Corporate America's American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is trying to get state legislators to introduce and pass the "Uniform Diesel Smoke Testing Act." This legislation is a phony, industry-backed remedy to the serious issue of diesel emissions, which cause health problems ranging from asthma to cancer to birth defects. In reality, passing this bill and its findings is more harmful than doing nothing. Perhaps the most outrageous aspect of the bill is that it finds that heavy duty vehicles are "smokeless," and therefore less harmful to humans. "Smokeless" diesel vehicles emit smaller, more lightweight particles, which cannot naturally be flushed from your lungs and lymph nodes. These particles are actually more harmful to humans because they stay suspended in the air longer and can potentially travel long distances.

ALEC understands that the reduction of diesel emissions is already part of the environmental agenda. Consequently, they have introduced preemptive model legislation to protect industry. Some of the major components of the ALEC "Uniform Diesel Smoke Testing Act" include: ensuring the potential for multiple citations is reduced; exempting farm vehicles; exempting vehicles on classification rather than on actual diesel emissions; prohibiting federal or state funds for testing unless certain bureaucratic hurdles are met using strict procedures -- including test standards designed to ensure that no engine will fail; requiring that the only engines tested are those which visibly emit black smoke; and, creating a panel to advise on testing made up of members from the truck and bus industries. A diesel smoke testing act was introduced in Oregon in 2003, so if you value your air quality, look out for this model legislation in your state.

Ran 12/1/01, 3/11/02, 8/19/02, 7/19/04