Notes from a presentation given by Jennifer Logan through KU Medical Center for Kansas Health Departments.
We are looking at a situation where summer days will be a problem  by the middle of the day.  People will have to be advised to do outside chores in the morning or evening.

Kansas CIty has already achieved non-attainment levels for all ozone pollutants.  By spring 2010, Johnson County will reach the same non-attainment status.

It will be tougher for businesses to locate here since there will be far more standards for them to meet.  People will also not want to move to an area with non-attainment air quality. 

60% of our pollutants come from driving and fuel usage.

In KC only 10% of pollution comes from stationary places.

70% of our goods are transported by diesel.

Diesel emissions land on water, soil and animals.

Diesel pollution affects respiratory, cardiovascular, reproductive and central nervous systems.

Diesel policies will require lower sulfur starting next year.  However, diesel engines last a long time.  2007 engines with 100,000 miles are just getting broken in.  With our economy, it is cheaper for truckers to continue to drive the same trucks than upgrade to new ones, so the change to cleaner trucks could be very slow. 

The BNSF intermodal would bring thousands and thousands more trucks to Johnson County.  Besides the effects on air quality, there would be noise and light pollution.  The project would affect the quality of life for everyone in Johnson County.

Southwest to northwest are the prevailing winds.  The diesel pollution will affect all of Kansas City. 

The Richards Gebaur Intermodal will increase truck traffic on the Missouri side.  Trucks will be coming up from Mexico to intermodal sites.  All routes would have increased truck traffic.   

There would be more and more trucks stopping for required inspections, along the sides of roads, for exits, etc.  They leave their trucks idling while they are stopped.  More roads would have to be built to accomodate the increase in trucks and there would still be more truck traffic on existing roads. 

Traffic on I-35 is expected to triple in the next 30 years due to a commerce corridor from Mexico to Canada.