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Diesel-powered transportation sources in the US are responsible for over 60 percent of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and more than 70 percent of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions. The World Health Organization classifies diesel exhaust as carcinogenic, with components like PM2.5 and NOx causing respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses, premature death, and reduced lung function. These health impacts disproportionately affect communities of color and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations. While over 100 models of electric trucks and buses are currently available, the document argues that public policy is necessary to accelerate the market and address the climate crisis and health disparities.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) advocates for the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act of 2005 (DERA), a proposed $1 billion federal grant and loan program to reduce diesel fine particle (PM2.5) emissions. CATF highlights that diesel exhaust causes 21,000 premature deaths annually and that existing engines will remain in service for decades, necessitating funding for retrofits, rebuilds, and repowerings to meet air quality standards and provide immediate climate benefits by reducing black carbon.

The report quantifies the health damages caused by diesel particulate matter (PM2.5) and other emissions across the U.S., highlighting significant risks of premature death, lung cancer, and respiratory illness. It estimates that 21,000 people die prematurely each year in the U.S. due to mobile diesel sources. The document proposes a three-phase retrofit strategy to reduce diesel PM by 85% by 2020, which could avoid approximately 91,000 premature deaths by 2030. It identifies urban areas and 'hotspots'—such as near bus depots and highways—as having significantly higher risks than rural areas. The report also details the effectiveness of retrofit technologies, such as diesel particulate filters (DPF) and closed crankcase filtration, particularly for improving air quality inside school buses.

The document assesses the environmental and health impacts of shipping emissions, noting that they are significantly less regulated than land-based sources. It provides data on global and regional emission inventories, specifically for Europe and the United States, and compares these to land-based mobile sources. The report details several cost-effective mitigation strategies, including the use of low-sulphur fuel, seawater scrubbing, engine modifications, selective catalytic reduction (SCR), and shore-side electrical power ('cold ironing').

The report outlines legislative strategies for U.S. states to increase vehicle efficiency, categorizing them into short-term options—such as HOV lane access for Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFVs) and Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs), state procurement mandates, and tire labeling—and long-term options, including tax incentives, 'pay-at-the-pump' insurance, and feebate programs. It argues that state action is necessary due to the economic burden of high oil prices, security risks associated with oil dependence, and environmental impacts like carbon dioxide emissions.

The report estimates that diesel fine particle pollution causes approximately 21,000 premature deaths annually in the U.S., with significant risks of lung cancer, heart attacks, and asthma. It argues that while EPA regulations for new engines starting in 2007 are positive, the long lifespan of existing diesel vehicles (nearly 30 years) necessitates immediate retrofit actions. The document proposes a reduction target of 50% by 2010, 75% by 2015, and 85% by 2020, which could save nearly 100,000 lives by 2030. Recommended solutions include diesel particulate filters (DPF), Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD), and anti-idling ordinances.

The Union of Concerned Scientists analyzed two proposals to increase the Texas Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). The more aggressive 20 percent by 2020 proposal would result in 17,820 MW of renewable capacity by 2025, creating 38,290 new jobs and saving consumers $5.6 billion in energy bills. The more modest 10,000 MW by 2025 proposal would yield approximately 8 percent renewable energy by 2025, creating 19,950 new jobs and $5.5 billion in consumer savings. Both proposals would diversify the electricity mix by displacing natural gas and coal, reducing CO2 emissions and providing significant capital investment and tax revenues to rural Texas communities.

The report outlines a framework for 'healthy design' in hospitals, arguing that sustainable architecture and engineered systems can reduce operating costs, improve clinical outcomes, and enhance staff retention. It provides a comprehensive set of recommendations for Massachusetts healthcare providers, ranging from regional collaborations and institutional policy changes to specific architectural and engineering interventions such as combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) systems and displacement ventilation. The document emphasizes the 'business case' for green building, citing evidence that such projects often have minimal capital cost premiums while offering significant life-cycle savings and health benefits.

The report argues that while fuel cells have high initial capital costs, they can be cost-effective by capturing 'distributed benefits' such as deferring utility distribution investments, providing premium reliability for the digital economy, and meeting strict urban emission standards. It proposes a commercialization path starting with grid-connected systems in commercial buildings and semiconductor fabs, eventually integrating with fuel-cell vehicles through vehicle-to-grid (V2G) systems.

The report ranks the 'Big Six' automakers—Honda, Nissan, Toyota, Ford, DaimlerChrysler, and General Motors—on their environmental performance, focusing on smog-forming and heat-trapping emissions. Honda consistently ranks as the cleanest, while General Motors has fallen to the bottom. The analysis highlights a trend where smog-forming pollution is improving due to regulation, but heat-trapping emissions remain stagnant. It specifically criticizes the use of regulatory loopholes, such as Flex-Fuel Vehicle (FFV) credits, which allow companies to artificially inflate fuel economy figures.

The document details the struggle to protect spring-run Chinook salmon in Butte Creek, California, from the effects of water diversions by Pacific Gas & Energy's DeSabla-Centerville hydroelectric project. It highlights the species' vulnerability to low flows and high temperatures, the role of the Centerville Head Dam in blocking habitat access, and the legal pressure applied by Earthjustice to secure adequate water for spawning fish.

The San Joaquin Valley shares the distinction of having the worst air quality in the United States, driven by a combination of geographic trapping, rapid population growth, and a history of regulatory neglect. The region struggles with chronic ozone and particulate matter (PM) pollution, which disproportionately affects vulnerable populations and damages the agricultural economy. While recent legislation has begun to regulate previously exempt agricultural sources and diesel emissions, the report argues that coordinated action across jurisdictional levels is required to address emissions from sources outside local control, such as heavy-duty trucks and locomotives.

The Union of Concerned Scientists analyzed the potential effects of Colorado's Amendment 37, which would require the state's largest electric companies to increase renewable energy use to 10 percent of sales by 2015. Under the most likely scenario, the report projects that the initiative would result in $236 million in consumer savings on electricity and natural gas bills, the creation of 2,000 new jobs by 2020, and a reduction of 3 million metric tons of annual CO2 emissions by 2025. The analysis highlights that wind resources would drive most of the development, providing significant capital investment and tax revenues for rural communities.

The document records a multi-sector call for a U.S. transition to clean energy, arguing that government investment and regulation can simultaneously drive economic growth, reduce oil dependence, and address climate change.

The application seeks to address whether the 'police powers' exclusion from expropriatory measures includes bona fide non-health environmental measures, arguing that such a legal clarification is necessary if California's MTBE ban is not found to be a public health measure.

The amici argue that the Tribunal should recognize legitimate environmental measures as non-expropriatory under the police powers rule, similar to public health measures. They contend that international law has evolved to include environmental protection within the state's regulatory authority, citing precedents from the ICJ, WTO, and other NAFTA tribunals to support the view that non-discriminatory regulations protecting the environment do not constitute a compensable taking.

In a joint submission to the tribunal in the Methanex v. United States arbitration, several amici argue that legitimate environmental regulations, similar to public health measures, fall under the 'police powers' rule and are therefore non-expropriatory. They contend that international law has evolved to recognize environmental protection as a legitimate state function that does not require compensation for resulting economic losses, provided the measures are non-discriminatory.

The application seeks to provide the Tribunal with legal analysis on whether 'police powers' exclusions from expropriation include bona fide non-health environmental measures, specifically in the context of California's MTBE ban.

The report documents that fine particle pollution from U.S. power plants causes nearly 24,000 premature deaths annually, including 2,800 from lung cancer, and 38,200 non-fatal heart attacks. It argues that the Bush administration's 'Clear Skies' proposal is insufficient compared to the Clean Air Act or the more stringent Jeffords bill, which could avoid 22,000 deaths per year. The analysis highlights that elderly populations, children, and communities of color—particularly in the Midwest and Southwest—are disproportionately affected.

The report finds that diesel pollution caused an estimated 3,000 premature deaths and $21.5 billion in health costs in California in 2004. While new engine standards will reduce emissions over time, the longevity of existing engines means significant health risks persist. The authors argue that full implementation of California's Diesel Risk Reduction Plan and increased funding for the Carl Moyer Memorial Air Standards Attainment Program could prevent 11,000 premature deaths and save between $48 billion and $70 billion by 2020.