December 20, 2008
Breathe California Helps Push for Adoption of New “Diesel Truck Standard”
On December 12th, Breathe California brought a delegation of local clean air advocates to Sacramento on a chartered bio-diesel “Bus for Breath” to adopt tough new regulations on diesel pollution. After a day spent testifying before the California Air Resources Board (CARB), the group joined other health and environmental advocates in celebration when a rule was passed to drastically reduce the amount of diesel pollutants spewed by trucks and buses.
“The new rule adopted by CARB is absolutely critical to protecting public health,” said Breathe California’s Steve French who helped organize the organization’s advocacy trip. “Diesel pollution has been shown to trigger heart attacks, exacerbate asthma symptoms and cause cancer in otherwise healthy individuals.”
Under the new rule, all trucks traveling on California roads will have to utilize the cleanest available engines and particulate filters. Experts believe that these advancements could cut diesel pollution by one-third and save 9,400 premature deaths over the next 10 years. The new rule will bed phased-in starting in 2010 and ensure that all trucks have been replaced or retrofitted by 2023.
While the cost of adopting the rule has been placed at $5.5 billion, CARB’s analysis predicted that between $48 billion and $68 billion will be saved in healthcare costs. In addition, the state will be providing funds to help individual truckers deal with the expense of upgrading their fleets.
To learn more, please contact Breathe California at (408) 998-5865 or visit www.lungsrus.org.