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My name is Dennis Foley, and I am a resident of Walnut Creek.
Written below are my comments on board item act19. When COVID-19
pandemic began people were scared and there were dangers and
fatalities. There were shortages on toilet paper, shortages of
hospital beds and N95 masks. What happens when the temperature
increases significantly the air is polluted and extremes weather
events occur? This will affect a far larger number of people than
the COVID-19 pandemic. It won't just be the elderly that are
vulnerable. The air needs to be clean to breathe. California's
agriculture also depends on a clean air ecosystem, extremes hear
and other weather can cause severe droughts. The top 10 hottest
years on record include 2015 through 2019! In order to keep
communities that live in some of the most arid places in California
safe we need  to be motivated to keep the air, and ecosystem, as
clean as possible.



Here in California, its more important than ever that we move
forward with health-protecting, life-saving pollution protections
like the Advanced Clean Truck rule. Weve long known that our air
quality crisis leaves Californians gasping for breath, and worsens
and shortens lives. In light of new research from Harvard that
connects COVID-19 mortality to long-term exposure to air pollution,
shifting heavy polluters like diesel trucks in the state to zero
emissions solutions has taken on a new significance.



I urge you to stay the course and pass a strong Advanced Clean
Truck rule, as well as other transportation regulations that will
promote a zero-emissions future. We cant afford to lose ground on
key public health measures during a public health crisis.  



California has long proven that we can clean up our air and protect
our climate while stewarding a strong economy. Regulations like the
Advanced Clean Truck rule can spur thousands of new clean energy
jobs. They will play an important role in Californias economic
recovery while also saving everyday Californians from the economic
toll of lost workdays and the healthcare costs of pollution-related
illness. Its time for everyone to do their part for Californias air
 and all of our lungs  as we face challenges to public health in
the Golden State like never before.