Enjoy The March Thaw - - Not!

Here we go again: The DNR has issued a dirty air notice for 59 counties. There's more particulate matter risk, it seems, though wasn't it just a few days ago that the state was assuring us that the air quality here was okey-dokey?

And the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce was lobbying for a rollback by the US Environmental Protection Agency in clean air enforcement in southeastern Wisconsin?

Note to the WMC: How's about rolling back your statewide campaigns for dirty air, quickie diversions of Great Lakes water, and State Supreme Court candidates with shaky credentials?

From the DNR:

"The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is issuing an Air Quality Watch for Particle Pollution for 59 counties, including Adams, Barron, Brown, Buffalo, Calumet, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Door, Dunn, Eau Claire, Fond Du Lac, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, Kewaunee, La Crosse, Lafayette, Langlade, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marquette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Racine, Richland, Rock, Rusk, Sauk, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Walworth, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago and Wood.

"The advisory is effective effective midnight on Tuesday, March 11, 2008 through 11:59 pm on Wednesday, March 12, 2008 .

"The watch is being issued because of the forecast for elevated levels of fine particles in the air. Fine particle pollution is composed of microscopic dust, soot, liquid droplets and smoke particles that are 2.5 microns or smaller. These fine particles come primarily from combustion sources, such as power plants, factories and other industrial sources, vehicle exhaust, and outdoor fires."