Frank came to Spokane in 1934. He can remember a time when Spokane had glorious blue summer skies and clean summer air. All that changed in 1963 when the mass burning of grass fields began. He remembers when citizens tried to mobilize to stop the burning in the late 1960's, when the industry promised an end to burning "in the foreseeable future" in 1969, and the many failed attempts by regulatory agencies over the years to control the industry's emissions.

Now Frank has emphysema and is on oxygen all of the time. Grass smoke has sent him to the hospital with life-threatening emergencies. During the burning season, he remains a prisoner inside his home, protecting himself as best he can with an expensive air filtration system.

He is angry. Angry at the 125 grass growers in the Spokane - Coeur d'Alene area who believe that their "right" to burn bluegrass is more important than his right to breathe. Angry at the elected officials who have allowed this industry to continue to produce pollution on a massive scale without any regulation.

He is skeptical of the Department of Ecology's attempt to regulate the burning. "I hope the regulation sticks this time, but I doubt it. I've seen it too many times before. The grass growers use their money and their political influence and the next thing you know, the regulation is gone and they're burning again."

Facts   Lung diseases like emphysema once associated almost exclusively with smoking are now being seen more and more frequently among non-smokers. Air pollution is a likely cause. Nearly 3000 people in this area have emphysema. Over 2,500 of our citizens are on oxygen. The number of respiratory sufferers downwind of the burning who are intentionally targeted for smoke impact as a result of the grass industry's "Smoke Management Program" is unknown.