Fighting for air

Stringent state rules lack biteCalifornia's air standards are the toughest in the country, yet they are rarely a part of the clean-air discussion in the San Joaquin Valley.
Air district defends improvement claimEveryone agrees the Valley's air is getting cleaner. But is the local smog district exaggerating the improvement? Nothing points out the question better than a squabble over one number -- 82% -- on a San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District Web posting. [Hear audio of the district's executive director]
What has changed in five years?

Air now top concern

2002: Valley residents rate expanding population and urban sprawl as the biggest issues in a Public Policy Institute of California survey.
2007: Residents rank air quality as the Valley's No. 1 issue, as indicated by surveys in 2003, 2004 and 2006.
Who is on the Valley air board?The governing board of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District has 11 members.
Ozone strategy could backfireThe ozone plan that the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District approved earlier this year is a sharp -- and perhaps risky -- shift from the region's previous smog control efforts.
Air officials plan to explore drift of LA basin pollutionDoes Southern California ozone float into the San Joaquin Valley?
Clean air can happenWhat if the San Joaquin Valley's goal was simply to clean the air as fast as possible?
Contacts, links to air-quality information

Get in touch with agencies

San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District
Central Region office
1990 E. Gettysburg Ave.
Fresno, CA 93726

ESCAPING SMOG: Bob ClaypoolBackground: Bob Claypool, 52, was a Fresno dentist.
ESCAPING SMOG: Patricia JenningsAge: 52
ESCAPING SMOG: The Julin familyBackground: Dale Julin, 51, a television anchor and radio talk-show host in Fresno, hosted five half-hour news specials about clean air on KSEE Channel 24 and discussed the topic frequently on his radio programs. His wife, Patti, 48, was a college music teacher.
ESCAPING SMOG: The Morphy familyBackground: Kelly Morphy, 34, told people about bad air as a public information officer for the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. Her husband Tim, 33, works for Magee Scientific Co., which manufactures air-quality monitors.
ESCAPING SMOG: Catherine M. RehartAge: 67
ESCAPING SMOG: The Schwister familyBackground: Michele Schwister, 46, was a 16-year pediatric intensive care nurse at Children's Hospital Central California in Madera County. Her husband, Brad, 47, worked for a Fresno catering service.
ESCAPING SMOG: The Shaw familyBackground: Dr. Brian Shaw, 51, is a orthopedist. His wife, Lisa, 49, is a nurse. Both worked at Children's Hospital Central California in Madera County.
ESCAPING SMOG: The Storm familyBackground: Andrea Storm, 40, was a Fresno pediatric geneticist who practiced at Children's Hospital Central California in Madera County. Her husband Jeff, 44, was a database administrator at The Bee.
ESCAPING SMOG: The Terry familyBackground: Three years ago, Diane Terry, 60, began to cough. Doctors tested her for Valley fever and other lung diseases and allergies -- and found nothing. They tried medicines to stop the coughing, but nothing worked. [See a video of Diane Terry]
ESCAPING SMOG: The Whipple familyBackground: Nancy Whipple, 57, was a drug and alcohol counselor but took a sabbatical to work with children. Her husband, Doug, 55, had become a senior field representative for the local carpenter's union.
ESCAPING SMOG: The Wiseman familyBackground: Ken Wiseman, 56, is director of the governor's Marine Life Protection Act initiative and works in Sacramento. He was the first undersecretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency. His wife, Rebecca, 54, is a justice of the 5th District Court of Appeal in Fresno.

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