Air Pollution in Merced County

By Mia Jauregui

What is air pollution? Why is Merced’s air quality poor? How does it affect Merced County? How will the Walmart Distribution Center add

to the air pollution? Why you should care Proposal

Overview

What is Air Pollution?

Is the introduction of solid particles, liquid droplets, or gas into the air

It is mainly caused by the combustion of fuels Factories, cars, trucks, etc…

Air Pollution

Is mainly caused by diesel trucks Is the most harmful to human health Annually, Merced ranks between the 90-100

percentile, which is the worst ranking possible

Particulate Matter

Why is Merced’s Air Quality so Poor?

Highway 99

According to Bonnie Holmes-Gen, who is a part of the American Lung Association, “some 80% of [Merced’s] harmful pollutants can be traced to transportation sources”

Bakersfield, Merced’s neighbor, was ranked 1st

Merced is ranked with the 2nd Worst Air Quality in the U.S.

How Does it Affect Merced County?

Air pollution is said to contribute to birth defects, cancer and ASTHMA

Affects

A disorder where ones airways swell and narrow constricting the passage of air

Allergies, over exertion

Asthma

56,000 children and adults with asthma in Merced

Asthma in Merced

How Will the Walmart Distribution Center Add to the Air Pollution?

The distribution center was proposed in 2005, but a group called the Alliance for Responsible Growth delayed construction through a law suit that claimed the city did not review the potential harmful effects to the environment

But as of now the project has been approved, although it will not be built for a few years

Alliance for Responsible Growth

1.2 Million-Square-Feet “the center would include a 17,000-square-

foot truck maintenance building with two underground oil storage tanks and a fueling station with two 20,000-gallon diesel fuel storage tanks”

It would also bring in an estimated 450 more diesel trucks daily

Distribution Center

Recently, the National Labor Relation Boards (NLRB) filed a complaint against Walmart claiming that Walmart has broken labor laws by punishing workers who considered to be a part of the strike that occurred in 2012

Why would Merced want to allow a company to establish themselves in the City when they abuse their employees

Walmart’s Reputation

Why You Should Care

Proposal

Sign My Petition to Stop Walmart

I will get signatures via social media and by asking people in the community to sign

Send to the City Council

If the City cannot stop the construction, then I will ask them to request that Walmart use clean diesel technologies or biodiesel

Plan B

Works Cited

Christie, Les. "10 Most Polluted Cities." CNNMoney. Cable News Network, 24 Apr. 2013. Web. 02 May 2014. "Cars, Trucks, & Air Pollution | UCSUSA." Union of Concerned Scientists. Union of Concerned Scientists, 3 Sept. 2013. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. "Pollution Locator: Smog and Particulates: County Report." Scorecard: The Pollution Information Site. Good Guide, n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.Jamieson, Dave. "Feds Charge Walmart With Breaking Labor Law In Black Friday Strikes." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 15 Jan. 2014. Web. 02 May 2014. "Major Freight Corridors." - FHWA Freight Management and Operations. United States Department of Transportation, 8 July 2013. Web. 02 May 2014. "Merced County Asthma Profile." Merced. California Breathing, 26 Nov. 2013. Web. 02 May 2014.Miller, Thaddeus. "Wal-Mart Likely to Delay Merced Distribution Center - The Sacramento Bee."The Sacramento Bee. The Sacramento Bee, 10 Dec. 2013. Web. 02 May 2014. "How an Online Petition Works." Change.org. Change.org, n.d. Web. 5 May 2014.