The United States (U.S.)-Mexico border region has several major ports of entry (POEs), where large volumes of cross-border freight and passenger movement occur. The large number of heavy-duty vehicles, often moving slowly and waiting in long lines at the border have been identified as a significant source of emissions. There are also concerns about the exposure of different groups of people to these emissions - including occupational exposures of truck drivers and workers in the border crossing facilities, members of the public crossing the border, and residents of nearby areas. This study focuses on understanding the emissions impacts and resultant exposures from border crossings, with a study of the El Paso area in Texas. This region is home to some of the largest border crossings in the US, and is also in violation of federal ambient air quality standards. This study will characterize the emissions impact of border crossings in El Paso and identify the population groups most affected by the emissions. A data collection exercise (involving personal sampling for exposure measurement and supplementary data collection) will then be designed and implemented to further understand the emissions impacts of border crossings.
