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As a person with lung disease, I am writing to express my deep
concern about the negative health impacts of diesel pollution from
trucks and buses.  I have adult-onset asthma.  Previously, being
stuck in traffic was annoying but not life threatening.  Since I
developed asthma, if I am behind a diesel vehicle I have to roll up
the windows, turn on the recirc air conditioning/heat,  and
sometimes I have to change routes to avoid an asthma attack. 
Pollution control is a life and death issue now.  I urge the
California Air Resources Board to adopt the strongest regulation
possible to clean up the top sources of diesel particulate matter
in California.

We now know that California has the worst air quality in the
nation; trucks and buses are a major contributor to the particulate
matter and ozone pollution that causes serious health consequences.
Pollution from trucks and buses result in an estimated 1,500
premature deaths and more than 38,000 asthma attacks annually.

Equally important, truck drivers are 1.5 to 2 times as likely as
workers not exposed to diesel exhaust to develop lung cancer during
their lives. Do we really want to have more early deaths from a
preventable cause?

To protect the health of all Californians, I urge the California
Air Resources Board to adopt the strongest possible diesel truck
regulations.  For my sake, for the developing lungs of children,
for us all.


Sincerely,

Karen Carlson, RN