Walker supports moves that will make it worse.

DId I explain this in simple enough language? Or are you going to feign stupidity again?