Lung Association Responds to Monumental Actions Taken Yesterday by the California Air Resources Board
Rules on shipping pollution and new truck standards will save lives and address industrial pollution
The American Lung Association issued the following statement upon the California Air Resources Board’s adoption of rules to clean up trucking and port pollution today:
“The Board’s actions represent a major win for all California families,” said Will Barrett, Director of Clean Air Advocacy for the American Lung Association in California. “Requiring oil tankers and other ships to clean up will drastically reduce cancer risk and other diesel-driven health risks in portside communities. Further, requiring major reductions from heavy-duty trucks will save thousands of lives and avoid tens of billions of dollars in health costs. Industry opposition rang hollow in the face of health experts and community members speaking out for relief from unacceptable levels of toxic pollution.”
Paola Loera, a UC Riverside Loveridge Fellow with the Lung Association testified at the hearing noted, “California communities facing staggering inequities in pollution burdens will breathe easier because of the standards set by the Board. My generation knows we must speak out and fight for clean air for all communities regardless of race or income. Yesterday was a good day for our health and our future.”
Dr. Karen Jakpor, a physician living with severe asthma also testified during the hearing, noting her own experiences with trucking pollution in the Inland Empire and captured the perspective of many health and medical supporters of the adopted rules: “I’ve been hospitalized more times than I can count because of my asthma – there’s no time to lose. Health professionals know we needed clean air a generation ago, and CARB’s votes make clear that it isn’t fair to condemn yet another generation to a life of freight pollution.
About the American Lung Association
The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through education, advocacy and research. The work of the American Lung Association is focused on four strategic imperatives: to defeat lung cancer; to champion clean air for all; to improve the quality of life for those with lung disease and their families; and to create a tobacco-free future. For more information about the American Lung Association, a holder of the coveted 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and a Gold-Level GuideStar Member, or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or visit: Lung.org.
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