When Government Can't (or Won't) Protect You
February 12th, 2009
by Keith Harten
Neighbors band together in defense of their community when government policy fails to protect them from a dangerous source of pollution.
On Monday night, over 170 citizens crammed into the basement of the South Davis branch of the Davis County Library for the first meeting of the Davis County Community Coalition, a group that has formed in response to plans by Salt Lake company Consolidated Energy Systems to build a petroleum coke burning plant in West Bountiful. The Utah Division of Air Quality has already determined that the proposed plant will meet state emissions standards, and members of the coalition now hope that citizens can prove powerful enough to tip the scales in Utah's latest battle for healthy air.
The meeting consisted of presentations by medical professionals, state and city officials, local businessmen, and Utah Moms for Cleaner Air and was designed to organize efforts to inform citizens about the health hazards associated with the proposed plant and how to get involved.
Roger Barrus, Utah State Congressman, identified efforts by the Utah Division of Environmental Quality to improve the notoriously bad air along the Wasatch Front, stating that currently the DEQ restricts the emission of particles larger than 10 microns and will soon tighten that standard to restrict particles as large as 2.5 microns. This will further clear Utah's already improved air.
Several presenters, however, discussed what they see as significant flaws in current regulations and limitations in the state's ability to enforce what standards already exist.
Doctor Ray Ward of Lakeview Hospital, for example, pointed out that the size of emitted particles isn't the only factor determining a pollutant's danger. The proposed plant will burn petroleum coke, a heavy byproduct of petroleum refining that, according to Dr. Ward, releases heavy metals such as mercury, nickel, lead, vanadium, and petroleum, emitting "a much higher concentration of carcinogens than the coal that we normally burn." Ward points out that studies have already confirmed coal plants to have a detrimental effect on the I Q's of children living nearby, and he wonders how much worse off Davis County children will be, warning "We'll just be the scientific study you can read about in the journal in ten years."
Several presenters identified flaws in current methods of monitoring air quality, such as Scott Hurst, Director of Anesthesiology at the Intermountain Medical Center, who stated that when it comes to government regulations, "A lot of these standards are averages, and believe me your body does not care what the average air pollution is; your body responds to spikes, and one bad air day results in a significant decrease in your health and for many people becomes a life threatening situation." Although state regulations restrict how rapidly refineries pollute, they cannot control how long pollution builds, leaving residents still vulnerable to dangerous air.
West Bountiful Mayor James Behunin raised a concern about current ability to monitor refineries and enforce regulations, stating that because the only testing center is located at Viewmont High School - miles from the refineries it is intended to regulate - refineries can claim "It's not just us" when air quality is bad. Testing centers cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and are thus difficult to budget, but the Mayor hopes that informed, persistent citizens can persuade officials to make room for a portable testing center that will make it possible to monitor individual refineries and hold them accountable.
The mayor hopes the city will stop the plant but worries it won't have the legal firepower: "We're a little town, and they're funded by a big corporation."
Members of the new coalition hope that informed, passionate citizens can get the attention of state officials and put a stop the plant as well as bring about needed updates in policy and equipment. Members are spreading information, gathering what they hope will become 10,000 petition signatures, and planning a rally at the state capitol on February 25th to demonstrate their commitment to protecting and improving the quality of Utah's air. Those interested in becoming involved can visit the coalition's website for more information.
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