June 26, 2019 Update: All eyes are on the Oregon Legislature as the 2019 Session comes to a close. Although we had hoped for a statewide policy to reduce diesel emissions and phase out old dirty diesel engines this session, HB 2007 has been limited to the tri-county area. Still, the bill is a meaninful step forward and necessary to allocate remaining VW Settlement funds. HB 2007 has successfully passed the House and, along with many other important bills, awaits the Senate to resume its business. We're hopeful for a strong diesel policy to be passed before the end of session. Contact your legislator today and ask that they make sure to pass meaningful standards for retiring dirty diesel engines, before Sine Die! 

The Safe Routes Partnership supports the Central Lane, Salem-Keizer and Portland Metro regions to improve health and advance active transportation. These areas are experiencing significant air quality issues as a result of diesel emissions, and those most at-risk to air pollution include children, the elderly, those with chronic health problems, people of color, and people of lower socioeconomic levels. We believe that everyone deserves to have what they need to thrive, including clean air. That’s why we’re calling for action to bring about environmental justice for our most impacted communities. In recent years we’ve supported the legislature’s use of VW settlement dollars to replace diesel school buses, and now we’re pushing for strong policy that uses remaining funds to phase out heavy-duty diesel trucks across the state. We have an opportunity this legislative session to make meaningful change in areas that suffer from poor air quality, and we hope you’ll join us in asking our leaders to prioritize #CleanAirNow!

Read our earlier coverage this year of diesel legislation in Oregon.