EPA partnership cuts emissions

The Associated Press

SAN DIEGO -- Environmental officials launched a partnership with fuel industry officials Wednesday to curb cancer-causing diesel emissions spewing into the West Coast's skies.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $6 million worth of voluntary projects in California, Oregon and Washington, with most of the money coming from the federal government. The EPA said it hoped to ultimately secure $100 million over five years for future projects.

"The goal is to replace the older engines with newer equipment, newer fuels and get that done as soon as possible," said Wayne Nastri, EPA's administrator for the Pacific region. "It benefits all of us, those at the border and up and down the state."

The initiative targets sources of diesel pollution bombarding the West Coast, from long-haul trucks to cargo ships pulling into port, not to mention locomotives, farm equipment and earth-moving construction equipment.

The initial projects include plans to cut emissions by replacing aging diesel locomotives in the San Joaquin Valley and a $1.8 million plan to plug two Princess Cruises ships into Seattle's electric grid when in port.

In addition, nearly $1.7 million will be spent to clean up emissions from idling long-haul trucks along the Interstate 5 corridor in Oregon and California.

When fully funded at the goal of $100 million, EPA officials estimated the program could remove roughly 8,000 tons of particulate pollutants and save more than $2 billion in associated health care costs.

Tiny soot particles found in diesel exhaust have been linked to lung and other types of cancer and account for thousands of premature deaths in the United States each year as well as increased cases of asthma and other respiratory ailments, according to the American Lung Association of California.

"We're very mindful of the fact that thousands of people die from diesel pollution each year," said Terry Tamminen, secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency.

New regulations are aimed at cutting diesel pollution nationwide, beginning in 2007, and the U.S. EPA said it hoped the voluntary program would speed those goals.

Bonnie Holmes-Gen, a lobbyist for the American Lung Association in California, said the money was helpful but fell far short of what is needed.

"They should set the bar a lot higher," Holmes-Gen said. "We have a need for $2 to $3 billion over the next five to 10 years in California alone."