The Initial Insult
The heavy diesel truck air pollution level in Temecula, Murrieta and Redhawk will increase 800 to 1000 times when Granite’s Liberty Quarry begins operations. 19 This air pollution increase comes as all areas of Southern California are required to significantly reduce emissions to meet new State and Federal air quality laws. The Liberty Quarry operations could be responsible for Temecula Valley failing to meet new State and Federal air quality laws. 18 This failure will contribute to declining public health, increasing health care costs, increasing mortality and reduced property values. 13
Diesel exhaust contains over 450 different chemicals and more than forty of these are known toxins. 14 The remaining 400 chemicals may also be toxic, they have yet to be tested. 15,16 One of the most dangerous characteristics of DEP is that about 95% of them are ultrafine or nanoparticles. 5 The DEP are smaller than many viruses and can readily pass all human defenses and intrude deep into the lungs. DEP nanoparticles can even squeeze through lung capillary walls and directly enter the bloodstream. 5 It takes months or years to eliminate these toxins from the body. 16 Some DEP will never be removed. 16 Diesel exhaust harms everyone but is particularly harmful to children, the elderly and people with respiratory and other health problems. 14Children are especially vulnerable because their lungs, brain, organ systems and body are experiencing rapid and critical growth and development. 14 Damage occurring during developmental phases is often permanent. 4,16 New evidence shows that when exposed to toxins the developing fetus is much more likely to develop an array of health problems later in life, including diabetes, Attention Deficit Disorder, prostate cancer, fertility disorders, thyroid disorders and obesity. 12 Numerous studies have shown that DEP are associated with increased hospital admissions, emergency room visits, asthma attacks and premature deaths. 5 In California , diesel exhaust related health care costs are 18.3 billion dollars per year. 18 DEP already cost every person in the Temecula Valley $610 per year. When the Liberty Quarry begins operation health will decline further and health care costs will escalate. The rail-yard in the City of Commerce (CoC), California is a reasonable example of what will happen to the Temecula Valley . There are 153 tons of diesel soot produced per year in the City of Commerce and residents are 70% to 140% more likely to contract cancer from diesel exhaust than people in the rest of Los Angeles. 13 Residents have a poorer quality of life and increased healthcare costs. 14 Some residents have their lives shortened. 14 The City of Commerce and its neighbor, Downey , are very similar with one notable exception, the City of Commerce has the rail-yard, a major source of diesel exhaust pollution. The average three bedroom, 2 bath, 1700 square feet home in the CoC is valued 24% lower than the same property in Downey. 20 Downey and CoC represent Temecula before and after the quarry. On a $525,000 average home in Temecula the lost value would be $126,000. That is a major loss to an individual homeowner, but to the area it is catastrophic. The individual loss translated throughout the 94,000 residential units in the Temecula Valley amounts to a twelve billion dollar loss in property value and tax base. 7 At the standard 1% tax rate, the loss in tax revenue is 118.8 million dollars per year. A significant decline in tax revenue leads to a reduction in public services and the beginning of area blight. Granite will claim that there are new rules to reduce diesel pollution and we need not worry. Evidence shows that with perfect compliance it will take decades to reach safe levels of diesel exhaust pollution and by then the Temecula Valley will be damaged beyond repair. 10,18 If the Liberty Quarry is allowed to open for business our air will become more polluted. The entire Temecula Valley will be permeated with diesel exhaust soot. The quality of life will decline along with public health and costs to treat that health decline will escalate. Children will be sicker and many residents will have a shorter than expected life. Health care costs will go up and property values will go down. The initial insult of the quarry operations will transform the vibrant Temecula Valley into Toxic Valley . Granite is willing to endanger the health, lives, livelihood, property values and financial security of 300,000 Temecula Valley residents just to reduce their product transportation costs.
I don’t live in Temecula, but I enjoy Temecula and we do much of our family business there. We have considered relocating there, but if Granite begins operations we would not do so. Once the Liberty Quarry begins operation we must find a new place to conduct our business, one that is less hazardous to our health.
Steve Parker , Electrical Engineer, Doctor of Pharmacy Fallbrook , CA Bibliography
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