CARB- Draft Proposed Regulation To Reduce Emissions Of Diesel Particulate Matter, And Other Pollutants From In-Use Heavy-Duty Diesel-Fueled Vehicles: The Air Resources Board (ARB) staff is developing a regulation to reduce diesel particulate matter (PM) and other emissions from in-use heavy-duty diesel powered vehicles operating in California. A proposed regulation is planned to be presented to the Air Resources Board in October 2008. The proposed regulation would apply to diesel shuttle buses, vehicles greater than 14,000 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), and does not include pickups.

Failing The Grade: How Diesel School Buses Threaten Our Children's Health: Ironically, the very transportation system that carries California’s most precious resource - our children - can be characterized as the most aged, least funded, and one of the most polluting fleets in the nation. California lags behind many other states in turning over its school bus fleets. The age and diesel dependence of California’s school buses is especially troubling because children are more susceptible to the health effects of air pollution than adults.

Harboring Pollution: Strategies to Clean Up U.S. Ports: U.S. seaports are the largest and most poorly regulated sources of urban pollution in the country. This August 2004 report by NRDC and the Coalition for Clean Air provides practical strategies and policies for port operators, regulatory agencies, and community-based organizations to reduce health-endangering air and water pollution, noise and light pollution that disrupts communities near ports, and harm to marine habitats.

Harboring Pollution: The Dirty Truth about U.S. Ports: Marine ports in the United States are major hubs of economic activity and major sources of pollution. This March 2004 report by NRDC and the Coalition for Clean Air assesses efforts at the 10 largest U.S. ports to control pollution, and provides an overview of policy and practical pollution mitigation recommendations.

 Paying With Our Health: The Real Cost of Freight Transport in California: characterizes the costs of freight transport (AKA goods movement) by detailing the health costs of asthma and other illnesses, revenues generated by goods movement activities, and the level of economic opportunity provided to affected communities. It compiles existing exposure studies that characterize the health and local impacts resulting from the system of freight transport.

Children’s Exposure to Diesel Exhaust on School Buses: In the United States nearly 600,000 school buses transport 24 million students to school daily. Each year buses travel 4.3 billion miles as children take nearly 10 billion school bus rides. In Connecticut, 387,000 students ride to school each day on 6,100 buses. Most U.S. school buses are powered by diesel fuel. Diesel exhaust is comprised of very fine particles of carbon and a mixture of toxic gases. Federal agencies have classified diesel exhaust as a probable human carcinogen.Diesel Trucks: Air Pollution and public health. Union of concerned scientists: Heavy-duty trucks are the backbone of today’s freight transportation system.  These vehicles consume more than 3 billion gallons of diesel fuel in California alone and are the largest source of diesel pollution in the state.  Diesel trucks are also one of the last remaining sources of diesel emissions that have not been regulated under the Air Resources Board’s (ARB) Diesel Risk Reduction Plan. 

The Future is Now: Central Valley Farmland at the Tipping Point? - American Farmland Trust (April 2006)
Among the report's conclusions: Despite good intentions, local communities are not making enough progress at preserving farmland in the nation's most threatened major agricultural region.  Farmland is being developed very inefficiently and the best of it is being paved over the fastest.  Another 900,000 acres will be lost by 2040 unless things change -- and soon. 

Air Quality and Land Use Handbook: "A Community Perspective" - Air Resources Board (April 2005)
A useful tool that intended to serve as a general reference guide for evaluating and reducing air pollution impacts associated with new projects that go through the land use decision-making process.  It can be used to help educate local elected officials (city council, county supervisors and school board members) on the decisions they make to site new schools, polluting facilities, housing developments, etc.  The recommendations in the handbook are not legally binding and do not constitute a requirement or mandate for either land use agencies or local air districts; however, any or all of these measures can be crafted into strong regulations or legislation to prevent future poor land-use decisions.

Urban Development Futures in the San Joaquin Valley - Public Policy Institute of California (Feb. 2005)
This report, published by the Public Policy Institute of California, models urban growth in San Joaquin Valley over the next four decades. Taken together, the scenarios point to a tripling of the urbanized land stock by 2040, lower densities, and significant declines in farmland. They also indicate, however, that the Valley"s actual growth will partly depend on which public policy goals are emphasized. Many of these decisions will be made by the Valley"s local governments, which control most land use planning and permitting powers.

Air Quality and Smart Growth: Planning for Cleaner Air - The Funders' Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities (Jan. 2005)
Clean air is a fundamental right and one that many take for granted. This paper explores the connection between land development patterns, transportation patterns, and air pollution and how growing smarter can lead to better air quality. An excellent overview.

California Clean Cars Campaign - Global warming solutions for a healthy California.

Smart Choices: Less Traffic - Sierra Club
A study of 49 transportation projects from around the nation

The Truth About Traffic - Surface Transportation Policy Project
The underlying causes of congestion are far more complicated than many traditional interests have historically been willing to admit.

Driven to Spend: Study Finds Transportation Takes a Huge Bite out of Household Budgets - Surface Transportation Policy Project
A new study finds that Bay Area residents spend a whopping $20 billion out of their own pockets on transportation -- an average of $7,150 a year per household -- second only to housing and totaling more than all personal spending on health care, education and utilities combined. Southern California residents spend $38.1 billion out of their own pockets on transportation annually -- an average of $7,224 a year per household.

Concentration of Deadly Ultra-fine Particle Pollutants Near Major Highways: Interstate 405 and Freeway 710 - UCLA
Two new studies demonstrate that people near major highways are exposed to 30 times the concentration of ultra-fine particles than normal background concentrations.

The Federal Government Could Help Communities Better Plan for Transportation That Protects Air Quality - Testimony by John B. Stephenson, director, Natural Resources and Environment, GAO, July 30, 2002
Congress and federal agencies have opportunities to provide transportation planners and communities more help in considering the environmental impacts of their transportation and land use decision.

Tailpipe Tally - Environmental Defense
Online tool to find out fuel consumption, fuel cost and vehicle emissions for any vehicle you choose (model year 1978 to present). Build your own comparison list of up to four vehicles, in any combination of new and used.