EPA to Tackle Emissions from Trucks Used at Ports / EPA, industry leaders, and environmental groups to join forces for cleaner, healthier air around harbors (HQ)
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), joined by the Coalition for Responsible Transportation and
the Environmental Defense Fund, is launching a new initiative to
protect people’s health, the environment and promote
sustainable economic growth by reducing pollution from thousands of
short-haul trucks that service the nation’s ports. The new
EPA SmartWay initiative will green the nation’s supply chain
by reducing harmful diesel emissions from dray trucks – large
diesel trucks that are widely used in port facilities to haul
freight from cargo ships to nearby local distribution points.
“U.S. ports generate jobs and are critical to our
nation’s economy,” said Gina McCarthy, assistant
administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation.
“EPA’s SmartWay dray truck initiative will help ports
contribute to their local economies – while protecting the
air quality, environment and public health of nearby
communities.”
Many of the dray trucks today are older and dirtier than trucks
used on highways, and contribute to serious public health and
environmental challenges at ports and surrounding areas. Model year
1994 and older dray trucks emit approximately 60 times more fine
particle (PM 2.5) emissions than model year 2007 and newer trucks.
PM 2.5 is linked to premature deaths, heart attacks, childhood
asthma and increased emergency room and hospital visits.
Under the SmartWay dray truck initiative, carriers sign an
agreement with EPA to track and reduce PM 2.5 emissions by 50
percent and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions by 25 percent below the
industry average over a three year period. In addition,
SmartWay dray shipper partners will commit to use the cleaner
trucks to haul 75 percent or more of port freight. Charter shipper
partners in the program include Best Buy, The Home Depot, Hewlett
Packard, JC Penney, Lowe's, Nike, Target, and Walmart.
Under the agreement and through the incentives, EPA and its
SmartWay partners expect to build on the SmartWay program’s
success in cutting fuel costs, reducing harmful diesel emissions,
preserving jobs, and protecting air quality. Since 2004,
SmartWay partners including many of the country’s top
retailers, trucking and rail companies and manufacturers have
reduced fuel use, cut foreign oil imports by 50 million barrels and
saved an estimated $6.1 billion in fuel costs.
SmartWay contributes to the agency’s goal for improving air
quality goals by eliminating harmful air emissions including 16.5
million metric tons of carbon dioxide, 234,000 tons of NOx, and
9,000 tons of particulate matter.
In addition over the past decade, EPA has set emissions standards
for new diesel engines, such as trucks, buses, locomotives and
boats. The standards are projected to prevent tens of thousands of
deaths every year when fully implemented.
More information on the SmartWay dray initiative: https://www.epa.gov/smartway