New EPA pollution standards may prompt burn bans

If you heat your house with wood, you might want to skip a few days this winter in the interest of better air quality.

Officials at the Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority say they’ll ask local residents to voluntarily refrain from wood burning periodically this winter to accommodate stricter national standards for pollution.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has strengthened by nearly 50 percent the standards for fine-particle pollution, also known as PM 2.5, or particulate matter measuring 2.5 microns or smaller.

The new EPA standard is 35 micrograms of particles per cubic meter of air, down from 65 micrograms of particulates per cubic meter of air. People with respiratory problems are particularly sensitive to this kind of pollution, officials said.

In Spokane, peak PM levels during the winter are very close to the new standard, officials said. To avoid violating the standard, SCAPCA officials will ask residents to observe voluntary wood burning curtailments.

SCAPCA can enact mandatory bans if particulates reach state-mandated levels. However, the state levels have not yet been updated to reflect the new national standards, officials said.

Until they are, residents will be asked voluntarily to observe color-coded wood burning advisories posted on the SCAPCA Web site at www.scapca.org.

Condition green means there are no restrictions on the proper use of wood stoves. Condition yellow means that only EPA-certified stoves and other devices may be used. Generally, devices manufactured before 1988 are not certified. Condition red means that all wood burning devices are restricted, unless the user holds an exemption from SCAPCA.

For information, call the 24-hour Burning Information Line at (509) 477-4710 or visit the Web site.

Local hospitals get KidKare cars

Three regional hospitals will receive KidKare cars, small riding toys that entertain children while they receive medical treatment, thanks to the Rypien Foundation, the Kalispel Tribe of Indians and Northern Quest Casino.

Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital and Holy Family Hospital in Spokane, and Newport (Wash.) Hospital will receive the colorful vehicles valued at nearly $5,000 apiece. The children’s hospital is set to receive a dozen of the toys and Holy Family will receive six vehicles. Two KidKare cars will go to the Newport hospital.

Mark Rypien of the Rypien Foundation and Curt Holmes of the Kalispel Tribe of Indians will present the cars to the hospitals on Wednesday.

The cars were invented by a 6-year-old boy who knew that children who needed intravenous drugs still wanted to play. With help, he attached an IV pole to a riding toy, creating a prototype for the KidKare cars.

Spokane to host national event

More than 300 young athletes from the United States and several nations will gather in Spokane next July as the city hosts the 2007 National Junior Disability Championships.

The event, set for July 21 through 28, includes a variety of field sports that help athletes ages 7 to 21 go on to further competition. Along with the participants, more than 1,000 of their family members, friends and coaches are expected to attend.

Shriners Hospital for Children in Spokane is the official host for the event, with help from St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute.

Competitions are held in Olympic-style events that include track, field, pentathlon, boccia, swimming, archery, table tennis, 3-on-3 wheelchair basketball and weightlifting.

Sponsors and donors are being sought to help underwrite the event, along with 500 volunteers. For more information, call (509) 744-1240.