Senator asks for 60-day delay in vote to debunk flawed figures used to support pollution

SAN DIEGO — Reacting swiftly to reports that the California Air Resources Board would vote tomorrow to allow farmers an additional two years to pollute Central Valley skies by burning agricultural waste, Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez (D-Shafter) is calling on CARB to rethink an action he says would contribute to childhood asthma and negatively impact public health.

CARB was expected to vote tomorrow to extend the June 1 deadline for a ban on burning vineyard and orchard waste for another two years. Florez authored historic legislation in 2003 to outlaw the practice and provide farmers with incentives to explore alternative clean disposal methods that would actually generate electricity. He has called for a 60-day delay of CARB’s vote, so his Senate Select Committee on Air Quality can meet and debunk false assumptions and inflated numbers Valley air district staff have cited in a report to support the delay.

In its report, San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District staff contend that the lifespan of a grape vineyard or citrus orchard is only ten years. They use this figure to support their claim that alternatives to burning would prove too expensive for farmers. In fact, the lifespan of a vineyard is 22 years, while the lifespan of a citrus orchard is 45 years, rendering the district’s cost analysis of disposal completely false.

“My Senate Bill 705 was very deliberately written to give farmers ample time to comply,” said Florez. “Given that they have had seven years, I am disturbed by this last ditch effort to support continued polluting with flawed numbers. Valley residents need relief from the pollution that is driving up our rates of asthma and heart disease now, not in another two years.”

Florez has already called on the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 2 – which oversees environmental protection – to make ag burning alternatives more cost-effective for farmers and withhold funds from the SJVAPCD if they allow continued open-field burning of vineyard and orchard waste.

Thursday’s meeting of CARB will begin at 9 a.m. in the San Diego County Administration Building, located at 1600 Pacific Highway in San Diego.

A letter from Senator Florez rising serious questions concerning the math/methodology used (which does not add up) is requesting a short Burn Ban extension will be delivered to the board meeting tomorrow.

*** MEDIA ADVISORY *** MEDIA ADVISORY *** MEDIA ADVISORY ***

WHO: Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez, D-Shafter

WHAT: Delivers call to deny two-year free pass for continued ag burning

WHEN: Thursday, May 27, 2010; 9:00 a.m.

WHERE: California Air Resources Board meeting

San Diego County Administration Center, Board Chambers

1600 Pacific Highway, Room 310; San Diego, CA 92101

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Also Cross-Posted At INDYBAY.ORG.