Moms for Clean Air hosts Utah sister group
A group of Kamloops mothers is banding together over shared concerns about air pollution in the city.
Formed in December, Kamloops Moms For Clean Air aims to raise awareness of air-quality issues, said spokeswoman Gina Morris.
“It’s to help the people of Kamloops to learn as much as they can about air pollution and its effects so they’re educated, so that they’re at the ready for what could be coming in Kamloops.”
That includes the proposed Ajax copper-and-gold mine.
Morris said the group is concerned about the proximity of the mine, which would be built just south of Aberdeen, as well as the dust that could be kicked up by its operation.
Morris said the group is driven by concern over the health of its members’ children.
“Children’s lungs, when they’re damaged at an early age, it’s irreparable,” she said. “There’s no going back. If they’re damaged when they’re children, they won’t have the same quality of life as adults.”
As part of its education campaign, the group is hosting another mom-turned-air-activist at Interior Savings Centre on Sunday, March 10, at 2 p.m..
Cherise Udell, president of Utah Moms for Clean Air, started her advocacy group after her hometown of Salt Lake City experienced 22 consecutive red-alert air-quality days in 2007.
Her group filed a lawsuit against Kennecott Utah Copper in 2011, accusing the mining company of violating the United States Clean Air Act.
“With Cherise, it was just incredible, her drive to clean up the air because they have such a bad situation there,” said Morris, who hopes Udell will inspire Kamloopsians to guard their own air more carefully.
“I think the message Cherise Udell has is, if you can possibly manage it, don’t go there. Don’t let your air get so bad. Don’t go down that road if you don’t have to.”
Udell will be joined by Dr. Brian Moench, president of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, a group that partnered with Udell’s for the mine lawsuit.
Sunday’s talk is free to the public and open to moms and non-moms alike.
Udell will also hold a lunchtime meeting on Tuesday, March 12, at the Hal Rogers Community Centre in McGowan Park.
The discussion, which Morris said is geared more toward mothers, will include a question-and-answer session.
Moms are encouraged to bring their own brown bag lunches.
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