Oregon PSR has joined 20 other health and environmental groups to petition the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to raise its standards on “indirect sources” of diesel pollution. An indirect source is defined as a site with lots of small diesel polluters that add up to make a large aggregate source of pollution, which has a big impact on human health (think construction sites, trucking distribution centers, and rail yards, for example.)
Now, the body that oversees DEQ, the Environmental Quality Commission (EQC), is taking public comments on our indirect source rule petition to hold these polluting sites to a higher, more health-protective standard. We need your help in urging the EQC to resist the fearmongering and misleading industry testimony and take action to adopt our rule. Will you submit a comment by Friday, February 14th to the EQC and urge them to vote yes on cleaning up dirty diesel emissions?
Take action: Send an email to the EQC ([email protected]) and tell them to adopt the Indirect Source Rule. Please send your comment by Friday, February 14th. Here are some points to convey:
- Address the letter to members of the Environmental Quality Commission (EQC), use the subject line “Indirect Source Rule Comment”
- Introduce yourself and the city you live in, and any health professional credentials, if any, you have
- Urge the EQC to vote yes on adopting the indirect source rule at their March 2020 meeting
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Share some compelling talking points, such as:
- 23 of 36 Oregon counties exceed our state health benchmark for diesel pollution, leading to an estimated 400+ premature deaths, 140+ non-fatal heart attacks, and 25,000+ lost work days, with an aggregate cost of $3.6 Billion dollars annually.
- Indirect sources away from main highways and roads account for 65% of diesel emissions in Oregon’s urban centers.
- Oregon has the authority to take these steps to curb off-road diesel emissions from indirect sources such as construction sites, distribution centers, and rail yards.
- Other talking points from Oregon PSR’s factsheets on diesel pollution
- Share any personal connection you may have to diesel pollution and its health impacts and why this issue matters to you
- Attach any supplemental materials you wish to share (PDF and .doc formats are best)
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Repeat the ask for the EQC to adopt our rule at their March 2020 meeting, and sign your name and city.
Read sample comments from our coalition partner, Neighbors for Clean Air.
Remember to send your email by no later than Friday, February 14th. Thank you for taking action for clean air!
Related News Coverage about the Indirect Source Rule Petition:
Nearly 2 Dozen Oregon Groups Seek New Pollution Rules On Toxic Diesel Emissions (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
Petition Targets Diesel Emissions at Construction Sites in Portland, Other Hotspots (Portland Business Journal)
20 Groups File Petition to Limit Hubs of Poisonous Air in Oregon (The Skanner)