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 > > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: > [log in to unmask] > > Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: > http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp > > Sign up to receive Sierra Club Insider, the flagship > e-newsletter. Sent out twice a month, it features the Club's > latest news and activities. Subscribe and view recent > editions at http://www.sierraclub.org/insider/ > > Jerry - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp