The State of California has enacted some of the strictest diesel emissions standards in the world and the first-of-its-kind Indirect Source Rule was recently adopted by the South Coast AQMD to address pollution caused primarily by diesel trucks around distribution warehouses and other locations, but actions to immediately reduce exposure must also be taken at the local level. The DPI can help identify streets with the most heavy-duty diesel truck traffic, so that local community and non-profit leaders can continue to work with city and county officials to design or redesign truck-appropriate routes. These officials should consider enacting truck bans on specific heavily-traveled roads in the community that are more likely to expose vulnerable populations to higher levels of diesel pollution, especially when children or other vulnerable populations may be present along key distribution corridors.

In addition to mobile sources of pollution, the DPI can also help identify which specific stationary and off-road sources (warehouses, factories, railyards) may have the highest air quality impact on nearby residents. Individuals should take steps to reduce their exposure to diesel particulate matter whenever possible – be it from mobile or stationary sources.

Installing air filtration devices in buildings near these stationary sources and along heavy truck routes is a near-term option to reduce harmful impacts today, but a systematic solution to eliminating diesel truck pollution is to support the adoption of high-voltage electric vehicle charging infrastructure, which can be prioritized using the DPI and working with the air district and local utility.