Friday, December 10, 2010

Is There A Reason Why North Dakota Refuses To MONITOR AIR

Appears Texas monitors air quality.
http://www.caller.com/news/2010/oct/15/tceq-fines-101610/
291,649, air violations, investigated June 18, 2008-Feb. 27, 2009; April 29, 2009-July 17, 2009; Jan 7, 2009-April 22, 2009; for failure to prevent the unauthorized release of more than 36.7 pounds of sulfur dioxide, 298 pounds of hydrogen sulfide, 121 pounds of carbon monoxide, 260 pounds of volatile organic compounds, 21 pounds of nitrogen oxide and 20 pounds of ammonia from the sulfur recovery unit on May 20, 2008; to prevent the unauthorized release of more than 15,000 pounds of sulfur dioxide, 166 pounds of hydrogen sulfide, 17 pounds of carbon monoxide and 0.5 pounds of volatile organic compounds and 3 pounds of nitrogen oxide from the sulfur recovery unit on July 22, 2008; to submit the final report for an incident in a timely manner; to prevent the unauthorized release of more than 8 pounds of sulfur dioxide, 87 pounds of hydrogen sulfide, 130 pounds of carbon monoxide, 326 pounds of volatile organic compounds, 18 pounds of nitrogen sulfide and 25 pounds of ammonia from the sulfur recovery unit on Dec. 15, 2008; to prevent the unauthorized release of more than 119,100 pounds of sulfur dioxide, 1,200 pounds of hydrogen sulfide, 8,200 pounds of carbon monoxide, 12,500 pounds of volatile organic compounds, 1,200 pounds of nitrogen oxide and 219 pounds of ammonia from four flares
6,000, air violation, investigated Sept. 29, 2009,-Dec. 18, 2009, for failure to prevent the unauthorized release of more than 13,000 pounds of sulfur dioxide and 760 pounds of hydrogen sulfide during an event that began on Aug. 18, 2009.
I wonder how many fines are on the books in North Dakota for release of hazardous compounds into the air?  Since North Dakota does not comply to the Clean Air Act probably none.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Clean Up Your Act North Dakota

Court battles against North Dakota continue, why is it so hard to just comply to rules and make this a safe state to live in? It is our right to have CLEAN AIR.

EPA Spars With States, Industry Over Request To Stay SO2 Air Standard
INSIDE EPA ONLINE MAGAZINE - Posted: November 16, 2010
EPA is urging a federal appeals court to reject North Dakota's request to stay implementation of the agency's novel approach for determining whether states are attaining its strict new sulfur dioxide (SO2) ambient air standard, but critics say a stay is vital because of problems with "conservative" modeling EPA is relying on to make attainment decisions.
But EPA in a Nov. 8 response opposes a stay of the rule either in its entirety or of the June 2 deadline for attainment designations, saying North Dakota has not satisfied the "stringent requirements" for obtaining a stay of agency action. The state fails to address any elements of the revised SO2 standards itself and instead targets an "advisory discussion" in EPA's final rule about its anticipated approach to implementing the NAAQS, EPA says.
The American Lung Association (ALA), intervening in the lawsuit to defend the NAAQS, in a Nov. 8 filing also opposes a stay of the standard's implementation. North Dakota "wholly ignores the serious harm from a stay to the health interests of other parties and the public, particularly children, senior citizens, and asthmatics, who are at special risk from the kind of SO2 pollution that EPA's standard limits," according to ALA's filing.

Two environmental groups have filed a lawsuit against the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency in federal court in San Francisco, asserting the EPA did not adequately enforce provisions of the Clean Air Act.

The lawsuit, filed yesterday by the Sierra Club and WildEarth Guardians  claims that the agency has failed to crack down on states that did not develop develop and submit plans for meeting air-quality standards. Known as national ambient air quality standards, or NAAQS, the rules limit pollution in order to protect human health and the environment.

The suit states that the EPA has been remiss in following up on the failures of numerous states and protectorates -- among them North Dakota, Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands  Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington -- to submit localized plans for meeting air-quality standards.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Everyone Worried About North Dakota Air Quality


WildEarth Guardians Takes Aim at North Dakota Clean Air Loopholes
EPA Called on to Force State to Revise Air Quality Rules, Hold Polluters Accountable
Denver—WildEarth Guardians today called on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to force the State of North Dakota to close its clean air loopholes and guarantee full protection of public health and welfare from air polluters.
“This is about being safe, not sorry,” said Jeremy Nichols, Climate and Energy Program Director for WildEarth Guardians. “Air pollution limits exist to keep our health and our environment safe; it’s critical that we ensure compliance at all times, not just when it’s most convenient for polluters.”
In a petition filed with the Administrator of the EPA, WildEarth Guardians targeted provisions in North Dakota’s air quality regulations that grant exceptions to meeting clean air standards. One provision in particular allows the State to grant “variances” from complying with emission limits that are meant to protect public health. The EPA has stated that it “agrees this rule should be revised.” See http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-13051.htm.
“We don’t provide variances to speed limits and we certainly shouldn’t allow polluters to skirt complying with our basic clean air safeguards,” said Nichols. “It’s time to close up North Dakota’s loopholes.”
States must adopt a set of air quality regulations that are consistent with the federal Clean Air Act. If their regulations are contrary to the Clean Air Act, the EPA can call for their revision. In today’s petition, WildEarth Guardians is calling on the EPA to require the State of North Dakota to revise its air quality regulations to close the loopholes and come into compliance with the Clean Air Act.
WildEarth Guardians has called on the Administrator to respond to the petition within 60 days.



Sunday, December 5, 2010

EPA facts on AIR POLUTION

I came across this article this morning, it is reassuring to know that the State of North Dakota is looking out for the health or the residents. http://www.epa.gov/air/particlepollution/actions.html  
  • The following States/territories failed to submit SIPs to satisfy the basic program requirements for managing PM2.5  air quality: 
  • Alaska, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Hawaii, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Vermont, Washington

EPA Makes Findings of Failure to Submit State Implementation Plans (SIPs) -- 2006 PM2.5 Standard
May 28, 2010 - EPA issued findings that 29 states missed Clean Air Act deadlines for submitting plans, or elements of plans, for implementing EPA’s national air quality standards for the 2006 PM2.5.

  • The following 29 states and territories failed to submit interstate transport SIPs:
    o Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan,
    Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania,
    South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming,
    the District of Columbia, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the
    Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
  • On September 21, 2006, EPA revised its NAAQS for PM2.5 by significantly
    strengthening the 24-hour standards from 65μg/m3 to 35μg/m3. Thousands of scientific
    studies have linked exposure to these tiny particles - approximately 1/30th the size of a
    human hair - with serious human health problems including premature death in people
    with heart and lung disease; nonfatal heart attacks; and increased hospital admissions and
    doctor and emergency room visits for respiratory and cardiovascular disease.
  • Now with all the excess tax dollars in North Dakota, enough to set up a saving fund for the future, why is the State not  implementing EPA’s national air quality standards, one of our basic rights, and most important to have clean air to breath. No wonder we see so many obituaries of young people in the local area.

Saturday, December 4, 2010

I Need YOUR Help

I have noticed that quite a few people in this area have showed interest in this information. Now I need to pass on some very important information, and PLEASE take 5 minutes of your time and act on this for everyones safety. These are facts, as I have contacted many agencies trying to get help with our air quality in the area, people are sick and getting sicker because of this issue. First, the air monitor in Williston was turned OFF on March 5, 2009 because it was not needed to monitor air. Now the Center of  Disease Control has ruled that there are SEVERE RESPIRATORY ISSUES in this area caused by our AIR QUALITY. Such things as ammonia, VOCS, and sulfurs need to be monitored. Now our head of Air Quality REFUSES to monitor air in Williston and surrounding  area, he thinks he knows more than the Doctors.  Everyone needs to take a minute to call Mr Jim Semerad, head of Air Quality in North Dakota and state concerns about this, his contact info is 701-328-5188, in Bismarck. The EPA Region 8 Toxicologist in Denver is Kristen Keteles, she is very helpful with health issues and very willing to help, her contact info is 303) 312-6039

she has had extensive dealings with these types of health issues in other areas of the country and very helpful. If everyone will act on this and pass this info on to others, maybe we can get something done so we can live in this area and not be sick or die of cancer.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Very Important Latest News

PLEASE take the time to read the latest link attached to this site, it is very important news about what is going on in this area, pass this on to everyone you know, this information may save lives. http://earthworksaction.org/oil_and_gas.cfm is the link, or follow the title on this page A Source of Information and help for individuals with polution problems.

The Cause for the Cure

I spend many hours thinking about events in the past several years, and how they could possibly be linked to the events going on in my life today. When there are unexplained deaths and events in your life, these come to mind often and you carefully remember symptoms and signs that lead up to them. You attentively observe the livestock and animals trying to avoid a repeat. I was born into the life of ranching, my parents, grandparents, great grandparents, as a small child I was my grandfathers shadow, I remember driving the pickup feeding cattle when my foot could not reach the gas pedal, grandpa in the back. It is a passion, my cattle eat before I do, there health and safety is utmost importance to me. Walk off and leave them is not an acceptable answer to this problem, not only for them but for the rest of the world who have to breath this toxic air we are forced to breath. I should back up in time and explain  to you how this all came about. I did not just wake up one morning and decide to take a heavy metal toxin test, I had no idea what was going on. I saw a lot of death in this area, thought it was strange, but life is. I lost a very good neighbor a short time ago, young and sudden without previous illness, still not a clue as to what was happening. My favorite pet in June, suddenly got very sick, the Vet said it appeared to be poison, he died not long after. Family members coming to visit and getting sick while staying here. Still we go on with everyday life, fatigue, cough, weakness and trouble breathing, not knowing what is happening. I noticed that when I would go out to do chores in the morning I would get very lightheaded and dizzy, very odd feeling, until one day when I was feeding the Bulls, I ran into a pocket of gas, actually took my air away,brought me to my knees, choking and coughing looking for air. Very scary, not knowing what you  are dealing with or where you may encounter it. This has happened to me several times since then, and seems to be getting worse. The water ways almost appear to have a haze hanging on them, like you can see the poison in the air. My brain finally clicked, something here is not right, but what is it? Now I am a hard headed Norwegian, and don't take no for an answer, sometimes this can be a good thing. I will find the cause, even if I die trying. My husband and I ventured out this weekend and found some very odd things in the creek that runs on our property, places where warm gray water bubbles out of the ground with a very harsh offensive smell, now keep in mind that the creek is froze over this time of year, and the water is not warm. The harsh smell in the air that makes you choke. Our water wells started bubbling like 7up this summer, and the smell with  gas like fumes. Testing showing solvent in the well and many other unnatural toxic things. Doing laundry in the water almost makes your skin burn. Seeking out of state advice as to what is going on and any knowledge that may be helpful. And not taking NO for an answer. Be aware of what is going on around you, nature will give you some important clues that something is wrong, if you listen to her. It is not normal to walk into the barn and see a cat with blood coming out of her eyes and nose, this is a serious sign that that the air is toxic and will kill you. In memory of the friends and animals I have lost, my quest goes on to find the cause.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

You Can't Hide From Bad Air

When something harmful is in the air, where do you go? This seems to be the question of the day, do you open windows, close windows, go inside or outside, it is everywhere. When the furnace kicks in it comes in the air ducts, seeps in thru windows and foundations, even your car heater when you are driving down the road. The livestock breath it 24/7. I haven't posted a blogg now for days, dealing with health problems, keeping animals safe and trying to find the source of this problem has not left me with much spare time. First I would like the thank Amanda for her comment about alternative healing, I have taken other steps to try to deal with all the health issues, mostly out of necessity and the will to live. When you wake up in the morning and your feet don't work anymore, it is real easy to make the decision that something has to be done today regardless of what tests are back. I seem to be holding my own, considering I fill up with toxins as fast as I can clean them out. When you are breathing them in everyday, the only way to not absorb more is to quit breathing, now I don't think that is going to work very well. I have moved most of the small animals off the farm to spare their lives, and have spent a good share of the past two days in town trying to heal up, only to find out the air there isn't much better than it is on the farm. At first I thought it was following me, but after looking at the situation I realize it is just nature taking it's course, contaminated air and water move faster than you would think. I wonder how far I will have to drive to give my system a break? Maybe Bismarck. I was told today that the environmental and health effects in the Williston Basin are compared to Rifle Co and Pavillion Wy, now if you know anything about either of these places you know how scary this is, if you don't you had better start doing your research because you are in for a hell of a ride. There are several links on this page that will take you to information about these two communities and what devastation has happened there. What it all boils down to is peoples lives and money, and what is more important to some people.  In the course of trying to find the cause of my families health problems I have tried to pass on as much information to everyone as I can find. I have contacted about every local and state agency possible to help find the source of this, and have gotten little to no help. I guess I am quite naive I actually thought that this is what our tax dollars were for. If even one person that reads this finds one piece of information useful I have accomplished something. I will continue to search and pass on as much information as possible, and hopefully find an answer. It is sad that this is the way Williston ND will be on the headlines of the  national news, instead of  having the lowest temperature in the US today. Also, it has been 3 weeks now, and still no results from the second arsenic testing, you can easily die and be buried in this amount of time, my advice is to know ahead of time what you are dealing with, I am thankful I took the first step to finding out or I would not be writing this tonight. You are no different than I am, I am sure you breath everyday as I do.