Likes Pavley’s brand of environmentalism

Can you imagine a day in Agoura Hills when there is no breeze, everything is still, not a leaf moves in the trees, the sun shines hotly from a cloudless sky, calm permeates. Only the unwelcome low drone of the freeway breaks the silence.

That’s the weather picture this past August. To some it brings nice days; to "sensitive people" it’s a curse.

That continuous river of cars and trucks that flows deep through our city pushes up oxides of nitrogen and other unhealthful gases all day. The gases have no place to go and hang out above us. In time the air will move along and become more tolerable, but in time there’s a toll. Lungs tighten and some folks will notably suffer.

The number of people who suffer from asthma is soaring. The American Lung Association reports 17 million Americans have asthma today, an increase of 40 percent since 1982. If you are immune to poor air quality now, you may change as you age. Welcome to our side; come on over. We need your voice and your vote.

According to an L.A. Times report of Aug. 26, the Environmental Protection Agency announced it will not cut new vehicle emissions for 2004. It blames Congress and claims it has no authority to cut "greenhouse gases." Why are we paying this agency? What does it do for us?

Thankfully, we have some local fighters on our side. Fran Pavley, our state representative in Sacramento, has already pushed through legislation that will cut back allowable emissions from cars and trucks, including SUVs, by 2009. Now if the petroleum and engine makers associations leave us alone, California will be better off.

Thank you, Fran Pavley. You got my vote.

Roger Slattery

Agoura Hills