Vernal Express | 2008-08-27 | Page 7

4 Vernal Express Wednesday, August 27, 2008 A7 EPA: Utah air violates federal standards By Mime Starx Associated Press SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Utah's air violates standards set for tiny bits of pollution that can cause health problems, according to the U.S. Environmental Environ-mental Protection Agency. State officials knew about those problems but were surprised sur-prised Tuesday that the EPA plans to expand the boundaries of an area along the Wasatch Front that's deemed out of compliance with federal standards. In a proposal submitted last December, state officials figured that the "non-attainment" area would include Salt Lake, Davis and Utah counties. The EPAnow wants it to also include parts of Box Elder and Tooele counties. Cheryl Heying, director of the Utah Division of Air Quality, said she was still looking over the 90-page notice and said it wasn't immediately clear how the EPA arrived at its decision. "We'll have to sit down with the EPA and say 'explain to me what you're thinking,"' she said. "One thing we want to make sure is it's all based on science." Catherine Roberts, particulate particu-late matter program coordinator coordina-tor for EPA in Denver, said the expansion was based on information informa-tion the EPA analyzed from the state and other sources. Analysts looked not only at areas ar-eas that are violating standards but also those nearby that might be contributing to those high levels, Roberts said. The concern is over what's called "fine particulate matter," flecks of pollution smaller than the width of a human hair that come from car exhaust, power plants, burning wood and industrial indus-trial activities. The EPA says the particles can aggravate heart and lung problems. Utah is one of 25 states that EPA says has places where there's too much particulate matter. mat-ter. The federal agency tightened the exposure limits for that pollution pol-lution in 2006. The EPA is expected to make a formal decision in December that would create two non-attainment areas in the state. One would include all of Salt Lake and Da vis counties along with portions of Utah, Weber, Box Elder and Tooele counties. Another would be part of Cache County in Utah and Franklin County in Idaho. The state will have until 2012 to submit plans outlining how it will clean up the air in the problem areas by 2014. Part of the solution will be to rely on cars that are getting better gas mileage and spewing less pollution. Heying said other contributors such as industrial operations will also be looked at. Parts of Utah face a particular par-ticular challenge meeting more stringent guidelines because of inversions, weather patterns that trap pollutants near valley floors, Heying said. EPA officials say states have to get a grip on the tiny pollutants. pollut-ants. "Fine particle pollution is one of the most significant barriers to clean air facing our nation today," Carol Rushin, EPA's regional administrator, said in a statement. State officials have 60 days to respond to the EPA's notice. Volunteers sought for trial to research foot, leg ulcers By Lezih E. Whiting Bush blames Dems for high gas prices CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) - President Bush on Saturday blamed the Democratic-led Congress Con-gress for the high cost of gasoline and renewed his call for expanded offshore drilling to increase U.S. oil supplies. "To reduce pressure on prices, we need to increase the supply of oil, especially oil produced here at home," Bush said in his weekly radio address. Congress left for the August recess without a solution to fuel prices. In a bid to force a vote on offshore drilling, Republicans blocked Democratic proposals to use the nation's petroleum reserve, curb oil speculation and require oil companies to drill on already leased federal lands. The president, who is vacationing vaca-tioning at his Texas ranch, said Americans support expanded exploration of oil in areas that include the Outer Continental Shelf. The shelf is the shallow, sloping land that stretches for miles undersea between the coastline and the deep ocean. New oil drilling is only al lowed now in federal waters in the western Gulf of Mexico and off Alaska. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., signaled last week the Democrats' position could be shifting. With energy legislation to be introduced after Congress returns, lawmakers will be able to "consider opening portions of the Outer Continental Shelf for drilling, with appropriate safeguards, safe-guards, and without taxpayer subsidies to Big Oil," she said. But Bush said the Democrats are pushing a plan that would reduce domestic production and drain the country's emergency oil supply. "Democratic leaders know that these counterproductive proposals will not become law," Bush said. "They need to stop standingin the way of expanding domestic production and take meaningful steps now to address the pain caused by high energy prices." Bush said offshore drilling can be done in an "environmentally responsible" way. Expertsbelieve Aid'"'!! production from below the ocean can produce nearly 10 years' worth of America's current annual an-nual oil output, he said. . "When Congress returns they should remove this restriction so we can get these vast oil resources from the ocean floor to your gas tank," Bush said. The president also said Congress Con-gress should lift a ban that blocks access to oil shale on federal lands. Oil shale, a sedimentary rock, can be mined and processed to produce oil. And lawmakers should extend tax credits to encourage the development de-velopment of alternative sources of energy such as wind and solar, Bush said. "This Congress has been one of the most unproductive on record. They've failed to address the challenge of high gas prices," the president said. "They need to send me a bill next month that I can sign so we can bring relief to drivers, small business owners, farmers and ranchers and every American affected by high prices at the pump." Uintah Basin News Service A doctor investigating an experimental drug that could save the lives of patients suffering suffer-ing from advanced circulation problems in their feet and legs is seeking Uintah Basin residents resi-dents to participate in a clinical research study. The study will run for six more months. Those who suffer from advanced stage peripheral arterial disease are urged to find out if they qualify to participate in the study. Peripheral arterial disease, also known as PAD, is often described de-scribed as "poor circulation" and is diagnosed when the large arteries arter-ies of the leg narrow and restrict blood flow. The tissues become starved of the blood, nutrients and oxygen they need. People in the beginning stages of PAD typically complain of aching legs and feet and are unable un-able to perform activities they once enjoyed. An estimated 10 million Americans suffer from PAD by age 80, said Dr. Farrell Mendelsohn, the national coordinator coordi-nator for the study and founder of the Center for Therapeutic Angiogenesis, in Birmingham, Ala. "It's really an pidemic in the U.S.," Mendelsohn said. "It is often misdiagnosed due to a multitude of factors." Those at high risk of contracting contract-ing PAD have high cholesterol, diabetes, di-abetes, and high blood pressure. In its most advanced form, PAD is characterized by the develop- Was D:B. Cooper resident of Ogden? OGDEN (AP) - A lawyer who is writing a book about the D.B. Cooper investigation claims the legendary hijacker who vanished from a passenger jet with $200,000 in 1971 survived and resumed his fife as a college instructor. Federal investigators are aware of the. claim and are treating it like more than 1,000 other leads they have checked out over the last 36V4 years. They're skeptical that the late William "Wolfgang" Gossett pulled off the heist as many others have claimed but were found to be hoaxes. "There is not one link to the D.B. Cooper case other than the statements (Gossett) made to someone," said FBI Special Agent Larry Carr, who is overseeingthe Cooper investigation. The Standard-Examiner reported re-ported last Sunday that Gossett told his sons and a few friends that he was the illustrious Cooper, Coo-per, who investigators believe didn't survive the parachute jump over the Pacific Northwest in November 1971. Galen Cook, a Spokane, Wash., lawyer who has been investigating investigat-ing the Cooper case for more than two decades, said he submitted a fingerprint of Gossett's to the FBI's Seattle office and hopes it will confirm his theory, which he plans to publish in a book. Gossett had military experience, expe-rience, including wilderness survival, and resembled the FBI composite sketch of Cooper, Cook said. "He had the opportunity, talent tal-ent and motive to carry out the crime," Cook told the Standard-Examiner. Standard-Examiner. Gossett died in 2003 at age 73. His son Greg still lives in Ogden, where he said his father told him on his 21st birthday that he had hijacked the plane and revealed two keys to a safety deposit box at a bank in Vancouver, British Columbia, where he said the money was stored. "He said that I could never tell anybody until after he died," Greg Gossett said. Wow! to V' Let me tell you, it is worth shopping in the pages of the... 54 North Vernal Avenue Vernal, Utah 435-789-3511 www.vernal.com II SdLIITE tr n n rrTHs n try rTT r n to HUM HN U U u u uu u u u-y u u u u ft We will be closed on Monday, September 1, in observance of Labor Day. Please note our deadline change for ads this week: Friday, August 29 by 12:00 noon. We wish a happy and safe holiday to everyone in our community. tel: [phone] fax: [phone] North Vernal Ave. Vernal, UT 84078 www.vcnial.com i ment of skin ulcers, progressing into the condition known as critical criti-cal limb ischemia. At this stage there is a high likelihood of amputation of the limb or even death. Uintah Basin residents suffering from critical limb ischemia are encouraged to find out if they qualify for participation in clinical trials taking place at the University of Utah Medical Center under the direction of Dr. MarkSarfati. Qualified participants must be 50 or older with stable skin ulcers or non-infected gangrene on a foot or leg; diagnosed with peripheral artery disease at the stage of critical limb ischemia; . and be unsuitable for bypass or re-vascularization. Additional criteria also apply. Call 1-888-853-4656 for more details or visit www.tamarisstudy.com. Although the outlook is grim for those who suffer from critical limb ischemia, there is hope, said Mendelsohn, a cardiovascular specialist who has been studying the disease for nine years. "It is anticipated that the investigational study medication may promote new blood vessel growth," he said. Mendelsohn's clinical trial experience ex-perience in this area is one of the largest in the world. He and his team are dedicated to serving the patient first and partnering with the patient's local physicians. His goal is to provide the most advanced care for cardiovascular disease patients who have typically typi-cally exhausted all therapeutic options. If a patient who suffers from critical limb ischemia is not a candidate for surgery or an angioplasty stint they are out of options, Mendelsohn explained. "These are the patients we are evaluating in this clinical trial," he said. "What they are facing is amputation ... if this medicine restores blood flow it will completely change the way these patients are treated." According to Mendelsohn, it will take six months to complete the third phase of the current clinical trial and a year to study results. The anticipated approval of the new medicine by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Administra-tion could follow within a few months. A national campaign is underway under-way to educate Americans on the risk factors and the symptoms associated as-sociated with peripheral arterial disease. Primary care physicians will often misdiagnose peripheral artery disease as arthritis, Mendelsohn Men-delsohn said. Are you a candidate? If someone you know suffers from skin ulcers due to peripheral artery disease (commonly called "PAD") at the stage of critical limb ischemia, please call 1-888-853-4656 or visit www.tamaris-study.com. Kirk Gossett, another son, says his father also told the story several times. "He had the type of temperament tempera-ment to do something like this," Kirk Gossett said. After a career in the military, the elder Gossett worked in the early 1970s as an ROTC instructor instruc-tor and military law instructor at Weber State University. He also worked as a radio talk-show host in Salt Lake City, where he moderated discussions about the paranormal. While Carr doubted that the fingerprint and hair samples Cook provided would prove anything, any-thing, the FBI has heard tales that were more far-fetched. "Everything about the case is just bizarre," Carr said. fBh J REALTY INC. 1 4 v 1 I , S! . ' 1 I I LjL Ad ;,-' this amazing u$tom home is located in the Hidden Hollow Subdivision. Featuring over 4100 square feet, 4 bedrooms 2 12 baths, a great open floor plan, beautiful kitchen with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances, and much much more. Immaculate inside and out with a beautifully landscaped yard with a deck and patio, 3 car garage and more. This home is a must see!! Call today for all the details. "Expect the Best" Pat Harrell, Agent, GRI, CRS 828-5063 Jessica Schofield, Agent 828-5280 1340 West Highway 40, Vernal, UT 84078 Office: [phone] Fax: [phone] Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun 827 828 8729 830 831 9254 9255 9258 9156 8155 Abundant sunshine. Partly cloudy. Highs Sunshine. Highs In Partly cloudy. Highs Isolated thunder-Highs thunder-Highs in the low 90s in the low 90s and the low 90s and lows in the low 90s and storms. Highs in the and lows in the mid lows In the mid 50s. in the upper 50s. lows in the mid 50s. low 80s and lows in 50s the mid 50s. Sunrise Sunset Sunrise Sunset Sunrise Sunset Sunrise Sunset Sunrise Sunset 6 40 AM 7:55 PM 6 41AM 7 54 PM 6:42 AM 7:52 PM 6 43 AM 7:50 PM 6:44 AM 7:49 PM mi!ts We Celebrate Hometown Life Stories for and about hometowns just like yours. Look for 115 each week in this paper. Utah At A Glance Logan . 8551 i;, Ogden . V Salt Lake City uO 9061 . Provo I j 8955 Vernal 9254 Cedar City, 9358 J I Moon Phases o o Last New Aug 23 Aug 30 O 0 First Full Sep 7 Sep 15 UV Index Wed 827 9 Very High Thu 828 9 Very High Fri 829 8 Very High Sat 830 e Very High Sun 831 S Very High The UV Index is measured on a 0-11 number scale, with a higher UV Index Showing the need for greater skin protection. pro-tection. 0 '-am ' I Area Cities Beaver bl i4 sunny Blanding 94 61 pt sunny BrighamCity 86 55 met sunny Cedar City 93 58 sunny Delta 90 58 sunny Elko, NV 91 47 mat sunny Evanston, WY 79 49 mst sunny Farmington. NM 93 55 pt sunny Fillmore 93 60 sunny Flagstaff, AZ 75 46 t-storm Ui and Jet, to Green River Heber City Kanab Logan Moab Mt Pleasant Ogden Park City Preston, ID y'j 6d pt sunny 97 61 pt sunny 48 mst sunny 57 t-storm 61 mst sunny 60 pt sunny 52 sunny 69 mst sunnv 75 50 mst sunnv 85 48 mst sunny 79' 92 85 99 87 86 National Cities Atlanta Boston Chicago Dallas Denver 75 82 97 80 (dill sunny pt sunny mst sunny pt sunny Houston Los Angeles Miami Minneapolis New York i mst sunny 67 pt sunny 79 t-storm 61 t-storm 61 mst sunny Puce Provo Richfield Roosevelt Salt Lake City Sandy St. George Tooele Vernal Wendover 89 55 90 54 82 52 90 61 88 62 105 74 85 59 92 54 90 59 mst sunny sunny sunny mst sunny mst sunny mst sunny sunny mst sunny sunny mst sunny Phoenix San Francisco Seattle St Louis 89 65 86 Washington, DC 81 till t sloini 62 pt sunny 55 rain 66 sunny 67 pt sunny