Boston is asked to tackle diesel pollution

Ordinance would affect contractors

December 19, 2011|By David Abel, Globe Staff

The dark halo of soot that often hangs over construction projects around Boston could go the way of smoking in bars and unfiltered smokestacks if city officials take action on a proposed measure.

For years, environmental groups have blamed the diesel fumes belched by bulldozers, cranes, and other construction equipment for contributing to the area’s high asthma rates and other airborne ailments. They cite data from the Environmental Protection Agency showing Suffolk County has more diesel pollution - 300 times the amount considered acceptable by the federal government - than 99 percent of the nation’s counties, more than one-third of it spewed by construction equipment.

Now, as Congress slashes federal aid to reduce diesel emissions, local activists are prodding city officials to require contractors that do business with the city or work on city-subsidized projects to buy expensive filtration devices that would eliminate nearly all the toxic pollutants they emit.

“As an asthmatic, I see this as a major public health threat,’’ said Boston city councilor Felix G. Arroyo, who will host a hearing tomorrow on a proposed ordinance that would curb diesel emissions from construction projects throughout the city. “The importance of this bill is to ensure we have cleaner air for all of our residents.’’

City officials are reviewing the proposed ordinance, which is part of a broader effort activists hope will inspire state lawmakers to pass a similar bill that has failed over recent years in the Legislature. But city officials have reservations, saying the ordinance could hurt smaller contractors who cannot afford to buy filters costing up to $20,000.

They also note that Boston, with the help of federal grants, has already retrofitted more than 900 of its 1,390 diesel vehicles, including all city school buses, and that all vehicles bought since 2007 are required to have hybrid engines or use alternative fuels such as ultra-low-sulfur diesel.

Boston suffers from unusually high diesel pollution because it is one of the nation’s most densely populated cities and serves as the center of commerce for the region. Officials at the Boston Public Health Commission say at least 1 in 10 children in Boston have asthma, which can be triggered by ingesting the microscopic carbon particles from diesel exhaust. The toxins can enter the bloodstream from the lungs and increase the risk of a range of illnesses, including cancer, stroke, and heart attacks.

“Generally, the city has been in the vanguard of these issues, particularly in light of our concerns about young children who have asthma,’’ said Jim Hunt, chief of the mayor’s office of energy and environment services. “But we need to think about the costs and the effect on small, local contractors.’’