City Hall Supervisor Eric Mar

Clean air, healthy food

Improving the air we breathe - the Clean Air Plan

At a public hearing on Sept. 15, I, along with 18 other Bay Area county officials who make up the Air DistrictÊBoard of Directors,Êadopted the final Bay Area 2010 Clean Air Plan (CAP). The plan, revised every three years, calls for the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) to consider 55 measures and study 18 others in an attempt to reduce smog, soot and other fine particles, green house gases and toxic air contaminants, such as benzene.

Since 1990, BAAQMD's work to improve Bay Area air quality has added six months to the average Bay Area resident's lifespan. The CAP helps provide priorities for actions that will continue our progress of reducing air pollution in the region. We need to reduce pollution to protect public health and specifically work hard to reduce smog and soot particles. Both pollutants can trigger asthma attacks.

Analyzing the socioeconomic impacts of the new CAP measures showed that, if implemented, they would result in fewer school and work absences and $770 million per year in reduced medical costs for the region.

I will continue to work with organizations such as the Bay Area Environmental Health Collaborative and Breathe California to ensure that while we are addressing our regional air quality concerns we do not overlook the important need to eliminate exposure and health inequities for the most impacted communities here in San Francisco.

Celebrating the new Music Concourse fountains

On Friday, Sept. 10, I had the honor of celebrating the Golden Gate Park Music Concourse's 110th anniversary and the turning on of four meticulously restored fountains. The fountains are truly spectacular.

Golden Gate Park is on the National Register of Historic Places and the entire Music Concourse was established as a local landmark in 2006. Due to the historic value and aesthetic complexity of the restorations, local artist Manuel Palos was appointed to restore the historic features of the fountains.

One of the fountains, the Rideout Fountain, depicting a cougar wrestling a serpent, is part of the Art Commission's Civic Art Collection. This 86-year-old piece had been badly damaged, and the head of the serpent had been missing for at least the last 80 years. Artist Manuel Palos again did a wonderful job using original renderings of the sculpture to beautifully recreate it for the enjoyment of future generations.

It was a wonderful event and I thank the SF Recreation and Park Department's General Manager Phil Ginsburg, Nancy Conner and the Golden Gate Park Concourse Authority, the Historic Preservation Commission for approving the restoration, local artist Manuel Palos, and the community for all its support for the project.

Neighborhood meeting on the Muni #2 Clement terminus

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), which oversees all surface transportation in San Francisco, including Muni, in conjunction with my office is holding a meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 6, to discuss the existing temporary terminal for the #2 Clement bus route on Clement Street at 14th Avenue and plans for establishing a permanent terminal in the area. The event will be held at the Richmond Station, 461 Sixth Ave., from 6:30 - 8 p.m. Questions or concerns prior to the meeting should be directed to SFMTA Transit Outreach Manager Lulu Feliciano, at (415) 701-4453 or lulu.feliciano@sfmta.com.

Farmer's market coming to the Richmond

Great news for the Richmond District! Plans for the new Richmond District farmer's market on Ninth Avenue (in the parking lot across the street from the library) are moving forward thanks to a dedicated group of local residents. Their goal is to have the market up and running by May 2011.

The market is shaping up to have approximately 21 stalls and we'd welcome your help prioritizing the type of vendors you'd like to see there. If you'd like to be part of planning for the Richmond District farmer's market, you can join the Richmond District Greens at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RichmondDistrictGreens. Let them know what kind of fruits and vegetables you'd like to see and what other items you'd like to see at an open air market.

Temple Emanu-El brings healthy food to families at Roosevelt Middle School

I wanted to take a moment to honor the efforts of Temple Emanu-El and the new free food pantry it is helping to bring to the students and families of Roosevelt Middle School. The pantry takes the form of a farmer's market.

Once a week, volunteers from Temple Emanu-El come to the school to fill bins with seasonal produce, such as corn on the cob, pears, tomatoes and broccoli. They load tables with staples like rice, pasta, bread, and even chicken and beef for families to take home.

As I said when I introduced my Healthy Meal Incentive ordinance, it is important that children adopt healthier eating habits and I commend Temple Emanu-El and Roosevelt Middle School for helping children and families get the fresh fruits and vegetables that are so important for a healthy lifestyle.

Coffee with Eric

Please join me for coffee on Thursday, Oct. 21, at 6 p.m. I will be at Javaholics, 449 Balboa St., between Fifth and Sixth avenues. Come meet with me and other Richmond District residents and share what's on your mind.

Supervisor Eric Mar represents District 1.