Air Pollution And Political Fallout

From picturesque Door County all the way south through Milwaukee to the Illinois line, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says harmful levels of ozone and fine particulate matter could be forming in the air all day Sunday.

Later Sunday, the DNR made the advisory official:

Advisory for Ozone (Orange)

Start Time:	3:00 PM CST Sunday, August 29, 2010
End Time:	11:00 PM CST Sunday, August 29, 2010
Counties:	Door, Kenosha, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Sheboygan

We've had a spate of these warnings and alerts this year.

Passing the Governor's modest alternative energy and green jobs bill would have been a multi-faceted and direct approach to real energy-related problems in the state - - and which are disproportionately felt in industrialized, car-congested Southeastern Wisconsin - - but the State Senate, swayed by big business special interests, got cold feet and wouldn't even bring the bill to a vote earlier this year.

State Sen. Jeff Plane, (D-Milwaukee), was one of the bill's initial prime movers - - a bi-partisan, broadly-based task force had worked a long time on its consensus effort- - but Plale joined the crowd who walked away from the bill and thereby infuriated many constituents.

Unlike most incumbent Democrats, Plale has to contend with a primary opponent, County Supervisor Chris Larson, who got into the race in part because Plale abandoned the bill.

I wonder if Plale had second thoughts about his role in the bill's demise as he had to do doors and events in the hot unhealthy air this weekend.

Don't get me wrong: the air quality isn't his fault, but the primary campaigning he has to do this long hot summer that could cost him his seat is basically self-inflicted.