Clearing the Air
From Los Angeles to New York, more than 100 million Americans — including 35 million children — are breathing air that falls well below federal standards. 10 The quality of our air is poorest in urban areas. A major contributor to this poor air quality and pollution is the transportation sector — specifically the fuels used to keep transportation going. For example, in New York City the transportation sector accounts for over 53% of all outdoor pollution.

Diesel
Within the transportation sector, diesel-fueled vehicles have the greatest impact on the air we breathe. Diesel emissions include particulate matter — the dust, dirt, soot, smoke and liquid droplets directly emitted into the air and find their way into our lungs. Here are some facts about diesel emission sure to take your breath away.

• A typical heavy-duty truck emits as many air pollutants as approximately 20 average cars.

• Diesel engine particulates are on the California Air Resources Board (CARB) toxic air contaminant list and have a proposed classification by the U.S. EPA as probably carcinogenic (cancer-causing agent). 1

• Diesel engines emit at least 40 compounds listed by the U.S. EPA as hazardous air pollutants. 5

• These toxic air contaminants include NOx, a leading contributor to acid rain and ozone (a major component of smog) 6 which pose a serious threat to human health and can contribute to an increase in mortality. 8

• 70% of carcinogenic risk in Southern California is attributable to diesel particulate emissions. 9

Read more about the health impacts of diesel and air pollution.

Ports
You’ll find the heaviest concentration of operating diesel engines in our nation’s largest and busiest ports. In the Los Angeles area, oceangoing ships, harbor tugs and commercial boats emit more smog-forming pollutants than all the power plants in Southern California combined. 4

Then combine this with the air pollution emitted by cargo vehicles including trucking fleets and trains serving the ports. In the Ports of Long Beach and LA, over 2,500 heavy-duty yard hostlers fueled by propane and diesel move cargo and containers day after day. Plus, over 10,000 diesel, big-rig tractors come and go daily between the Ports and the Alameda Corridor. This high diesel traffic makes it impossible to meet EPA standards for air quality control, which in turn impacts business growth, federal funding and public health.

Noise Pollution
With air pollution comes noise pollution — another byproduct of diesel-engine transportation. Major cities like New York know just how costly noise pollution can be. The health damage and loss of productivity attributed to noise pollution costs New York City an estimated $1.9 billion each year.

The environmental challenges are significant, but they are also resolvable, through the best and balanced use of diversified energy resources. Learn which fuel solutions are playing a role in clearing our skies.

1. Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition, NGVs — The Natural Choice
2. NRDC “Harboring Pollution: The Dirty Truth about U.S. Ports,” March 2004
   California Air Resources Board, Diesel Risk Reduction Plan, October 2000
3. EPA’s “Diesel Exhaust in the United States” Fact Sheet, June 2003
4. NRDC “Harboring Pollution: The Dirty Truth about U.S. Ports,” March 2004
   Mitchell, Diane, “Health Effects of Supping Related Air Pollutants,” California Air Resource Board. Presentation to EPA Region 9 Conference on Marine Vessles and Air Quality, Feb 1, 2001
5. California Air Resources Board Fact Sheet: The Toxic Air Contaminant Emissions from Diesel-Fueled Engines, October 1998.
6. Terms of the Environment, USEPA
7. USEPA Green Book, Classifications of Ozone Nonattainment Areas, January 6, 2004.
8. California Health and Safety Code, Section 39655, definition of a TAC
9. Multiple Air Toxics Exposure Study (MATES-II), South Coast Air Quality Management District, March 17, 2000.
10. “Clean-Fuel Buses: INFORM Makes the Case and Cities Listen.” Fall/Winter 2000, Vol 20, No. 3.

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