DEP Petition
to Enact Statewide Anti-idling Regulations
October 18th, 2006
Resolution Regarding Air Quality in Cumberland County
Authored by the Clean Air Board of Central Pennsylvania
ADD YOUR NAME TO THE RESOLUTION
Whereas,
pollution from diesel engine emissions has been proven to be harmful to our health. Diesel exhaust can contain 40 hazardous air pollutants, 15 of which are known human carcinogens. Fine particles from diesel emissions have been linked to heart attacks, asthma, stroke, stunted lung growth and premature death. Children and seniors are at the greatest risk from these emissions1; and
Whereas,
air quality has been shown to be especially degraded in Cumberland County and EPA has designated the County as being in non-attainment of fine particle (PM 2.5) and ozone standards. The average lifetime diesel soot cancer risk here is 393 times greater than the accepted EPA cancer level of one in one million2. Cumberland County is among the 2% most polluted counties in the nation for fine particle pollution3; and
Whereas,
in August 2005 more than 100 doctors in the region submitted a paid advertisement to local media citing statistics about air pollution and attributing the problem primarily to fine particle pollution from diesel exhaust and the heavy concentration of trucks in the area; and
Whereas,
“the earth is the Lord’s, and all that is in it,” as the Psalmist says, and human beings are called to be responsible stewards of God’s creation;
Therefore, the undersigned members of the Cumberland County faith community hereby ask that:
1. Planning and municipal authorities in Cumberland County take air quality factors into account in land use planning decisions, particularly with regard to diesel trucks and buses that contribute to air quality degradation.
2. Cumberland County enact ordinances to limit air pollution from the idling of diesel-powered vehicles.
3. Truck facilities in Cumberland County implement programs to reduce diesel emissions, including installation of electrification units to eliminate the need for extensive diesel-powered truck idling.
4. School districts in Cumberland County enact policies limiting school bus idling and aggressively pursue grant funding and programs to retrofit and upgrade school bus diesel engines with devices to help control harmful emissions.
CITATIONS
1. Clean Air Task Force, “Diesel and Health in America,” February 2005. Available online at http://www.catf.us/publications/view/83
2. Clean Air Task Force, Diesel Project. Available at http://www.catf.us/projects/diesel/
3. American Lung Association, “State of the Air 2005.” Available online at http://lungaction.org/reports/stateoftheair2005.html
4. The Sentinel: Carlisle, PA. August 23, 2005
By concerned representatives of the transportation industry in Cumberland County
Recognizing the important advantages of eliminating unnecessary diesel engine idling, we agree to promote better air quality by doing the following:
Administer anti-idling training to drivers and owner operators in our fleets
Post “no unauthorized idling” signs in highly visible areas
Inform drivers that enter the premises of the anti-idling policy by signage, verbal or written notice
Notify contracted pickup and delivery companies of our anti-idling policy (this would apply to warehouses, distribution centers)
Monitor and reinforce with the drivers and companies that don’t comply.
Jesse Keen, Keen Transport
Ed Botchie, Cressler Trucking
Dale Stitzel, Jr. , Keystone National Lease
David Gray, Cumberland Truck Equipment Co.
Joe Peduzzi, Cumberland Truck Equipment Co.
Lawrence B. Shutt, Cummins Power Systems Inc.
Dave Metzler, Carlisle Carrier Corporation
LLG Frank Fry, Giant Food Stores
Elwood Snelbaker, XpedX International Paper
Dave Bates, Old Dominion Freight Line
Don Sierer, Old Dominion Freight Line
Gary Mitchell, Kenworth of PA
John D. Taylor, Penn Detroit Diesel
Jeff Lauver, Cleveland Brothers Equipment Co.
Bill Keen, Keen Transport
Bob Wertz, Daily Express
Kathleen McGinty, Secretary, Department of Environmental Protection
CUMBERLAND COUNTY PHYSICIANS RESOLUTION:
THE AIR WE BREATHE
In 1970, Congress passed the Clean Air Act that required each state to achieve air quality standards as set by the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) by 1977. Although improvement has been achieved nationwide with respect to air quality, Cumberland County does not comply with current standards for ozone and fine particulate matter.
The American Lung Association (ALA) ranks Cumberland Country’s atmosphere as the 24th most polluted area in the United States, comparable to New York City.*
Due to the concentration of truck traffic in Cumberland County, fine particulate pollution from diesel exhaust is much higher than in most places and is astronomical along the “Miracle Mile” in Middlesex Township.
Diesel exhaust is a mixture of particulate matter, gases and chemical compounds containing 40 known environmental contaminants. Fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) consists largely of carbon (soot) to which other chemical substances bind. As we breathe, these tiny particles carrying toxic substances enter our lungs and are deposited in the deepest recesses of our lung tissue. Some of these toxic substances can cause cancer or other adverse health effects.
Breathing diesel emissions containing these fine particles can result in exacerbation of lung disease, i.e. asthma and emphysema, and can precipitate heart attacks. Populations at particular risk include infants, children and the elderly with pre-existing heart and lung disease. In addition, diesel exhaust is known to contain three carcinogens that cause lung and bladder cancer. According to ALA reports, scientists estimate that 50,000 to 100,000 people die each year as a result of air pollution. Studies have shown that children exposed to diesel exhaust exhibit abnormal lung development which appears to be permanent.
The construction of additional distribution parks will undoubtedly bring more diesel trucks into the area and will have public health implications. Carlisle already is a “hot spot” of diesel pollution.
We acknowledge that the trucking industry is vital to our way of life and to the economy. We have benefited from it as much as anyone and do not advocate eliminating the trucking industry. However, we also believe that proper and insightful environmental planning is essential for our community’s future and its health and well-being.
As the American Lung Association slogan states:
“When you can’t breathe, nothing else really matters!”
*Based on 24-hour PM 2.5 measurements.
The foregoing is authored by Dr. Phil Carey and agreed to by:
Adam C. Abram, MD Ali Ahmed, MD David P. Albright, MD Edwin A. Aquino, MD Daniel M. Armesto, MD Ramesh Arora , MD Shiv S. Aggarwal, MD William Bachinsky, MD Bruce. O Bailey, MD David C. Baker, MD Michael J. Banach, MD Sherma B. Bharucha, MD Gary L. Blacksmith, Jr., MD Richard N. Blutstein, MD Todd A. Bokelman, MD T. Alex Boshnakov, MD Joseph Brazel, MD D. Shaun Bryant, MD Howard W. Burkett, DPM David Calcagno, MD Joseph J. Campbell, MD Philip D. Carey, MD John Caruso, DO David P. Chernicoff, DP Howard R. Cohen, MD Johnson G. Coyle, MD J. Edward Dagen, MD Faith Daggs, MD Michael Daniels, MD H. R. Davis, MD Lisa M. Davis, MD Richard L. Davis, MD William E. Demuth, Jr., MD George W. Ehly, MD David B. Evans, MD Katarzyna Ferraro , MD Thomas S. Filip, MD Thomas J. Green, MD L. Greer, DPM Darryl Guistwite, DO Kenneth R. Guistwite, MD J. L. Hardesty, MD Richard C. Harker, MD Jeffrey H. Harris, MD David L. Hartzell, MD Creston C. Herold, Jr., MD Daniel P. Hely, MD Webb S. Hersperger, MD Louis Hieb MD Mohammad Ismail, MD Russell R. Janson, MD William K. Jenkins, DDS James R. Johnston, III, MD |
Marion N. Johnston, MD John C. Jurgenson, MD Sharad K. Khetarpal MD Serge Kolev, MD Donald J. Kovacs, MD Stephen J. Krebs, MD Robert Lasek, MD Gregory L. Lewis, MD John G. Loeffler, MD Wallace A. Longton, MD Michael E. Lupinacci, MD Russell Macaluso, MD Ronald G. Mangan, DMD Robert E. Martin, MD David S. Masland, MD Allan Mira, MD George K. Moffitt, Jr., MD Barry Moore, MD Thomas C. O’Malley, MD Louis Myers MD Michael J. Oplinger, MD George P. Ong, MD Roger H. Ostdahl, MD Maria Papoutsis, MD William J. Phelan, MD Mark Pinker, DPM Joseph A. Pion, DO Larry S. Rankin, MD Kent R. Rentschler, DMD Keith S. Rice, MD Carol Robison, DO Noelle, Rotondo, DO Ronald Schlansky, MD William L. Shelley, MD Michael F. Smith, MD A. Sposic, MD Bruce H. Spivak, DMD L. M. Stankovic, MD Drew Stoken, MD Leon Sweer, MD David I. Thompson, MD J. B. Tocks, MD Jay A. Townsend, MD E. Violago, MD Timothy P. Walsh MD David L. Wampler, MD William J. West, Sr., MD Willis W. Willard, MD Raymond J. Wiss, MD Bradford J. Wood, MD James A. Yates, MD James P. Yeager, MD John P. Zornosa, M |