Letter from James E. Enstrom to the California Air Resources Board

As a California epidemiologist who has spend the past 35 years conducting research on risk factors related to the health of Californians, I believe that the mortality effects of diesel exhaust on the general public have been exaggerated by the April 22, 1998 SRP decision and by the March 21, 2006 GMERP Appendix A. Furthermore, I believe that the GMERP is having an adverse impact on the California economy, is driving essential business out of California, and is generating unwarranted lawsuits. To illustrate impacts of the GMERP, read about recent efforts to establish a new port in Baja California because of the environmental regulations and constraints on development associated with the existing ports in Southern California (http://articles.latimes.com/2008/03/25/news/fi-mexport25) and recent threats by environmental activists to sue the Port of Long Beach over diesel emissions (http://www.latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-me-port7feb07,0,3674984.story). In response to my concerns, CARB should promptly post announcements soliciting new candidates for the three SRP positions that expire at the end of 2008. Furthermore, CARB should undertake fully updated assessments of the relationship between fine particles and mortality in California and of the overall health effects of diesel exhaust in California. At a time when the California economy is facing major challenges and the state budget has a large deficit, the focus should not be on implementing the GMERP but on accurately and objectively assessing its health and economic consequences.