The
legislative
session is in
full swing,
with many
bills that
have potential
to make our
air cleaner,
from tear gas
to wildfires
to climate
change
mitigation.
Over the
coming weeks,
we will
connect you to
actions and
updates as
these bills
progress.
Given
our region’s
diesel crisis,
we’re
particularly
focusing on
diesel
legislation
and research
that can
propel action.
Please
join us for a
webinar where
we’ll discuss
both! We’ll be
joined by Dr.
Linda George,
PSU Professor,
Amelia
Schlusser,
Attorney with
Lewis and
Clark’s Green
Energy
Institute, and
environmental
consultant
Kevin Downing.
When: March
2nd, 4 -
5:30pm
Where:
Via
Zoom. A link
to join will
be sent out 24
hours before
the event, so
register
early!
Legislation
While
we made
progress in
the last
session with
legislation to
mandate the
transition of
older diesel
trucks in
Portland to
cleaner
models,
Multnomah
County remains
in the top 5
of counties
nationwide for
diesel
pollution.
We’ve long
known that
reducing
diesel would
require a
multi-pronged
approach, so
we’re
heartened to
see a series
of bills,
including:
HB
2674:
Introduced
by
Representative
Rob Nosse,
this bill
would provide
resources for
a Clean Diesel
Fund to help
transition
older
equipment to
newer, cleaner
models.
HB
2814:
Introduced by
Representatives Maxine Dexter and Khanh Pham, this bill would direct the
Environmental
Quality
Commission of
the DEQ to
begin
rulemaking on
indirect
sources of
diesel
pollution.
Indirect
sources like
construction,
rail and
shipping
create the
largest
percentage of
diesel
pollution in
our region.
Establishing
regulations on
these sources
is essential
to address
ubiquitous
sources of bad
air.
HB
2479:
Introduced by
Representative
Karin Power,
this would
expand the
definition of
greenhouse
gases to
include black
carbon and
aerosols, and
would direct
the DEQ to
incorporate it
into emission
inventory
efforts and
mitigation
strategies.
Considering
that diesel is
a significant
producer of
black carbon,
this bill has
significant
potential to
provide
immediate
benefit to our
climate.
Research
In
2018, Oregon
DEQ received a
$650K grant
from US EPA to
support air
monitoring
project to be
led by Dr.
Linda George
at Portland
State
University.
The project,
titled: Improving
Diesel
Particulate
Matter
Exposure
Assessment for
Vulnerable
Populations in
the Portland
Metropolitan
Area, was to study the public
health impacts
of poorly
characterized
diesel
emission
sources, with
particular
attention to
the
potentially
significant
adverse
exposure
effects for
vulnerable
populations,
e.g.,
low-income
residents,
communities of
color, youth,
and seniors.
As noted in
Oregon Health
Authority
Health Impact
Assessments
(2013, 2014),
these groups
are more
likely to be
affected by
air pollution
and limited
transportation
options that
contribute to
chronic health
diseases such
as asthma,
cancer, heart
disease,
diabetes, and
stroke. This
results of
this research
can inform
necessary
policies and
approaches to
mitigate and
reduce diesel
pollution.
Our
work against
diesel
pollution
needs your
support -- please
go here to keep NCA in the fight!
