Pennsylvania
The Allegheny County Partnership to Reduce Diesel Pollution
In May 2006, Clean Water Action and Group Against Smog & Pollution (GASP) launched a local campaign to reduce toxic diesel pollution in Allegheny County. Nationally, there are over 13 million diesel buses, trucks, and other equipment, and their combined pollution is one of the biggest health threats to the Pittsburgh region. Diesel exhaust contributes to both respiratory and cardiac problems and is a significant cause of cancer. It is estimated that each year in Allegheny County, diesel emissions cause over 2,300 asthma attacks and 162 premature deaths.
Clean Water Action and GASP are targeting local diesel fleets to retrofit their vehicles with pollution control devices that reduce diesel particulates (soot) by 90%. Clean Water Action and GASP have since partnered with the following organizations to aid in reaching this goal:
- The American Lung Association
- The Center for Healthy Environments and Communities
- Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future
- The Healthy Children Project of the Learning Disabilities Association
- The Rachel Carson Homestead
- Steel City Biofuels
- Sierra Club, Allegheny Group
- Save Our Transit
- Bike Pittsburgh
Since the launch, Clean Water Action and GASP have been working with the Pittsburgh Public Schools, local foundations, and school bus contractors, in an effort to retrofit a large number of urban school buses. School buses are an important first step in reducing dangerous diesel pollution, because they expose children to dangerous pollutants each and every day. Diesel pollution has been found to be 5-10 times higher inside the bus cabin, than outside. Much progress has been made and retrofits are expected to begin in Summer, 2007.
The Partnership has also worked closely with the City of Pittsburgh, with a common goal of retrofitting a significant percentage of the City's Waste Haulers. Waste haulers spend much of their time idling in all of our neighborhoods, spewing dangerous particulates into our air. Clean Water Action and GASP are currently working to obtain grant money to aid the City in this unique venture.
The Partnership's newest goal is to get the Bethel Park School District to retrofit their fleet of school buses. The Clean Water Action field canvass recently collected over 1,000 signed postcards from Bethel Park residents in favor of this initiative. This is a great start! Talks will begin soon between school administrators, Clean Water Action and GASP.
In the fall of 2005, Plum School District retrofitted their fleet of school buses with Diesel Particulate Filters. Diesel Particulate Filters eliminate over 90% of hazardous particulate matter from tailpipe emissions. The retrofits have had a great first year and the school district is pleased with their success.
You can help!
Do you know any parents, students, teachers, school board members, or PTAs that would be interested in getting cleaner school buses for their school? Please send an e-mail to pittcwa@cleanwater.org and let us know that you can help. Thanks!
