The
National Clean Bus Network
August
2004 Clean Bus Update
Environmental
and Energy Study Institute Carol
Werner, Executive Director
Clean
Bus Highlights
Smog-related
Health Risks to Increase with Climate Change
A
report released by the Natural Resources Defense Council Aug.
4 found that smog levels in the United States will rise due to
climate change – even assuming present day pollutant levels.
These results provide another linkage between greenhouse gas
emissions and public health. The study, led by researchers
from Johns Hopkins, Columbia, and other universities, project
an increase in smog levels due to an increase in average daily
temperature. In particular, higher temperatures are
associated with a faster photochemical reaction and,
therefore, an increase in ozone. While the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) regulates pollutants like particulate
matter and carbon monoxide to protect human health, it has not
taken steps to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the
Clean Air Act.
The
analysis was performed on 15 eastern cities of various sizes
and found a universal rise in smog levels– especially during
the summer months. The study predicts two projected “purple
alert” days during the summer months in Portsmouth, New
Hampshire, a small New England seaside community. The
“purple alert” represents the EPA’s most severe warning.
The report also indicates that Cincinnati would face a 90
percent increase in days in which ozone levels are at
dangerous levels. Higher concentrations of carbon dioxide in
the atmosphere have already caused a 1 degree Celsius increase
in average global temperature. The burning of fossil fuels,
including petroleum, accounts for most of the human-related
release of carbon into the atmosphere. In the United States,
the transportation sector is the largest user of petroleum.
The
report is available online at http://www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/heatadvisory/contents.asp
EPA
Funds $30 Million Study of Health Effects of Particulate
Matter
The
EPA recently announced the award of a $30 million grant to the
University of Washington to study the long-term health effects
of air pollution, particularly the effects of particulate
matter (PM) and the development of cardiovascular disease in
those over 50 years old. The grant is in response to the
National Research Council’s recent evaluation of the EPA’s
particulate matter program that highlighted the need for an
epidemiological study to better understand the long-term
effects of exposure to PM. The study will track people
of varied ethnicity and geography within the United States for
10 years and will evaluate whether long-term exposure to
particulate matter leads to greater risk for heart disease.
The award represents the largest grant ever awarded by the EPA
for scientific research. Diesel emissions are the largest
on-road source of particulate matter and the target of federal
fuel and engine regulations designed to reduce particulate
matter emissions up to 90 percent. Studies have already linked
particulate matter to greater risk of premature death, lung
disease, chronic bronchitis and other ailments.
More
information on the grant can be found online at http://www.epa.gov/pmresearch/pm_grant/
Arizona
Aims to Reduce Children’s Exposure to School Bus Emissions
The
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) has
announced a pilot program to reduce school children’s
exposure to the diesel fumes of school buses in seven Arizona
school districts. The program will include provisions to
park buses at a distance of 100 or more feet from school air
intake systems, telling drivers to turn off buses when at
school or other destinations, and posting signs to remind
drivers to limit idling. The program is part of ADEQ’s
ongoing Children’s Environmental Health Project. The
goal of the project is to study and reduce environmental risks
to children. The Union of Concerned Scientists graded
Arizona “D+” in February 2002 for the pollution
performance of its school buses. Idling reduction, replacement
of older vehicles, and retrofitting are the most effective
ways schools can reduce the impact of diesel emissions on
children’s health.
You
may access ADEQ’s website at http://lists.ev.state.az.us:8080/index.html
Exposure
to Diesel Exhaust Linked to Increased Risk of Ovarian Cancer
A
30-year Finnish study published recently in the International
Journal of Cancer concluded that a direct correlation exists
between exposure to diesel exhaust and an increased risk of
ovarian cancer. The study tracked Finns who received
occupational exposure to diesel exhaust and found that
individuals with the highest level of cumulative exposure (CE)
were 3.5 times more likely to suffer from ovarian cancer than
individuals with the lowest CE level. While an increased
risk of other types of cancer was present in the study’s
subjects, the risk did not increase with increased CE. Studies
have strongly linked diesel emissions to lung cancer, but none
have reported similarly strong links to other forms of cancer.
A
more detailed description of the study is available at http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=5972974
Truck
Idling Subject of EPA Program, Study
As
part of its SmartWay Transport Partnership, the EPA is seeking
public comment regarding the development of national standards
of electrification at truck stops in a continuing effort to
reduce idling. The Federal Register notice was published on
July 8, and the deadline for comment is Oct. 9. This will
support industry efforts to streamline integration of idling
reduction technologies into their vehicles.
In
related news, the EPA also awarded $50,000 to fund an
interagency study of truck drivers’ exposure to harmful air
pollutants at truck stops. These pollutants are largely
resultant from idling truck engines. The study will be
conducted by the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National
Laboratory and the University of Tennessee. The SmartWay
Transport Partnership and the EPA’s commitment to reducing
idling are part of a developing initiative targeting stronger
diesel emissions standards. The EPA has expanded its
focus from buses and trucks to include nonroad diesel users
such as heavy equipment, trains, boats, and ships. Other
programs in this initiative include Clean Air Nonroad Diesel
Engines and Fuel, Diesel Boats and Ships, Clean School Bus
USA, and the Voluntary Diesel Retrofit Program. Diesel
fuel accounts for a significant portion of ozone and
particulate matter air pollution. Idling reduction is an
effective strategy because it not only reduces emissions, but
also can save money by reducing fuel consumption. If truck
drivers do not have to idle engines overnight, they benefit
through better sleep, less noise and vibration and are exposed
to fewer emissions.
For
more information on the EPA’s SmartWay program visit http://www.epa.gov/smartway/newsandevents.htm
For
more information on idling please visit http://www.epa.gov/smartway/idling.htm
Hispanics
Suffer Disproportionate Risks from Dirty Air
A
report by Clear the Air and the League of United Latin
American Citizens finds that Hispanics suffer
disproportionately from poor air quality due in large part to
high rates of poverty, limited housing choices and language
barriers. Seven out of ten Hispanics in 2002 lived in
non-attainment areas for federal air quality standards.
According to the American Lung Association, 55 percent of all
Americans live in these areas. Meanwhile, 35 percent of
Hispanics live in areas violating federal standards for
particulate matter, linked to asthma, heart disease and
premature death. Nationally, the Puerto Rican population
experiences the largest mortality rate from asthma among all
ethnic groups and, not surprisingly, suffers the greatest rate
of poverty of any Hispanic group. In confronting issues such
as global climate change, the authors argue that Hispanics on
average have fewer technical and social resources to confront
the higher smog levels and higher incidence of natural
disasters and disease that will result.
The
report links high rates of poverty and low educational
attainment (including poor English language skills) to lack of
medical insurance and housing choices. Without proper medical
insurance, the authors argue that Hispanics do not receive
adequate care or preventative maintenance of their health
problems; and without adequate housing choices, Hispanics are
limited to areas where air pollution is severe. They estimate
that 20 percent of Hispanics forego health care because of
language barriers. To help mitigate the effects of air
pollution on Hispanics, the report calls for full
implementation of New Source Review, new strategies to reduce
carbon dioxide emissions, inclusion of Hispanics in national
health research data, and full development of EPA’s Office
of Environmental Justice.
A
copy of the report is available at http://www.lulac.org/Issues/Environment/Latino%20Reportlowres.pdf
(Adobe PDF)
European
Strategy Includes Biofuels to Reduce GHGs, Petroleum
Consumption
The
European Union has chosen biofuels as their first weapon to
reduce petroleum consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from
the transportation sector. Biodiesel is one form of biofuel
already being used in the United States in heavy-duty
vehicles, including buses. Biofuels are easier to introduce
into the marketplace because they work in current diesel and
gasoline engines (blended with conventional diesel and
gasoline). In 2001, the European Commission considered ways to
achieve a 20 percent displacement of petroleum with substitute
fuels by 2020. Greenhouse gas emissions from this sector come
almost exclusively from gasoline and diesel use. At the time,
the transportation sector was responsible for 30 percent of
greenhouse gases. Biofuels received widespread attention
because they are produced locally, support agricultural
economies, produce fewer lifecycle greenhouse gases and
inherently burn cleaner. Based on these factors, the
Commission found, “Biofuels for the short and medium term
are the only option…” As a result of recommendations put
forth by the Commission in 2001, the European Union adopted
directives in 2003 to promote the use of biofuels and other
alternative fuels. These include a mandate that member states
ensure that biofuels and other alternatives constitute 2
percent of sales by Dec. 31, 2005 and nearly 6 percent of
sales by Dec. 31, 2010. In 2003, the European Union also took
measures to reduce excise taxes on biofuel production. While
the Commission also predicts natural gas and hydrogen will
play a role to achieve the 20 percent displacement goal, it
did not recommend action to promote these fuels until later in
the decade.
For
an overview of European Energy Policy and Strategies to
Reduce Petroleum Consumption, go to http://europa.eu.int/comm/energy_transport/en/lpi_lv_en1.html
Submit
Your Clean Bus Story!
EESI’s
National Clean Bus Project is eager to learn about your clean
bus fleet. If you are in the process of procurement or if you
already operate buses that produce fewer emissions and consume
less fuel than conventional diesel buses, let us know!
Provide (1) the name of your organization and primary contact
person; (2) type of bus engine, fuel, and other emission
control devices used; (3) number of buses; (4) funding
sources; (5) costs and benefits; (6) and lessons learned.
We’ll post this information on our website and include it in
future editions of the Clean Bus Update! Send this information
to Ray Minjares at rminjares@eesi.org
or call 202-662-1883. More information can be mailed to 122 C
St, NW Suite 630 Washington, DC 20001.
The
Clean Bus Update is a monthly periodical providing an overview
of current program and policy activities related to the
deployment of low-polluting, energy-efficient buses in the United
States. Topics include technology developments, clean vehicle
deployment, energy consumption, the environment, government
policy, and public health. The National Clean Bus Network is
an informal coalition of public and private sector
organizations working to increase the use of cleaner bus
technologies and fuels. The National
Clean Bus Network is a free resource to all clean
bus stakeholders. Please feel free to email Ray
Minjares at rminjares@eesi.org with questions and
comments. You may also visit our website at www.eesi.org.
If there are issues we are missing and you think we should
cover, please let us know.
