I am pleased to announce a new scientific research
project financially sponsored by the Wisconsin Farmer's Union. A tremendous
volume of preliminary research work has been done by Dr. Ron Koshoshek,
Professor Emeritus, University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, in order to transform
his findings into an action research project that could impact the health
conditions of current and future generations to
come.
I urge you to consider a gift to the Wisconsin
Farmer's Union so as to develop and sustain this project.
Thank you much
for your concern, your continuing efforts, and your diligent work in keeping
your communities and rural areas healthy and safe from harm. I urge you to
spread this message to the members of your groups and friends, family and
neighbors throughout your region via email, face book pages and websites!
Sincerely,
Pat
Popple
A MESSAGE FROM RON
KOSHOSHEK:
Greetings:
I have attached the announcement of a partnership
scientific research program for sampling indoor air quality near mining
facilities in willing homes, businesses and other places where humans gather
such as schools, hospitals, clinics and daycare facilities. The equipment used
is approved by both OSHA and WOHL. WOHL’s analysis will measure the
concentration of respirable crystalline silica PM 2.5 in the samples collected
rather than just measuring the volume of dust. It is a sampling program, not a
monitoring program. It has a scientific, not a regulatory
purpose. Since respirable crystalline silica has not been added to
the list of air pollutants, there is no standard for respirable crystalline
silica. Thus, in the absence of a standard, regulation by any
public agency in Wisconsin, including DNR, is legally
impossible.
The
partners in the program include the non-profit foundation of the Wisconsin
Farmer’s Union, the County Health departments who choose to join the program and
conduct the research, Dr. Tom Peters and his research group at the University of
Iowa, and the Wisconsin Occupational Health Lab. The WOHL will analyze the
samples for the concentration of quartz PM 2.5. The program can
also be expanded to interested communities in Minnesota and Iowa, although its
initial implementation is here in
Wisconsin.
As you
know so well, there is a major effort in the legislature to prevent the
gathering of scientific information about air quality impacts of the frac sand
industry. The four “top tier” companies that make up WISA
(Wisconsin Industrial Sand Association) have been instrumental in drafting the
legislation abolishing local control as well as any monitoring by local
governments. Despite this group’s repeatedly expressed desire for
policy based on science rather than speculation and scare-tactics, they support
the abolition of scientific investigations regarding air
quality.
I suspect
that the county health departments may need some help and support in counties
with county boards that oppose science based knowledge of air quality
impacts. Please send this announcement out on your list serves,
websites, and face book pages! Will keep you informed regarding future
developments.
Ron
Koshoshek
Professor Emeritus,
UWEC
Community Partnership for Indoor Air Sampling
A
project to establish a partnership for indoor-air sampling between county Public
Health Departments, medical and scientific professionals and the WI Farmers
Union Foundation
There is a
widespread concern among citizens and officials in our rural communities
(including our Farmers Union members), as well as professionals within the
medical and scientific community about the lack of monitoring for the level of
respirable crystalline silica (RSC) in close proximity to frac-sand mining
operations, including near mine sites themselves, processing and trans-loading
facilities, and along the routes on which frac sand is frequently
transported.
We realize there
are financial and legal obstacles faced by government at any level to monitor
for RSC in the ambient air near mining operations, even if they wish to do
so. However, the outside air does enter into the homes and
businesses located near these operations. A program of sampling
indoor air is not faced with these obstacles and can be conducted by health care
professionals who are already in place in the Public Health Departments of
county governments, and already experienced in sampling indoor air quality for a
variety of pollutants.
The non-profit
Foundation of the Wisconsin Farmers Union is proposing to coordinate a
partnership with county Public Health Departments to establish a program of
sampling indoor air quality for the concentration of respirable crystalline
silica in the homes, businesses and other buildings of willing owners at sites
located near frac sand mining operations. The Foundation’s role
in this partnership will focus on two elements: (1) providing local health
departments with the use of very high quality sampling equipment free of charge,
and (2) coordinating the sharing of data from county sampling efforts for review
and analysis by a nationally recognized scientific investigator.
The County Health Departments
will have control of the on-the-ground aspects of the program, including
choosing the sites it will sample, and the operational process for placing
instruments and gathering samples. Information on sites and participants will be
retained confidentially within the county. All collected samples will be
independently tested by the WI Occupational Health Lab. Counties will be
responsible for costs associated with sampling and WOHL testing of
the results.
Because of the serious
interest in studying health impacts shown by your county moratorium, we are here
this evening to offer your county the opportunity to be an initial
participant in a trial run of this program. We hope offer the same
opportunity to several other county health departments at their November
regional meeting. If your use of the samplers shows promise, we
intend to expand the program to other interested counties as well.
After much
consultation with leading experts, we have discovered that the equipment needed
for a study such as this is far more sophisticated and much more expensive than
the personal air samplers commonly used for OSHA sampling of indoor air quality.
The WFU foundation has agreed to provide funding to purchase the initial
equipment for the project and to provide this equipment free of charge to
selected county health departments for their use in the trial period. If
successful in providing useful data, we will solicit additional funds to expand
the program. Project funding will consist of donations to our non-profit
Foundation, and will come from our members and other local sources in Wisconsin,
Minnesota, and Iowa, including members of the medical, scientific and business
communities. Our goal is provide a scientifically valid study at a cost that is
affordable to local governments and which can be managed by existing
professional staff.
In order to
provide a scientifically valid framework and analysis for the project, the
Foundation will be partnering with Dr. Tom Peters, PHD, MS, CIH.
Dr. Peters is an Associate Professor in the University of
Iowa’s Dept of Occupational and Environmental Health and is a certified
environmental engineer and a national leader in air quality research.
He also leads a team of scientists including toxicologists that make up
the University of Iowa Laboratory Research Group.
Dr. Peters has
agreed to provide continuing counsel to the Foundation and participating
counties regarding any special issues that may arise in the project.
In exchange for his expertise, the Foundation has agreed to provide Dr.
Peters with the results of the WOHL’s lab analysis of each sample.
Dr. Peters will evaluate the significance of the numerical data and use
the data for his own research and publication purposes. The Foundation
understands that the numerical data are open to the public,but that the location
of the sampled site and its owner are confidential matters that must be shielded
from public view both by the Foundation and the County.
The Foundation
also wants to express its appreciation for the advice and counsel of
Stephen Klafka, a board certified environmental engineer and President of
Wingra Engineering in Madison WI, who has contributed greatly to the selection
of the appropriate sampling equipment and to understanding the various issues
associated with both ambient and indoor air sampling. Mike
Cavanaugh, Director of Consultation at WOHL, has also been instrumental in
setting the stage for cooperation with WOHL over the entire course of this
program.
Tom Quinn
Executive Director
Wisconsin Farmers Union
Ron Koshoshek
Professor Emeritus, UWEC
