An earlier study from the same research team, The Climate Gap, illustrated how low-income communities and those of color are so much more vulnerable to the impacts of global warming as they have far more adverse health impacts and they suffer economically. This latest research further demonstrates the disparities, revealing that “people of color experience over 70% more particulate pollution from large greenhouse gas emitting facilities within two and a half miles than non-Hispanic whites.” Generally, of the twelve largest greenhouse gas emitters in California, eight are also the worst actors in terms of their pollution burdens on surrounding communities disproportionately impacting people of color. Who are those bad actors?
Almost all of the bad actors are refineries in the Los Angeles Harbor area. In these maps you can get a better understanding of how disproportionately impacted this area is. Two of these bad actors, Valero and Tesoro, are Texas oil companies that are currently financing an effort to repeal AB 32 that would allow them to continue to emit greater amounts of pollution where enough of it already exists.
Now consider the tremendous air quality, health and economic benefits that these communities could receive if global warming policies were designed in a manner that guaranteed improvements from the largest greenhouse gas emitters. Several years ago, NRDC’s report Boosting the Benefits showed that even through conservative estimates, AB 32 policies could save hundreds of lives and prevent thousands of other negative health impacts annually – saving billions of dollars in healthcare costs.
However, incorporating some of the public health safeguards recommended by the Minding the Climate Gap report could vastly expand these benefits particularly in the communities that need them the most. Policy makers ought to visit the communities of Wilmington, Carson, Paramount, Torrance, Richmond and Colton and then fully consider the following system safeguards:
Further, this report focused on three prominent industrial sectors: Power generation, Refining and Cement, yet the policy safeguards that are recommended would have benefits far beyond those sectors, likely reaching impacted communities in the San Joaquin Valley and elsewhere. As the California Air Resources Board (CARB) forms protocols for market mechanisms to reduce global warming pollution, they are at a critical juncture to build in public health safeguards in the system that can produce considerable improvements to communities throughout California while meeting climate goals. The choice seems easy yet not without political interference courtesy of the ever powerful industries that dish out those health impacts. We hope CARB can slip out of that oily grip to choose the path that secures additional public health benefits and protects our future.
]]>It is true that the CARB staffer who managed the review of dozens of studies showing mortality impacts of fine particulate matter (PM) exposure faked his personal credentials, and that is most unfortunate. That has nothing to do though, with the robust and extensive body of science, showing strong links between increased mortality and fine PM exposure. The peer reviewed literature is full of scores of these studies from internationally recognized experts in the field with unassailable credentials (see this summary from US EPA).
The fact is that you’ll never see “small particles” written on a death certificate, but we know that it kills tens of thousands in the US alone. In fact, even the World Health Organization recognizes PM as a major global killer, estimating about two million deaths from air pollution worldwide each year. Diesel exhaust is notoriously full of fine PM; there’s no doubt about it. And these particles actually discriminate who they kill, because it’s the poorest communities with the largest minority populations who are most exposed to high diesel traffic corridors and transportation hubs.
The powerful industries that rely on polluting diesel engines continue to promote the false choice between jobs and health. They are used to receiving subsidies in the form of millions of impacted lungs and lives so that they can continue to run dirty, old engines without controls. Now, CARB regulations forcing trucks and construction equipment to clean up their act have provoked attacks on the science of pollution-driven health impacts. These attacks are no surprise, but hopefully decisionmakers can stay focused on the fact that thousands of Californians are dying each year waiting for these engines to be cleaned up.
These industries continue to try to sue, legislate, obstruct and do everything they can to delay the relief to stifling diesel pollution that everyone is waiting for. CARB made the right decision to reexamine the link between fine PM pollution and mortality, despite the overwhelming evidence and scientific community’s conclusions that diesel pollution is bad for your health. In fact, reports abound showing stronger links between fine PM and mortality than previously thought. We are confident that science will prevail, allowing California to continue on our path to crack down on deadly diesel pollution. We expect CARB to release their newest report soon, bringing the agency in line with other esteemed institutions like US EPA, the World Health Organization and the Health Effects Institute, confirming the link between inhaling particulate matter and premature death.
]]>A separate poll shows that in response to news of potential rollbacks to core environmental protections through the budget process, California voters assert that decisions about environmental protections should be made separately from the budget process. Voters are opposed most to allowing increased pollution from diesel engines. It's that simple. Californians know that they can have a strong economy and a clean environment at the same time and they expect it.
Message to Republican leaders in Sacramento: Stop monkeying around with our state's budget trying to dismantle environmental protections that have nothing to do with California's urgent fiscal matters.
]]>Included on the chopping block is the Off-road diesel regulation, a bedrock clean-up measure that will bring major relief to communities throughout California that are suffering from air pollution and public health impacts. The construction industry is demanding massive delays to diesel clean-up that will translate to an additional 360 premature deaths and almost 10,000 additional cases of asthma and respiratory illness, according to CARB.
These proposals are literally bargaining away the lives of Californians, and they do nothing to improve our budget situation. In fact, the off-road diesel clean-up regulation is projected to save California $26 billion in health costs. What's more, diesel clean-up technologies, including those that will be used for construction equipment, actually boost the economy, adding thousands of new jobs dealing with diesel engines. A number of California companies, like Cleaire, are thriving at the forefront of diesel control technology.
It is profoundly undemocratic for a handful of legislators to go behind closed doors to secretly reverse landmark environmental and public health protections that have already undergone thorough legal, administrative and public processes. Protecting public health and safety is good for the economy and we cannot afford to lose these protections in the budget process.
]]>It's no secret that diesel pollution kills people and that there's plenty of diesel pollution coming from the Port of Oakland operations. Scores of studies have documented a long list of health ailments and even premature death caused by or related to diesel pollution. According to the California Air Resources Board (CARB), pollution from ports and freight transport was responsible for 3,700 premature deaths in 2005. The health risks are especially high in West Oakland, where a recent study showed greatly elevated cancer risks from port pollution. And residents aren't the only ones suffering from port pollution, workers at the port, and particularly truck drivers, face high health risks as well.
As the Port of Oakland stalls action on this pressing issue and rolls back truck clean up programs that are spurred by public funding from the state and region, public health suffers. Every week that the Port delays clean up efforts, community members and workers impacted by port pollution likely experience an additional 100 or more asthma attacks and other severe illnesses. And as the port talks about financial hardship, the health costs associated with all this extra pollution run up to $50 million every week the Port refuses to take action to reform the trucking system.
So, why does the port continue to fumble and bumble truck clean up programs that have already been successfully adopted by the Port's neighbors to South? We have been working with the Port of Oakland for the past two years to come up with solutions for the broken port trucking system that currently fails to provide a safe work environment or healthy air quality for the community. As port staff have dithered over the details and waffled on commitments, the ports in Southern California have moved forward with comprehensive truck programs addressing these issues. In fact, the ban on dirty, old trucks at these ports that went into action last month produced a fifty percent reduction in toxic diesel soot pollution overnight. Air monitoring data near those ports indicates a substantial reduction of pollution on average comparing pre- and post-truck ban dates.
This latest move to pull funding from a truck clean up program spearheaded by the air district is shocking, yet tracks with the Port's record on environmental programs. Without the $5 million pledged by the port, the $10 million of public funds secured from the state and region may disappear, never to be spent on port truck clean up programs in Oakland. Alternatively, if the air district chooses to continue with the program, drivers will be forced to cover much greater expenses to modernize their trucks, creating an unfair and unsustainable burden on low-income workers.
Good jobs and clean air can and must coexist at our port. If the Port doesn't get its act together and reform the system, it will continue to be plagued with inefficiencies and potentially face massive disruptions to service without enough clean trucks to meet the CARB Port Truck regulation on time. The Port of LA provides a great example of a smart, sustainable and cost-effective approach. The Port of Oakland needs to end the foot dragging by reinstating the truck clean up program and adopting a sustainable comprehensive truck program immediately.
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