Submit a public comment before July 3.
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John,
You deserve to breathe clean air - no matter where you live.
But millions of us are exposed to dangerous diesel exhaust - the most harmful air pollutant in Washington - every single day. Trucks and other medium and heavy-duty vehicles are the main source of this pollution, which increases the risk of cancer, asthma, heart and lung disease, and other illnesses. On top of that, these vehicles are a major source of the carbon emissions driving our climate crisis.
The good news is that our state is working to clean our air and reduce climate pollution from this sector. One of the biggest steps: Adopting stronger vehicle emission standards. Washington and 10 other states across the country have teamed up to require vehicle manufacturers to clean up their act and sell less-polluting vehicles.
This year, our state Department of Ecology is updating the rules that spell out how this will happen in a predictable way that supports public health and the economy. These new rules will cut nearly 50 million metric tons of carbon dioxide through 2050 and significantly reduce tailpipe pollution, meaning fewer hospital visits and premature deaths each year.
Today, we need your help to show your strong public support for cleaner vehicles, clean air, and climate action! Please take two minutes to submit a comment to the Department of Ecology in support of the Clean Vehicles Program, following the steps below. Comments are due by July 3.
Step 1: Go to this page. Once on the page, fill in your information. Choose ‘individual’ on the dropdown.
Step 2: Write your comment in the text box. We have provided a prewritten comment you can copy and paste below, but please personalize your text and let Ecology know why clean and healthy air matters to you!
Then, click ‘Continue’.
SAMPLE COMMENT:
Dear Nikki Harris,
Thank you for the opportunity to comment in support of the updates to the Clean Truck Rules. State leadership on clean transportation has never been more important. I commend the Department of Ecology for making sure we have more clean trucks on our roads in Washington by upholding the Advanced Clean Truck (ACT) and Heavy-Duty Low NOx Omnibus (HDO) rules.
Washington can demonstrate its commitment to combating pollution and protecting vulnerable communities with regulations like ACT and HDO. There is an ongoing national effort targeted at repealing these rules and others like it by the trucking industry and manufacturers.
We can’t let polluters take away our clean air future. Every delay in clean truck policies directly impacts public health, especially for low-income communities and communities of color, who are disproportionately exposed to harmful diesel emissions.
I strongly support Ecology’s proposed rules on ACT and HDO, which are critical for improving public health and meeting our statutory greenhouse gas emission limits.
Thank you.
Step 3: Now you have the chance to review your comment. If everything looks good, you can officially submit your comment! Ecology will email you a copy of your comment for reference.
Step 4: That’s it! You’re all done. Thank you for adding your voice to an important rulemaking process that will help us reduce air pollution and advance climate action!
With appreciation,
Caitlin Krenn (she/her)
Climate & Clean Energy Director, Washington Conservation Action
