Philadelphia Diesel Difference | Forging Partnerships To Reduce Diesel Emissions

Bill Coughlin, April Birnbaum, and Denise Earley gathered on December 23, 2003 to discuss the involvement of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce in the Diesel Difference Corporate Sponsorship Program. A representative from SEPTA also attended this meeting. As a result of this consult, SEPTA is considering the potential use of ultra low sulfur diesel in its fleet.
Contact has been procured with the Philadelphia Asthma Task Force, the Philadelphia Allies Against Asthma, and the Asthma Bus of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. The Corporate Sponsorship Program will also be in contact with the American Heart Association. We hope that the procurement of these organizations will aid in expanding the support and membership of the Working Group, improving the Working Group's relationship with both local and national chapters of the American Lung Association, and increasing the number of retrofit opportunities.
Additional contact has been procured with staff of the Region VI Office of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, in an effort to learn more about the dynamics of the Texas Adopt-A-SchoolBus Program. A conference call has been scheduled between April Birnbaum and Region VI Staff Members for January 15, 2004.
The Clean Air Council has offered to accept funding on behalf of the Philadelphia Diesel Difference from corporate sponsorship donations and other grant sources, which will be specifically earmarked for the Philadelphia Diesel Difference. As a 501 c 3 organization, this funding can be declared as tax-deductible.
The Clean Air Council will draft an introductory outreach brochure within the coming weeks. This document can be used as part of the Corporate Sponsorship Program.
Bill Coughlin, April Birnbaum, and Denise Earley have agreed to meet in the coming weeks to determine which members of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce the Diesel Difference Corporate Sponsorship Program wishes to target.
April Birnbaum has drafted a Philadelphia Diesel Difference Charter for endorsement by existing and potential, high-level Diesel Difference Working Group Members. A copy of this document will be distributed and reviewed by Organizational Structure Sub-Committee members for the purposes of discussion.
Corporate sponsors must commit to the Diesel Difference Initiative by endorsing this charter.
By the end of March 2004, the Corporate Sponsorship Sub-Committee wishes to conduct, at the minimum, two meetings with pertinent members of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. The first of these meetings will serve as an introduction as to who we are as a Working Group/Sub-Committee and what we would like to accomplish by engaging the Chamber of Commerce in our relations. The second of these meetings will be specifically targeted towards the aims of our Corporate Sponsorship Sub-Committee. At this time, it may be deemed as appropriate to solicit the assistance of "ambassadors" who can speak of success stories, such as a Perry Baer from the Wissahickon School District and/or Dana Lowell from the New York City Transit Authority.
Bill Coughlin will investigate the potential public relations capabilities housed by Sunoco's Welcome America campaign