SACRAMENTO VALLEY GROUNDWATER QUALITY ASSESSED IN NEW REPORT. - States News Service

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The following information was released by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS):

High concentrations of naturally occurring elements, including arsenic and boron as well as human-introduced compounds such as nitrate, were found in three aquifers studied in the Sacramento Valley. Scientists determined that concentrations of these substances in untreated water exceed state and federal health standards for drinking water. Scientists analyzed untreated groundwater from wells, not tap water, which is usually disinfected, filtered, mixed, and/or exposed to the atmosphere to create safe levels for consumption before it is delivered to consumers.

'This aquifer assessment reveals that groundwater quality is currently affected more by naturally occurring trace elements than by man-made compounds associated with human activities,' said George Bennett, a hydrologist and author of the U.S. Geological Survey report prepared in collaboration with the California State Water Resources Control Board.

The report provides an assessment of groundwater quality of the southern, middle, and northern Sacramento Valley aquifers used for drinking water. High concentrations were more prevalent in the southern aquifer system that extends from Fairfield to Lincoln and includes the greater Sacramento metropolitan area than in the northern part that includes Redding, Red Bluff and Los Molinos. Scientific analysis was based on USGS data collected from 235 wells and comprehensive review of more than 1.5 million water quality records in a California Department of Public Health database.

Arsenic was detected above the U.S. Maximum Contaminant Level, set by the EPA, of 10 parts per billion in 2, 22, and 16 percent of drinking-water aquifers in the northern, middle, and southern parts of the Valley, respectively. Most of the samples with high arsenic concentration were collected from wells close to the Sacramento or Feather Rivers or near the margin of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

Boron was detected above the California Notification Level, set by the California Department of Public Health, a non-regulatory benchmark of 1 part per million, in about 19 percent of the southern and in about 6 percent of the middle parts of the Valley. High concentrations of boron were found either near the margins of the Delta, or near the coast ranges on the western side of the Valley.

Concentrations of organic constituents, generally man-made compounds such as solvents and pesticides, were above health-based benchmarks in less than 1 percent of drinking-water aquifers. The solvent perchloroethene and the gasoline additives tert-butyl alcohol and benzene were the only organic constituents reported above heath-based benchmarks.

Of the 226 organic constituents tested for, 79 were detected. Six organic constituents were detected in 10 percent or more of the samples in at least one of the three study units. The 6 detected constituents include the following: chloroform, a byproduct from the disinfection of water; the solvents PCE and trichloroethene; and the herbicides atrazine, bentazon, and simazine. The number of constituents detected in 10 percent or more of the samples was lowest in the northern part of the Valley and highest in the southern part of the Valley. Most detections had very low concentrations - below one-tenth of a health-based benchmark.

'The work done by the Priority Basin Project in the Sacramento Valley is important because we are providing, for the first time, a quantitative assessment of the extent to which deeper groundwater may have high concentrations of both natural and man-made constituents,' said co-author Dr. Kenneth Belitz, chief of USGS' Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment program. 'This information can be used by managers to insure that our drinking water supply remains safe.'

Sacramento County's Retail Food Program enhancements and its food safety rating and disclosure system--2008 Crumbine award winner.(SPECIAL REPORT)(Environmental Management Department) - Journal of Environmental Health

Introduction

Sacramento County is located in California's central valley, a vast agricultural region that extends nearly 1,000 miles. Sacramento is the California state capital, home to over 1.4 million people and host to over 6 million visitors per year. Sacramento County includes seven incorporated cities, a large unincorporated area, and nearly 7,000 retail food businesses. Sacramento County is governed by a five-member board of supervisors and has over 14,500 employees. Within the county, the Environmental Management Department (EMD) is responsible for providing mandated regulatory services in environmental health, hazardous materials, and water protection. The Environmental Health Division includes the Retail Food Protection Program, which is charged with ensuring that all retail food facilities are permitted and routinely inspected for compliance with the California Health and Safety Code. The overall goal is to ensure that food served to the public is stored, handled, prepared, and served in a pure and safe manner, thus reducing the occurrence of foodborne illness. Retail food facilities countywide, including restaurants, markets, schools, bakeries, bars, licensed health care facilities, certified farmers' markets, community events, and mobile food vendors are monitored by the division. In addition to conducting routine inspections to ensure compliance with state and local health and safety codes, environmental specialists also provide food safety education and investigate consumer complaints of foodborne illness and sanitation for retail food facilities.

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Additional consumer protection programs for Sacramento County include recreational health, plan review, tobacco licensing, childhood lead poisoning prevention, employee housing, detention facilities, and noise abatement.

In 2008, the total budget for the Retail Food Protection Program was just over $4 million. EMD receives no general fund monies and is fully funded through permit, reinspection, and consultation fees paid by the 7,000 permitted retail food businesses. In May 2007, a comprehensive five-year fee ordinance package was submitted to the county's board of supervisors to ensure full cost recovery for all program services. The fee ordinance package was approved and is effective until 2012.

Retail Food Program Enhancements

From 2002 to 2007, several multifaceted enhancements for its Retail Food Protection Program were initiated. These enhancements were developed in an effort to 1) improve food safety practices and awareness, 2) reduce foodborne illness, and 3) improve public disclosure methods of inspection results at retail food facilities. During this period, EMD focused primarily on reducing the occurrence of major violations in food facilities. Major violations are based on the risk factors identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as most likely to be associated with foodborne illness.

In 2002, EMD's Retail Food Protection Program received heightened attention from the media and the public, highlighting the need for more frequent food facility inspections, strengthened enforcement processes, and improved disclosure of inspection results. This attention provided the opportunity for EMD to collaborate with the retail food industry, the public, and local governing bodies to improve food safety and prevent foodborne illness in Sacramento County. As a result, in 2003, EMD launched into the development of several Retail Food Protection Program Enhancements--Phases I and II.

Phase I--2003-2005

Several key goals were established for the execution of Phase I enhancements.

* Public Disclosure of Inspection Results. Media attention and public comment revealed an interest in disclosure of inspection results. California state law already required facilities to post a sign stating that the last routine inspection was available and could be requested by a patron. To take this a step further, the board of supervisors approved a local ordinance in 2003 requiring retail food facilities to post their last inspection report in a location easily visible to patrons upon entering the facility. This afforded the public with easy access to complete health inspection reports and the opportunity to make fully informed decisions regarding their dining choices, while eliminating the need for the patron to make a formal request for the information.

* Web site. In 2003, EMD also significantly enhanced internet accessibility of inspection reports by posting copies of health inspection reports on its public Web site. Through a streamlined search mechanism, the public is able to view inspection reports by entering the name of business, partial name of business, or street address (Figure 1).

[FIGURE 1 OMITTED]

* Awards of Excellence in Food Safety. In the midst of numerous program changes, it was important to reward and recognize those operators who had successfully achieved compliance on a consistent basis. In 2004, EMD began to issue Awards of Excellence to facilities that consistently maintained exemplary inspection histories as demonstrated by having no major violations documented over two consecutive routine inspections. Awards are issued to approximately 10% of facilities each year. In an effort to celebrate this achievement, EMD holds a recognition event each September during Food Safety Education Month and randomly selects recipients to receive their award before the local governing board. The Awards of Excellence have become a significant component of the program as they provide a positive incentive for operators to improve their food safety practices. A list of award recipients is posted on EMD's Web site at www.emd.saccounty.net.

* Risk-Based Inspections. In 2001, the California Health and Safety Code was modified to place an emphasis on those items identified by CDC as the leading risk factors associated with foodborne illness. Prior to 2002, all retail food establishments in the county received one routine health inspection per year. Phase I enhancements incorporated a risk-based approach. Inspection frequencies were increased from one to two per year for open food preparation facilities, while inspection frequencies for packaged food facilities remained at one inspection per year. The addition of eight full-time staff was necessary to achieve the increased inspection frequency goals.

* Mandatory Food Safety Education. In 2003, the Sacramento County board of supervisors approved another ordinance requiring all food handlers and managers of establishments where major food safety violations are repeatedly documented to attend an FSE class or 'Food School.' Environmental specialists teach the course and cover basic food safety principles and practices. FSE creates a unique environment for both operators and specialists to communicate in a setting outside of the distractions found in a food facility. Due to the diversity of EMD staff, FSE is offered in English, Spanish, Cantonese, Punjabi, and Korean. A modest fee of $20 per person is required and the course is taught several times per month at EMD offices.

Since 2003, over 3,500 foodservice employees representing 900 food facilities have attended the classes. To date, over 300 classes have been taught by EMD staff and marked improvements in food safety practices at the food facilities have been demonstrated. A data review of documented violations at the facilities that attended FSE over a period of five years revealed a 50% reduction in the number of major violations after the class was completed (Figure 2).

[FIGURE 2 OMITTED]

* Enforcement Procedures. As important as education is in the reduction of major risk-factor violations, properly executed enforcement procedures are also recognized as key factors in any successful retail food safety program. In 2002, enforcement procedures consisted solely of reinspections and the associated fees for these services. Specialists were often burdened with making several visits to a facility in order to move forward with enforcement procedures. It was evident that improvements to the enforcement process were needed. In 2004, EMD instituted the use of compliance conferences to more effectively address the issues of noncompliant operators. Compliance conferences are held when reinspection fees and FSE attendance have not improved the facility's food safety practices. Compliance conferences are held at EMD offices, and facility owners are required to attend the conference with a supervising environmental specialist as the compliance officer. Compliance conferences are designed to create a one-on-one interaction with the responsible party or permit holder of a noncompliant food facility. Major risk-factor violations are discussed in detail and a formal contract agreement is made for the abatement of documented violations and the achievement of long-term compliance.

Phase II--2005-2008

The implementation of Phase I enhancements signified tremendous growth and progress within Sacramento County's Retail Food Protection Program. Once all components of the enhancements were implemented, the original goals were revisited. Had the enhancements successfully reduced major violations? Improved disclosure of inspection results? Increased outreach and education? The answers to these questions promptly gave rise to Phase II enhancements.

Although major violations were certainly reduced with increased inspection frequencies, a data review in January 2005 revealed that 40% of all

food preparation facilities still had at least one major violation recorded during their routine inspections, while 25% of all prepackaged facilities showed incidence of major violations during their routine inspections. The statistics were clear, yet unacceptable. The decision was made to increase inspection frequencies for all fixed food facilities, including food preparation and prepackaged food facilities.

In addition to an examination of trends in major violations, the enhanced disclosure methods that were implemented were also reviewed. A similar survey was conducted to determine compliance with the county's report posting ordinance. It was discovered that a surprising 50% of all establishments were either not complying with the ordinance by not posting their reports entirely, or were not following the letter of the ordinance by posting inadequately In addition, strong feedback was received from members of the public. The public did not find the posting of the inspection reports useful for their dining decisions. Reports were often difficult to read, handwritten, and contained technical jargon that was difficult to decipher. The public requested a quick, simple, and instant food safety message for their favorite eateries.

In response to these results, EMD launched a new disclosure system for the retail food establishments within the county. Taking the lead from Toronto, Canada, Sacramento County adopted a color-coded placard system which became effective on January 1, 2007. This was a significant leap as it was the first of its kind in the United States for the disclosure of routine health inspection results.

The following is an overview of the Phase II Retail Food Program enhancements.

* Posting of Color-Coded Placards for Disclosure of Inspection Results. In May 2006, the board of supervisors approved a local ordinance requiring the posting of color-coded placards following each inspection at fixed retail food facilities. The placard is required to be displayed so that it is visible to the public prior to entering the facility. A facility will be issued one of three possible placards: a green placard, a yellow placard, or a red placard. A green placard signifies 'pass' and is posted if no more than one major violation was observed during the inspection. A yellow placard is posted indicating a ' conditional pass' where two or more major violations were observed during the inspection. Following the issuance of a yellow placard, a reinspection is required within one to three days. Additionally, all major violations must be corrected during the inspection. The yellow placard remains posted until the specialist confirms that the major violations noted on the routine inspection remain corrected at the time of reinspection. A red placard reading 'closed' indicates closure of the facility due to an immediate danger to the public health or safety. After receiving a red placard, a facility must stay closed until a subsequent reinspection reveals abatement of the identified dangers to public health. See Figure 3 for a view of the placards.

[FIGURE 3 OMITTED]

The color-coded placard rating system is based entirely on major violations stemming from five primary risk factors identified by the CDC: improper holding temperatures, poor personal hygiene, contamination, inadequate cooking, and unsafe food sources (CDC, 1996 and 2006). The new disclosure system has produced the dual benefit of improving public disclosure of inspection results and emphasizing the importance of compliance with major risk factor code requirements.

During the first few months of 2006, the percentage of yellow placards issued was approximately 13%. In early 2009, statistics show a marked reduction in major violations: the issuance of yellow placards has reduced to approximately 9%. The issuance of red placards has remained steady during the last two years at 1%.

* Increased Inspection Frequencies. In an effort to reduce the occurrence of major violations, inspection frequencies for food preparation facilities increased from two inspections per year to three inspections per year. The frequency of inspections for packaged food facilities increased from one inspection per year to two inspections per year.

* Increase in Inspection and Support Staff. The proposed increase in inspection frequencies created a demand for additional staff. In order to conduct the increased number of inspections for 5,500 food facilities, an additional nine full-time inspection and administrative support staff were added.

* Registered Environmental Health Specialist Training Program. During the last several years, California has seen a statewide shortage of trained Registered Environmental Health Specialists. Specialists must pass a Registered Environmental Health Specialist exam in California. EMD established a training coordinator position and initiated an expanded training program to create a larger pool of qualified candidates.

* Outreach and Education. The Food Safety Education course that was established in Phase I for employees of facilities with documented major violations continues to be an educational resource for food service industry employees. Additional classes were also offered several months in advance of color-coded placard implementation to provide an overview of the new system. These 'How-to-Get-a-Green Placard' classes are offered in five languages: English, Spanish, Cantonese, Korean, and Punjabi. These 90-minute courses, taught by environmental specialists, thoroughly explain the new disclosure system and provide an overview of basic food handling principles necessary to avoid major violations. 'How-to-Get-a-Green Placard' classes are offered at EMD offices, per request at facility sites, as well as in libraries and various community centers throughout the county. An instructional DVD has also been created to enable food operators to conveniently provide training to their staff. The DVD was filmed in a commercial kitchen and professionally narrated. DVDs were mailed to all 5,500 fixed retail food establishments within the county. A view of the cover is provided in Figure 4.

[FIGURE 4 OMITTED]

In the six months prior to implementation of the placard system, Sacramento County staff began conducting field trials. At the conclusion of routine inspections at fixed retail food facilities, the specialist reviewed the findings with the operator and informed them which placard would be received under the new color-coded placard system. The field trial period provided each operator with the opportunity to have a one-on-one explanation of the system. The operators also received specific information regarding improvement areas, thus setting the stage for operator success with the new disclosure system. Posters and compliance assistance bulletins in English, Spanish, Cantonese, Punjabi, and Korean were also distributed during the field trial inspections (Figure 5).

[FIGURE 5 OMITTED]

* Consistency of Inspections. The process of standardizing inspection techniques was extremely important to the food industry, especially with the new and highly visible placard system in place. EMD has been committed to ensuring that standardization training is provided regularly and will continue to provide training for environmental specialists to assure consistency during inspections.

In late 2006, Sacramento County EMD published a Retail Food Inspection Field Guide. This guide was designed to clarify and interpret each code section while providing real-life major and minor violation examples for each. It was distributed to all 5,500 retail food facilities as well as to each environmental specialist. The guide became, and still is, an important standardization tool, essential for the fair implementation of the new disclosure system.

* Enforcement. To enhance and solidify the enforcement process, several additions were made to existing internal policies and procedures. These additions included administrative hearings, permit suspensions, and permit revocations. A list of facilities that receive red placards is posted on EMD's Web site. The list is updated each month. Implementation of these new enforcement processes has produced tangible improvements in several cases, particularly with food facility operators with extended records of noncompliance.

Conclusion

The population, number of retail food facilities, and needs of the business community within Sacramento County have steadily increased over the last several years. The Retail Food Protection Program has nearly tripled in size and is now well recognized for the type and quality of services provided to the retail food industry and the public. Public awareness and demand for improved food safety will continue to drive community support for the program, due in large part to an innovative and highly visible disclosure system, and national media attention to food-safety issues.

The program enhancements implemented during the last six years have had a momentous impact on food-safety awareness among the retail food industry and the residents in Sacramento County. EMD's Web site receives over 100,000 hits per month, which is indicative of overall public awareness and interest in the information now available. The program enhancements were implemented in the interest of accomplishing EMD's mission and educating both the retail food industry and consumers in order to reduce foodborne illness. The success of the program must be attributed to the collaboration and input by each of our stakeholders, including EMD's retail food industry working group, the Sacramento environmental commission, the Sacramento County board of supervisors, the business community, the public, and the extraordinarily competent and talented EMD staff. We recognize that these efforts must be ongoing, and we intend to continue to seek innovative ways to perfect our programs in order to improve food safety practices for consumers at the retail level, including the over 1.4 million residents and over six million visitors of Sacramento County.

Acknowledgements: The authors would like to acknowledge the valuable contributions of the staff from EMD's Environmental Health, IT, and Administrative Support Programs:

* Mel Knight, R.E.H.S.;

* Richard Sanchez, M.P.H., R.E.H.S.;

* June Livingston, R.E.H.S./Communication and Media Officer;

* Kerri Aiello, Communication and Media Officer; and

* Sylvanus Thompson, Ph.D., M.Sc., CPHI(C), Quality Assurance Manager, Toronto Public Health, Toronto, Canada.

Corresponding Author: Alicia Enriquez, Program Manager, Sacramento County Environmental Management Department, 8475 Jackson Road, Suite 240, Sacramento, CA 95826. E-mail: EnriquezA@SacCounty.net.

REFERENCES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (1996). Surveillance for foodborne disease outbreaks--United States, 1988-1992. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report Surveillance Summaries, 45(No. SS-5). Retrieved January 12, 2009, from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/ss/ss4505.pdf

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2006). Surveillance for foodborne disease outbreaks--United States, 1998-2002. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report Surveillance Summaries, 55(No. SS-10). Retrieved January 12, 2009, from http://cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/ss/ss5510.pdf

Editor's Note: The Samuel J. Crumbine Consumer Protection Award for Excellence in Food Protection, named in honor of one of the most renowned U.S. public health sanitarians, is presented each year to a local public health agency by a jury of leading environmental health officials and public health sanitarians. The Crumbine Award is the most prestigious recognition that a public health agency can receive for excellence and improvement in food protection. Agencies that win the Crumbine serve as models for other public health and safety programs across the nation.

In this report, readers will find a review of the Sacramento County Environmental Management Department's program, winner of the 2008 award. The description is adapted from information the department submitted on its Crumbine application. For more information about the Crumbine Award, please contact Lynn Dyer, director of Market Development and Programs at the Foodservice & Packaging Institute (FPI), at (703) 538-2800. For more information about the Sacramento County Environmental Management Department, contact Val. F. Siebal, director, at SiebalV@SacCounty.net, John Rogers, division chief at RogersJo@SacCounty.net, or Alicia Enriquez, program manager, at EnriquezA@SacCounty.net. A copy of Sacramento County's entire award-winning application is posted on the FPI Web site at www.fpi.org.

Alicia Enriquez, R.E.H.S.

Zarha C. Ruiz, R.E.H.S.

WHAT'S NEW FOR SACRAMENTO COUNTY ELECTIONS - US Fed News Service, Including US State News

Sacramento County issued the following media advisory:

2006 brings many changes in Voter Registration laws and procedures. The Secretary of State's Office and the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors are sponsoring April as 'Voter Education Month' to inform citizens of these changes and how easy and convenient it is to register and vote.

Sacramento County Voter Registration and Elections recently added a new 'Voter Lookup' feature on their website to assist the public in determining if they are a registered voter in Sacramento County. You can visit this website by going to www.saccounty.net/elections/ and following the links. This site also allows voters to view their sample ballot and look up the location of their polling place.

New Registration Requirements: The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) passed in 2002 brought new changes to voter registration procedures that all states and counties must comply with before a voter can be added to the rolls. If you register to vote for the first time, or re register after January 1, 2006, you must provide a drivers license or state identification number. If you do not have these forms of ID, you must provide the last four digits of your social security number. This information must be verified before a voter is put on the registered voters list. Incomplete or missing information must be researched by elections staff prior to a voter attaining valid registration status.

Voters who registered by mail and failed to document their ID number on their registration form must show ID at the polls

Accessible Voting: As of January 1, 2006, HAVA rules state that all voters must be able to cast their ballot privately and independently, including those with disabilities. Sacramento County Elections introduced the AutoMARK, a voter assist terminal during the special election in November 2005 to comply with this law. An AutoMARK device will be available at all polling places. Provisional Voting: You have the right to cast a provisional ballot if your name is not on

the roster of voters at your polling place. The polling official will assist you with this process and your ballot will be placed in an envelope for processing after the election. If your eligibility to vote can be verified, your ballot will be counted. The precinct officer will also give each voter who cast a provisional ballot information on where and when to they can confirm that their vote was counted, and if not, why it was not counted. Sacramento County Elections has numerous outreach events planned for Voter Education Month. Below are some of these events and their locations;

UPCOMING OUTREACH EVENTS LOCATION

DATE & TIME

Pannell Community Center 2450 Meadowview Rd. 95832 Sacramento, CA 95832 Wed., April 12, 2006 9 am 1 pm Central Library 828 I Street Sacramento, Ca 95814 Thursday, April 13, 2006 1:30 pm 3:30 pm

Colonial Library 4799 Stockton Blvd. Sacramento, Ca 95820 Wed., April 19, 2006 1:30 pm 3:30 pm

Latino Task Force Meeting 7000 65th Street Suite A Sacramento CA 95823 Wednesday April 19, 2006 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

West Campus High School 'Safety Fair' 5022 58th Street Sacramento, Ca 95820 Thursday, April 20, 2006 11 am 2 pm

Galt Marian O. Lawrence Library 1000 Caroline Ave. Galt, CA 95632 Thursday, April 20, 2006 1 pm 3:30 pm

'Earth Day' Event CSUS 6000 J. Street Sacramento, Ca 95819 Sat. April 22, 2006 11 am 5 pm

'2nd Annual Fortune Festival' Fruitridge Shopping Center 5657 Stockton Blvd. Sacramento, CA 95824 Sunday, April 23, 2006 10 am 5 pm

Rancho Cordova Library 9845 Folsom Blvd. Sacramento, Ca 95827 Wed. April 26, 2006 1 pm 3:30 pm

Arcade Library 2443 Marconi Ave. Sacramento, CA 95821 Thursday, April 27, 2006 1 pm 3:30 pm

'Festival de la Familia' Cal Expo 1600 Exposition Blvd. Sacramento, Ca 95815 Sunday, April 30, 2006 10 am 6 pm

Voting Forum Immigrant Legal Resource Florin Tech. Education Center 2410 Florin Rd. Monday, May 1, 2006 6 pm 8 pm

Elk Grove Western Festival 9950 Elk Grove Florin Rd. Elk Grove, CA 95759 Sat.& Sunday, May 6 & 7, 2006 Sat. 7 am 5 pm Sunday 8 am 5 pm

Family Community Picnic W. E. Mitchell Middle School 2100 Zinfandel Dr. Rancho Cordova, CA 95670 Wed. May 10, 2006 4 pm 8 pm

Family Safety and Health Expo 3909 Bradshaw Rd. Sacramento, CA 95827 Sat. May 13, 2006 11 am 4 pm

Latino Voter Education Forum Boys and Girls Club 5212 Lemon Hill Ave Sacramento CA 95824 Sat. May 13, 2006 2:00 pm

The 11th Annual Strawberry Festival Veteran Field and the Market Grounds 431 Lincoln Way Galt, CA 95632 Sat.& Sunday, May 20 &21, 2006 Sat 10 am 5 pm Sun. 10 am 5 pm

'Asian/ Pacific Rim Festival' Historic Old Sacramento Front St. Sacramento, CA 95814 Sunday, May 21, 2006 10 am 5 pm

For information regarding outreach events, contact Debbie Woods, Outreach Coordinator at (916) 875 5854.

Visit www.saccounty.net/elections/ to learn more about these new laws and to get more information on the upcoming election.

Contact: Brad Buyse, Campaign Services Manager, Department of Voter Registration and Elections, 875 6365.

Emergency Diesel Generators' Emissions Challenged in Sacramento Valley, Calif. - Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

By Walter Yost, The Sacramento Bee, Calif. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

Dec. 11--Hundreds of them stand silently by in the Sacramento Valley, ready to kick into action during an emergency.

Most of the time, the innocuous-looking diesel generators, used as a backup electricity supply, go unnoticed by the public.

But recently, the generators and their pollutants are sparking concern at local and state levels.

At Sacramento Waldorf School in Fair Oaks, parents are fighting for tougher emission controls on a generator near the campus. They say whenever the generator operates, students are exposed to the dangers of diesel exhaust.

And in downtown Sacramento, a hearing today will focus on proposed regulations to protect Californians from stationary diesel engine emissions.

'These are pretty strict standards,' said Gennet Paauwe, a spokeswoman for the California Air Resources Board, which will meet at 8:30 a.m. at 1001 I St.

California has more than 26,000 stationary diesel engines, of which 19,700 are backup generators.

Unlike diesel-powered vehicles, most diesel backup generators, often referred to as 'BUGS,' operate with little or no pollution controls because they are intended only for emergency use.

Kate Larsen, co-author of a report last year on the state's diesel backup generators, said it's time someone regulated the engines.

'BUGS are stealth polluters, and we need to bring them under closer scrutiny to protect our air quality and health, especially that of our at-risk populations like schoolchildren and the elderly,' said Larsen, with the conservation group Environmental Defense.

Her report says the Sacramento Valley has 544 backup generators, with clusters in downtown Sacramento and along Highway 50 in Rancho Cordova.

Diesel backup generators also can be found on school campuses. The Folsom Cordova Unified School District has backup generators at both of its high school stadiums. The Sacramento City Unified district has generators on five campuses.

Environmental Defense's 'BUGS Mapper' shows locations of backup generators in several state air quality control districts, including Sacramento's. The Web site is www.environmentaldefense.org/bugs/.

For several years, California Air Resources Board staff members have worked with environmental and health groups and diesel industry representatives on rules to reduce health hazards from stationary diesel engines.

A recent Air Resources Board report states that a stationary diesel engine without emissions controls and operating as little as 200 hours a year 'can result in a potential significant cancer risk.'

Changes recommended by the board's staff include requiring the use of best available emission-control technology or reducing the non-emergency operating hours of stationary diesel engines.

Today's hearing, Paauwe said, will discuss proposals to regulate stationary diesel engines, including backup generators. The board is not expected to take final action until early next year.

Of particular interest to Waldorf School parents like Aimee Merrill are measures to safeguard children, the group most vulnerable to developing asthma or other respiratory ailments from air pollution.

The proposals would limit the hours per year that generators can operate for testing and maintenance to 30, and prohibit engines at schools from running during school hours, except in emergencies. The board also likely will consider restrictions on generators near schools.

Any regulation cutting emissions is welcome, Merrill said. She and other Waldorf parents are appealing a decision by the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District to issue a permit for a diesel engine they say was illegally installed next to the school.

The backup engine, part of a wastewater pumping station operated by the Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District, helps prevent sewage from spilling during power outages.

But the parents say the engine had been operating without a permit since 1999 when it was installed. They argue that the engine should be retrofitted to reduce the health threat to children and neighbors.

At a hearing before the local air district's appeals board last month, Richard Drury, an attorney representing the parents, said new technology can lower engine emissions by 90 percent.

'We should do it for the sake of the kids,' said parent Eric Richmond.

Ron Linden, a senior civil engineer for the sanitation district, said his agency failed to apply for a permit. But of the 31 emergency engines his department operates, Linden said the generator near Waldorf School is 'the only one that fell through the crack.'

During the past three years, Linden said, the generator has run an average of 27 hours per year -- far less than the 200 hours allowed by a permit. He said this week that his department decided to run the engine for testing and maintenance only before school hours.

Drury said he wants the air district either to require that the engine be retrofitted or to curtail the number of hours it can operate.

The air district staff members say their restrictions on operating hours are already among the most stringent in the state.

District legal counsel Kathy Pittard said the district will look at options for emission controls before the next hearing, Jan. 15.

Regarding efforts to place more restrictions on backup diesel generators, one industry spokeswoman cautioned that the public needs to keep in mind the purpose of such engines -- to provide power during emergencies.

'If it weren't important for there to be continuous power, there would be no need for emergency generators,' said Pamela Jones, of the Diesel Technology Forum.

'What we're looking at is a balance,' she said. 'BUGS provide vital functions with very little hours of operation,' she said.

To see more of The Sacramento Bee, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.sacbee.com

Hundreds Rally in Sacramento, Calif., for a 'Living Wage'. - Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

By Pamela Martineau, The Sacramento Bee, Calif. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

May 21--Gathering in front of a statue of legendary farm labor leader Cesar Chavez, more than 500 activists rallied Sunday in Sacramento demanding that city leaders boost the pay of employees who work for companies that take city subsidies.

Saying the state's current minimum wage does not provide workers with enough money to live, ralliers asked city leaders to adopt a so-called 'living wage' ordinance. The ordinance would require businesses that receive city tax breaks or other subsidies to pay employees $10 an hour and provide health insurance.

'Often, the wages of people who work for businesses in new development projects are just at or above the poverty level,' said Sacramento City Councilman Dave Jones, a supporter of the ordinance.

A broad coalition of groups assembled downtown Sunday in Cesar E. Chavez Plaza across the street from City Hall to support the ordinance, which advocates hope will be presented soon to the City Council.

Bob Balganorth, of the International Longshore and Warehousemen's Union, said employees are forced to work two and sometimes three jobs to support their families when they are paid the minimum wage of $6.25 an hour.

'In Sacramento, can you imagine trying to live on $6.25 an hour in a town where rent is $700 a month?' he said.

Members of the Sacramento County Central Labor Council, as well as dozens of individual labor unions, civil rights groups and religious organizations attended the rally. The Sacramento chapter of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) is one of the primary backers of the ordinance.

Under the proposal, a private business project or operation that receives a subsidy, contract, tax break or any other financial benefit from the city would be required to pay its workers $12.84 an hour if no health benefits are offered with the job. Employers who pay health benefits would be required to pay workers $10 an hour.

About 50 cities across the nation have such ordinances, including Los Angeles, San Jose, Berkeley and Santa Cruz.

Sacramento resident Sandra Yates said she supports the ordinance because too many workers can't support their families despite toiling long hours at sometimes more than one minimum-wage job.

'If we are a family-oriented state, we should take care of our people,' she said. 'Sacramento is the capital. We need to take the lead on this.'

Ahmadia Thomas, a member of ACORN, traveled from Oakland for the rally. She said the campaign is fundamentally about survival.

'The city knows people need a decent wage in order to be able to survive,' she said.

About 30 percent of the city's residents make less than half of the region's median income of $52,000 a year for a family of four, which is income classified as 'very low' by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Supporters have recruited Jones and Sacramento City Councilwoman Lauren Hammond to present the ordinance to the council. Jones said Sunday that he hopes the living-wage debate will expand to other communities throughout the Sacramento region.

'It won't be sufficient for just the city to adopt this,' he said. 'It's important to take a regional approach.'

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Sacramento's Clean Tech Economy Makes National Ranks. - Energy Weekly News

More than 700 people attended today's 2009 Clean Tech Showcase 'Stimulating the Sacramento Region's Clean Tech Economy' at Sacramento State University. The latest innovations from 120 Clean Technology companies specializing in solar, wind, biofuel, and energy-efficient technologies were on display. The event brought together the region's most influential leaders in renewable energy and environmental technology and featured keynote speaker, Dan Sperling, author of Two Billion Cars.

As the seventh most environmentally 'smart' large city in the nation according to the Natural Resources Defense Council, Sacramento continues to play a significant role in shaping energy policy. The city is considered an emerging 'hub' for the nation's Clean Energy technology, and its unique combination of high-tech resources and world-class academic institutions provides the resources that emerging Clean Tech companies need to thrive.

'SMUD is proud to sponsor CleanStart's 2009 Clean Tech Showcase,' said John DiStasio, General Manager and CEO of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District. 'We sponsored the initial clean energy feasibility study that created SARTA's CleanStart program and we've been supportive of its programs ever since. We feel that CleanStart's role in assisting new, innovative and growing businesses is vital to the economic health of Sacramento, and we salute the clean tech companies that are working hard to bring new technologies and jobs to our region.'

The Sacramento Area Regional Technology Alliance (SARTA) and its CleanStart program continues to stimulate the region's economy by helping entrepreneurs and start-up companies assemble solid management teams, secure adequate funding and accelerate the commercialization of sound product ideas. The number of clean technology firms in the Sacramento area has tripled in the last four years from 30 to more than 100 - now providing more than 1,800 local jobs. CleanStart has already accomplished its set goal of seeing 25 new clean tech businesses in the region by 2010 and 1,000 more jobs.

In 2009, venture capitalists have invested more than $3.86 billion in clean technology worldwide. Investments are down this year compared to 2008, but momentum is quickly returning with a 32% increase in third quarter alone. Sacramento has already experienced substantial growth in its regional clean-tech companies during the last three years and will continue to simulate its local economy as the industry continues to accelerate and expand.

'I am happy to be one of the freshest faces in Sacramento and the 2009 Clean Tech Showcase after relocating my business to the area less than one month ago,' explains Eduardo Saucedo, CEO of Solera Power Corp. 'Sacramento provides a growing market for clean technology companies and has the resources, support and politics in place to support start up companies. In my eyes, this region combines the best conditions for solar electricity generation, which is essential as our company strives to produce renewable solar energy at the lowest possible price.'

As the market for clean energy continues to develop, Sacramento is projected to create 10,000 new jobs and $5 billion per year in direct economic activity in the next ten years. Sacramento's impressive growth and potential has attracted both national and global attention. The City of Sacramento was one of 12 U.S. cities to receive a Solar America Cities grant for $200,000 from the U.S. Department of Energy to support the advancement of solar energy. Additionally, multinational clean-tech firms, such as German companies SMA American, a Belgian solar company Enfinity and Dutch-based Ecostream and Pacific Ethanol, Inc. have recently transplanted their headquarters to Sacramento.

'There is a growing momentum in forming new clean tech companies in Sacramento,' said Gary Simon, CleanStart's co-chairman. 'The region has great assets in world-class research facilities, a growing community of entrepreneurs looking to change the world, and great access to government funding and venture capital.'

Keywords: CleanStart, Biofuel, Clean Energy, Conservation, Department Of Energy, Ecology, Electricity Generation, Energy, Energy And Environment, Energy Policy, Environment, Finance, Government, Investing, Investment, Natural Resources, Oil & Gas, Politics, Renewable Energy, Technology, Venture Capital.

Sacramento, Calif., University Hospital Prepares for Massive State Budget Cuts. - Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

By Lisa Rapaport, The Sacramento Bee, Calif. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

Feb. 14--UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento will eliminate 300 jobs and scale back its Life Flight program in anticipation that it will lose untold millions of dollars in revenue due to federal, state and county health care cuts, hospital executives said Thursday.

Hospitals statewide are bracing for a triple threat: payment cuts from the federal Medicare program that insures elderly and disabled Americans; eligibility restrictions for the Medi-Cal program that covers low-income Californians; and county cutbacks in funding for clinics that care for the uninsured.

So far, UC Davis is the only Sacramento-area hospital to disclose plans to trim its payroll or patient services to cope with budget deficits that touch every level of government. But UC Davis also draws more revenue from public health programs than the other hospitals in the region.

'This is probably the tip of the iceberg,' said Joanne Spetz, a professor with the UCSF Center for Health Workforce Studies. 'I would expect many hospitals that depend heavily on state and county money to take similar steps.'

Over the next few weeks, department managers at UC Davis will identify 100 jobs to cut and an additional 200 vacant positions to eliminate. Medical center officials did not elaborate on which jobs would be touched, but said they hoped to retain some employees by retraining them for different work.

In addition, the teaching hospital will halt all trips for one of two helicopters used for the Life Flight program, an air transport service for the region's most critical trauma patients. The remaining helicopter would pick up some of the 300 annual flights done by the one taken out of service, hospital officials said.

While UC Davis did not elaborate on further cuts at its hospital or school, medical center chief financial officer William McGowan said, 'there is no area or program in our organization that isn't going to see real and substantial changes as a result of the budget cuts.'

Hospital budgets are always subject to revenue fluctuations that come with changes to government programs and payment rates negotiated with private insurers, but this year is shaping up to be more uncertain and more financially devastating than most, many say.

'To have programs at all three levels of government that account for more than half of most hospitals' revenue all talking about major cuts at once is rare, if not unprecedented,' said Robert David, regional vice president of the Hospital Council of Northern and Central California.

The federal government, which estimates a budget shortfall of at least $200 billion this fiscal year, is weighing several changes to Medicare that will come on top of payment cuts to doctors and teaching hospitals already effective this year.

Of all the proposed changes the biggest wildcard u and the greatest potential revenue loss for UC Davis u could be an overhaul of Medicare's 'outlier' payment system, a supplemental fee program that was designed to compensate hospitals for unusually complex, costly care.

In light of allegations in recent months that Tenet Healthcare and other hospital chains manipulated their charges and collected millions more than they should have in extra 'outlier' fees, Medicare officials will soon announce plans to dramatically cut those payments.

That could penalize UC Davis and other hospitals that perform exceptionally expensive trauma, burn and transplant services.

'They are really tossing out the good apples with the bad apple,' said McGowan, the UC Davis executive.

Medicare changes alone could add up to at least $20 million in revenue losses for the medical center, he said.

At the same time, California Gov. Gray Davis has proposed $2.5 billion in cuts to Medi-Cal to help close a budget deficit that he estimated at $34.6 billion.

Besides reducing Medi-Cal eligibility, which could leave more uninsured patients to seek care at hospital emergency rooms, state health officials are mulling cuts in supplemental payments to hospitals that treat a disproportionate share of Medi-Cal and uninsured patients. UC Davis is the only hospital in Sacramento county that receives these funds.

Sacramento County, meanwhile, faces an expected $69.5 million budget shortfall and could make cuts to its clinic system as well as to its medically indigent adult program, which compensates hospitals for care for some low-income patients who would otherwise be uninsured.

'We may not know what all the cuts look like, but they are coming and they are going to hit clinics and hospitals and probably compromise our health care safety net,' said Amerish Bera, both medical director of primary care services for Sacramento County. 'You just can't keep passing the hot potato from one government budget to the next and expect nobody to get burned.'

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