Posted by Rich Kassel in Curbing Pollution , Health and the Environment
Yesterday, the Connecticut State House passed SB 382, which will lower the sulfur content of heating oil. Because the Connecticut State Senate passed the bill unanimously on Monday, the bill is now headed to Governor M. Jodi Rell for her...
Posted by Rich Kassel in Curbing Pollution , Health and the Environment
As I've written before here and here, heating oil is a serious pollution problem in New York City - one of the largest local contributors to our fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution problem, checking in at 14 percent of all...
Posted by Rich Kassel in Curbing Pollution , Health and the Environment , The Media and the Environment
Michael Walsh, MacArthur Fellow and unparalleled global vehicle expert, reported in his recent edition of Car Lines (an online journal that reports on just about every piece of vehicle pollution news from around the globe), that European trucks meeting the most...
Posted by Rich Kassel in Curbing Pollution , Health and the Environment , The Media and the Environment
Today, a New York Times editorial praised the International Maritime Organization’s recent decision that large cruise ships will no longer be able to burn heavy fuel in Antarctic waters, as well as its March adoption of an Emission Control Area...
Posted by Rich Kassel in Curbing Pollution , Health and the Environment , The Media and the Environment , U.S. Law and Policy
Today is the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. While we have much work to do, we have much to celebrate. Because my work is related to vehicle pollution, here’s my list of vehicle pollution wins to celebrate: No lead in...
Posted by Rich Kassel in Curbing Pollution , Health and the Environment , Solving Global Warming
Great news from London on American air quality! At a meeting in the UK today, the International Maritime Organization formally adopted a proposal to create a special “Emission Control Area” around the coastlines of the U.S. and Canada that will...
Posted by Rich Kassel in Curbing Pollution , Health and the Environment , Reviving the World's Oceans , Solving Global Warming , The Media and the Environment
Next week, the International Maritime Organization will be meeting in London to consider a proposal that would drastically cut harmful air pollution from the largest, dirtiest ships at North American ports. If successful, next week’s meeting will be a major...
Posted by Rich Kassel in Curbing Pollution , Environmental Justice , Health and the Environment , Living Sustainably , The Media and the Environment
Today, I’m joining Chris Ward, the executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator Judith Enck and others to announce a new truck replacement program that is an important first...
Posted by Rich Kassel in Curbing Pollution , Environmental Justice , Health and the Environment
As early as Monday, the New York State Senate may vote on S. 1145-A (Perkins), a bill that would clean up heating oil in the state, and lead to improved public health and reduced air pollution, regional haze and acid...
Posted by Rich Kassel in Curbing Pollution , Health and the Environment , Solving Global Warming , The Media and the Environment , U.S. Law and Policy
Back in August, I wrote about an EPA proposal to reduce ship emissions. Today, EPA has finalized this rule. Here’s my quick take on why this new rule is important, what it will mean once it’s implemented, and the key next...
Posted by Rich Kassel in Curbing Pollution , Health and the Environment , The Media and the Environment , U.S. Law and Policy
Ever wonder why some buildings in New York have a plume of black smoke coming out of their smokestacks? That soot comes from #2 heating oil, a close cousin of diesel fuel. It's similar to the diesel fuel in New York's...
Posted by Rich Kassel in Curbing Pollution , Environmental Justice , Health and the Environment , The Media and the Environment , U.S. Law and Policy
I just received a copy of EPA's Report to Congress on its Diesel Emissions Reduction Program, and it's encouraging news. With nearly $50 million in EPA's FY 2008 budget for this program, EPA made 119 grants nationwide that enabled more...
Posted by Rich Kassel in Curbing Pollution , Environmental Justice , Green Enterprise , Health and the Environment , Living Sustainably , The Media and the Environment
Yesterday, NYC Mayor Michael P. Bloomberg and Newark Mayor Cory Booker teamed up with Teamsters President James P. Hoffa to endorse federal legislation that would enable ports around the nation to adopt local green-growth programs to reduce air pollution and...
Posted by Rich Kassel in Curbing Pollution , Environmental Justice , Health and the Environment , The Media and the Environment
Every day, more than 7,000 large and small school buses take thousands of students to and from school. Unfortunately, their free trip to school usually includes a heavy dose of diesel soot pollution-pollution that has been shown to trigger asthma...
Posted by Rich Kassel in Curbing Pollution , Environmental Justice , Health and the Environment , The Media and the Environment
I'm testifying at EPA's hearing today on its proposed regulation to reduce emissions from the largest, dirtiest diesels in our midst-the huge diesel engines (regulated as "Category 3" engines because of their size) that power the ocean-going vessels (OGVs) at...
