Harbor boats - including ferries, tugboats, barges, and
more - fuel health and cancer risks in California’s
port-side communities. In fact, just one sportfishing boat produces
the equivalent exhaust of 162 diesel school buses! Just like cars
and trucks, boats need to use the cleanest available engines and
ultimately move away from fossil fuels in order to combat climate
change and protect public health.
The technology already exists to make it happen. By shifting to
zero emission and cleaner engine technologies, the new protections
will cut carcinogenic diesel particle pollution from harbor craft
by 89 percent and will cut smog- and particle-forming NOx by more
than half by the end of 2038, resulting in an estimated $5.25
billion in public health benefits between 2023 and 2038, and
avoiding hundreds of premature deaths and
hospitalizations.
California's Air Resources Board must vote to require
that all short run ferries in California be zero-emission by 2026;
mandate cleaner engine upgrades for tugboats and workboats;
and create options for all other regulated vessels to either
upgrade to cleaner diesel or choose a zero-emission compliance
pathway.
Thank you.
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