Air pollution/health alert issued
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is issuing an Air Quality Watch for Monday.
The Air Quality Index is forecast to reach the orange level, which is considered unhealthy for people in sensitive groups. Those groups include those with heart or lung disease, asthma, older adults and children.
People in those groups are advised to reschedule or cut back on strenuous activities during the watch period.
The watch includes these counties: Brown, Calumet, Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Door, Fond du Lac, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jefferson, Kenosha, Kewaunee, Lafayette, Manitowoc, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Oconto, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Racine, Rock, Sauk, Shawano, Sheboygan, Walworth, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara and Winnebago.
The watch goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. Monday and continues through 11:59 p.m.
The watch was issued because of the forecast for elevated levels of fine particles in the air, according to a news release.
Fine-particle pollution includes microscopic dust, soot, liquid droplets and smoke particles. These fine particles come primarily from combustion sources, such as power plants, factories and other industrial sources, vehicle exhaust and outdoor fires.
People can reduce their contributions to this regional air pollution problem by:
-- Reducing driving when possible and not leaving engines idling. -- Postponing activities that use small gasoline and diesel engines. -- Minimizing outdoor wood fires. -- Conserving electricity.
Oct 13, 2008 at 2:28 a.m.
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Interesting. Though these people-actions need to take place just to our west in order for us to reap the reward of cleaner air, because the air masses generally move from west to east. SO hope those midwesterners are driving less today! Also, if the air quality is already bad, then the action has already taken place. It is supposed to rain sometime late Monday. This will eleviate some of the particulate matter.
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You are right, Prevention. I don't drive more than 80 miles a week on average. Hope I'm doing my part. But since I don't notice it, I will just keep puffing on my cigar while I type away!
Oct 13, 2008 at 2:08 a.m.
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This is actually sort of unexpected, given that gas prices mean that Americans are driving much less than they were a year or two ago. Miles driven has been consistently down 2-4% all year long.
http://www.dot.gov/affairs/fhwa1108.htm
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Gas prices have recently dipped which could account for the sudden increase -- people may be running out for last-minute fall vacations to make up for what they skipped in summer (and it has been unseasonably warm).
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Ah, but the real source just seems to be an unusually large temperature inversion covering the whole Midwest and Atlantic Seaboard:
http://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=airno...
Oct 13, 2008 at 1:22 a.m.
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I think I better stay home from work. It sounds like the air out there is dangerous. I will be in my bunker, waiting it out until I hear the all clear siren.
Oct 12, 2008 at 11:18 p.m.
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I see the DNR is responsible for the ethanol plants and air quality. If they can't control the side effects of the production shut them down. They need to police these plants.
The DNR has their hands every where there is trouble. Factory farms, ethanol plants, wind turbines. Wisconsin citizens need to get informed and get mad.
Subsidy and money for certain people and there is no attempt at real quality of life protection.
Contact your Senator and Assemblyman and find out what is going on.
Oct 12, 2008 at 10:53 p.m.
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I am not happy with the DNR who issues all kinds of warnings but is not concerned with safety for people living in rural areas.
The DNR has changed the rules as a first ever allowing large rifle deer hunting in southern Wisconsin. It was always shotgun only for safety reasons and now when the population has increase it is safe????
Do they really care about citizens???
This weekend there is a youth only rifle hunt. Really I am staying in the basement until dark to avoid a stray bullet. What next?
Oct 12, 2008 at 9:55 p.m.
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I can't breath. But then again I mowed 2 yards today and rototilled two gardens..by wednesday it will only be 55 degrees
Oct 12, 2008 at 9:20 p.m.
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Isn't this something we should be doing anyway?
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