<< Back 5/15/02 Hundreds participate in clean air vigil and voter’s summit Canary Coalition coordinates second 28-hour vigil in Raleigh May 28-29 SMN Hundreds of Western North Carolinians came to Pack Square in Asheville May 10 and 11 to participate in the Clean Air Vigil and Voter’s Summit on Air Quality sponsored by the Canary Coalition. During the 28 hours of the vigil the size of the crowd varied as people delivered messages, read poetry and played music. At one point Saturday evening, a tap dancer took stage and entertained the crowd. A core of 6-10 people kept the vigil going through the night. Saturday afternoon, N.C. Rep. Marge Carpenter took the microphone and expressed strong support for SB1078, the Healthy Air Bill. She praised the agreement Gov. Mike Easley announced last week but emphasized the importance of including language in the bill that prohibits the buying and selling of pollution credits by the utility companies. This language is currently not in the bill, but is favored by the environmental community and the sponsors of the bill. Several other prominent community members addressed the crowd, including Jackson County Commission Chair Jay Denton who reiterated the reasons that his commission voted to endorse the activities of the Canary Coalition last year and continues to support the effort to clear the air in Western North Carolina. Former Asheville Mayor Leni Sitnick delivered a comprehensive statement on the effects of air pollution on public health, the environment and the economy of our region. The crowd swelled to its largest size to hear folksinger, songwriter and activist Peggy Seeger at 9 p.m. on Friday night sing about air quality and other environmental themed songs. Seeger is also a member of the Canary Coalition’s Board of Directors. Asheville resident and Canary Coalition sponsored Ultra-Runner Will Harlan, (who also is the Editor of Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine), led an 1,800-lap relay/walk around Pack Square as part of the ongoing event. This was in remembrance of the approximately 1,800 North Carolinians who die prematurely every year because of the health effects of air pollution. Dozens of people shared in the relay over the course of the event as they repeatedly circled Pack Square. The 1,800th lap was completed at 6 p.m. Saturday night, 24 hours after the first lap. “Four hundred and twenty-four signatures were collected on the petition in support of passing S1078 with the emission control standards intact.” said Avram Friedman, executive director of the Canary Coalition. “Based on that, we estimate that more than a thousand people participated in the event at one time or another. Many came just to sign the petition and send a message to Raleigh.” During the event more people signed up to go to Raleigh with the Canary Coalition on May 28-29 for the opening of the 2002 N.C. legislative session where a second 28-hour vigil is being coordinated by the Canary Coalition. For more information contact the Canary Coalition toll free at 1.866.4CANARY, 828.5864620 or visit the website at www.canarycoalition.org.