BURN BAN * Burn ban expands to King, Kitsap and Pierce counties http://www.seattlepi.com/local/413085_ban09.html The reason is stagnant weather and increased pollution. Smoke from burning wood is a special concern. The pollution levels in the area have increased, pushed upward by wood burning. That has created air unhealthy for the very young, the elderly and people with heart and lung disease. The weather system is expected to stall over the region for several days. The burn bans won't probably be lifted until Saturday, the agency says. * Clean Air Agency enacts burn ban http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/kitsap/bir/news/78888662.html PSCAA spokeswoman Amy Warren said it's residents' responsibility to determine if a wood stove is their only source of heat. If that is the case, residents have to burn carefully to avoid emitting smoke from their homes. Warren said burning dry, seasoned wood will prevent the emission of smoke. "If you burn properly, you shouldn't have smoke coming from your wood stove," Warren said. "If there's smoke coming out, you are in violation of the burn ban." * Stage 2 burn ban in 4 Western WA counties http://www.king5.com/news/local/Stage-2-burn-ban-in-4-Western-WA-counties-78885587.html * Records fall as temperatures plunge to single digits http://www.komonews.com/news/local/78891067.html The weather made for some pretty pictures, but didn't seem to cause any problems on the surface, however, the cold, dense air has become quite stagnant. A Stage 2 Burn Ban is now in effect for King, Pierce, Snohomish and Kitsap Counties. More information at the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency. * Burn Ban Expanded to Kitsap County http://www.king5.com/news/Plume-of-smoke-seen-from-downtown-Seattle-steam-plan-78879227.html * Burn ban extended to King, Kitsap and Pierce counties http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/theblotter/2010453720_burn_ban_in_effect_in_snohomis.html * Burn ban throughout Puget Sound, Cowlitz County http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20091209/NEWS03/712099707#Burn.ban.throughout.Puget.Sound.Cowlitz.County * Burn ban, including wood stoves, fireplaces, extended to Pierce County http://www.thenewstribune.com/updates/story/987140.html * Burn Ban Possible in Kitsap This Week, Air Agency Says http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/dec/08/burn-ban-possible-in-kitsap-this-week-air-agency/?partner=popular#ixzz0ZDfRISG9 * Burn ban issued in Snohomish County http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20091208/NEWS01/712089726#Burn.ban.issued.in.Snohomish.County * Burn ban in effect in Snohomish County http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/theblotter/2010453720_burn_ban_in_effect_in_snohomis.html No burning is allowed in any wood-burning fireplaces, wood stoves or fireplace inserts (certified or uncertified) or pellet stoves, unless this is your only adequate source of heat. * Burn ban in Snohomish County http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010454181_apwaburnban.html The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency has issued a Stage 2 burn ban for Snohomish County because of stagnant air and high pollution levels. It's the first burn ban in Snohomish, King, Pierce and Kitsap counties this winter season. CLIMATE * Seattle meets goal to reduce greenhouse-gas production http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010457770_citycarbon09m.html The city of Seattle last year produced 7 percent less greenhouse gas than it did in 1990 - a target the city had hoped to meet by 2012. But it's still not clear how or if the city will be able to maintain that success or achieve its long-term ambitions to drive down more substantially the emissions that contribute to global climate change. * EPA head: US must make up for lost time on climate http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091209/ap_on_sc/climate * EPA ready to regulate carbon emissions http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/12/07/daily7.html The endangerment finding, however, opens the door for the agency to regulate carbon emissions from all sources: factories, utility plants, real estate development, you name it... The prospect of heavy-handed EPA regulations makes cap-and-trade legislation look a lot more attractive by comparison. Both the House-passed bill and the currently on-hold Senate bill would create a system of trading emissions credits and and give industries incentives to invest in energy efficiency and new technologies. <<EPA ready to regulate carbon emissions - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle).htm>> NOTE: If the hyperlink to the article fails, contact Consuelo Flores Davis. Consuelo Flores Davis Communications Dept. Puget Sound Clean Air Agency 206-689-4074 consueloD@pscleanair.org Bill Smith Senior Environmental Specialist City of Tacoma Solid Waste Management 3510 S. Mullen Street Tacoma, WA 98409 253-593-7719 Phone 253-591-5547 Fax