Clean Diesel Technology Helps Meet Current and Any Future Ozone Clean Air Standards

The Diesel Technology Forum (DTF) issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s first public hearing on proposed revisions to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Ozone, held in Arlington, VA.

“While the merits of reducing the allowable levels of ozone in the atmosphere are now under considerable debate, there is no debate about the progress and importance of clean diesel technology in meeting the nation’s clean air goals,” said Allen Schaeffer, executive director of DTF, a non-profit group which represents diesel engine, vehicle and equipment makers, fuel refiners and suppliers of engine and emissions control technology.

Clean diesel - the combination of cleaner diesel fuel along with advanced clean-burning diesel engines and emissions control technology - is already at work in key sectors reducing emissions of both particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), an ozone precursor. From 2007 to 2009, new heavy-duty commercial trucks reduced PM levels by over 98 percent, and NOx by about 50 percent. New commercial trucks sold now in 2010 are at near-zero emissions for PM and also for NOx (0.02 grams per brake-horsepower-hour); an additional 50 percent reduction from 2007 levels.

“Low-emissions clean diesel technology is not limited to just new commercial highway trucks,” said Schaeffer. “Today’s clean diesel cars now meet the same emission certification standards as gasoline vehicles while getting 20 to 40 percent better fuel economy.” New construction and farm equipment and marine boats and locomotives are on a pathway to reduce emissions levels of NOx and PM to levels nearly the same as highway vehicles between now and 2014. An important first step occurs June 1, 2010 when off-road machines and equipment begin using ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel; a change first made for highway vehicles in 2006.

Progress in reducing ozone precursors (NOx) is not just limited to new technology. The leaders in clean diesel industry are also attacking the emissions challenge on the other end by demonstrating the ability to modernize and upgrade existing diesel engines and equipment to yield lower NOx and PM. Through replacing some engines with newer models and upgrading existing diesel engine components or adding emissions control devices, everything from school buses to marine work boats and construction equipment can achieve lower emissions; in some cases by as much as 90 percent from original performance levels.

About the Diesel Technology Forum
The Diesel Technology Forum is a non-profit national organization dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of diesel engines, fuel and technology, working with policymakers and other stakeholders on common solutions. Forum members are leaders in clean diesel technology and represent the three key elements of the modern clean-diesel system: advanced engines, vehicles and equipment, cleaner diesel fuel and emissions-control systems.

EPA Adopts Regulation for Large Ships

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has finalized a rule setting tough engine and fuel standards for large U.S.- flagged ships, a major milestone in the agency’s coordinated strategy to slash harmful marine diesel emissions. The regulation harmonizes with international standards and will lead to significant air quality improvements throughout the country.

“There are enormous health and environmental consequences that come from marine diesel emissions, affecting both port cities and communities hundreds of miles inland. Stronger standards will help make large ships cleaner and more efficient, and protect millions of Americans from harmful diesel emissions,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “Port communities have identified diesel emissions as one of the greatest health threats facing their people – especially their children. These new rules mark a step forward in cutting dangerous pollution in the air we breathe and reducing the harm to our health, our environment, and our economy.”

Air pollution from large ships, such as oil tankers and cargo ships, is expected to grow rapidly as port traffic increases. By 2030, the domestic and international strategy is expected to reduce annual emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) from large marine diesel engines by about 1.2 million tons and particulate matter (PM) emissions by about 143,000 tons. When fully implemented, this coordinated effort will reduce NOX emissions from ships by 80 percent, and PM emissions by 85 percent, compared to current emissions.

The emission reductions from the strategy will yield significant health and welfare benefits that span beyond U.S. ports and along our coasts, reaching inland areas. EPA estimates that in 2030, this effort will prevent between 12,000 and 31,000 premature deaths and 1.4 million work days lost. The estimated annual health benefits in 2030 as a result of reduced air pollution are valued between $110 and $270 billion, which is up to nearly 90 times the projected cost of $3.1 billion to achieve those results.

This rule, under the Clean Air Act, complements a key piece of EPA’s strategy to designate an emissions control area (ECA) for thousands of miles of U.S. and Canadian coasts. The International Maritime Organization (IMO), a United Nations agency, is set to vote in March 2010 on the adoption of the joint U.S.-Canada ECA, which would result in stringent standards for large foreign-flagged and domestic ships operating within the designated area.

The rule adds two new tiers of NOX standards and strengthens EPA’s diesel fuel program for affected ships. Further, EPA worked with stakeholders and Members of Congress to ensure that the emission reductions are achievable without compromising safety or the maritime economy.

This action represents another milestone in EPA’s decade-long effort to reduce pollution from both new and existing diesel engines under the National Clean Diesel Campaign.

More information on the rule and coordinated strategy: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/oceanvessels.htm.

CA Gov Issues Statement on Diesel Reg Controversy

California Newswire reported that Gov. Schwarzeneggar released a statement on Thursday regarding the recent controversy surrounding ARB's Diesel Vehicle regulation (aka: Truck and Bus law):

"With numerous studies and overwhelming evidence on this topic, it is clear responsible action is needed to improve our air quality and protect the health of all Californians. And, as we move forward with these necessary environmental actions, I am committed to ensuring that our economy is protected. That is why I have directed my Administration to work with the board towards a solution that will help small and mid-size companies meet these important air quality regulations without moving back the final 2014 implementation date. I am confident that Chair Nichols and the board will continue to rely on the science in furthering California's environmental goals and protecting our economy at the same time."

See original link: http://californianewswire.com/2009/12/10/CNW6264_235652.php

CARB Board Member Wants Upcoming On-Road Diesel Rule to Be Reviewed

The Fresno Bee reported on Wednesday that board member John Tellles of the California Air Resources Board is pushing for the looming on-road diesel emissions rule aimed at trucks and buses to be put on hold pending an independent review.

Apparently one of the researchers who contributed health research that the original 2008 ruling was based on, falsified his credentials. Hien Tran originally stated he had earned a doctorate from UC Berkeley. It was later uncovered that his degree is actually from an unaccredited online institution.

The regulation to go into effect in 2010 would require diesel on-road vehicles operating in California to reduce emissions of particulate matter (PM). This often requires retrofitting with a particulate filter that has been CARB verified specifically for use with on-road vehicles.

Final Rulemaking Package for CARB Truck & Bus Regulation

Posting of the Final Rulemaking Package for the In-Use On-Road Diesel Vehicle Regulation (Truck and Bus Regulation).

The ARB Staff has posted the Final Rulemaking Package for the In-Use On-Road Diesel Vehicle Regulation (Truck and Bus Regulation). The package was filed with the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) on October 23, 2009, and OAL has until December 9, 2009, to make a determination. The package includes the Final Statement of Reasons which includes ARB's responses to all comments received on the regulation during the public comment periods. The package for the amendments to the existing regulations was filed with the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) on October 19, 2009, and OAL has until December 3, 2009, to make a determination. Click here for the Final Rulemaking Package.

Benefits of the Diesel Emission Reduction Program

The EPA reports that the Clean Diesel Program has purchased or retrofitted with emissions control products 14,000 diesel vehicles and pieces of equipment over the past year. This resulted in the following benefits:

- reducing 46,000 tons of NOx over the lifetime of the diesel engines
- reducing 2,200 tons of particulate matter over the lifetime of the diesel engines
- conserving 3.2 million gallons of fuel annually, saving operators $8 million annually
- generated public health benefits between $500 million to $1.4 billion

For more information on clean diesel grants and funding go to: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/diesel/grantfund.htm
SmartWay program: http://www.epa.gov/smartway

Link Found Between Diesel Exhaust and Cancer

Researchers at Ohio State University have found the first link between exposure to diesel emissions and cancer. Findings point to the ability of inhaled diesel particles to induce the growth of new blood vessels, thus serving as a food supply for solid tumors.

University scientists exposed healthy and diseased mice to levels of diesel exhaust similar to the exposure most people experience living in urban areas or commuting in heavy traffic. They found that new blood vessels began growing in both healthy and diseased animals, suggesting that pre-existing illness is not required to be susceptible to the effects of diesel emissions exposure. Due to the size of fine particulate matter, less than 0.1 microns in diameter, it's likely that the tiny particles enter the human circulatory system, organs and tissues, with the potential of creating damage anywhere in the body.

Assistant professor and senior author of the study, Qinghua Sun, said "The message from our study is that exposure to diesel exhaust for just a short time period of two months could give even normal tissue the potential to develop a tumor. We need to raise public awareness so people give more thought to how they drive and how they live so they can pursue ways to protect themselves and improve their health. And we still have a lot of work to do to improve diesel engines so they generate fewer particles and exhaust that can be released into the ambient air."

The study documented a 6-fold increase in new blood vessel formation in diseased mice after eight weeks and a 4-fold increase in normal mice during the same time period in comparison with the control group that was breathing filtered air. The development of new capillaries (angiogenesis) is a key mechanism behind the development of solid tumor growth.

"Angiogenesis provides the means for tumor cells to grow because they have to have a blood supply. Without a blood supply, solid tumors will not grow," states Sun.

Read more:

Ohio State Univ. Research Communications

Air Pollution Statistics

23% - Eastern China’s light rainfall has decreased by 23 percent over the past 50 years as a result of air pollution. ~U.S. Department of Energy

380,000 - The approximate number of people whose death can be attributed to air pollution (diesel exhaust emissions, pollution from coal-fired power plants, dust particles) each year. ~Princeton University/Discovery News

750,000 - The number of people estimated to die prematurely each year in China from high levels of air pollution found in large cities (both indoor and outdoor pollution). ~ World Bank, Chinese Government

Air Pollution Facts

1 in 6 – The number of people in the United States living in regions with high, unhealthy levels of particulate pollution - (National Lung Assoc.)

49% - Truck drivers were found to have a death rate for heart disease of 49 percent higher than the average public, attributed to exposure to traffic pollution and diesel emissions – (Harvard Univ.)

95% - Cars manufactured today are 95% cleaner than 30 years ago (CARB)

189 – The number of toxic chemicals listed on the Clean Air Act (CAA) list of hazards air pollutants (HAPs) - (EPA)

18,000 – Estimated annual number of premature deaths in California attributed to particulate pollution – (CARB)

3.9 million – The number of adults and children diagnosed with asthma in California or 11.9% - compared to the national average of 10.1% - (CARB)

40.5 million – The population of Americans living in areas that failed the 2009 State of the Air testing for short-term particulate matter, year-round particulate matter and ozone smog – (National Lung Assoc.)

Director of Diesel Technology Forum Responds to Rep. John Dingell on Clean Diesel Benefits

Posted 07-07-09 on The Hill
by Allen Schaeffer, Executive Director, Diesel Technology Forum, Washington
Regarding op-ed "Alternative fuels not mature; improve gasoline quality and reduce emissions" by Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.), Energy & Environment Special Report, June 24th

Congressman Dingell astutely recognizes the many challenges of developing next-generation fuels and vehicles to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, and the uncertainty of their ultimate acceptance and market penetration. That makes his question “How can we integrate today’s fuels and technology to produce meaningful, near-term benefits for all Americans?” one of the most important but most overlooked questions facing us today.

One answer is to use more clean-diesel technology. Clean diesel is an alternative to conventional gasoline that is available in almost 50 percent of all fueling stations and delivering benefits today. Having undergone a complete makeover in both fuel (now ultra-low sulfur diesel) and emissions technology (certified to gasoline-equivalent emission standards in all 50 states), the new generation of diesel delivers 20 to 40 percent more miles per gallon than its gasoline counterpart and 20 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions. It’s no surprise then why more than half the new cars sold in Europe last year had a diesel engine or why the Green Car Journal’s 2009 Green Car of the Year is not a hybrid, but a clean diesel (the Volkswagen Jetta TDI).

This new generation of clean-diesel engines along with the millions of others already on the road is diverse in its ability to use high-quality blends of renewable biofuels made from soybeans, algae, compost and other sources. Once next-generation renewable diesel fuels like those currently fueling the Helsinki bus system are available in America, much higher blend levels can be used that will further reduce CO2 as well as PM and NOx emissions. And since these fuels also meet the same quality and performance specs as conventional fuels, they can be seamlessly blended and transported within the existing fuel distribution network, eliminating major barriers to expanded use of conventional biofuels (transportability, quality and stability) and making them more cost-competitive for consumers.

Mr. Dingell and others recognize that while some future vehicle and fuel technologies may offer great promise, they are many years away from displacing gasoline and diesel fuel as mainstream transportation fuels. And most importantly he offers the badly needed wisdom that our near-term benefits are going to come from incremental improvements in existing technologies that are proven and available to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions today.

Using more clean-diesel technology and fuel instead of gasoline can make substantial progress in the transition to future technologies. We must not ignore the benefits of here-and-now energy-saving technology like diesel that has cut CO2 emissions and reduced dependence on imported oil.

EPA Proposes Stringent Standards for Large Ships

The Environmental Protection Agency has announced the next steps in a coordinated strategy to slash harmful emissions from ocean-going vessels. EPA is proposing a rule under the Clean Air Act that sets tough engine and fuel standards for U.S. flagged ships that would harmonize with international standards and lead to significant air quality improvements throughout the country.

“These emissions are contributing to health, environmental and economic challenges for port communities and others that are miles inland. Building on our work to form an international agreement earlier this year, we’re taking the next steps to reduce significant amounts of harmful pollution from getting into the air we breathe,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson.

“Lowering emissions from American ships will help safeguard our port communities, and demonstrate American leadership in protecting our health and the environment around the globe.”

The rule comes on the heels of a key part of EPA’s strategy, a proposal last March by the United States and Canada to designate thousands of miles of the two countries’ coasts as an Emission Control Area (ECA). The International Maritime Organization (IMO), a United Nations agency, begins consideration of the ECA plan this month, which would result in stringent standards for large ships operating within 200 nautical miles of the coasts of Canada and the United States.

Air pollution from large ships, such as oil tankers and cargo ships, is expected to grow rapidly in line with port traffic increases. By 2030, the domestic and international strategy is expected to reduce annual emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) from large marine diesel engines by about 1.2 million tons and particulate matter (PM) emissions by about 143,000 tons. When fully implemented, the coordinated effort would reduce NOx emissions by 80 percent and PM emissions by 85 percent compared to current emissions.

The emission reductions from the proposed strategy would yield significant health and welfare benefits that would span beyond U.S. ports and coastlines, reaching inland areas. EPA estimates that in 2030, this effort would prevent between 13,000 and 33,000 premature deaths, 1.5 million work days lost, and 10 million minor restricted-activity days. The estimated annual health benefits in 2030 as a result of reduced air pollution are valued between $110 and $280 billion at an annual projected cost of approximately $3.1 billion - as high as a 90-to-1 benefit-to-cost ratio.

The proposed rulemaking is designed to reflect the IMO’s stringent ECA standards and broader worldwide program. The rule adds two new tiers of NOX standards and strengthens EPA’s existing diesel fuel program for these ships. It represents another milestone in EPA’s decade-long effort to reduce pollution from both new and existing diesel engines under the National Clean Diesel Campaign.

Information on the components of the coordinated strategy, including the proposed Clean Air Act standards and the ECA designation: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/oceanvessels.htm

EPA Releases 3rd National Assessment of Toxic Air Pollutants

The EPA just released the National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) tool. Based on 2002 air emissions data, the recent version of NATA helps federal, state, local and tribal governments identify areas and specific pollutants to better understand risks they may pose.

The report assessed 180 air toxics plus diesel particulate matter from stationary sources of all sizes and from mobile sources such as cars, trucks, buses and construction equipment.

The 2002 NATA estimates that most people in the United States have an average cancer risk of 36 in 1 million if exposed to 2002 emissions levels over the course of their lifetime. In addition, 2 million people—less than one percent of the total U.S. population—have an increased cancer risk of greater than 100 in 1 million. Benzene was the largest contributor to the increased cancer risks.

NATA provides broad estimates of risk over geographic areas of the country and not definitive risks to specific individuals. The results are best used to prioritize pollutants and areas for further study, not as the sole basis for regulation or risk reduction activities.

Since the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, air toxic emissions have decreased by 40 percent from all sources. NATA can be used to help all levels of government target further reductions in air toxics emissions.

More information on NATA: www.epa.gov/nata2002
Information on air toxics: www.epa.gov/oar/toxicair/newtoxics.html