Agriculture Daily News May 1 (cont.)

Salmon:

 

Tiny fly is why salmon thrive in Yolo Bypass, scientists say – A trio of local scientists recently unlocked a mystery about why young salmon grow faster during floods in the Yolo Bypass, and in the process they identified a new species. The discovery may hold part of the solution to a decline in fall-run chinook salmon that is expected to be unprecedented this year. Regulators have closed salmon fishing to protect what remains of the salmon run. Sacramento Bee 5/1/08

 

Health, Air Quality:

 

Lung Assn. rates Bay Area's air quality -- The American Lung Association studied samples for soot and on Wednesday issued a reprimand - failing grades for San Francisco, Contra Costa and Santa Clara counties. Bay Area air, washed by strong onshore breezes from the Pacific Ocean, is often quite clean. But due to periodic spikes of pollution - during those still air days that allow wood smoke and diesel exhaust to accumulate - the three counties have drawn straight Fs for five years running. SF Chroncle 5/1/08

 

Air board OKs new plan -- The regional air board Wednesday adopted a new cleanup plan for soot and chemical debris that cause early death for more than 1,000 Valley residents each year -- but activists say it will take too long and might not work at all. The fine particles would drop to safe levels by 2014, officials said. The plan tightens rules on fireplace burning, glass-melting furnaces and even commercial charbroilers. Fresno Bee 5/1/08

 

Sacramento gets 'F' again on air quality -- About half of California's counties received a failing grade for high levels of smog or particle pollution in an annual air-quality report card released today. The Sacramento region's air quality improved from previous years, but still received a failing grade on the American Lung Association's 2008 State of the Air report card. Sacramento Bee 5/1/08

 

Modesto and Merced still are among the 25 cities in the United States with the most smog. But the brown stuff wasn't as thick from 2004-06, which moved the two cities down the national list. Modesto Bee 5/1/08