Published Date: 

08/26/2010

Byline: 

Amy B. Dean

News Source: 

The Nation

The Clean Air Act requires polluters to disclose their levels of emissions. Now producers of "biomass" power want a blanket exemption from reporting their emissions of heat-trapping carbon dioxide pollution. Tell the EPA to hold all energy producers accountable for their pollution.

Biomass is a term that includes many different fuel types such as trees; construction, wood, and agricultural wastes; and more. Due to the differences among types of biomass, it makes no sense to assume that none of them contribute to global warming. Some forms of biomass can be part of the clean energy solution, but science shows that if done wrong, biomass can increase greenhouse gas emissions, undermining our climate goals.

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Do you live in Philadelphia? Do you recycle? Are you getting reward points?

You can start earning reward points every time you put your recycling out curbside. Redeem these points online and use them to save at over 200 local businesses.

Clean Water Action, its members and allies had a major victory on August 26th when the Palm Beach County Commission voted to enact a one-year moratorium on new rocking mining in the County.  

Today’s guest blogger is Emma Shlaes, Clean Water Action National Campaigns Associate.

Summer is winding down. When you put your child on the bus for school, or take that one last road trip of the season, you expect that everyone will stay safe and healthy, as long as there are no accidents. But there is a hidden danger lurking around most school buses, highways and too many residential neighborhoods and schools. Dangerous and preventable diesel pollution from buses, trucks and construction vehicles is placing families in harm's way.

Dirty diesel engines emit a mixture of particles, metals and gases called "particulate matter" which include over 40 "hazardous air pollutants" as classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Clean Air Act. This mixture can cause a range of health problems. From increased rates of asthma, to lung cancer, stroke and heart attack, diesel pollution contributes to countless illnesses and 21,000 early deaths a year.

In addition to being a serious public health problem, diesel pollution contributes to climate change by emitting a pollutant that’s aptly named “black carbon”. Black carbon soot is approximately 2,000 times more potent as a global warming agent than an equal amount of carbon dioxide (CO2). Over half the black carbon emissions in the U.S. come from diesel engines. Fortunately, black carbon is a short-lived pollutant and does not remain in the atmosphere, so this is one aspect of climate change we can do something about right now.

How do you ask? Available retrofits can reduce diesel particulate matter and black carbon emissions by at least 90% from the 11 million old, dirty diesel engines that are currently used in the U.S. This means an instant reduction of black soot in our atmosphere. Additionally, studies indicate that for every dollar spent on reducing particulate matter pollution from diesel engines, $12 would be avoided in monetized health damages. That translates to improved health for you and your family.

Since 2005, the federal Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) has been funding retrofits for existing heavy-duty diesel vehicles and engines in every state in the U.S. DERA has enjoyed support by: members of both parties in Congress, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and industry, labor, environmental and health groups. This important act is set to expire in 2011 and Congress must reauthorize it at the same level of funding if we are to see continued reduction in diesel pollution and the health effects it causes.

Clean Water Action works nationally and in the states to pass policies that will clean up diesel pollution and protect communities. Some states haven’t waited for government protections and funding to take action. For example, Clean Water Action recently helped Rhode Island pass the Clean Construction Law, which requires diesel-burning construction equipment on federally funded projects to be retrofitted to reduce emissions by 2013. Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan and New Jersey have also taken action at the state and local level. Find out more.

Clean Water Action works as part of the Diesel Clean-Up Campaign, a nationwide collaboration of organizations committed to reducing diesel emissions 40 percent by the year 2012, 55 percent by 2015 and 70 percent by 2020. You can visit their website at www.dieselcleanup.org

Tell Senator Klobuchar to support the Feinstein amendment on BPA.

In September, the US Senate will decide on critical legislation that will affect the safety of the food supply in our nation. Unfortunately, Senators still need to be convinced that getting the toxic chemical bisphenol A (BPA) out of our food and beverage containers is an urgent food safety issue that MUST be addressed in the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2010.

Take a minute and send this urgent letter asking your Senators to support an amendment proposed by Senator Dianne Feinstein that would get BPA out of baby bottles, sippy cups, infant formula and baby food as part of the Food Safety legislation.

Drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale is severely damaging our state's environment and local communities. The drillers are not paying to clean it up, and with fewer state dollars going to environmental protection each year, this is a dangerous mix. Take action now and demand that our state legislature impose a tax on the extraction of natural gas. The natural gas drilling industry in Pennsylvania is getting an unfair deal that puts our state's land, air, and water quality at risk for generations to come.