Solid Support for Tougher Diesel Truck Standards
Posted July 29, 2010 in Curbing Pollution, Environmental Justice, Health and the Environment
Polls on Californians’ attitudes on the environment released today show strong support across all regions, races and political affiliations for tougher air pollution standards on diesel trucks. The Public Policy Institute of California poll showed that 75% of adults expressed willingness to see more stringent diesel standards right now, despite the economic downturn.
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) already adopted a landmark regulation to reduce truck pollution in 2008 (which I’ve talked about a few times). The measure is slated to prevent hundreds of thousands of illnesses and prevent over 9,000 premature deaths, saving a whopping $50 billion or more in health costs. Clean up rules like this actually create jobs because of the requirements for clean new equipment, which needs to be produced, sold, installed and maintained.
As CARB modifies this important diesel clean up regulation this fall, and considers the various proposals to delay or ease requirements, I hope they will remember this poll showing overwhelming support for tough diesel standards. After all, fully half of Californians surveyed consider air pollution to be a serious problem; and 43% suffer from respiratory illnesses like asthma that are worsened by air pollution, or have an immediate family member with respiratory illness. This is no time to weaken health protective standards.
