Misleading about burning

Kathy Hedberg's article about anger over the field burning decision [April 1] does a misleading sidestep around public health. It suggests that a 2002 study of 32 Pullman residents provides enough evidence to dismiss field burning as a health problem. The article apparently cites the study to open the door for Grangeville farmer Mike McDonald to announce, "This is not about public health anymore." The story quotes no opposing view and infers that Mr. McDonald got it right: that this is about "politics," not health. This is grossly unfair.

As Dr. Liu pointed out in her study, there are several plausible explanations why this investigation of a small number of Pullman residents didn't find a cause-and-effect association between doses of field smoke and lung function. Moreover, nothing in the study refutes the overwhelming epidemiological evidence from thousands of other studies documenting the link between combustion particles and health problems, including mortality. The EPA cited this evidence last year when it tightened exposure standards for PM 2.5.

But you don't need epidemiologists to prove that field smoke hurts people. Consider Aaron Dittmer, the 21-year-old Pullman resident who died in 1994 of an acute asthma attack when smoke from a massive bluegrass burn in Spokane County hit Pullman. It goes without saying that Aaron wasn't included in Dr. Liu's study.

To Ms. Hedberg's credit, she does report that the ban on bluegrass burning did not, as many predicted, destroy the Washington bluegrass industry. It adapted and it's thriving.

Marc Fleisher

President

Save Our Summers NW

Spokane