As a general rule, I tend to be leery of anti-diesel stuff, but this one is from the Clean Air Task Force (which has loads of good stuff) and appears to be a very credible proposal.  My only concern is that "Plans" are overly vague, but this would be a good start and I recommend that WVEC and MVCAC consider it.
 
Diesel smoke is substantially more toxic than the particulates from power plants, so cleaning these up is a good start.  I especially like the part about retro-fitting old diesels.
 
JBK



--- On Thu, 12/3/09, Ryan Bodanyi <rbodanyi@catf.us> wrote:

From: Ryan Bodanyi <rbodanyi@catf.us>
Subject: Re: Jim, the Sierra Club, and Diesel
Date: Thursday, December 3, 2009, 3:37 AM

Hi Jim,
My name is Ryan Bodanyi, and I work with the Clean Air Task Force. I’m writing to ask for your chapter's support for the attached “Diesel Clean-up Platform,” which has already been endorsed by five chapters of the Sierra Club nationwide – Connecticut, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island.
 
Why clean up diesel emissions?
 
Here’s a few reasons:
 
1. Health. Fine particle pollution produced by diesel engines causes 21,000 deaths a year – on a par with drunk driving (17,000), HIV/AIDS (14,000) and firearm homicide (12,000). (1) Diesel engines are known for their durability, but older engines emit a toxic mixture of particles, metals, and gases, including over 40 “hazardous air pollutants” as classified by EPA. On average, the US cancer risk posed by diesel pollution is 7 times greater than the cancer risk from all other 133 air toxics tracked by EPA combined.
 
2. Climate Change. As a warming pollutant, black carbon in diesel pollution is about 2000 times more potent than CO2. Diesels account for over half of the US black carbon emissions.
 
The lifetime of soot in the air (weeks to months) is much less than carbon dioxide (50 to 200 years). As such, removing soot emissions may have a faster effect on slowing global warming than removing carbon dioxide emissions. (2)
 
3. West Virginia. In West Virginia alone, diesel emissions contribute to 73 premature deaths, 79 non-fatal heart attacks, and 6,616 lost work days each year (see http://www.catf.us/projects/diesel/dieselhealth/state.php?site=0&s=54 ), with the monetized value of health impacts estimated at $580 million.
 
4. Children. Children breathe 50% more air per pound than adults, and therefore consume more airborne pollution. Additionally, particles are known to pose a host of health risks to children such as lung growth retardation and asthma.
 
5. Worker Safety. Workers are exposed to unnecessary levels of diesel pollution on the job from construction equipment, transit buses, long-haul trucks and other diesel sources.
 
For example, a study of diesel mechanics, train crewmen, and electricians working in a closed space near diesel generators suggested that diesel exposure may have caused both airway obstruction and serious impairment to the central nervous system. The report concluded that “impaired crews may be unable to operate trains safely.” (3) Studies have documented a 50% higher chance of heart disease in truckers and have found heartbeat irregularities in otherwise healthy, young North Carolina state troopers. (4) (5) (6)
 
6. Environmental Justice. EJ communities are often most impacted due to proximity to polluting sources.
 
7. Economic. Using accepted valuation methodology employed by the EPA in recent regulatory impact analyses, Abt Associates finds that the total monetized cost of the U.S. diesel fleet’s fine particle pollution will be a staggering $139 billion in 2010. (7) However an analysis by Keybridge Associates estimates that a $1B investment in clean diesel technology would yield 19,000 jobs.
 
About the Platform
 
Your support for the platform does not include support for any legislation. Instead it is a broad call to action which has already been endorsed by 320 groups nationwide, including the American Lung Association, Environmental Defense, Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, and others. A complete list can be found in the attached platform.
 
How to Endorse
 
Simply email me – Ryan Bodanyi – at rbodanyi@catf.us, and I’ll be sure to add you!
 
Questions?
 
If you’d like more information about any of the points I’ve mentioned above, or more information in general, simply email me at rbodanyi@catf.us and I’ll respond to your request straightaway!
 
In the meanwhile I hope you’ll look over the platform and consider giving it your endorsement!
Yours sincerely,
Ryan B.

 
Citations
(1) Diesel and Health in America: The Lingering Threat by Conrad G. Schneider and L. Bruce Hill, Ph.D. Published by the Clean Air Task Force, February 2005. Available online at http://www.catf.us/publications/view/83. 
(2) See http://news.stanford.edu/pr/02/jacobsonJGR1023.html.
(3) Kilburn, K.H., Effects of Diesel Exhaust on Neurobehavioral and Pulmonary Functions, Archives of Environmental Health, Vol. 55, No. 1, (2000), pp. 11-17.
(4) Riediker, M., Cascia, W., Griggs, T., Herbst, M.m Bromberg, P., Neas, L., Williams, R., and Devlin, R. (2004). Particulate matter exposure in cars is associated with cardiovascular effects in healthy young men.  American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, v. 169, p. 934-940.
(5) Riediker, M, Williams, R., Devlin, R., Griggs, T., and Bromberg, P. (2003). Exposure to particulate matter, volatile organic compounds and other air pollutants inside patrol cars.  Environmental Science and Technology, v. 37, p. 2084-2093.
(6) Laden, F., Hart, J., Smith, T., Davis, M., and Garshick, E. (2007) Cause-specific mortality in the trucking industry. Environmental Health Perspectives, v. 115, no. 8. p. 1192-1196.
(7) Diesel and Health in America: The Lingering Threat by Conrad G. Schneider and L. Bruce Hill, Ph.D. Published by the Clean Air Task Force, February 2005. Available online at http://www.catf.us/publications/view/83. 


***************
Ryan Bodanyi
Special Projects Coordinator, Diesel Campaign
Clean Air Task Force
http://www.catf.us/
rbodanyi@catf.us
Cell: (401) 829-6192