Massachusetts Diesel Pollution Solution
Massachusetts has some of the worst diesel pollution in the country. To fight for cleaner air, ENE launched the Massachusetts Diesel Pollution Solution Coalition in 2006. Lead organizations include ENE, Alternatives for Community and Environment , Clean Water Action, Environment Massachusetts and neighborhood groups including Chelsea Four Corners, and NEON. The coalition is working to make diesel pollution clean up a top priority for policy makers in greater Boston and Massachusetts.
Background
ENE and several leading grassroots environmental justice and advocacy organizations launched the Massachusetts Diesel Pollution Solution (DPS) towards the end of 2005. The DPS coalition initiated a campaign to make...
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ENE attorney Sam Krasnow and MA Senator Jack Hart
(pictured in back) joined with the Clean Air Task Force,
and coalition partners at a diesel pollution monitoring event
at a Boston elementary school.
The Massachusetts Diesel Pollution Solution Coalition strives to:
- Raise public awareness about diesel pollution
- Build constituencies and organize experts to advocate for solutions to diesel pollution
- Provide expert technical and legal support to advance state and local policies to cut 75% of diesel pollution in priority fleets by 2010
- Collaborate with officials, fleet operators and community stakeholders to review, prioritize and publicize diesel retrofit opportunities and options
- Establish or expand laws, rules and programs that will achieve the 75% reduction goal
The coalition is working to gain support for Senate Bill 3228, which calls for most state-owned heavy duty vehicles and municipal garbage and recycling trucks to install pollution retrofits by 2011 and 2012, respectively. SB 3228 passed out of the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture in September 2007 and is under consideration by the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
October 2007 Diesel Pollution Monitoring Event
State Commits to Spending $22.5 Million to Retrofit School and Transit Buses
In December 2006 the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs announced that the state would spend $22.5 million to retrofit its school and transit buses. View press release. The plan unveiled by EOEEA achieves two of the coalition’s top three goals. ENE and its partners are currently working with stakeholders to ensure the retrofitting proceeds as planned. Governor Patrick kicked off the program and announced the first round of bus retrofits at an event in Lynn in June. (See What's New)
The Massachusetts Diesel Pollution Solution is part of ENE's New England Diesel Initiative.
