Attention: AIR RESOURCES BOARD

Re: S.F.Chronicle Article of May 23, '08

       on Diesel Emissions. ARB Health Effects of Diesel

To Whom It May Concern:

Menlo Park on the S.F. Peninsula, my home town for 46 years, is being pressured by ABAG and C/CAG and developers to build housing units near the train station and rail.

Despite attempts to curtail housing too close to the heavy rail and freight diesel locomotives there is generally a lack of understanding and display of greed. One new development is slated to add over one hundred condominiums adjacent to the rail. Although the E.I.R. requires a sound wall for the noise and vibration of freights, the 110 dB train horns and diesel soot which descends on all of our properties near the rails has been discounted. A referendum resulted in a proposal for the reduction of the housing units.

There is not yet final approval by a new council. The decision will illustrate just how "green" is this city, considering that windows cannot be opened and air-conditioning is required. Respirators and ear plugs might be protective outside. When this was written at a recent
"visioning" workshop it was deliberately omitted. We all should know
that transit is the greatest source of gases and other pollutants. Expensive consultants are selective in their reports of comments. They hear only what the promoters of housing want to hear.

El Camino Real, the King's Highway, is being touted as an ideal place for numerous housing units. Yet it is congested with stop-and-go traffic to the point that the air is seriously polluted and breathing becomes distressed, together with intolerable noise.

Almost all of the development plans are to add housing between El Camino Real and the heavy diesel rail - a short distance. Many of us feel that this is not conducive to health and safety and that this area should be retained as "commercial" for the most part with choices to commune in the environs. Any change of zoning should be to eliminate 24-hour living quarters. Build It Green declares that health declines exponentially 8 blocks from heavy traffic.  

Caltrain has plans, funding permitting, to change the diesel locomotives to electric in the future but at a recent Joint Powers Board Meeting the C.E.O. stated that the diesels would be retained for many years to come, At a recent board meeting a speaker pointed out that diesel emission was not within the present regulations in certain cases. We understand that these are to be strengthened.

In the event that the November bond measure results in high speed rail traversing the S.F. Peninsula, the electrification may be accelerated.

However, instead of Transit Oriented Housing being built "within" one-quarter or one-half mile of the rail it would seem prudent to mandate that it be "kept at a certain distance away" in the interests of public health. In any case it should not be adjacent to the rail which emits lethal diesel fumes and injurious noise.

In the past, we asked that the Environmental Protection Agency test the black soot that alights on our cars and window sills and, undoubtedly our lungs, when living close to the one hundred plus diesel passenger trains and freights. I have been present at workshops when residents of other cities have complained of this, and the fact that they see the clouds of diesel soot outside their windows where apartments have been built at wayside to the rails. These comments are always ignored by the facilitators who are often collaborating with the local and state officials to promote housing under any circumstances.

Also of great concern is the fact that so-called leaf blowers send up clouds of debris containing poisons; such as asbestos from brake linings, emissions from vehicle engines and pulverized rubber from tires into the air around us and inches from our windows and lungs. Many cities have banned so-called leafblowers An adjacent city of Palo Alto has banned gas-powered blowers in residential areas, but even electric blowers are fouling the air with everything deposited on the ground including bird and animal excrement, mold, fungus, etc. which is breathed into our lungs and blood streams.

Please submit this to the current comment docket on diesel emissions and to the Air Resources Board and inform me of any publications regarding diesel emissions, including locomotives and blowers of debris, such as demolition and construction materials which abound in our neighborhood of constant renovation and development adjacent to existing homes. There are jackhammers and pulverization of concrete in the name of recycling. These were built into pyramids on site, uncovered, except in winter. Discounted were the winds at other times blowing this into the homes of adjacent humans. A friend of mine with COPD was seriously affected.

All of this air pollution is not taken into account when approval is given for demolition, renovation and construction. Even if contractors are aware of safety requirements and state laws, their sub-contractors appear to be ignorant and reverse all protective measures.

The residents of the City of Menlo Park once voted on a ban for gasoline leaf blowers, which resulted in almost 5,000 respondents against them. Despite physicians' adamant opposition to blowers, due to the power and influence of the California Apartment Association, concerned about their profits, and sob stories from gardeners, just over 5,000 people defeated the ban despite the fact that asthma victims and others with respiratory diseases begged for relief. How much illness and death results in the interests of time, dollars saved and greed?

It is respectfully pointed out that it is time for the Air Resources Board to protect the public from these health hazards. When brought up before our City, a council member once asked "What are particulates?". It is clear that city officials are conveniently ignorant of the facts and wish to remain so. Public funding is being offered for developers and $2,000 per bedroom for TOD to cities who are not restricted from how close to heavy diesel rail, freight and heavily travelled highways the housing is built.   

One important step forward would be to persuade the officials touting housing to keep it a safe distance away from the most hazardous areas. Scores of organizations are active in preserving open space and protecting all kinds of endangered species at the expense of human beings.

A recent publication of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission New Places, New Choices/The Challenges for TOD" states

"Some possible TOD sites in the Bay Area may be located near abandoned
industrial sites, freeways or busy arterials and other sources of pollution. All potential hazards must be adequately addressed before development can occur at these sites."

In the case of the proposed and once- approved Derry Project at the railroad in Menlo Park the E.I.R. stated that the residents would be exposed to "train-related pollution". This cannot be mitigated in the near future and yet it is going forward.

Please exert the power and wisdom of your agency to halt the housing developments adjacent to the cancer-causing heavy rail and freight diesel locomotives.

There have been decades of complaints and petitions from citizens along the S.F.Caltrain Corridor which are a matter of record even though our city loses the files.

Margaret Petitjean, 489 Waverley St.,Menlo Park, CA. 94025 Tel: (650)322-7154

H.A.L.T., H.O.R.N, Citizens for Noise Abatement. Received on Fri May 23 13:21:06 2008