Ledger-Dispatch

By Kelly Scott (kenos@ledger-dispatch.com) =

Air quality in the Ione Valley is at = the mercy of=20 prevailing winds and Central Valley smog, according to local=20 officials.

Photo by: Raheem=20 Hosseini
While some counties managed to cut = ozone=20 and particle pollution in the past three years, others have stalled in = their=20 efforts, according to the American Heart Association. In a new report on = the=20 public health dangers of air pollution, the association again ranks = Amador=20 County at the bottom.

According to the report, five of the eight=20 metropolitan areas rated as the most polluted counties are in = California, while=20 one county in the state ranked in the top two of cleanest.

"The = ALA=20 graded 700 counties nationally on ozone and particle pollution," Janice = Nolen,=20 assistant vice president of the ALA, said in a teleconference call with=20 reporters last week. "These results were collected by the state and = verified by=20 the Environmental Protection Agency."

Nolen said that for the = first year=20 since the rankings began, a city outside California ranked first in = pollution.=20 Typically, Los Angeles has held that dubious honor, but due to modest=20 improvement, the Southern California city came in second to Pittsburgh,=20 Penn.

Jim Harris, air pollution control officer at the county air = district, explained that much of the local pollution is transported from = the=20 Central Valley. When there is visible haze in the valley, any low = pressure=20 system can push the dust or smoke into the foothills, leading to a = ranking that=20 "makes us look bad."

"The ALA has rated us an F for years," = Harris said.=20 "I don't know if they actually come here or if they are just reading = numbers in=20 an office somewhere."

ALA Senior Policy Director Bonnie = Holmes-Gen told=20 the Ledger Dispatch that both Amador and Calaveras counties received F = grades on=20 the report, and that Calaveras actually had more poor air days than = Amador. The=20 difference between the two, she said, is Calaveras ranked an A for short = term=20 particle pollution, which is a different problem than the ozone=20 pollution.

Among the most widespread pollutants are ozone and = particle=20 pollution, which can increase health risks with exposure. Ozone is a = reactive=20 gas molecule composed of three oxygen atoms and is the primary = ingredient of=20 smog. Ozone pollution attacks lung tissue by reacting with it = chemically.=20 Particle pollution, on the other hand, is not simple. It refers to a mix = of tiny=20 solids and liquids that are in the air we breath and become trapped in = the=20 lungs. The smallest of particle pollutants pass through the blood stream = just=20 like essential molecules.

According to Amador County Public = Health=20 Officer Dr. Bob Hartmann, the worsening air quality has been matched by=20 worsening health conditions.

"The health effects of air quality = has=20 increased childhood asthma (in the county)," he said. "There is also a = worsening=20 of chronic asthma, pulmonary diseases and an increase in cardiovascular=20 problems."

Both Hartmann and Harris say most of Amador's grimy = air comes=20 courtesy of prevailing winds, something Holmes-Gen agreed poses an = interesting=20 challenge.

"Achieving more success in San Joaquin Valley will = positively=20 impact Amador County due to the less transport of pollution," she said.=20 "However, it is important to remember that the majority of smog forming=20 emissions are from motor vehicles."

ALA Board Chair Gwendolyn = Young added=20 that diesel pollution and petroleum consumption top the list of things=20 California needs to transition away from.

"California cannot be=20 complacent," she said. "There is still a lot to do - achieving 33 = percent=20 renewable power, cleaner fuels in vehicles and equipment, and a dramatic = change=20 in land use planning to limit trips and have a greater quality of=20 life."

Cascade Sierra Solutions is currently working along the = Interstate=20 5 corridor on diesel emissions and pollution solutions for heavy duty = trucks.=20 Chief Executive Officer Sharon Banks said that there is little awareness = in the=20 trucking community regarding solutions to particle and ozone pollution = and that=20 Cascade Sierra is working on breaking down that barrier.

Harris = said he=20 didn't believe the lack of vehicle smog requirements in Amador County = had a lot=20 to do with the air quality, but added that all counties should be = subjected to=20 fair and equitable requirements. "We do suggest that people combine all = trips=20 into one when they are using their car and try to use public = transportation as=20 much as possible," he said.

Vehicles, trucks and fuels are what=20 Holmes-Gen attributed the bad air quality to in Amador County. Not only = across=20 the state, but in the county as well, she said. Local efforts to reduce = vehicle=20 trips, improve access to alternative transportation and retro-fitting = diesel=20 trucks will help in greatly reducing carbon emissions.

"It's = important=20 that Amador County start reducing vehicle trips with better land use = planning,"=20 she said. "Public transit, carpooling and biking are also good ways to = save=20 unnecessary trips."

Rishi Sangani, a 15-year-old who suffers from = asthma=20 and participated in ALA's California asthma camp this year, said that he = worried=20 about the future for those like him if pollution reduction isn't made a=20 priority. "If you can't breath, then nothing else matters," he = said.

To=20 read the report, visit www.californialung.org.

Kelly = Scott