New legislation would transition more ocean-going container ships to run off electricity instead of diesel while they are docked at Washington ports. Proponents of the bill say implementing more shore power would improve air quality and cut emissions. Ships still need power when they are in port, and often leave engines idling. The diesel fumes have created health problems for nearby Puget Sound residents, including increased risk of cancer and other serious health effects.
Rep, Julia Reed, D-Seattle, introduced the shore power bill, and said both impacted communities and the shipping industry have high incentives to move away from diesel.
"We need both of these partners to kind of work together towards a common goal of creating shore power across Washington state in order to get this to work," she explained.
Reed noted the transition to electric power for Washington's ports will take years to implement and will be expensive, but added the shipping industry is motivated by the high cost of diesel to find alternative fuels, which are already in use in Europe and California.
Georgetown and South Park, two neighborhoods in Southern Seattle, as well as parts of Tacoma face severe health disparities due to the impacts of diesel fuel and other industries. Life expectancy is up to 20 years lower in these areas compared to other parts of the state. Reed says she recognizes this has been an issue for these communities for years.
"I think it's not an accident that a lot of poor browner communities tend to be the ones that are closest to these industrial impacts. And also those communities have been speaking out for themselves," she explained.
Reed said the coast electrification project will be funded in part by the Climate Commitment Act, which was upheld by Washington voters in 2024. The program uses a cap and trade system to help the state meet its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 95% by 2050.
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Air pollution in Washington is getting worse, according to a new report citing transportation emissions as the primary culprit.
Eight of the 12 Washington counties surveyed received an "F" grade for particle pollution, including King and Pierce counties. Yakima and Seattle ranked the eighth- and ninth-worst cities in the country.
Transportation emissions account for nearly a quarter of total air pollution and about 40% of Washington's greenhouse gas emissions.
Laura Kate Bender, assistant vice president of nationwide healthy air for the American Lung Association, said more Americans live in polluted areas now than any time within the last 10 years.
"After decades of progress to clean up the air from policies under the Clean Air Act, we're now starting to see an uptick in pollution levels once again," Bender pointed out. "It shows that we really need to double down on protections that are limiting emissions from vehicles, not roll them back."
Congressional Republicans just voted to rescind the federal waivers that allow California to set emissions standards for vehicles that are stricter than national ones, arguing the rules hurt consumers and the trucking industry.
The report marked the seventh straight year of an increasing health threat from particle pollution nationwide. Particulate matter is a mixture of tiny solids or liquid droplets suspended in air. Small particles can lodge deep in the lungs and cause health problems, including cancer and asthma attacks. Bender added smoke from wildfires, driven by climate change, adds to the problem.
"Those conditions are being made worse by changing temperatures," Bender noted. "Climate change means more extreme heat, and more extreme heat can lead to more ozone pollution, and those are both results that show up in this year's report."
Congressional Republicans are considering revoking the federal tax credit of up to $7,500 for new electric vehicle purchases. The House infrastructure committee is also debating new registration fees which would charge people who drive electric cars more than those who drive gas-powered vehicles.
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California has some of the dirtiest air in the nation, according to the American Lung Association's new State of the Air report.
Researchers looked at ozone pollution and both short and long-term particle pollution. Thirteen counties got an "F" grade in all three categories. Pollution in the counties mainly came from vehicle emissions and smoke from wildfires.
Laura Kate Bender, assistant vice president of nationwide healthy air for the American Lung Association, said climate change is contributing to the counties' poor air quality.
"Those conditions are being made worse by changing temperatures," Bender pointed out. "Climate change means more extreme heat, and more extreme heat can lead to more ozone pollution, and those are both results that show up in this year's report."
Five of the seven counties with the most yearly air pollution in the nation are in California. The three most polluting counties are in the Central Valley, with Los Angeles County and the Bay Area not far behind. Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives just voted to rescind the federal waivers allowing California to set strict emissions standards for vehicles, arguing the rules hurt consumers and the trucking industry.
The report also found 46% of Americans live in places getting failing grades for unhealthy levels of ozone or particle pollution. Bender stressed more Americans live in polluted areas now than any time within the last 10 years.
"After decades of progress to clean up the air from policies under the Clean Air Act, we're now starting to see an uptick in pollution levels once again, and it shows that we really need to double down on protections that are limiting emissions from vehicles, not roll them back."
The House infrastructure committee is also considering highway funding fees to charge people who drive an electric car more than those who own a gas-powered vehicle.
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Congress is preparing to vote Wednesday on whether to roll back Ohio's authority to set tougher vehicle emissions standards. New research from Coltura suggests the move could cost rural and working-class drivers thousands in lost savings by limiting access to electric vehicles.
Rob Sargent, the organization's program director, said cutting back clean-car programs would hurt Americans who stand to benefit the most from buying an EV.
"For many rural drivers, contractors, long-distance commuters and families, gasoline costs, depending on income, can eat up 15% or more of their paycheck," he said. "EV tax credits and any programs designed to make EVs available to the American people can unlock decades of savings."
Opponents of emissions standards argue that expanding EV requirements could raise upfront vehicle costs for consumers, particularly in areas with limited access to EV chargers.
Cincinnati is already working toward cleaner fleets of vehicles. Robert McCracken, the city's energy manager, said switching to electric vehicles has provided clear financial and environmental benefits at the local level.
"We've seen lower maintenance costs," he said. "Our total cost of ownership has looked pretty good since we've had some of these electric vehicles. We do have goals for the city that by 2035 we will have a 100% clean-fuels fleet."
However, McCracken warns that rolling back emissions standards could reduce EV options and slow progress. He says the city currently has about 60 electric vehicles and is focusing on expanding fleet charging infrastructure to meet its clean fleet goals.
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