CALIFORNIA MUST ADDRESS CUMULATIVE POLLUTION AND GREEN GASES (1/10/2010)
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At a recent meeting held in San Francisco by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) with all directors present discussed and presented some very pertinent clean air, green gases, and cumulative pollution issues. This meeting took place in San Francisco at the BAAQMD headquarters, January 6, 2010.
Big industry was present in force and so were the many advocates that aspire to be Environmentalist some educated on issues and a few spewing hot air for the sake of making unnecessary waves. There must be a model created in California for the Nation as a whole to imbibe and take humanity to a better place. After all this is about Quality of Life issues and what is more the survival of the human race in less or greater measure - world wide. In the past on a higher level many sound advocates and lawyers of Corporate Law, Civil and Criminal law have tried to impress on the California Legislature and the California Attorney General to rein in the Bigger Corporations, too many and mostly having their tentacles rooted in California and other major cities of the United States that do business with many Nations worldwide and exploit resources and many a time adversely impact Nations as a whole. Educated folks will remember Peru and how their water resources were exploited and what is more thousands of innocent constituents from Peru made to suffer for years. A revolt took place, blood was shed, innocent people died. This victory resonated all over the world and still today - does with pride. This Earth was governed for thousands of years by indigenous people and they did a good, sustainable job. Then came the ones that have ingrained in their DNA the worst possible GREED and unfortunately in California they happen to be the Big Corrupt Corporations. As I said previously many of them have their headquarters in San Francisco and they prowl all over the world - using the latest technology, deceitful methodology, raping resources, and adversely impacting innocent people, ultimately - destroying Quality of Life issues. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) has tried their best to put their best foot forward not so much of their own accord and violation but because here in San Francisco and the enjoining region advocates have risen up and formulated language, collected empirical data, sat at hundreds of meetings, and tried to convince the BAAQMD and its directors that the window of opportunity to bring about change is very, very narrow - running of our time. The BAAQMD does not have the sound resources to collect empirical data. Their hit and miss methods and foot dragging has caught them red handed doing nothing- while well educated environmentalists have delivered and shamed the BAAQMD on many fronts. In San Francisco for example we have permitted Big Developers to build thousands of homes in the Mission Bay Area and not being satisfied with that monster of an idea are now defying logic and encouraging a Rogue Developer like Lennar to build 10,500 homes at Hunters Point Shipyard that has not been abated, nine-five percent of the Shipyard is landfill, prone to liquefaction and severe flooding. The area around Hunters Point Shipyard and Candlestick Point generates over twenty thousands tons of Methane Gas. One ton of Methane Gas equals twenty two tons of Carbon Dioxide. So much, for San Francisco declaring itself GREEN and the BAAQMD agreeing with this nonsense of sorts - two SF directors sit on the BAAQMD board to top it all. Add to this Cumulative pollution at the Hunters Point Shipyard - Mercury, Lead, Manganese, radiological elements like cesium and radium all found at very excessive levels and over one hundred and fifty more all spelled out in detail in the Final Historical Radiological Assessment Report found in the Main Library in San Francisco and which is mind boggling to say the least. A lead agency such as the Bay Area Air Quality Management District will not focus on such a report mostly because in their stupidity they focus on their own recognized jurisdiction and fail to comprehend that wind and air travels beyond boundaries. The result being millions of innocent folks throughout these many years in San Francisco have been exposed to some very dangerous elements that could have and has led to their imminent - death. It seems paradoxical that the Environmental Protection Agency a Federal Agency should be "protecting" the constituents of this Nation. What is evident from their past behavior is that they have failed miserably and we hope that Region IX headquartered in San Francisco with its new director, Jared Blumenfeld changes the past course and adheres to strict standards - more in keeping with the ones proposed to be enforced by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and California Air Resources Board. The California Air Resources Board has taken the lead already and set the tone and this is as it should be. This makes it easier for the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to work very hard with Community Based Organizations, our leading Universities, those well seasoned Environmentalists, past attorneys that have challenged the laws that favored Big Developers that created havoc on Environmental Issues not only in California but thought out the world. As goes California so does this Nation and hopefully the world. Cumulative Pollution is not only a California phenomenon but adversely affects the entire Earth. We, humans are here on EARTH as temporary keepers and must remind the Big Developers of that fact at all times. Greed is bad and if perpetuated brings about DEATH. Many of the polluters do not understand the concern of the Environmentalists and Environmentalists cannot take a position refusing to debate, dialog, and in some cases back a little off to let of steam and then came back with a healthier attitude and plan to make our Earth a better place to live in. The California Environmental Quality Act has been on the books and was well crafted to favor Big Developers - reading it one would not come to that conclusion readily, but if you knew the history, knew about the wheeling and dealing behind the scenes - anyone's conclusion would arrive at what I have stated above. Big Power Plants have had a field day generating power using fossil fuel and polluting the air. Car companies thought little of gas guzzling cars that have led to the practical demise of those companies manufacturing such cars in recent years. In other departments, if there was money to be made Big Manufacturers and Big Developers failed to see the long term benefits but focus on short term monetary gain. Such nonsense must stop and it is easily said then done - but it has been done in many Nations and done well and recorded by the United Nations and other international bodies. Rogue, large businesses have tried to kidnap constituents of many Nation worldwide, forcing them to use engineered seeds to control production of food. Forced Nations, especially poor Nations, to use chemicals that have adversely impacted farmers, costing tons of money and making them slaves of industry in contemporary times. Such, evil practices have been fought and won big time. America has failed our Nation when it comes to Sustainable Principles and mandated focus on Cumulative Pollution. At the recent Copenhagen Summit many Nations looked down upon America. Forever putting down other Nations and working silently behind the scenes to pay little money to poorer Nations so that we can keep polluting the air. Much like in California with the blessing of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and the California Air Resources Board - entities could buy credits to keep dirty, filthy, power plants in operation - one such operation the how defunct - Hunters Point Power Plant in San Francisco. The Bay Area Air Quality Board is on the right track and we hope ardent advocates of Clean Air, Environmentalists educated on issues and with sound experience contribute to the legislation and policies in the pipe-line to use the Air Resources Board, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, even the ever failing and inept Environmental Protection Agency to address Health and Safety and make Quality of Life issues - the highest priority. This should be the prime focus of everyone to leave a some what better legacy for future generations, slow down pollution, and being about some much need Earthly - healing. |
