Oregon PSR staff has been working to support Oregon House Bill 2007, which would help to protect our communities from the unacceptable threats to our health posed by diesel pollution. Now, we need your support to make sure that HB 2007, commonly referred to as “the Diesel Bill,” passes in this legislative session.Diesel pollution and inhalation presents serious health threats to all of us living and working in Oregon. According to the Oregon DEQ, residents of 23 Oregon counties, representing 92 percent of the state’s population, are exposed to diesel particulate matter that increases health risks.
We strongly encourage our members, especially those living outside of the Multnomah County area, to take action and call your state lawmakers today.
Our hope is that our representatives in Salem will reconsider the way they’re framing the problem and commit to protecting the health of their constituents. We need to ensure that HB 2007 remains an effective statewide solution that puts the health of Oregonians first.
Call your state lawmakers and urge them to take action and pass HB 2007 this session. Please let your elected representatives know that this issue cannot wait!
Below is a statement from Oregon PSR and why we support HB 2007:
Oregon PSR is gravely concerned about the health risks of high exposure to diesel emissions in urban and rural communities throughout Oregon. As the World Health Organization has stated, particulate matter from diesel exhaust in our outdoor environments negatively impacts more communities than any other pollutant. Due to our lack of health-protective engine standards, diesel exhaust is a serious and far-reaching threat to the health of all Oregonians. Oregon PSR supports House Bill 2007 as a productive step forward, recognizing that the air we breathe is not confined by city, county, or government boundaries and that more work will need to be done to resolve this issue statewide so that all Oregonians may breathe healthy air, as is a human right.