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Who's Online
Syndicate
Jun
20
| A Win at the State House |
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| Friday, 20 June 2008 | |
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Diesel Legislation Passes Unanimously on Senate Floor via Clean Water Action PROVIDENCE—With a tremendous effort by Senator Paul Moura, of East Providence, the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act passed unanimously on the Senate floor Wednesday. Environmentalists applaud the bill, which empowers the State to require cleaner diesel vehicles through construction contracts. And along with its companion bill, sponsored by Rep. Ray Sullivan of Coventry, will protect people from harmful diesel emissions. Click on "More..." for more info. After more than a few amended versions, the construction industry, environmentalists and health groups reached a compromise. In vintage fashion, Senator Paul Moura introduced this legislation acknowledging it, "had more work done than Joan Rivers." He thanked Denise Parrillo of Clean Water Action, Molly Clark from the American Lung Association and Kelly Mahoney, Senate Policy Advisor, for their investment in and willingness to ultimately present an agreeable bill to the Senate floor."Since this bill only affects new purchases and contracts, it provides a means for the state to protect our health, in a fiscally constrained time," said Denise Parrillo, of Clean Water Action and The Diesel Pollution Initiative, a coalition of 38 groups working to reduce diesel pollution in RI. "The bill is strong, and also a manageable step for Rhode Island." State vehicles used by or on behalf of the state pose an immediate health risk. For this reason it is up to government to lead by example and ensure that any vehicle owned by or contracted on behalf of the state is as clean as possible. The cost of assimilating a cleaner fleet will be provided through federal grants. Background Twice as many people die in the United States from diesel soot as from firearm homicide. Diesel is composed of very fine soot particles that get lodged in our lungs where they can trigger asthma and heart attacks, and cancer. In Rhode Island alone there are 51 premature deaths and 79 non-fatal heart attacks caused by diesel soot. Diesel exhaust also disproportionately increases the frequency of asthma attacks for those living in urban areas. Recognizing that diesel is a serious threat to our health, the federal EPA passed legislation in 2005 requiring all new diesel engines to be 90% cleaner starting in 2007. Since these standards only apply to new engines, older dirtier diesels will be on Rhode Island's roads and at our job-sites for years to come, unless we act now. We have the technology to clean up diesels and make our air safer to breathe. Pollution filters called retrofits can capture more than 90% of diesel soot. The General Assembly has already started to do something about the diesel pollution problem in RI. In 2006 the Anti-Idling Act to ban the unnecessary idling of any stationary diesel vehicle in the state of Rhode Island was passed. In 2007 The Diesel Emissions Reduction Act was passed to clean up school buses. ### |
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