Comment Log Display

California Air Resources Board
 

Dear California Air Resources Board,

I urge the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and Governor
Schwarzenegger to maintain California's status as the world's
leader on global warming by adopting the strongest possible
Early Action Measures as part of the implementation of AB 32,
the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006.

The goods movement industry - the trucks, ships, and trains that
come to and transport products here and to the rest of the
country - is responsible for about 30% of all smog-forming NOx
and 75% of all diesel Particulate Matter (PM) emissions in
California. Annually, these "criteria pollutant" emissions are
responsible for 2400 premature deaths, higher cancer rates, and
respiratory disease across California. In addition to poisoning
the air we breathe, diesel Particulate Matter and NOx, also
contribute more to global warming than the leading greenhouse
gas, carbon dioxide (CO2), as CARB has reported.

So I urge you to reverse your decision to leave goods movement
pollution reduction strategies out of your Early Action Measures
for addressing global warming. By limiting PM and NOx pollution
as part of your AB 32 Early Action Measures, the Air Resources
Board can act aggressively to improve air quality and reduce
greenhouse gases.

Specifically, I believe that CARB should include the following
Early Action measures:

* Require the cleanest available Heavy-Duty Trucks. (Each truck
should meet the EPA's highest clean air standards - for oxides
of nitrogen (NOx) and diesel particulate matter (DPM) - at the
time of purchase. Dirtier trucks should not be grouped with
clean trucks, thereby allowing fleets to lower their average
criteria pollutant emissions.)

* Require the cleanest available Cargo Handling Equipment (such
as "yard tractors").

* Require large ocean going vessels to use cleaner shore-based
electrical power ("cold ironing") when in port harbors (instead
of burning dirty bunker fuel).

As this state's chief air quality regulator, the Air Resources
Board is responsible for protecting the health of the millions
of California residents suffering from goods movement-related
pollution - and for upholding Governor Schwarzenegger's promise
to fight global warming. So it is vital that you use all the
resources at your disposal to aggressively limit deadly goods
movement emissions - especially since trade is projected to
triple or quadruple over the next decade or so.

Please, implement the above Early Action Measures. Our health
today, and our ability to stop global warming in the future,
depends on you.


Sincerely,
RM Merrill
55 Red Mountain Ave
Torrington, CT 06790