* * * PRESS RELEASE * * *

Particulate Pollution Health Advisory Program
for the Owens Lake Area

The Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District will issue air pollution health advisories when dust storms from Owens Dry Lake cause air pollution to exceed selected trigger levels. District staff will take hourly readings of the wind speed, wind direction and particulate pollution levels in Lone Pine, Olancha and Keeler, on days when high winds are forecast for the Owens Lake area. Health advisory notices will be FAXed to schools in the affected downwind communities and to KIBS/KBOV. Health advisories will remain in effect for the remainder of the day and if appropriate, will be reissued as conditions change.

• A Stage 1 air pollution health advisory will be issued when hourly particulate pollution levels exceed 400 microgram per cubic meter (µg/m 3). A Stage 1 health advisory will recommend that children, the elderly, and people with heart or lung problems refrain from strenuous outdoor activities in the impacted area.

• A Stage 2 air pollution health advisory will be issued when hourly particulate pollution levels exceed 800 µg/m 3. A Stage 2 health advisory will recommend that everyone refrain from strenuous outdoor activities in the impacted area.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency has established a national ambient air quality standard for particulate matter that is frequently violated in the Owens Lake area because of wind blown dust from the dry lake bed. The Great Basin Air Pollution Control District is working with the City of Los Angeles and the California State Lands Commission to develop and implement dust control measures at Owens Lake. Until dust controls are in place, the District has instituted this program to advise the public when unhealthful levels of particulate pollution occur in the Owens Lake area.

Particulate pollution is associated with dust, smoke and haze, and is measured as PM-10, which stands for particulate matter less than 10 microns. These particles are extremely small, less than a tenth the diameter of a human hair, and because of their small size they can penetrate deep into your lungs. Breathing PM-10 can cause a variety of health problems. It can increase the number and severity of asthma and bronchitis attacks. It can cause breathing difficulties in people with heart or lung disease. It can complicate existing respiratory infections and can increase the risk for respiratory infection in all of us. If you suffer from respiratory allergies, breathing PM-10 may aggravate your existing symptoms.

The best defense you have against PM-10 exposure during these episodes is to stay indoors. Homes or buildings with closed air systems typically act as very good barriers to PM-10. Don't exercise, do strenuous yard work or other outdoor activities when PM-10 is high. Replace your heating/air conditioning system filters with one of the newer high technology "micron" types. This will help filter the air that does come in from outside. You can reduce you and your family's personal exposure to PM-10 during these episodes by taking any of these simple common sense actions.

The Owens Lake air pollution health advisory program is not intended to replace the need to control the dust problem at Owens Lake, but it's intended to help reduce adverse health effects until dust control measures are in place. If you have any questions about this program or the District's activities at Owens Lake, please write or call Ted Schade or Duane Ono at the Great Basin Air Pollution Control District, 157 Short Street, Bishop, California 93514, (760) 872-8211.

Released By:

Duane M. Ono

Deputy Air Pollution Control Officer