http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/for-sooty-port-areas-clean-affordable-trucks/
March 10, 2010
For Sooty Port Areas, Clean Affordable Trucks
By Sindya N. Bhanoo
Truck drivers in New Jersey and New York can apply for grants and low-interest loans for purchasing a new and clean truck. The program is cooperated between the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the Federal Environmental Protection Agency. Dirivers applied can get 25 percent of the purchase price of a new truck and a 5.25 percent interest rate on the remaining amount. The program targets the pre-1993 trucks which are serious emitters. Judith Enck, the environmental agency’s regional administrator for New York and New Jersey explains that this program is environmental justice because a lot of low-income communities are distributed around the ports and the communities are exposed by air pollution from a lot of truck traffic in the ports. Thus this clean truck programs are expected to incredibly reduce emission if drivers buy trucks built after 2007.
In the article, Ms. Enck mentions that the communities around the ports are mostly composed of those who have low-income. They are seriously exposed to air pollution from a lot of truck traffic. She defines that it is income-based environmental inequity.
The EPA defines environmental justice as “the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to development, implementation, and enforcement environmental laws, regulations, and policies.” The issue of environmental justice became firstly known by the United Church of Christ’s Commission for Racial Justice (CRJ) in 1987. The Clinton Administration created the Office of Environmental Equity within the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under Executive Order 12898 (Konisky, 2009). President Clinton (1994) states that “each Federal agency shall conduct its programs, policies, and activities that substantially affect human health or the environment, in a manner that ensures that such programs, policies, and activities do not have the effect of excluding persons from participation in, denying persons the benefits of, or subjecting persons to discrimination under such programs, policies, and activities because of their race, color, or national origin” (Rast 2006, p. 257).
Furthermore, the clean truck program could enforce environmental sustainability of the communities surrounded the ports. Paehlke defines environmental sustainability as “the capacity to continuously produce the necessities of a quality human existence within the bounds of a natural world of undiminished quality” (p. 245) in the article, Sustainable Development and Urban Life in North America (2010). He suggests “triple-bottom-line thinking” considering sustainability: economic prosperity, social well-being, and environmental quality. As drivers replace their old dirty truck using emitter diesel with new clean truck, the communities could improve life quality as well as air quality. According to the article, the clean truck built from 2004 to 2007 could reduce smog emissions by 50 percent and soot by two-thirds.
There is not enough evidence if the resource of air pollution in the area is only from the trucks. I assume that there are lots of ships and plants which could cause the air pollution besides trucks. And the article does not mention sufficient statistics to reflect the health condition of the residents in order to prove environmental justice. However, the government behavior to show the willingness to eliminate environmental inequities is the most important point here.
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Hi,
ReplyDeleteInteresting program, I like its intention, but it doesn't seem like enough. 25% of the purchase price is good, but its still leaves a lot for a trcuk from 2004-2007. I am guessing if you own a pre 93 truck you have paid it off by now, so why buy a truck and have a payment if you havent had to in a long time? Plus if you have not bought a new truck since 93 you either really love your truck or don't use it very much. Which if you dont use it, doesnt impact the environment too much. Why not increase the incentives to buy the new truck, they are getting 28 million dollars to use for this program, maaybe lower the target a little, 600 trucks? How did they reach this number? Plus you still get 5.25 %interest left on the rest of your purchase. Why not 50% off purchase and 0% interest on the rest, many more will be willing to do it, whic in turn could get an increase in the 28 million spending budget for it. Got to do more, its not enticing enough, at least in my view.