Your Jan. 6 editorial “A green light for cleaner diesel fuel” strongly suggests that although emissions from gasoline engines have been reduced for 25 years, diesel-engine emissions have gone unregulated.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Highway truck and bus diesel engines have been regulated for more than 30 years. Thanks in part to those regulations, today’s diesel engines give off only one-eighth the level of emissions of those built as recently as 1988. More reductions are on the books for 2004.
Even before the new 2007 regulations are scheduled to take effect, the diesel industry is working with the Environmental Protection Agency, user groups and state government to explore innovative ways to apply new pollution-control technology and cleaner fuels to the existing fleet. Combined with Illinois’ new diesel smoke enforcement program, there is great promise for reducing emissions from trucks and buses already on the road.
Your readers should know that today’s clean diesel technology, far from being part of the problem, is, in fact, an important part of the ultimate solution to air pollution.
