Air Quality Watchdog Established
By 250 News
As Prince George sits through another air quality advisory ( the second this month) a group of citizens has formed a non-profit society to focus on the air quality issues.
Calling themselves the Peoples Action Committee for Healthy Air, the group is lead by President Betty Bekkering. She says the group formed because it has taken too long for the Mayor’s Task Force on Air Quality to get up and running "The only name we have heard associated with that task force is Charles Jago, and while we wait for his schedule to be free, the air quality advisories continue" says Bekkering.
It has been nearly a year since the B.C. Lung Association released a report saying Prince George has the highest particulate matter in the province, and the 3rd worst in the country. "We have been gathering our own infomation about emissions in addition to recording the information from the Ministry of the Environment" says Bekkering "We see ourselves as a watchdog, and believe its time for the Ministry of the Environment and the City to do something about the emmissions." Bekkering says the group is hoping to have experts from the scientific community join their group.
PACHA’s first objective says Bekkering, is to educate the people of Prince George "People need to know our air is not good and that everytime the particulate levels climb by increments of ten, the impact on health is dramatic."
She says the group will have its own website up and running Friday, www.pachapg.ca which the group says will offer "one stop shopping" for information about air quality. The PACHA will spend the next while developing action strategies, gathering information about government activities and their effectiveness, and monitoring the air quality and associated weather conditions.
Bekkering says they hope to hold a public meeting either in June, or in September so they can invite the public to become members and be involved in working towards better air quality in Prince George.
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Posted by: YamaDooPolCat on May 17 2006 8:05 AM
The first step in improving the air quality in PG is to actually identify the main culprits and have them do something to improve the situation.
We don't need any more studies. Anyone who has been in this city for more than 10 years are well aware of the major sources of our lousy air. Let's quit fooling ourselves into thinking we don't really know the cause. Everyone in a position of authority in this city has a pretty good idea where the problems originate. So, let's just begin to do something about it. Now, not in 5 years. Chester