Fw: Fall news and transitions for the DPI

[RI Interfaith Power and Light]

To RI - IPL advocacy folks -- fyi

Esteemed Members and Friends of the Diesel Pollution Initiative - We have so much to share: 

Firstly, on October 27 I went to Washington DC to meet with the National Association of General Contractors. The AGC had been working with our national coalition leader, the Clean Air Task Force, on a statement of joint principles encouraging Congress to set aside funds to reduce diesel emissions on all new federally funded highway projects. Myself and two other state partners, form Chicago and Atlanta, were asked to meet with the AGC, share our experience working on clean construction, and then, go lobby the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on behalf of our newly agreed upon "Clean Construction Principles" which you may have seen here in a recent New York Times post. It was a good trip and we are anxiously awaiting the mark-up of the Transportation Bill, whenever Health Care is resolved :)

Secondly, the a few weeks ago the EPA levied fines against school bus company First Student - the primary operator in Rhode Island and much of the Northeast - for failing to comply with our state's five-minute anti-idling law. EPA enforcement agents observed buses in Pawtucket and Connecticut idling in excess of two hours. In addition to fines, First Student is installing diesel oxidation catalysts (which reduce PM by 25%) on more than a hundred buses, installing GPS systems on more than 300 buses to monitor idling, and developing an anti-idling training for nearly 50,000 employees. Channel 12 did a piece on the story here, featuring yours truly. One more note on school buses. Beginning this fall, all special needs and out of district students are traveling on brand new, top of the line low emission buses which meet EPA's strictest standards. The state streamlined routes for these students to save municipalities much needed money. Thanks to the folks at  DOA and DEM and RIDE for making sure our students have the best!

We're so excited its fall because we've obviously got big plans for the coming year, not least of which involves a new diesel organizer - Nicole Poepping. Nicole and I met working on diesel projects in Newport where she was leading the Building a Healthy Newport Environment Coalition. You will be hearing from her shortly on all the things we have in store for 2010. I am leaving Clean Water Action at the end of this week - and not without a heavy heart - to pursue documentary filmmaking and other ventures. Organizing for Clean Water Action and the DPI afforded me opportunities for which I remain forever grateful - being an advocate is not just a job, it is a choice we all make. Thank you for your support, your inspiration and for sharing your victories. I am so lucky to have been a part of it. 

Now Nicole is in charge and you will love her. She was born to organize even if she doesn't know that yet. Welcome Nicole!

 

Annie 

www.cleanwateraction.org/ri/

401-331-6972