RESOLUTION ON AIR QUALITY AFFECTED BY AGGREGATE MINING

Submitted by:
Peter Hershfield, Maricopa Legislative District 9

Whereas, aggregate mining and associated industries are located in close proximity to many communities in the State that are occupied by a significant number of the young and the elderly, who constitute sensitive populations whose health is more drastically affected by PM 10 and PM 2.5 dust particles. These adverse health effects are exacerbated by the clustering of these aggregate mining operations with their PM emissions. It has also been determined that there is a connection between these pollutants created by mining and respiratory and heart diseases. The particulate matter being produced in great quantities by these industries, add to the already problematical State-wide air quality; and

Whereas, people were allowed to move into areas near the aggregate mines and local and county governments in these areas did little or nothing to warn prospective buyers about the dangers of living near the mines and their pollution…thus encouraging the unwary to populate these areas and failing to have systems to warn inhabitants of dangerous levels of PM 10 and PM 2.5, especially due to the unchecked clustering of these aggregate mining operations; and

Whereas, the aggregate mining industry is not doing enough substantively to reduce the dust, other than perfunctory and spotty attempts to wet down the dust produced by their operations, and by perfunctory and spotty attempts to cover the full loads of the many trucks needed to transport their products to job sites.

Therefore be it resolved that the Democratic Party of Arizona demands that the aggregate mining industry take significant steps to protect inhabitants close to these mines from dangerous pollution, by requiring them to cease requests to cluster their facilities any closer than one mile from existing operations and by monitoring the particulate output of the area in which they work and throughout communities within three miles of the aggregate mine borders, assuring that EPA particulate maximums are not exceeded.

Be it further resolved that the State and subsidiary governments must prevent the clustering of these aggregate mining operations, carefully and completely monitor the air quality of communities in close proximity to mining areas, taking the necessary steps to act against unsafe conditions and requiring that the cumulative impacts of mining in an area be examined before issuing air pollution permits to operate. Particulate emissions allowed should be no greater than those of contiguous states.

1 Particle Pollution and Your Health Learn who is at risk from exposure to particle pollution, what health effects you may experience as a result of particle exposure, and simple measures you can take to reduce your risk. (PDF, 2 pp, 320 KB)

2 Air Quality Criteria Document for Particulate Matter (October 2004): This comprehensive assessment of scientific data about the health and environmental effects of particulate matter is an important part of EPA’s review of its particle pollution standards.

3 Compilation of Air Pollutant Emission Factors, AP-42,. Information and copies may be obtained by writing to: “Superintendent of Documents, Attn: New Orders, PO Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954.” The full text of the compilation of air pollutant emission factors, AP-42,, is also available in electronic format at http://www.epa.gov/ttn/chief/ap42/. The compilation of air pollutant emission factors, AP-42, are also available for inspection and copying at most public libraries and “The State Library of Ohio.”