Comment Log Display

We appreciated the opportunity to attend this informative meeting
and the opportunity to participate in the discussion. 

The only problem was the time allowance for public speakers.
Unfortunately for events like this there is always the ill informed
highly opinionated gadfly who, given the chance, monopolizes the
microphone. Time limits and limits on how often the panel can be
addressed need to be implemented and the rules of the game made
public at the beginning of the presentation along with the
admonition to stay on topic along with other rules of courtesy and
respect for the views of others.

On other topics: small but contributing factors to poor air quality
include the frequent but bad practice of motorists filling their
auto's gas tanks by "topping." That is trying to force more fuel
into the tank than it can hold. 

In addition to wasting their time and the time of everyone else
behind them in line for the pump this fouls the vapor recovery
system and frequently results in gasoline spills. While the pump
handle frequently has a small note admonishing users to not top and
the computer display on some pumps also reminds anyone who may be
watching that display to not top this has never risen to the
priority of other safety messages in bold large type on signs and
banners on or about the filling facility like those stating "Stop
engine," "No Smoking" and that sort of thing. (Think Costco gas) 

Another contributor are idling cars, One source are traffic lights
that too frequently hold up whole platoons of cars to let one car
come out of a side street; demand signal that doesn't note an
oncoming platoon of cars from a nearby signal on the main street,
signals that give a green to a lane with few or no cars while
holding a far busier and crowded traffic lanes. 

Another cause of idling are drive through lanes at banks and fast
food parlors. A number of progressive communities have outlawed
these amenities as a way to reduce pollution from vehicles idling
while waiting for service and the state could also eliminate this
for most types of enterprises commonly using this sort of service.
That matter, like all such proposals, would need study considering
issues like ADA accessibility.