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Introduction“There needs to be more focus onelevating the work of environmentaljustice communities already advocatingfor zero emissions and pollutionreductions in their communities.” - DavidFlores, Environmental Health Coalition, SanDiego, CAThe Moving Forward Network’s Voices for ZeroEmissions Solutions project centers communityvoices and led solutions to the environmental,health, labor, and climate impacts of the U.S.and the global freight transportations system.Freight Transportation SystemHarmsThe U.S. freight transportation system issuesa double whammy, throwing a simultaneousone-two punch with local toxic exposuresthat profoundly impact environmental justicecommunities and sector workers, while alsoseriously contributing to global emissions andclimate pollution, which, in the throes of climatechange, impacts us all and our planet.The freight transportation system generates asignificant amount of pollution that contributesto the health crisis in environmental justicecommunities and the climate crisis across theglobe. Freight movement relies upon platoonsof ships, trucks, trains, and cargo handlingequipment to move huge volumes of cargoand goods from places of manufacturingorigin to the marketplace to local businesses,governments, communities, and the homes ofconsumers.Global, National, and LocalImpactsMoving freight globally and through localneighborhoods produces unacceptable levelsof diesel particulate, nitrogen oxides, and otherharmful pollution, as well as climate pollutantsthat disproportionately harm communities ofcolor and the broader environment. Exposureto diesel exhaust has been associated withadverse health impacts such as increasedrates of asthma, exacerbation of respiratoryillnesses, decreased lung function, heartdisease, increased cancer risk, and prematuredeath.1 Roughly 39 million U.S. residents livein close proximity to ports and approximately45 million individuals live within 300 feet ofa highway or close to large goods distributioncenters.2 The health risks and impacts fromfreight transportation pollution are not equallydistributed across our nation. Communitiesliving in the shadow of freight operations areoften working class, poor communities of colorthat are caught at the dangerous intersectionof toxic pollution, racism, poverty, politicalimbalance, and climate disaster.3Environmental JusticeCommunitiesThe added burden of port and freight pollutionexacerbates the existing health inequitiesalready faced by environmental justice frontlinecommunities and workers in the sector. Thesecommunities also contend with climate vulnerabilityand devastating climate change related impactssuch as flooding, extreme heat, increasinglyintense storms, and exacerbation of existing healthconditions.4 They are disproportionately exposedto harmful air pollution from ships, trucks, trains,and cargo handling equipment.5Making the Case for Zero-Emission Solutions in Freight Moving For Network7

Image 1. Crosswalk in Los Angeles, CASource: Clarence Williams III, East Yard Communities for Environmental JusticeClimate Change ImpactsThe carbon footprint of the freight transportationsystem is a significant driver of climate change.6Although freight is often ignored in the debatesover climate change, the steady growth of thegoods movement, which is reliant on fossil fuelcombustion, is a concerning and growing sourceof emissions and climate impacts.7 The freighttransportation sector currently accounts forroughly 9% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions8and within the next 29 years, cargo ships alonewill account for roughly 17% of all human-madecarbon dioxide emissions worldwide.9It is clear that pollution from the freighttransportation system is both harmful to publichealth while significantly contributing to climatechange. These dual impacts from freight needurgent attention by policymakers, industry, andimpacted communities. The U.S. can no longerignore the role the freight system plays in theclimate crisis and environmental racism.Making the Case for Zero EmissionSolutions in FreightThe Making the Case for Zero EmissionSolutions in Freight brief is a working documentthat centers community knowledge andexpertise and identifies local solutions that callfor community, industry, labor, government,and political action with the goal of advancingequity, environmental justice, and a zeroemissions focused just transition. In this report,MFN outlines the ways that freight emissionsjeopardize the health of communities ofcolor and low-income communities, whilealso significantly contributing to climatechange. The brief also provides communityenvisioned solutions, policy tools, technologicalconsiderations, and key recommendations.Making the Case for Zero-Emission Solutions in Freight Moving For Network8

Moving Forward NetworkThe Moving Forward Network (MFN) is a nationalnetwork of over 50 member organizationsthat centers grassroots, frontline-communityknowledge, expertise, and engagement fromcommunities across the U.S. that bear negativeimpacts of the global freight transportationsystem.MFN’s vision is to see that negatively-burdenedcommunities become healthy, sustainableplaces by reducing and ultimately eliminatingthe negative impacts of that system. MFNworks to transform the global trade system bysupporting the organizing, advocacy, education,and research efforts of its partners around theU.S. toward improving public health, quality oflife, environmental integrity, labor conditions,and environmental justice.MFNbuildspartnershipsbetweencommunity leaders, academia, labor, biggreen organizations, and others to protectcommunities from the impacts of freight. Itsdiverse membership facilitates an integratedand geographically dispersed advocacy strategythat incorporates organizing, communications,research, legal and technical assistance,leadership development, and movementbuilding. This strategy respects multiple formsof expertise and builds collective power.MFN is deeply committed to advancingenvironmental justice, equity, economic justice,and a just transition and upholds the followingcore principles as central to its work: The Principles of Environmental Justice10 Frontline Community Power Transparency, Inclusivity, and Accessibility Equity in Allyship and Coalitions Prevention of Health Disparities Equitable Distribution of Fundingand Resources Workforce Development Opportunities and aJust Transition Strong Regulatory Frameworks withEnforcement Mandates Renewable Energy,11 Zero Emissions andSustainable SolutionsImage 2. MFN Washington D.C. DelegationSource: Moving Forward NetworkMaking the Case for Zero-Emission Solutions in Freight Moving For Network9

Making the Case for Zero Emissions in FreightThe Impacts of FreightPollution on Public Healthand the EnvironmentOver thirteen million Americans live inneighborhoods where they are exposed todeadly diesel emissions from ships, trains,and trucks that carry freight into and out ofports, rail yards, and warehouses throughoutthe U.S.12 Another forty-five million live alongthe highway corridors used for the samepurpose.13 On a daily basis, doctors servingthese communities treat children strugglingfor breath as asthma attacks their lungs, andadults for diseases resulting in prematuredeaths from lung cancer, heart disease, stroke,and neurological disorders. Numerous studiesshow that diesel-powered freight transportationvehicles, that emit fine particulate matterand nitrogen dioxide correlated to elevatedlevels of such illnesses, are major sources ofgreenhouse gas emissions. Today, global freighttransport accounts for about 36% of overalltransportation emissions, which account forabout 24% of direct CO2 emissions overall.14Coined by environmental justice activists, “dieseldeath zones” in impacted communities areamong the most urgent EJ issues of our times.With political will, changes in industry practices,funding to support appropriate actions, andthe adoption of already readily available zeroemission vehicles and technologies, dieseldeath zones in communities can be effectivelyeradicated and the incidents of alarmingdisease and the health disparities facingcommunities can be eliminated.The ProblemMore than a decade ago, EPA recognized thatmore than 13 million people, predominantlylow-income African-Americans and Latinos(including 3.5 million children, live near majormarine ports or railyards, and are therebyexposed to substantially increased health risksfrom freight transport-related air pollution.15These figures do not include the approximately45 million individuals who live within 300 feet ofa highway16 or close to large distribution centerswhere diesel emission sources congregate andimpact air quality.Conventional cargo movement relies on dieselpowered ships, trucks, trains, and equipmentthat emit dangerous particulate matter (PM)and nitrogen oxides (NOx). These operationsoften are located in communities and regionsthat already violate federal clean air standards.As many as 40% of U.S. ports and many otherfreight facilities, such as rail yards, freightcorridors, and logistics centers, are in areasthat are not meeting the National Ambient AirQuality Standards for ozone and PM.17Epidemiological studies have consistentlydemonstrated that children and adults livingin close proximity to sources of air pollution,such as busy roadways, have poorer healthoutcomes, including but not limited to: asthma,respiratory diseases, poor lung development,cardiovascular diseases, lung cancer, pretermbirths, and low birth weight infants, prematuredeaths, and other negative health impacts anddisparities.Making the Case for Zero-Emission Solutions in Freight Moving For Network10

Communities near freight facilities experienceincreased illness and death, emergency roomvisits, doctor visits, hospital admissions, andmissed school days. In June 2012, the WorldHealth Organization’s International Agency forResearch on Cancer classified diesel engineexhaust as carcinogenic to humans afterdetermining that there was “sufficient evidencethat exposure is associated with an increasedrisk for lung cancer.”18 The EnvironmentalProtection Agency (EPA) has listed dieselparticulate matter as a mobile source of airtoxicity.Freight operations are also a major contributorto the climate crisis. The freight system reliespredominantly on diesel-powered equipment,which produces diesel exhaust. Diesel exhaustcreates CO2, a major greenhouse gas. Freighttransport worldwide contributes approximately3 billion tons of CO2. Black carbon is alsoemitted by diesel exhaust. Black carbon is afine particulate matter and short-lived climatepollutant that has very high global warmingpotential, some estimate over 600 times higherthan CO2. The freight transportation sectoraccounts for roughly 9% of U.S. greenhouse gasemissions. Over the next couple of decades,it is expected that ocean-going vessels alonewill account for about 17% of all human-madecarbon dioxide emissions worldwide.19Low-Income Communities of Color areDisproportionately Exposed to FreightGenerated EmissionsIn 2007, ICF International conducted a study forEPA looking at the demographic compositionof those living near U.S. ports and rail yards.20The study analyzed which populations andcommunities are exposed to significant levelsof diesel particulate matter (DPM), defined aslevels that exceed 2.0 ug/m3.21 ICF found thatof households and populations living near U.S.ports and railyards in 2000, a greater proportionof people earned lower incomes (less than 10,000 and 10,000- 29,999) and a largerproportion were people of color as comparedto the nation as a whole. Another study, whichexamined demographic disparities in exposureat U.S. ports,22 suggests that based on datafrom 43 ports and 2000 Census figures, thatover 4 million people in the U.S. are exposed toport-related DPM concentrations that exceed a100-per-million carcinogenic health risk if theexposure concentration was maintained for 70years.23 With respect to income and race thestudy revealed the following:Making the Case for Zero-Emission Solutions in Freight Moving For Network11

For Income (of the population exposedto concentrations exceeding a 100-permillion carcinogenic health risk):Almost two times more low-incomehouseholds (i.e. 1999 incomes less than 10,000) are exposed to dangerous levelsof DPM than the proportion of low-incomehouseholds in the U.S. population as awhole. In Oakland, CA, and Nashville, TN, theproportion of low-income householdsfacing this high risk is more than 5 timesthe proportion of low-income residents inthe metropolitan area. In Cincinnati, OH, the proportion of lowincome households facing this high riskis more than 4 times the proportion in themetropolitan area. In Cleveland, OH, and Paulsboro, NJ, theproportion of low-income householdsfacing this high risk is more than 3 timesthe proportion in the metropolitan area. For Race/Ethnicity (of the populationexposed to concentrations exceeding a100-per million carcinogenic health risk): African-Americans made up a proportion ofthe high-risk population that was 3 timestheir proportion of the U.S. population.Latinos made up a proportion of thehigh-risk population that was twice theirproportion of the U.S. population.In Oakland, CA, the proportion of AfricanAmericans exposed to these concentrationswas more than 7 times the proportion inthe metropolitan area.In Gary, IN, the proportion of AfricanAmericans exposed to these concentrationswas more than 5 times the proportion inthe metropolitan area.In Chicago, IL, and Nashville, TN, theproportion of African-Americans exposedto these concentrations were more than4 times the proportion in the metropolitanareas.In Paulsboro, NJ, the proportion ofHispanics was more than 6 times theproportion in the metropolitan area.In Cleveland, OH, the proportion ofHispanics was more than 5 times theproportion in the metropolitan area.Further, a demographics analysis of peopleliving near busy terminals at the Port of NewYork/New Jersey shows that there is a highershare of minority and low-income householdsliving near that port than in the state ofNew Jersey and the New York/New Jerseymetropolitan area. Specifically, 88% of theindividuals living within 300 meters of the Portof Elizabeth, Port of Newark, and HowlandHook, and the New York container terminalsare considered “minority,” in comparison to41% in the state of New Jersey and 51% in theNY/NJ metropolitan area.24Making the Case for Zero-Emission Solutions in Freight Moving For Network12

Community Voices forZero-Emission Solutions“As environmental justice organizations,we want to see outcomes from thetransition to zero-emission really benefitour communities, reduce air pollution,improve health and bring cleaner jobsto the community and the workforce.”- Humberto Lugo Martinez, Clean Air Now, KansasEnvironmental justice communities that bearthe brunt of the environmental and healthimpacts of compound sources of pollution,including diesel exhaust, understand theseverity of the issues they face and alsothe solutions necessary to confront theseissues to demand health and safety for theircommunities. Community voices and onthe ground expertise, along with communityengagement and activation, are essentialto ensure the development of equitable,just solutions and policies that genuinelymeet the needs of communities to improveenvironmental conditions and public healthoutcomes. This section features communityperceptions from five MFN regions of the publichealth impacts and disparities associatedwith freight emissions and poor air qualityand also lifts up grassroots solutions for zeroemission advancements. MFN regional leadersfrom the Southeast, the Northeast, the West,and from the Southwest are featured here.MFN members are committed to centeringenvironmental justice communities, workers,and local voices in the movement for a justtransition to zero emissions.Through a series of informal interviewsconducted by Dr. Patricia Boston, the Principalat Goldenrod Consulting, it became evidentthat regional environmental justice leadersperceive that health disparities and outcomesare worsening in their communities due to poorair quality and freight emissions and that thereare significant barriers for their communitiesto secure a good quality of life. These leadersexpressed the need for more research andgreater evidence linking freight emission andpublic health impacts, and the need for localhealth departments to support and cooperatewith communities by sharing local public healthdata. They also point to the need for intensifiedcommunity education and engagement andresources to ensure frontline communitiesunderstand what is meant by zero emissionsand climate mitigation, and that they areprepared to participate in actions to demandzero-emission solutions.Included below is a snapshot of five leaders’stories and perspectives, drawn from MFN’s2021 report, Voices for Zero-Emission Solutions!Public Impacts from Freight Operations EngagingCommunity Voices.25 Analysis of the report’sdata finds five important themes: (1) sourcesof diesel emissions; (2) public health impactperceptions of diesel emissions; (3) zeroemission perceptions; (4) zero-emissionbenefits; and (5) zero-emission solution ideas.Each region’s profile below also includes countyand state-specific data from the Universityof Wisconsin Population Health Institute’sCounty Health Rankings program,26 whichprovides key measures detailing the currentoverall health of each county in the selectedregions. Included by county and state are thefollowing measures: (1) premature death; (2)low birthweight; (3) income inequality; and (4)air pollution. The data show how a diversityof factors shape community conditions, whilealso highlighting the stark differences inhealth that stem from injustices and barriersto opportunity.27 Communities use this rankingdata to better understand the impacts of dieselpollution on their regions, to inform communitymembers, and to garner support for local publichealth initiatives by engaging governmentagencies, health care providers, communityorganizations, business leaders, policymakers,and the public.Making the Case for Zero-Emission Solutions in Freight Moving For Network13

Newark, Essex County, New JerseyPublic Health Impact Perceptions ofFreight PollutionAn important category of the perceivedpublic health impacts of freight emissionsis premature death. The re

fear of automation and job loss as a result of electrification; the need for tax incentives and subsidies; the movement for a just transition to create healthy, quality jobs; and the need for long-term relationship building across labor, workers, environmental justice and environmental groups.