"Hi, I saw the web page and it caught my attention. I work as a fire fighter for the xxxxx Forestry. I work fire only, from February to May and September to November. I also get sent to other states as well during the summer months. As a fire fighter I am provided with all kinds of safety equipment Hard hat, Gloves, Goggles, Nomex Flame Resistant Clothing, Face Shroud, and a Fire Shelter. I have never been offered any protection for my lungs. Could you please forward me information or a source of information that will explain any long term health risks or concerns. Thank you in advance.
"A proposal to weaken an important provision in the Clean
Air Act is making its way to the White House for a final decision
by President Bush.The recommendation, from the Energy Department
and
The Environmental Protection Agency, is variously described as
"tentative" and "informal" - in
any case, not final. One can only hope so. It is a bad idea, one
of several to emerge from Vice
President Dick Cheney's task force on energy last spring. By rejecting
it, the administration can
spare itself the kind of embarrassment it suffered when it tried
to roll back the Clinton
administration's arsenic standard last year."
A federal judge in Montana has blocked a Bush
administration decision that would have allowed logging at
the Bitterroot National Forest.More info on Burning Issues Site. Clean Energy and Conservation
The Bush administration is walking away from a project to develop high-mileage gasoline-fueled vehicles and will support a plan to develop hydrogen-based fuel cells.
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/09/business/09FUEL.html?todaysheadlinesMore on Fuel Cells on Burning Issues Site:
"Date: Sun, 13 Jan 2002 05:52:53 -0800
From: Brian Browne <h2oecon@pacbell.net>
Subject: PUNISHMENT - IS THIS SF'S TORA BORA?
BC= Black Carbon
UV = Ultra Violet
In an earlier communiqué I predicted we would be "punished"
for
daring to challenge the mighty Kokkari Restaurant, 200 Jackson
Street, SF
94111, on January 11, 2002 with a public meeting (50 attended
- more would
have, but our management at the GGC has fought mightily to suppress
leafleting of tenants' issues) to discuss wood burning fire issues.
You
asked how?
FYI -- At 8.20 PM on the 11th -- the night of Supervisor Peskin's
visit
the black carbon reading was BC was 2275 and UV 2142 The restaurant
basically shut down their "power" operation to "pose"
as good neighbors.
The following night (January 12) was a "B52 equivalent"
attack and at 8.20
PM BC was 16,542 and UV 24,590. The latter exceed BOTH KOKKARI
and the
FIREWORKS combined just after midnight on NYE (see Dr. Fairley's
paper).
Maybe we should call this area "Tora Bora" not the "Barbary
Coast?" I think
Kokkari with these type "power raids" can quickly eradicate
out our small,
brave and not so resilient "pocket of resistance." (kids,
elderly, infirm,
etc.) Then maybe SF media will get off their bums and admit there
is a
problem. I see this phenomenon as a perverse type role-reversal
situation.
However, I doubt SF can still brag about being the "World's
Greatest City?"
We greatly appreciate Supervisor Peskin responding on Saturday
night to
review the "collateral damage." Last night was without
doubt obscene. Where
do we go for fresh, unpolluted air? Go Niners. Maybe you could
pass this
on to the Sydney press?
Brian"
Jan. 2002: Fight to clean up Kokkari Restaurant on 200 Jackson St, SF.wood burning in San Francisco Meeting Jan.11, 2002 Please call Brian Browne 415-399-1642 also see these websites:
Aethalometer
monitoring in Downtown San Francisco http://www.mageesci.com/sf/downtown_sf.htm
These are great charts of Wood smoke along with city living. Look
at Christmas Eve. See how the smoke pollution fills the air and
then it doesn't clear out until early morning. This is early data
but very helpful.
Hi Rise apartment building fighting for relief from Kokkari
Restaurant wood smoke. meeting Jan. 11, 2002.with website to View
San Francisco holiday through air monitoring equipment.
Berkeley Law bans commercial
wood burning ovens and fireplaces. Dec. 15, 2001 SF Chronicle.
At last a success to protect public health! Congrats to Burning
Issues Member Jamie Casebar. Burning Issues worked many hours
and many years for this first step.
(Note however BAAQMD tells people 'How to burn". "Burn only hardwoods" says Tommie Mayfield. This is one more example of bureaucrats ignoring the science. A hardwood fire produces 30 grams of deadly particulate in an hour, Burning Issues advocates cleaning up wood smoke by not burning wood.
Michael Gersick, lobbyist of the California Hearths and Home Association criticized the science that links disease and wood smoke. Burning Issues and scientists have the facts. Gersick works hard, visiting the Lung Association, the real estate association and all the meetings of the CA ARB, BAAQMD, and the meetings of your town also. He also has been promoting law suits against cities that try to ban more wood burning appliances. One in the South Bay was funded by McNear Brick of San Rafel. Get Mad and donate to Burning Issues and help us inform the public with this health saving information. Use the science from this website and tell other people how deadly wood burning is. Gersicks statagy is the same argument statagy used by tobacco lobbyists for decades. When you see illegal rulings such as the ones below that allow more killing pollution you know your lobbyists have been hard at work.
November 30, 2001: Draft Staff Report of the Air Resources
Board and the
Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment is released for
public
comment. The report is available at
www.arb.ca.gov/research/aaqs/std-rs/std-rs.htm. Hard copies may be
requested from Ms. Jacqueline Cummins at 916-445-0753. Technical
questions
about the review of the standards may be directed to:
Richard Bode
Chief, Health and Exposure Assessment Branch
Air Resources Board
916-323-8413
Email: rbode@arb.ca.gov
*Dec. 3- Dec. 18, 2001: ARB holds six public meetings in
Oakland,
Sacramento, Bakersfield, Mira Loma, El Monte, and Huntington Park,
to
present their proposals and to respond to public comments.
The revised
schedule for the workshops is available at:
<A HREF="Http://arbis.ca.gov/research/aaqs/std-rs/std-rs.htm">Http://arbis.ca.gov/research/aaqs/std-rs/std-rs.htm</A>
*December 31, 2001: Written comments on the Staff Report
and the recommend
standards are due. Comments may be sent to:
Dr. David Mazzera
Air Resources Board
Research Division
P.O. Box 2815
Sacramento, CA 95612-2815
Email: dmazzera@arb.ca.gov
Phone: 916-445-9488
Fax: 916-322-4357
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