Civic engagement of young people
The League of Women Voters Benicia (LWV Benicia) would like to congratulate Benicia High School for their outstanding achievements in student civic engagement. The LWV Benicia has been active in their program for several years, going into senior government classes to explain the voting process and register students to vote. We also visit other high schools in Vallejo and Fairfield and have registered 1,250 first-time voters since April, 2016. It’s important to the future of our country to engage our young people in the democratic process.
This year, LWV Benicia won a grant from the national League of Women of Voters to extend our program to seven high schools and 30 to 35 classrooms, with a goal of registering another 1,000 students by May 21, 2018. In order to achieve this goal we need trained volunteers. So, we will be holding a Youth Voter Registration Project Training for adults on March 12, at the John F. Kennedy Library, 505 Santa Clara St., Vallejo. You do not need to be a member of the League to attend.
At the lunchtime meeting–noon to 2 p.m.–, we will show people our new Power Point presentation, review principles of nonpartisan election education, and teach the attendees how to register people to vote. Attendees completing the training will have the opportunity to sign-up for in class voter registrations. The meeting is open to the public, free, and will include a light lunch. People interested in helping get out the youth vote, should RSVP to vonwindgayle@gmail.com before March 8.
Let’s make democracy work!
Gayle Vaughan,
LWV Benicia Voter Service Team
Public health and safety is vital
I agree with Andrés Soto (“Benicia deserves better,” Letters, Feb. 21) that Benicia deserves better health and safety protection from potentially dangerous industrial mishaps and toxic emissions. For those industries, like Valero, that are proud of their safety record, additional oversight should be welcomed and encouraged for those living within the periphery of their operations.
I recently heard an individual describe what her experience was like in suffering acute asthma attacks. And a neighbor, a retired nurse, spoke of the witnessing patients die of severe respiratory illness. Certainly maintaining the health and safety of citizens is a corporate as well as a civic responsibility.
We know from self-reported data to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) that Valero emits nearly 3 million metric tons of toxins annually (see “CARB, Facility Emissions Report, report year 2012 – Valero Refining Company”). Those emissions are a big part of the air we breathe daily.
Benicia does deserve better and a start toward “better” would be a local Industrial Safety Ordinance and community real-time air quality monitoring that would allow the people most effected by local industrial operations a say in their health and safety.
Constance Beutel, EdD;
Benicia
Sharing is caring!
Constance I do understand your concerns. But please tell all of us where this neighbor witnessed patients dying of severe respiratory illness. Where was this? In Benicia? What caused their severe respiratory illness. Was it Valero? The residents must remember we already have ISO for the state which Valero must follow. Also three agencies report air quality. Also please tell us why you have not got all over Tesla for their big fine on emission release. Is it because they make electric cars and you exempt them. I sure hope not. This is all about anti fossil fuel and for sure big oil.
Good letter Constance. I saw that even with vast improvements in air quality since the ’70s, people haven’t stopped dying from the air they breathe. About 200,000 premature deaths occur each year in the United States because of fine particulate air pollution. Researchers are now finding that more than the lungs are at risk, as dirty air may in fact be an accomplice to some of the greatest threats to public health, including diabetes, obesity and even dementia.
I am 85 and I am not any of those. Answer that.
I would first have to see the data.
Please supply data on the 200,000 deaths. Thank you.
“Air pollution and early deaths in the United States. Part I: Quantifying the impact of major sectors in 2005
Author links open overlay panel” Authored by Fabio Caiazzo, Akshay AshokIan, A. Waitz, Steve H.L.Yim, Steven R.H Barrett
Abstract
Abstract
Combustion emissions adversely impact air quality and human health. A multiscale air quality model is applied to assess the health impacts of major emissions sectors in United States. Emissions are classified according to six different sources: electric power generation, industry, commercial and residential sources, road transportation, marine transportation and rail transportation. Epidemiological evidence is used to relate long-term population exposure to sector-induced changes in the concentrations of PM2.5 and ozone to incidences of premature death. Total combustion emissions in the U.S. account for about 200,000 (90% CI: 90,000–362,000) premature deaths per year in the U.S. due to changes in PM2.5 concentrations, and about 10,000 (90% CI: −1000 to 21,000) deaths due to changes in ozone concentrations. The largest contributors for both pollutant-related mortalities are road transportation, causing ∼53,000 (90% CI: 24,000–95,000) PM2.5-related deaths and ∼5000 (90% CI: −900 to 11,000) ozone-related early deaths per year, and power generation, causing ∼52,000 (90% CI: 23,000–94,000) PM2.5-related and ∼2000 (90% CI: −300 to 4000) ozone-related premature mortalities per year. Industrial emissions contribute to ∼41,000 (90% CI: 18,000–74,000) early deaths from PM2.5 and ∼2000 (90% CI: 0–4000) early deaths from ozone. The results are indicative of the extent to which policy measures could be undertaken in order to mitigate the impact of specific emissions from different sectors — in particular black carbon emissions from road transportation and sulfur dioxide emissions from power generation.
You’re Welcome
Now, please supply your data. Thanks,
I am living proof of my data. Lived in a town with two refineries. My brother is ninety and I am 85. There is your proof.
The best way going forward to assure cleaner air is for the petroleum industry to leave town. Until that happens, we are stuck with perpetual releases into the air that are either under or over some threshold value and endless debate as to the health effects on multiple receptors.. The petroleum industry settled here because Benicia was desperate for revenue, had access to deep water, and was ignorant about the long term consequences of refinery operations. Now the game has changed. Benicia is emerging as the cannabis processing center of Solano County. A gallon of gasoline is worth $3.50, a gallon of cannabis oil is worth over $100k. It’s that simple
The refineries over in CCC have all been their for over 100 hundred years. Benicia approaching fifty. Many improvements on air quality. All refineries are regulated and fined as is Tesla. No one talks about Tesla. You know that electric car maker. No one is exempt. I look at the bright side which is air quality over the years has improved.
Are you trying to make the case that processing pot revenues will replace refinery revenues???
Lol! Are you high?
I know you were not referring to me. I loved your comment.
I concur that air quality has diminished in Benicia since I moved here in 1977. I moved here SPECIFICALLY for clean air since I found out (when I went through nuclear power school in Vallejo), that Benicia was the ONLY PLACE in the world that I could live without taking allergy drugs. That was in 1980. NOW, I take allergy drugs daily along with several other medications to assuage COPD and asthma. Part of that is getting old. Most of it, though is simply because the air is full of crap. I don’t blame refineries, though. I blame all the excess population (and here I include everyone that isn’t me). There are just too many people. I’ve contributed to ZPG annually since I was 20. Malthus was right.
When you moved here the refinery was already in town. Just curious why you would move to a refinery town. I do hope you are getting better. I sure hope you do not smoke.
A refinery in Benicia where the prevailing 15-20 kt winds are upwind of the refinery will contribute zero pollutants to the townspeople. Oh sure, there will be an occasional issue in winter when the wind is light and from the opposite direction. SO, the refinery didn’t enter into my consideration whatsoever. I won’t get better until I move to Roswell, NM or someplace where the population is small and the air is clean. Might move out of CA so I can stay in a law abiding state 🙂 Don’t smoke, never have, and won’t start-even with cannabis.
Thanks for the comment
Constance, you missed the ball like Pablo Sanchez with your remark, “…three million metric tons of toxins annually….those emissions are a big part of the air we breathe daily.” SWING…and a miss. I know that non sailors don’t pay attention to wind and directions, but ANYONE who has been at the foot of first street in KNOWS that the WIND comes from the WEST in most months so VALERO pollutants are blown EAST of town….NOBODY LIVES THERE! I know it is popular to HATE industry in this liberal town (drive around the vacant industrial park sometime so you can SEE how liberal politics have cost the city most of its operating budget), but seriously, Constance, at least TRY to be honest.
Granted, most of you aren’t scientists, let alone meteorologists or trained in EPA plume dispersion models; but you CAN educate yourselves if you just stop listening to the loud mouthed whiners and DO YOUR OWN research.
Ironically if you had done your research you would have found that the “3 million tons of toxins” was not toxins at all but the CARB estimate of GHG equivalent emissions. Toxins can be found at the BAAQMD website’s inventory and is actually quite small.
Granted, Constance did not do any research. But certainly, don’t be stupid and miss the QUOTES about her mistake. Sometimes I think all liberals have squash between their ears.
Thom; OUTSTANDING comment.