Mothers & Others for Clean Air and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy are collaborating on a comprehensive campaign—the Georgia Clean Diesel Campaign-- to reduce harmful diesel emissions in Georgia.

The good news about diesel pollution is that the Environmental Protection Agency passed a federal rule last year that imposes strict controls on new on-road diesel engines (including long-haul trucks, delivery vehicles, waste management trucks, etc.), and, in 2010, the same rule will apply to off-road diesel machines, such as construction and farm equipment. Unfortunately, these regulations do nothing to address the existing fleet of heavy diesel vehicles, whose engines typically last 30 years or more.

America's 13 million diesel vehicles and machines – buses, trucks, trains, ships and construction equipment – are, next to power plants, the nation's largest source of PM air pollution. Particle pollution from diesel engines interferes with lung function and is linked to a wide range of illnesses including diabetes, stroke, heart disease, lung cancer and asthma attacks. Exposure to diesel soot is particularly high during our daily commute, whether by car, bus, bicycle or on foot. In fact, pollution levels in passenger cars commuting on roads with trucks are as much as eight times higher than in the air outdoors, especially in congested traffic seen in metro Atlanta.

Fortunately, technology is available and affordable that can reduce diesel pollution from diesel vehicles by up to 85 percent or more. But, applying new technologies and fuels to older engines in Georgia will require innovative funding, incentives, regulatory tools and legislation. The Georgia Clean Diesel Campaign is pursuing all these tools to reduce emissions and help Georgia citizens breathe easier.

The goals of this campaign include:

· Raising awareness about the need for the state of Georgia and its municipalities to reduce emissions from diesel engines to protect the health of Georgia citizens;

· Working with Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division (EPD) to include diesel emissions reductions measures into state air quality plans;

· Increasing the use of federal funds to install retrofit devices on Georgia’s school buses, local- and state-contracted construction equipment, municipal services trucks and switcher engines at rail yards.

How You Can Help Us Achieve Our Goals

Our efforts to reduce diesel emissions include applying public pressure on local and state elected officials to develop and strengthen ordinances and pass legislation to fund diesel clean-up measures. You can help by sending emails and postcards and attending meetings with elected officials to let them know that the public understands the dangers posed by diesel pollution and wants to see diesel emissions reduced as much as possible. We will issue more specific, targeted calls to action on this issue in the coming months.

Email Rebecca at rwattshull (AT) gaconservancy.org if you are interested in helping and watch future newsletters for more details on specific requests for emails and other forms of support. Thank you!