Diesel Pollution Reduction Initiative The West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project and Pacific Institute

Environmental Indicators Process Identify and provide information on key community concerns Use this information to advocate for positive community change

West Oakland Context Environmental Justice Community Community faces serious environmental pollution from marine Port of Oakland But, gains few economic benefits

Truck Traffic Each day ~ 10,000 trucks travel through West Oakland from the Port to Bay Area destinations Port of Oakland expansion means this number will reach 22,000 truck trips per day by 2010 Other sources, including Post Office, and truck delivery businesses

Health Impacts Diesel Exhaust from trucks, ships, and cargo equipment may cause cancer, respiratory illnesses, aggravate asthma, heart disease, and contribute to premature death Diesel Particulate Matter is the number one toxic air contaminant in the state DPM is responsible for 70% of all airborne cancer risk

Health Impacts DPM may cause asthma – evidence of enhanced allergic response, immunotoxicity a concern for children; Higher particle dose per lung SA in kids. West Oakland children are seven times more likely to be hospitalized for asthma than the average child in the state of California.

West Oakland Diesel Truck Study A community-based effort to characterize neighborhood diesel truck issues and potential mitigation options in West Oakland Four interlocking studies: Truck count Truck idling study Diesel Emissions inventory Indoor Air monitoring study

Community Based Participatory Research Undertook community driven process to determine study questions, goals, and hire a contractor Residents undertook truck counts at key locations identified by community members and conducted an idling study

Diesel Truck Counts

Diesel Truck Counts: Findings 290 of 500 truck trips are container trucks going to West Oakland daily. Why? –Fuel, truck repair, food & beverage, overnight parking –These services are not provided at the Port of Oakland

Solutions

Diesel Truck Idling Study

Diesel Emissions Inventory We found ninety times more diesel particulate emissions per square mile in West Oakland than in California as a whole

Indoor Air Monitoring Some West Oakland homes have 5 times higher levels of diesel soot in the air than other homes in Oakland. Translates to a cancer risk of 1 excess cancer in 1000 persons due to this exposure over a lifetime

Solutions Increase enforcement of illegal truck traffic. Create a designated truck route. Electrical hook-ups at the Port so trucks don’t idle. Provide incentives to get older, dirtier trucks off the road.

Solutions Move truck-related businesses away from residential areas and out onto land owned by the Port and Army Base. Development of a Community Fund Address pollution from ships, freeways, trains, and other sources

Protecting EJ Communities throughout California Community residents and organizations must participate in policy decisions about goods movement. Regulate terminals as fixed sources of pollution: pollution from Ports and goods movement thoroughfares needs to be capped and regulated more effectively. Regulate ships, trains, and railyards

Protecting EJ Communities throughout California Address land use conflicts and require Ports to provide land for truck services and parking Charge fees for goods movement that can be used to protect health in burdened communities

In Conclusion We need to work together to ensure that the most affected communities do not continue to bear an unfair share of impacts from our system of goods movement and its projected expansion.