In WI, air pollution and political irony alert
[Updated from 11:19 a.m.] It didn't get much publicity, but Sheboygan and Manitowoc Counties were under an air pollution "advisory" yesterday. Not the way to spend the Sunday of Labor Day weekend.
I'll post the notice below.
A few things:
[Update] * In its early weeks, the DNR under Walker eliminated early air pollution "watches"sent out by the DNR - - ending notification to interested parties, vulnerable groups and those with lung and cardiac issues - - that atmospheric conditions not visible to the naked eye were building towards full-blown advisory conditions.
Too costly, the agency said, and too confusing, but I suspect it was a cave-in to right wing talk radio and its repetitive mocking of "ozone action days," and also to tamp down the idea that government was to have any role in fighting greenhouse gas emissions, climate change or air pollution, which has been the corporate mantra here for a long time.
And in the late afternoon Monday, three lakefront counties - - Kenosha, Milwaukee and Ozaukee are only at moderate air quality level, so stay tuned.
* Pretty ironic that the wind turbine industry centered in Manitowoc has not been shipping its clean energy production to Wisconsin sites because the Walker administration is hostile to alternative energy, like wind and solar technologies and no major Wisconsin wind projects have been launched for years.
* Furthermore, Wisconsin is using state agencies like the DNR and PSC which Walker has tilted towards industry to oppose stronger federal clean air standards - - yet Sheboygan County could lose much of an environment-cleansing 247-acre nature preserve, and a piece of an adjoining state park to golfing construction and traffic should a controversial new high-end golf course be built there.
We're always told that the polluted air drifts up to the lakeshore counties from Chicago, but I am unaware of any Illinois-Wisconsin joint efforts to attack the problem, if indeed that's what's it all about, other than Walker's accidental boost to Illinois Amtrak service when he rejected $800 million for Amtrak work in Wisconsin and some of the funding went for new trains and better track in Illinois.
I'll post the notice below.
A few things:
[Update] * In its early weeks, the DNR under Walker eliminated early air pollution "watches"sent out by the DNR - - ending notification to interested parties, vulnerable groups and those with lung and cardiac issues - - that atmospheric conditions not visible to the naked eye were building towards full-blown advisory conditions.
Too costly, the agency said, and too confusing, but I suspect it was a cave-in to right wing talk radio and its repetitive mocking of "ozone action days," and also to tamp down the idea that government was to have any role in fighting greenhouse gas emissions, climate change or air pollution, which has been the corporate mantra here for a long time.
And in the late afternoon Monday, three lakefront counties - - Kenosha, Milwaukee and Ozaukee are only at moderate air quality level, so stay tuned.
* Pretty ironic that the wind turbine industry centered in Manitowoc has not been shipping its clean energy production to Wisconsin sites because the Walker administration is hostile to alternative energy, like wind and solar technologies and no major Wisconsin wind projects have been launched for years.
* Furthermore, Wisconsin is using state agencies like the DNR and PSC which Walker has tilted towards industry to oppose stronger federal clean air standards - - yet Sheboygan County could lose much of an environment-cleansing 247-acre nature preserve, and a piece of an adjoining state park to golfing construction and traffic should a controversial new high-end golf course be built there.
We're always told that the polluted air drifts up to the lakeshore counties from Chicago, but I am unaware of any Illinois-Wisconsin joint efforts to attack the problem, if indeed that's what's it all about, other than Walker's accidental boost to Illinois Amtrak service when he rejected $800 million for Amtrak work in Wisconsin and some of the funding went for new trains and better track in Illinois.
Advisory for Ozone (Orange)
| Start Time: | 6:19PM CT Sunday, September 6, 2015 |
| End Time: | 11:59PM CT Sunday, September 6, 2015 |
| Counties: | Manitowoc Sheboygan |
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 |
1 comment:
We were very disappointed that they stopped giving the ozone alerts. My husband suffered with severe lung diseases, and there were times when he went out on a bad ozone day and came home with difficulty breathing. When the notices were sent out regularly, he would put off going out on those bad days to avoid possible trips to the hospital due to breathing problems. We found an alternative website that we could check regularly for ozone warnings. Shame on Walker's administration for not taking care of Wisconsinites; just simply caring. They did a great disservice to those in Wisconsin with lung disorders, illnesses, and asthma. I really hate what he has done to our state. One day I hope it will be great once again.
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