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April 27, 2006
Contacts:
Andy Weisser, (818) 703-6444, aweisser@earthlink.net
www.californialung.org
or your local American Lung Association at (800) LUNG-USA
28 California Counties Fail American Lung Association’s
Annual State of the Air Clean Air Test;
Kern and Riverside Counties Top Bad Air Lists Nationwide; City of Salinas on Cleanest List
Diesel Trains and Boats Contribute to Dangerous Ozone and Particle Pollution Levels
Resources:
Editor/Reporter Note: B-roll, interviews, photos and other print material are available at www.thenewsmarket.com/ala By visiting www.californialung.org, effective April 27, people may enter their ZIP codes to determine their local air quality grades.
Related local news conferences in four locations statewide (Bakersfield, Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Francisco Bay Area): 11 a.m. (pacific), Thursday, April 27:
Bakersfield:
Contact: Rich Fallon, 661.847.4700
Location: American Lung Association of California, Kern Branch office, 4660 American Ave., #100, Bakersfield 93309. Spokespeople include:
- John Digges, MD, volunteer, American Lung Association of California, Kern Branch
- Brenda Turner, San Joaquin Air Pollution Control District
- McKenzie Coy, 10-year-old living with asthma
- Katrina Beeson, adult with lung disease
Los Angeles:
Contact: Colleen Callahan, 323.839.8116.
Location: Directly across the street from the San Pedro Post Office on 839 Beacon St., San Pedro, 90731. Parking: There is ample street parking for 25 cents/hour. It is a small park, so you won't be able to miss us once you arrive at the Post Office across the street from the park. Visuals include: view of Port of Los Angeles, trains, boats and loading equipment.
Spokespeople include:
- Trisha Murakawa, boardmember, American Lung Association of California
- Ed Avole, Professor, USC
- Laura Rodriguez, Long Beach resident and mother of children with asthma
- Noel Park, San Pedro Homeowners Association
- Trisha Roth, MD, American Academy of Pediatrics
Sacramento:
Contact: Paul Knepprath, 916.505.3099.
Location: Sacramento City Hall, 915 I St. (Courtyard between the old and new city hall buildings.)
Spokespeople include:
- Greg Marelich, MD, boardmember, American Lung Association of California
- Bonnie Holmes-Gen, Assistant Vice President, Government Relations,
- American Lung Association of California
- State Sen. Deborah Ortiz, chair, Senate Health Committee
- Mayor Heather Fargo, City of Sacramento
- Karen Wilson, Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District
San Fransisco Bay Area:
Contact: Linda Weiner, 415.282.8871; Day of Event: 415.971.4280
Location: American Lung Association of the Greater Bay Area office, 1900 Powell St., Ste. 460, Emeryville 94608. Visuals include: view of Port of Oakland.
Spokespeople include:
- Linda Weiner, Clean Air Advocate, American Lung Association of California
- John Balmes, MD, chair, American Lung Association of California’s Clean Air Technical Advisory Group
- Waafa Aborashed, Coordinator, Environmental Justice Air Quality Coalition (Bay Area)
- Dr. Jerrold A. Kram, chair, American Lung Association of the Greater Bay Area
- Jack Colbourn, Director of Outreach & Incentives, Bay Area Air Quality Management District
(EMBARGOED: April 27, 2006 Oakland, CA) California cities and counties continue to dominate the list of places with the highest number of days with high air pollution in the American Lung Association State of the Air 2006 report released today. The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside metropolitan area continues to sit atop the list of most polluted cities for 24-hour and annual particle pollution levels, while Bakersfield moved to the spot of the most ozone-polluted city in the nation. By contrast, Salinas ranked as part of a select group of the cleanest cities in the nation for ozone and both measurements of particle pollution.
As for counties nationwide, Kern County moved to the top of the list of most polluted counties for ozone and Riverside County had the worst particle pollution as measured on a 24-hour and annual basis.
The report ranks the cities and counties with the dirtiest air and provides county-level report cards on the two most pervasive air pollutants: ozone (commonly called smog), and particle pollution (often referred to as soot), measured in both 24-hour spikes and on annual average.
Twenty-eight of California’s 52 counties with air quality monitoring stations received failing grades. California counties receiving F grades on one or more of the three pollutant lists (in alphabetical order) are: Alameda, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Imperial, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Nevada, Orange, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Tulare, Tuolumne and Ventura.
“This report reflects that too many Californians are still breathing too much bad air on too many days,” said John Balmes, MD, who serves on the American Lung Association of California’s Clean Air Technical Advisory Group and is a pulmonary physician and professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. “Although we have seen some improvements in California, cleaner air is not clean enough when people continue to get sick and die from polluted air,” Balmes said.
California has 15 of the top 25 ozone polluted counties, 12 of the top 25 counties polluted with short-term particle pollution and 9 of the top 25 counties polluted with year-round particle pollution. In addition, the state has eight of the top 25 ozone polluted cities, 10 of the top 25 cities polluted with short-term particle pollution and six of the top 25 cities most polluted by year-round particle pollution.
“Until we control marine and locomotive sources of pollution, the people in our port and industrial cities will not breathe clean air. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) needs to issue strong, effective guidelines to clean up these sources,” said Balmes.
The American Lung Association State of the Air 2006 report is based on air quality measurements made by state and local agencies and reported to the EPA for the years 2002 through 2004, the most current, quality-assured data. Grades are based on how often air quality levels reach “unhealthful” amounts under EPA’s Air Quality Index for short-term levels of particle pollution and ozone. Pass/Fail grades for the year-round levels of particle pollution are based on EPA’s own analysis.
“This report underscores the need for every one of us to take steps to reduce air pollution. That means driving less and driving cleaner vehicles that emit fewer pollutants,” said Balmes. “We also need to encourage policymakers to adopt tougher air quality measures and fund programs aimed at reducing air pollution, like those to reduce diesel train and boat pollution.”
This year’s American Lung Association Clean Air Month campaign also highlights the public health threat caused by diesel-powered trains and boats. While they are significant sources of air pollution, train and marine diesel engines have been poorly regulated. Combined state and federal efforts are needed to clean up these engines and the fuel they use.
The American Lung Association of California is working to reduce diesel emissions related to the goods movement industry, which includes trucks, trains and boats. With three major ports and many other smaller ports, this is a significant issue in California, especially as increased international trade is expected to cause a dramatic rise in port traffic over the next 15 years.
This is particularly alarming because air pollution is a major contributor to lung disease, which affects an estimated 4.2 million people in Californian. The American Lung Association is committed to reducing the suffering caused by lung disease and fighting air pollution is an important part of that effort.
“Air pollution travels and that’s why reducing air pollution in the goods movement industry is an issue all Californians should be concerned about, not just those living near ports or rail yards,” said Balmes. “This ‘secondhand smog’ drifts into other communities.”
The EPA has promised to issue guidelines for limiting air pollution from marine and locomotive sources but has not yet acted. The marine sources include vessels ranging from tugboats and ferries to recreational boats. State and local air pollution officials estimate that pollution from these sources is responsible for 2,400 premature deaths a year.
Transportation is the single biggest source of air pollution as cars, trucks and buses clog our roadways and spew dangerous pollutants into the air we breathe. Goods movement is now the dominant contributor to transportation emissions in California, according to the California Air Resources Board (CARB). Trains and boats emit large amounts of particle pollution and nitrogen oxides.
The nasty soot in diesel exhaust is particularly harmful and was listed as a toxic air contaminant by CARB in 1998. In fact, diesel particles are the most significant source of air toxics in California and account for 70 percent of the cancer risk from toxic air contaminants statewide, according to CARB.
Despite their small numbers compared to the total number of vehicles in California, diesel engines account for 60 percent of the total particle pollution from mobile sources. Diesel e xhaust is also a major contributor to ozone air pollution, generated by nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons from fuel combustion.
Air Pollution Hurts Our Lungs and Threatens Public Health
Ozone air pollution is a powerful respiratory irritant that can actually cause chemical burns of lung tissue. Symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pains, wheezing and coughing. Ozone can also exacerbate lung diseases like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Long-term exposure to ozone can lead to significant reductions in lung function and may even cause asthma in otherwise healthy children.
Particle pollution refers to the fine particles that enter the air primarily from the burning of fossil fuels, wood smoke, and agricultural burning. Prevailing winds can transport fine particles hundreds of miles in the atmosphere.
When inhaled, the tiny particles can lodge deep into the lungs. Particle pollution has been linked to lung cancer, asthma attacks, heart attacks, and strokes as well as increased hospitalizations for respiratory and heart conditions. Recent research has also linked exposure to relatively low levels of particle pollution with premature death.
American Lung Association Works on Solutions for Reducing Harmful Emissions
The American Lung Association has been working to protect the air you breathe in California by supporting important policies aimed at curbing motor vehicle emissions and diesel exhaust. The association successfully advocated for landmark measures to reduce emissions at California ports and rail yards, adopted by CARB in December 2005. The new regulations will cut emissions from port-based cargo-handling equipment and diesel auxiliary engines used to produce electric power on ocean-going vessels.
The association supports the goals of CARB’s proposed Emission Reduction Plan for Ports and Goods Movement in California, which would require important reductions in diesel emissions over the next 15 years, including an 85 percent reduction in particle pollution levels by 2010. Without new controls, the EPA estimates that by 2030, trains and marine diesel engines will account for 45 percent of mobile source fine diesel particle pollution.
The organization also supports user fees as a way to fund programs to replace and upgrade diesel vehicles and equipment used at ports. The American Lung Association of California is pushing for the passage of SB 760 (Lowenthal), which would place a fee on every shipping container processed at the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach.
“We have to reduce the impact on nearby communities, where residents experience higher rates of lung disease,” said Balmes.
Through its Clean Fleets Program, the American Lung Association has been working in cities across the state to encourage governments and companies to switch to cleaner-fueled vehicles such as electric, natural gas, or electric-hybrid.
The association has also been a strong advocate for increased funding of the Carl Moyer Air Quality Attainment Program and the Lower Emission School Bus Program, which provide incentives to transition from dirty diesel engines to cleaner alternatives.
Protect the Air You Breathe
Every Californian can help protect the air we all breathe by driving less and making their next vehicle a cleaner-fueled one. Carpool, ride your bike and walk more, and take the train and bus whenever possible. Cleaner-fueled vehicles such as electric, natural gas, and hybrid electric-gasoline emit fewer pollutants than those powered by gasoline or diesel. Reduced purchase and rental rates are available on cleaner-fueled vehicles at the American Lung Association’s Web site through a partnership with EV Rental Cars.
Businesses, schools and other organizations can also help protect the air we breathe by encouraging carpooling and bicycling, encouraging employees to telecommute whenever possible and purchasing company vehicles and buses powered by cleaner fuels. Governments can do their part by purchasing cleaner-fueled fleets and setting policies that encourage cleaner transportation options. Other pollution solutions, can be found at www.californialung.org
The American Lung Association of California also offers Spanish and English print ads/posters about diesel health effects, and tell Californians “There’s Even More You Should Know About Diesel.” They can be downloaded for free at http://www.californialung.org/spotlight/cleanair01_ads.html
For more information, you may automatically contact your local American Lung Association at 1.800.LUNG.USA or visit our Web site at www.californialung.org.
For 100 years, the American Lung Association has been the lead organization working to prevent lung disease and promote lung health. Lung disease death rates continue to increase while other leading causes of death have declined. The American Lung Association funds vital research on the causes of and treatments for lung disease. With the generous support of the public, the American Lung Association is “Improving life, one breath at a time.” For more information about the American Lung Association or to support the work it does, call 1.800.LUNG.USA (1.800.586.4872) or visit www.californialung.org or www.lungusa.org.call 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872) or visit
www.californialung.org.
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