“Five Valley counties are among the 10 most ozone-polluted in the nation … So, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that our asthma rates are more than double the national average.”
- Mary-Michal Rawling, Merced/Mariposa County Asthma Coalition
“One of the main factors for the aggravation for people with asthma in this community is the amount of diesel exhaust in the local neighborhood from…trucks and trains. So we’re trying to work on policy, which will ensure community health and safety by reducing emissions. [Every time] we do some type of presentation and ask how many people or [if] someone in their house has asthma, 100% of the time it’s an overwhelming yes and it’s an overwhelming number.”
Angelo Logan
East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice
(A new asthma CAFA coalition member in Southeast Los Angeles)
A recent report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency showed almost every county in California is currently out of compliance for ozone – and gasoline and diesel powered vehicles are major culprits. California also has extremely high levels of particulate pollution, with diesel a primary source. Ozone and particulate pollution can cause asthma attacks, and there is some evidence outdoor air pollution may help cause new cases of asthma. Across the state, CAFA coalitions target reducing diesel emissions as a key goal for improving air quality for people with asthma.
The state regulatory agency charged with reducing emissions from motor vehicles, fuels, and other sources of air pollution, the California Air Resources Board (CARB), aims to reduce diesel emissions by 2010. In coming years, CARB will develop specific regulations to achieve this goal. CAFA coalitions are pushing CARB to adopt the strongest regulations possible. This year, CAFA will urge the Board to adopt strong regulations to reduce truck idling, and to require city and county government trucks to use available technology to reduce emissions.
CAFA advocacy is already making a difference. On March 25th, CARB approved a program to fix a diesel engine software problem impacting about 60,000 trucks in California. Engine manufacturers in the 1990's (1993-98) designed their diesel engines in a way that allowed trucks to meet emission standards when tested, but then the trucks emitted far greater emissions on the highway. Thanks to letters and testimony from CAFA members and other advocates, the board strengthened their proposal, raising target percentages of engines to be fixed and shortening the timeline when this must be achieved. Under the final proposal adopted, engine manufacturers must immediately fix problem engines by specific dates, at no cost to truckers who purchased the engines. If these voluntary targets are not met, a mandatory regulation goes into effect. More advocacy will be needed in December to ensure CARB indeed moves to a mandatory regulation if the manufacturers are not meeting these goals.
For further information, contact Rebecca Flournoy at 510-663-2333.
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