Page 2 - Sustainable Life - February 13th, 2014

C2 SuStainablelife
SustainableLife
Pamplin Media Group Thursday, February 13, 2014
Diesel:
Older engines still

spew toxic fumes into our air

■ From page 1

gon roads. He runs the Clean
Diesel Initiative for Oregon’s Department of Environmental
Quality, which pays for truckers and other diesel owners to ret- A clean-diesel
roit their rigs or buy new ones.
TriMet bus
PHOTO COURTESY OF EMSWCD Volunteers assemble native plants purchased for the annual sale by
Diesel exhaust causes some
250 premature deaths a year in
departs
downtown
East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District.
Portland without
Help manage beach
Check
Oregon, Downing calculates,
itout
a sign of
emitting black
cleanups
based on Environmental Pro-
tection Agency data. That’s
smoke from its
exhaust pipe.
If you’re going to get down more Oregonians than those who die from murder and
TRIBUNE PHOTO: and dirty, what nicer place to be drunken driving, combined.
JAIME VALDEZ
Down&Dirty than the Oregon Coast?
SOLVE, now planning its an- Diesel pollution costs about $2 billion a year in the state,
nual spring beach cleanup on March 22, (See separate story Downing says, based on econo- mists’ formulas that translate says.
“I’d like to be part of the solu-
Health impact of diesel
Pitching in
on page 1), is recruiting volun- the dollar value of premature tion,” he says, “not part of the pollution in the Portland
for the Environment
teer zone captains and beach captains. Zone captains orga- death, disease and lost work days.
problem.”
But here’s the rub: the EPA area each year
Sort some rhizomes
nize waste disposal, order sup- plies, solicit donations, plan Diesel fumes contain up to 40 toxic chemicals, including ben- never mandated that older die- sel trucks and heavy equipment ■ 162 premature deaths
■ 135 nonfatal heart attacks
■ “Invisible Enemies: Reducing Air Toxics in the Portland
publicity in the local beach com- zene and dioxins. The Clean Air be retrofitted or taken out of ■ 25,051 lost work days
115 emergency visits for chil- Airshed,” report by the City
Spring is around the corner (sorry, frustrated skiers and munity and recruit and train beach captains. Beach captains Task Force, a Boston-based group active on the diesel pollu- service. As a result, those might be in use another 30 to 50 years ■ dren due to asthma
Club of Portland: pdxcityclub. org/2013/Report/Portland-Air-
snowboarders), and it’s time to think about what native plants staff registration sites up and down the coast, handle volun- tion issue, calculates that Ore- gonians have the sixth-highest polluting the air.
Source: Clean Air Task Force
Toxics
■ Portland Air Toxics Solutions
you might want to add to your teer orientation, and assist the health risk from diesel soot California steps up
DEQ’s highest priorities for web page, by Oregon Department of Environmental
yard.
The East Multnomah Soil zone captains. They also get to tally the results of the beach among the states.
The environmental cost also California led the nation by branding diesel a carcinogen reducing Portland-area air toxins (in order)
Quality: www.deq.state.or.us/ aq/toxics/pats.htm
and Water Conservation Dis- cleanup at their site.
is huge.
back in 1998, and set a strict ■ wood stoves
■ Neighbors for Clean Air
trict is working on its annual Native Plant Sale and could use To ind out more and sign up: www.solv.org/get-involved/be- Black carbon, a component of diesel exhaust, is now the sec- health standard for human ex- posure. California also adopted ■ gasoline-powered cars and trucks
(Portland-based): www.whats- inourair.org/
some behind-the-scenes help the second half of February.
come-solve-leader/beach-clean- up-captains.
ond-leading cause of climate change attributable to human an aggressive mandate to phase out dirty diesel vehicles and ■ heavy-duty vehicles
■ Clean Air Task Force on die- sel pollution (Boston-based):
Volunteers are needed to pre- activity, after carbon dioxide other equipment operating in ■ construction equipment
■ industrial metals facilities
www.catf.us/diesel/problems/ ■ Natural Resources Defense
pare sale orders and sort rhi- zomes, the below-ground root Plant some trees
emissions, Downing says. Diesel is the leading component of the state.
Washington adopted Califor- Council’s Dump Dirty Diesel Campaign: www.nrdc.org/air/
portions of the plants. All shifts take place at its North Portland Friends of Trees is expanding into Forest Grove this month. black carbon here, which also in- cludes emissions from burning nia’s diesel standard, though it didn’t require the phaseout of Still, he igures that would erase diesel-exhaust/
ofice at 5211 N. Williams Ave.
On Saturday, Feb. 22, the group wood and coal.
older vehicles. Instead, Wash- $2 billion in annual social costs
To sign up for an open shift: emswcd.org/native-plants/na- will be planting native trees and shrubs at the 748-acre Fernhill Oregon environmental regula- tors have long focused on ridding since 2007 to burn ultra-low- ington has approved at least $5 million in the past few years to from diesel pollution.
tive-plant-sale/2014-volunteers/. Or contact Candace Stoughton, Wetland. The group is teaming with Clean Water Services, the the skies of pollution from auto emissions. But over the past 10 to sulphur diesel fuel and meet strict air emissions standards. help truckers and other diesel owners retroit their rigs or buy Mandates needed?
Some say cleaning up diesel
the group’s sustainable urban Washington County sewage 15 years, scientists have conclud- The same goes for new diesel new ones, Downing says. Retro- pollution will require Califor-
landscapes specialist, at 503-935- 5366 or candace@emswcd.org.
utility, to help cool and clean the water. For more informa- ed that diesel fumes pose an un- derrated health and environ- passenger cars and trucks sold since 2010, with other deadlines fits can cost up to $16,000 or more.
nia-style mandates. Oregon pig- gybacked on California’s strict-
Shepherd folks tion: www.friendsoftrees.org/ mental threat.
for off-road equipment.
Oregon’s Environmental er automobile mileage stan-
through the gorge
volunteering. Or contact Andy or Jenny at 503-595-0213.
Older diesel engines and off- road equipment emit particulate “It’s possible with a straight face to call these ‘clean diesel’ Quality Commission, the volun- teer board that guides the DEQ dards, and could do the same with diesel regulations.
It’s a tough job but someone’s Friends of Trees also is part- nering with North Clackamas matter, including tiny particles smaller than 2.5 microns — about engines,” Downing says. In Los Angeles, the air coming into the and sets state policies, declared diesel emissions a carcinogen in “You’ve got to do it large- scale,” Collier says. “If every-
got to do it.
Urban Watershed Council and 1/25th the size of a human hair. engine is dirtier than the fil- 2006. But the board adopted a body’s doing it, then we’re all in
Friends of the Columbia Gorge is providing training for other local organizations to sponsor a tree-planting event Those soot particles are so small we can’t see them, and our nasal tered emissions coming out the tailpipe, he says.
more lenient state standard for diesel pollution — allowing con- the same boat,” he says, and there’s no competitive disadvan-
volunteers who want to lead the group’s hikes in the gorge. They from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, at Stringield Family passages can’t ilter them out. They lodge in the deep regions of In addition, older trucks and off-road equipment can be ret- centrations 33 times higher than California or Washington tage for companies that want to do the right thing. A mandate
call it Hike Leader & Shepherd Park, 3614 S.E. Naef Road in our lungs and get into our blood- rofitted with modern exhaust before it’s deemed a health con- should come with inancial in-
Training 101.
The annual training takes Milwaukie. Learn more at friendsoftrees.org/plant/calen- stream. That causes heart dis- ease, lung and bladder cancer, ilters to meet strict clean-air standards.
cern.
After DEQ’s multiyear effort centives for truckers and other diesel owners, he says.
place March 8, which includes a short hike to Lyle Cherry Or- dars/portland-vancouver.
asthma, bronchitis and allergic reactions. It may even cause That’s what St. Julien did, us- ing government grants. He ret- to identify the threat from die- sel fumes and other hazardous The Portland City Club is- sued an air toxins report last
chard, followed by a catered Down and Dirty offers ways Port- brain tumors in newborns due to roitted most of Northwest Con- emissions — the Portland Air year, urging the Environmental
lunch.
To get involved, contact Mae- land-area residents can take part in environmental stewardship and a father’s occupational exposure to diesel fumes.
tainer Services’ Oregon and Washington reach stackers, gi- Toxics Solutions project — Oregon didn’t follow up with Quality Commission to adopt the California emissions stan-
gan Jossy, the outdoor pro- grams coordinator, at maegan@ related activities. If your organiza- Clean vehicles hit the road
ant machines that can lift 100,000-pound shipping contain- new regulations, Peveto says.
She blames business and in- dard for heavy diesel vehicles. It also urged the Legislature to let
gorgefriends.org. For more in- tion has an activity to promote, please email stevelaw@portland- Thankfully, the EPA has re- ers on and off trucks and trains. dustry lobbyists for thwarting DEQ regulate off-road diesel
formation: www.gorgefriends. org/section.php?id=38.
tribume.com, and use a subject line of Down and Dirty.
quired new heavy trucks and buses sold in the United States
The ilters slash diesel pollution by 93 percent or more, St. Julien
state regulations and “politiciz- ing” the diesel pollution problem.
equipment, which spews more particulate matter into Port-
“Air emissions has been that land’s air than freight trucks.
thing that’s really been thrown under the bus,” Peveto says.
Despite Oregon’s green repu- tation, environmentalists point
The Oregon Legislature pro- vided an initial $1 million in to a long history of business- friendly lawmakers threatening
2007 for diesel truck retrofits DEQ’s budget unless it treads
and incentives, though it re- tracted $200,000 of that when lightly on business regulations.
Oregon lags California and Your Family’s Medical Home
the Great Recession slammed state revenues. The state has Washington on clean diesel “be- cause of the successful lobbying
provided no money since then.
of the industrial community,” We have you covered!
Downing’s DEQ program is forced to rely mostly on federal says Spencer Erhman, leader of the City Club advocacy commit- 514 SL
grants. In the past four years, he has doled out $3 million for tee on air toxics.
“From what I’ve seen,” St. Ju- 037.011
retroits or replacements of 400 lien says, “California is on top of 458
vehicles.
Downing recently helped the it and Washington’s doing its best to get there, and Oregon’s
Columbia Corridor Association been ighting it.”
463
win a $345,000 grant to help short-haul truckers replace up People in the Portland area may be complacent, Erhman 357.021
to six old trucks. Corky Collier, the association’s executive di- says, because they look out to- ward Mount Hood and see that 503.659.4988 NWPC.COM 314 SL
rector, hopes to demonstrate we’ve made great strides in Welcoming New Patients

the virtues of shifting to clean diesel.
cleaning up smog and air visi- bility.
But there are roughly 80,000 heavy trucks based in Oregon, “They have no idea that the air we breathe is toxic.”
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Downing says, and it would cost Geriatric Care • Obstetrics Care
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$700 million to retroit them all.
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