Here and Now: Clean Air

If it was not for the possibility of sanctions with a heavy monetary penalty, our so called state leaders would not be addressing this. The state is so focused on growth at any cost, that the proposed plan is not meant to be followed, but to show the federal government that it was an issue that we actually bandied about. Quality of life on all standards in Arizona has decreased so much in the name of growth, anything meant to impede it is fought tooth and nail. This topic is another smoke and mirror issue to be swept aside.

What is the contribution of pollution that comes from regulated industrial sources?

The contribution from industrial, regulated sources is a very small amount of the total pollution generated in the Valley.

How is government justifying an increase in fees and penalties on industrial sources, when they are not the largest contributors to the problem?

How are other contributors being held accountable? Will agricultural sources be fined? Who will impose fines on poeple like agricultural sources, ATV riders, and homeowners using fireplaces?

I realize that construction and dirt roads cause much of the dust problems, but what about the dairy farms and cotton fields that I see kick up a tremendous amount of dust?

I recently read that China is responsible for a significant portion of particulate matter that impacts California. Has this problem reached AZ and if so, what are you thoughts on dealing with it?

We have lived in Tempe for 30 years. The skies used to be so blue and the temperatures in the evening during the summer were lower. More cement is not the answer to the pollution problem. Cement holds heat. This valley used to have less cement and lower heat at night and less pollution. Out of control growth is what is causing more pollution. Solution is to make more growth so expensive for the developers that they will go elsewhere to build their developments.

I am an environmental consultant and my job takes me all over the valley, especially to areas of new construction. It always amazes me to see all the new residential construction but so few office parks / commercial construction other than retail in these outlying areas. I believe we would see a significant decrease in vehicle pollutants if more was done to encourage job growth in the periphery. Shorter commutes mean less congestion and less pollution. Nip it in the bud!

Who can we contact when we see landscape workers using the 'useless' leafblowers on commercial properties. They are just 'doing their job' so it seems useless to try talking to them.
This oftentimes happens after business hours or on weekends.

This is for the Here and Now show airing right now. Thank you for addressing this very important issue. I live in mid-Scottsdale and have asthma, but am an otherwise healthy person in my 30s. I'm on a four-medication regimen to control my asthma, and so far it has worked without any emergencies. But since I returned from a 3-month out-of-state trip a month ago, I have symptoms many times a day and I am truly frightened for my health. Asthma can be fatal, as doctors know well, and I am especially concerned about leaf blowers. I can taste/smell their exhaust fumes and the dust they stir up even when I'm indoors with all doors and windows closed, when the blowers are working nearby. It's just terrible. And they are so unnecessary. I beg lawmakers to address this with regulations that actually have teeth, not mere "requests" to refrain from their use on certain days, which are totally ignored. Once I confronted a landscaping company on my morning job whose employees were using leaf blowers on a high-pollution day I heard announced on KJZZ, and not only was the man I spoke to indignant and rude, but he said he had no knowledge ever of such requests.
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With the number of "eyeballs" and cell phones on the roads every day, we need a 911 type hot line to report current, observed dust sources so that inspectors can locate and control the sources. Currently an inspector will check on a blowing dust event several days after it occurs and is no longer a problem.

Rusty Bowers is part of the problem. He's old school Arizonan, he personally wants to do the opposite of what the federal government tells us to. If our legislator was still loaded with people like him, they would not even be attempting to address this situation. They would rather do w/o the moneys being targeted for loss.

When you talk about cleaner air, can you refer to the health issues involved? I am one of thousands in the valley with moderate to severe asthma. What about PM2.5 days? With the inversions in the valley, and so many people burning wood in fire pits or fireplaces, I have to cover my face with a special mask on these days. If I do not, I end up with severe asthma episodes. The smaller particulates are dangerous even for normal lungs. How do you get people to willingly, curtail this practice? How do you get them to have compassion for those who become very ill from the PM2.5 pollution? Many children nowadays have asthma. Can you please respond?

I am new to Arizona (5 years) and have lived all over the US and in Canada. Both my son and I have developed symptoms of Asthma since moving here, and I have a literally blinding allergy in my eyes during the summer. Today (and for several days since returning from Vegas) my eyes burn. I am thinking I might have to move for my health. What do people in industry have to say about the fact that children and adults are increasingly affected by these conditions.?
Thanks, Kat

Sharing a ride or using public transportation through Valley Metro helps our overall air quality. Automobiles and light trucks are the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions.

The solo driver that switches to public transportation or carpooling can reduce their emissions by 20 pounds per day… or more than 4,800 pounds in a year. We can reduce emissions by 6.9 million metric tons annually when we share the ride on public transportation, by carpooling or by working from home and not driving at all.

That is one of the single most critical things we all can do to help the air, although dust will always be present in Arizona.

Valley Metro is expanding bus routes and frequency of stops to help more people use this system. We’re also adopting greener measures throughout our organization, like making sure 76% continues to use clean burning fuels, and offering new paperless tools to help people find bus routes and purchase fares.

The phone number to make complaints to the Maricopa County Air Quality Department is: 602.372.2703