In my report yesterday I forgot to include that representatives from US
EPA Region 7 in Kansas City were also present and answered a couple
questions that Jim McGraw referred to them. Jerry
On Apr 29, 2008, at 7:10 PM, Gerald Neff wrote:
> Today I attended the meeting for Non-attainment Area Boundaries in
> Davenport put on by the DNR. Rachel Griffiths and Clifford Day,
> Sierra members, also attended. Jim McGraw and several other DNR
> officials conducted the meeting. Other attendees were: Mayor Gluba,
> Pet De Cock from Representative Braley's office and a room full of
> business representatives.
>
> Scott and Muscatine counties have areas which exceed air quality
> limits according to monitors placed by the DNR. This meeting addressed
> issues in Scott county only. Another meeting for Muscatine county will
> be held tomorrow. According to the Clean Air Act, non attainment areas
> must come into compliance by 2014. The area in Scott county is less
> than one square mile in southwest Davenport. One of the monitors,
> about 300 feet from Blackhawk Foundry property, shows the highest
> concentration of particulate matter.
>
> The meeting lasted from 1 PM until 3:40 PM. The DNR talked about
> complicated things that affect monitor readings such as wind, seasonal
> differences, population areas, and traffic flows. There was a lot of
> technical talk about fine particulate matter and coarse PM. Fine
> particular matter is up to 2.5 microns in diameter while coarse is 10
> microns.
>
> I asked if the polluters were fined if their monitor reading exceeded
> the limits. They are not fined and the DNR works with the polluters
> to solve the problems and to make sure the readings reflect the actual
> conditions.
>
> The DNR allowed an hour for the stake holders to show their power
> point presentation of their side of the issue. Stake holders were
> Alcoa, Grain Processing, Bi State Regional Planning and Blackhawk
> Foundry. Their position was the DNR should give them a one year
> extension while the DNR analyzes all the science and factors affecting
> the monitoring. They say a non attainment designation is inappropriate
> for Scott and Muscatine counties and that the monitors are source
> located. The business folks also said the readings can be effected by
> local "upset conditions" like wild fires, agriculture dust, disasters,
> like tornadoes and transported pollution like tire wear and brake dust
> from highway traffic.
>
> They claimed health is important but DNR needs to better evaluate the
> causes of pollution, and follow federal standards for monitoring. A
> representative for Bi State Regional Planning said air quality in
> Scott county has actually improved in the last ten years. (?) The DNR
> did not respond to the group's statements. Jerry
>
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>
Jerry
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