...Dirty Diesel: Non-road diesel engines are the dirtiest
(From Page 1)
bution of diesel particulates as all the
over-the-road trucks. Cleaner, low-sul-
fur diesel fuel is required for diesel en-
gines on the highways, but not yet for
off-road diesel engines like heavy con-
struction equipment.
“Nobody disputes that there’s a
problem with exhaust from diesel en-
gines,” Downing said. “It’s just that for
many folks, it’s like ‘tomorrow’s an-
other day, and I’ll worry about it then.’”
One hurdle is that it can cost $1,200
to $12,000 per vehicle to install the fil-
Are Mom and Dad Financially
Secure in Retirement?
T URN H OME E QUITY I NTO C ASH ,
L INE OF C REDIT , M ONTHLY I NCOME
OR A C OMBINATION OF P LANS
For a free, personalized evaluation call
1-866-684-7272
or 360-694-7272
L Y N N R U S S E L L , C S A
OR ML-4194 WA 510-MB-30380
Locally Owned
and Operated
ters and catalytic converters that reduce
harmful exhaust. However, there are
federal grants available to help with
that, Downing said, and Oregon has
state business income tax credits that
reimburse half the cost of replacing or
retrofitting diesel engines.
The recently-passed federal stimu-
lus bill included $300 million for
“Clean Diesel ”projects, mainly in the
form of grants to diesel fleet owners to
pay part of the cost of retrofitting en-
gines. Locally, the Port of Vancouver
will get $357,500 to retrofit engines on
trucks, loaders, and forklifts. And
TriMet will get $400,000 to retrofit en-
gines on 29 buses.
“I think there’s an opportunity for
unions to work with us to develop the
partnership relationships we need with
these fleets to raise the priority,” Down-
ing said.
In some areas, the International
Longshore and Warehouse Union has
made an issue of diesel exhaust, work-
ing in coalition with community groups
to get ships, trains and trucks to turn off
their engines when not in use.
There’s not much that individual
workers can do to reduce risk. Ordinary
dust masks don’t stop the fine particles
that are the problem. The one exception
is when workers turn engines off that
are not in use. Downing said it’s a myth
that diesel engines need to be kept run-
ning all the time.
Anti-idling campaigns aim to make
turning engines off a worker habit —
and workplace policy. They’ve had par-
ticular success at school districts. The
Oregon Department of Education en-
courages all school districts to have no-
idling policies for school buses — es-
pecially when they’re lined up outside
schools. And a bill in the Oregon House
of Representatives would carry the ball
further. House Bill 2186 would author-
ize the DEQ to write rules restricting
engine use by parked medium-duty and
heavy-duty trucks and by commercial
ships while at port, and require truck
stops and ports to make electric power
available as an alternative to engine
use.
“When I first started doing this,”
Downing said, “I really had to scram-
ble. People were very skeptical. Every-
body was interested in being second,
but very few were interested in being
first.”
Now, Downing said, interest is
growing. “We’ve been doing this for a
few years. Word’s getting around.”
AFL-CIO’s John Sweeney
says he’ll retire in September
WASHINGTON, D.C. (PAI) — AFL-CIO President John Sweeney announced
that he will retire at the AFL-CIO Convention in September. Sweeney’s statement
came at an April 6 meeting of the AFL-CIO’s Executive Committee.
Sweeney’s retirement was expected. The former Service Employees Interna-
tional Union president, who will turn 75 in May, has led the AFL-CIO since 1995,
when his slate ousted incumbent Tom Donohue, who had taken over months be-
fore, following the retirement of President Lane Kirkland.
The announcement also comes at a time when the AFL-CIO has opened a dia-
logue with the Change To Win labor federation for possible reunification. Seven in-
ternational unions left the AFL-CIO in 2005 over differences in political spending
and organizing.
David Bonior, chair of the labor-funded American Rights At Work, has been
leading the reunification discussions, which also includes the 3.2 million member
National Education Association.
Karl Bik, Co-Chairman
Cement Masons Trust Funds for Northern California
The bank of labor
has on-the-job experience in Taft-Hartley trust fund management
supports you with an expert labor team and one easy point of contact
offers investment solutions to build and protect your hard-earned funds
gives workers the benefit of customized health and retirement plans
has worked on behalf of unions for more than 50 years.
Invest in you
®
Labor Management Trust Services
Stephen Heady, Vice President, (503) 450-1270
Louis Nagy, Vice President, (503) 450-1273
Labor Management Deposit Services
Diane Williams, Senior Vice President & Manager, (213) 236-5085
John Mendoza, Vice President & Relationship Manager, (415) 705-7112
Visit us at unionbank.com
PAGE 4
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
©2007 Union Bank of California, N.A. Member FDIC
APRIL 17, 2009