The "Dump Diesel" Campaign-
An Interview With Rich Kassel

Rich Kassel is the leader of "Dump Diesel," the national and local campaign to clean up diesel-powered buses and trucks. In 2000, Rich and "Dump Diesel" scored a big victory when the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) passed a regulation requiring 90% reduction in the smog causing sulfur in diesel fuel. The new law also mandates that new diesel engines emit 90% less cancer causing diesel particles and lung threatening nitrous oxides (NOX).

Name: Richard Kassel
Occupation: Senior Attorney, the Natural Resources Defense Council, since 1991
Age: 41
Home: Upper Westside, Manhattan
Other: Bicycle Commuter and Member of the T.A. Board of Directors
T.A.: Congratulations on the huge diesel win. You must be pretty excited.
Kassel: Absolutely. Diesel air pollution is very personal to me. I ride my bike in the city, and getting stuck behind a bus or truck spewing clouds of diesel exhaust is truly disgusting, and unhealthy. Have you ever rubbed your finger across the refrigerator door? And it comes away black with soot on it. Some of that is diesel particulate pollution. That is what you are breathing and we are fighting against. It is enormously satisfying to know that millions of people, especially children, will not have to breathe this muck for much longer.
How did you get to be the brains behind the "Dump Diesel" Campaign?
After law school I worked at a big NYC law firm for three years. Then I moved to Washington and helped start USPIRG (United States Public Interest Research Group). I worked for COPIRG (Colorado), MassPIRG, and NJPIRG before joining the Natural Resources Defense Council in 1991. My first big project at NRDC was helping to write a report called "Flying Off Course." It is still the basic source on the environmental impacts of airport expansions. This was a byproduct of the environmental fight against the White Plains Airport. People still call me about airport stuff. Sometimes they even con me into helping them fight really destructive airport projects.
What is NRDC?
It is one of the big national environmental groups. It has about 400,000 members, and staff of scientists, lawyers and advocates, in cities across the U.S. The main office is right here in New York at 40 West 20th Street (between 5th and 6th). All T.A. members are invited to join.
How about getting all the NRDC members in the NYC area to join T.A.?
That is a good idea.
Anything that stands out as extra interesting or fun part of your "Dump Diesel" work?
There are two things. We made up some great ads for NYC buses blasting them for spewing diesel exhaust. The Transit Authority banned the ads and gave us a huge amount of free publicity. The press went wild with a government agency banning free speech. We could not have imagined the huge amount of media we got. The MTA is now buying clean fuel buses, and paying much more attention to diesel exhaust issues because of the 'Dump Diesel" campaign.
My other favorite diesel moment occurred when an EPA official spoke after me at a big, national Diesel forum (mainly made up of diesel engine and fuel manufacturers). He said: "Environmentalists aren't going nearly far enough in the kind of pollution reductions they are calling for." Here I thought we were balancing on a tight rope between the possible and what would be considered totally unrealistic. Along comes someone in government and tells us to go further.
Anything else?
T.A. is great. I'm proud to be a member. Now I just need to spend more time on my bicycle, and less time in the office.

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