The Obfuscation Proclamation of 2010

A friend just passed on a Proclamation by “Our Good Governor” (TM) that May 3-7 is “Air Quality Awareness Week”

A couple of things immediately are called to mind.

First of all, the DEP claim that the Clean Air Council “supported the Governor with a Resolution” as stated on the DEP website is flat out false

You can read the Clean Air Council’s March 10 Resolution for yourself and note that it does not even mention “Our Good Governor” (TM) and is limited to supporting the National effort.

Shame on DEP for attempting to imply that the Clean Air Council supports “Our Good Governor”(TM) and politicizing the scientific work of the Clean Air Council.

Secondly, ironically, the NJ Clean Air Council held its annual hearing on April 14 and there was much testimony that was critical of DEP and why DEP needed  to a lot more to improve its regulation of hazardous air pollutants (like volatile organic compounds (VOC’s), fine particulates, and ozone. (see this as well – and this for the unjust and disparate impacts on urban NJ) .

Shame on DEP for not informing the public that NJ fails to meet federal air quality standards for ozone, fine particulates, and hazardous cancer causing air pollutants. DEP failed to mention that there is serious unfinished business and ongoing major health risks caused by air pollution, particularly for risks to children and poor and minority populations of urban NJ.

Third, despite “Our Good Governor’s (TM) Proclamation Obfuscation, Christie policy has jeopardized a DEP proposed clean air rule to restrict sulfur content in fuels.

And fourth, the spinmeisters at DEP who champion “Our Good Governor” (TM), fail to note that 90% of most people’s time is spent indoors, and that indoor air quality is at risk from the migration of chemicals into buildings, know as vapor intrusion.

It is pathetic when DEP spin is so over the top and divorced from facts.

DEP needs to stop spinning to defend “Our Good Governor’s (TM)” rollbacks and start working to improve protections of public health and the environment.