The American Lung Association of Metropolitan Chicago applauds the editorial highlighting the need to reduce toxic diesel pollution (“Diesel cleans up,” Jan.2). That diesel vehicles will be about 95 percent cleaner with the introduction of 2007 models is indeed worthy of praise. Equally valid is the lament that it may take decades before most diesel vehicles have those cleaner engines. That’s too long to wait for cleaner air in Chicago. The good news is, we don’t have to wait.
The same technology that will clean up diesel engines on new school buses, transit buses, garbage trucks, and many other vehicles can be applied to most vehicles on the road now–resulting in a staggering 90 percent cut in diesel pollution. This “diesel particulate filter” technology is far more effective than the other technology mentioned in the editorial, which achieves only a 30 percent reduction. Tens of thousands of lives can be saved nationally with this technology.
It is imperative that Illinois establish a diesel emission reduction plan in this coming legislative session. Federal assistance for retrofit projects will be available if Congress budgets the $200 million promised in the 2005 Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA). Illinois legislation should also provide a state funding mechanism to assist public and private fleet retrofits.
Diesel soot pollution can become a thing of the past.
