2/20/2023: Air quality better than expected
Report: Kzoo air quality better than expected
A preliminary air quality report on parts of the City of Kalamazoo show results that are better than expected. The state’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) hired an independent lab to test for harmful compounds in the air in four strategic locations in November. Samples were collected around the city’s wastewater treatment plant and, for a control sample, around the county fairgrounds. What they found is that levels of chemicals such as formaldehyde were either too low to detect or low enough to not be hazardous. “They’re well below what they considered health risk,” said Public Services Director James Baker. The sampling also shows that Kalamazoo has similar air quality as other communities.
That’s potentially good news for Kalamazoo, but also confounding as the state continues to zero in on the causes of bad odors in the city’s Northside Neighborhood. City officials and residents are still waiting on a much more comprehensive report from the state on air quality, especially as it relates to a Northside factory run by Graphic Packaging International. That factory has been the source of toxic emissions in the past and may be one of the causes of the Northside’s air quality woes. The report was originally due to be released a year ago but has been delayed repeatedly. Officials say they expect it sometime soon. The preliminary report can be found online.
Kzoo city retreat focuses on guns, housing
Kalamazoo city commissioners and staff gathered for the most of the day Saturday to discuss the city’s most daunting issues and how to address them. Many of those issues have been identified by surveys of city residents, and at the top of the list is public safety. Specifically, the public wants the city to address gun violence that has increased over the course of the pandemic. City officials have set a goal of reducing teen gun violence by 50%. Mayor David Anderson said doing that would have an effect on other pressing issues such as the need for more housing. “People are not going to be developing housing in Kalamazoo if it’s not perceived as being safe and they’re worried tenants are going to want to live there or a homeowner’s going to want to own housing,” he said.
Other major issues discussed include infrastructure, poverty, discrimination, environmental issues, and the economy. The retreat was an opportunity to work toward concrete, achievable goals. Laura Lam, the city’s chief operating officer, said these early discussions will ultimately lead to spending priorities next year. “The great thing about starting the conversation in February for a budget that won’t go before the commission until January of ’24, is that we’ve got time,” she said. “Good ideas need time.” The next step will come at a follow-up meeting with commissioners next month.
