[ Environment | Energy | Clean Air ]
DUMP DIRTY DIESEL & CLOSE THE SUV LOOPHOLE SUMMARY:
Sample Letter
This summer we fought to strengthen the EPA's proposed emissions standards for cars and light trucks. Now we also have an opportunity to address the other major source of auto pollution: the giant SUVs like the Ford Excursion and Chevy Suburban and heavy duty trucks like 18-wheelers and even buses. From now until December 2, the EPA is accepting public comments on whether or not to clean up the nation's largest and dirtiest vehicles.
PROBLEM:
1. Pollution from All Mobile Sources is Harming Public Health. Smog causes over 6 million asthma attacks and 150,000 emergency room visits each year. In addition, more than 40,000 Americans die prematurely each year from breathing soot, or fine particle pollution. Together, cars, trucks and buses (mobile sources) are responsible for 30% of the nitrogen oxide pollution that causes smog. The proportion of particulate matter or "soot" from trucks and buses varies from city to city, but have been found as high as 30% in downtown Los Angeles, and 50% in Manhattan.
2. Diesel Trucks Spew Carcinogenic and Deadly Pollutants One diesel truck can emit as much smog and soot pollution as 150 cars. However, diesel pollution poses even more grave public health concerns because diesel particulate matter has been linked to lung cancer.
3. The Biggest SUVs Emit As Much as Five Times More Pollution than A Regular Car. When the EPA first proposed the emissions standards for cars and light trucks this summer, they left out the largest and dirtiest SUVs. These "heavy duty" SUVs include the Suburban, the Excursion, the GM Express Wagon, the Dodge Ram Wagon and Ford Econoline Wagon. EPA estimates that there are 75,000 of these large SUVs sold per year.
4. The Diesel Industry Is Known to Cheat on Emissions Tests! For almost a decade, at least seven major diesel engine manufacturers put "cheating" devices on their trucks to circumvent pollution tests. As a result, they have created an additional 1.3 million tons of smog-forming pollution each year (or nearly 5% of all nitrogen oxide pollution emitted nationally).
THE SOLUTION:
1. EPA should clean up heavy duty diesel and gasoline trucks. With current technologies, heavy duty trucks can be made to be 90% cleaner than they are today.
2. Oil companies must provide cleaner diesel fuels. The sulfur that is in diesel fuels destroys the engine's pollution control technology. Therefore, to maximize pollution reduction from diesel trucks, we must have low-sulfur diesel fuel.
3. All SUVs, even the biggest and dirtiest, should be held to the same standards as cars. EPA estimates that by applying available control technologies the biggest SUVs can meet clean car standards at a cost of just $270 per SUV.
4. We must require in-use testing to ensure that big trucks are meeting the emission standards on the roads, not just during the engine tests! EPA should require in-use testing to ensure that trucks on the road are meeting the relevant federal emission standards.
THE EPA'S STRATEGY:
EPA has proposed a 2-part strategy for cleaning up heavy-duty trucks. They are proposing one set of new emission standards for heavy duty vehicles that take effect in 2004. These standards would eliminate the loophole for the largest SUVs, holding all SUVs to the tough new passenger car standards that were proposed this summer. The EPA has also announced their intention to propose a second set of even lower emission standards for all heavy duty vehicles that would become effective no earlier than 2007. These future standards also propose new, more extensive emissions tests to verify compliance with the standards and the requirement of low-sulfur diesel fuel. Overall, EPA's goals to clean up big SUVs, heavy duty vehicles and sulfur in gasoline are good ones, but its timelines are too slow. For example, some of the standards for heavy duty vehicles could be accomplished with the rest of the proposal in 2004. However, the EPA is delaying their implementation until at least 2007. From now until December 2, the EPA is accepting public comments on whether or not to clean up the nation's biggest and dirtiest vehicles. Please email the EPA to urge them to clean up pollution from the nation's largest and dirtiest vehicles now! |
