| What is the
Mid-Atlantic Diesel Collaborative? |
|
|
The
Mid-Atlantic Diesel Collaborative is a partnership between leaders from federal, state,
and local government, the private sector, and environmental groups in
Delaware
,
Maryland
,
Virginia
Pennsylvania
,
West Virginia
and the
District of Columbia
.
The Collaborative is part of an overall national campaign to reduce diesel
emissions.
Click
here for information about the Collaborative's Structure
|
| Mission |
| |
Reduce diesel emissions to protect public health throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region. |
|
Purpose
|
|
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Leverage resources and expertise to reduce diesel
emissions to improve public health.
|
| |
Reduce diesel emissions to protect public health throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region. |
|
|
Promote collaboration and coordination among
projects within the Region.
|
|
|
Raise awareness of
activities underway and the need for additional diesel emission reduction projects in the
Region.
|
|
Strategy
|
|
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Facilitate the education and awareness of key
constituent groups in the Region about diesel pollution as a public health and quality of
life issue, and ways to improve air quality.
|
|
|
Provide a forum for diverse stakeholders to
exchange ideas to reduce diesel emissions in the Region.
|
|
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Implement projects throughout the Region by
leveraging funds from a variety of sources to achieve measurable emissions reductions and
create momentum for future diesel emission reductions.
|
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Promote, review and publicly recognize voluntary
projects and strategies in the Mid-Atlantic region that increase the availability and use
of verified technologies, idling reduction technologies, emission reducing fuels, and
employ practices and habits to reduce fuel consumption.
|
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Encourage participation in the Collaborative.
|
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Share information and expertise to facilitate
administration of projects to reduce diesel emissions throughout the Region.
|
|
Benefits
to Public Health
|
|
|
Reducing diesel
emissions has significant public health benefits. Emissions from diesel engines
contribute to unhealthy levels of fine particles and ozone (or “smog”) and air
toxics. Fine particles have been associated with an increased risk of premature
death, hospital admissions for heart and lung disease, increased adverse respiratory
symptoms such as asthma, and other adverse health effects. Long-term exposure to
diesel exhaust may pose a lung cancer hazard to humans.
There are a number of federal programs designed to limit
emissions from future new diesel engines through the application of advanced emission
control technologies and ultra low sulfur diesel fuel. But even with these significant
programs, it is imperative to address emissions from the fleet that is on the ground today
as diesel engines often operate for 20-30 years.
The good news is that cost-effective
technologies and other strategies exist now to enable reductions from the in-use fleet
(e.g., retrofits, cleaner fuels, and idle reduction technologies) and the Collaborative
seeks to implement those solutions as soon as possible.
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