Wisconsin DNR Continues To Withhold Air Quality Information

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources at 4:09 p.m. today, and for the seventh time in the last 34 days, issued through email notifications to media and citizen subscribers what it calls an air quality 'advisory" for Milwaukee and other Wisconsin counties.

The advisory declares that levels of the airborne smog component ozone had reached an unhealthy level for children, seniors and people with certain lung conditions.

This is what the DNR says ozone 'looks' like:

 

Smog over the city of Milwaukee

The problem with these "advisories," which should be called alerts, or warnings, is they come out of the blue (perhaps the grey?), when, prior to March, 2011, they were issued on the heels of a preliminary alert which notified the public that atmospheric conditions were building towards the unhealthy level.

The Walker administration said when it cut the notifications from two to one that the DNR didn't have the resources to continue the two-stage procedure.

Obfuscation makes bad public policy.

And what value do you put on the health of Wisconsin residents' lungs?