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EPA AWARDS GRANT TO REDUCE AIR EMISSIONS FROM IDLING DIESEL ENGINES

Release Date: 07/17/2001
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Environmental News

In its ongoing effort to promote energy efficiency and to support the President’s energy plan, EPA today awarded a $25,000 grant to Northern Arizona University to address air emissions and fuel consumption from idling diesel trucks and buses in the Southwestern United States. The University will sponsor a workshop for owners and operators of diesel-powered vehicles and large truck stops.

The workshop is in two parts - first it will focus on owners and operators of tour buses serving millions of visitors annually to the Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona; Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado; American Indian lands; and other publicly and privately owned attractions in the Southwest. Owners and operators will learn about the various idling control technologies that exist today, and how to implement these technologies. Second, the workshop will also focus on how these technologies can reduce emissions from idling at truck stops and other rest areas. Installing and using idling control technologies can reduce harmful carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by up to 90 percent and save approximately one gallon of diesel fuel per hour of idling.

“Emissions from idling trucks and buses contribute to air pollution and haze throughout the nation, including areas such as Phoenix, Albuquerque, Las Vegas and Denver,” said EPA Administrator Christie Whitman. “Reducing air pollution from diesel vehicles will help improve visibility and air quality in many of our country’s national parks and wilderness areas.”

EPA’s idling initiative is part of the Voluntary Diesel Retrofit Program which is designed to reduce emissions and save fuel from existing diesel vehicles and equipment by installing idle control technologies. Idle control technologies provide potential reductions of carbon dioxide of approximately 8.1 million tons per year and the potential reductions of diesel fuel consumption of approximately 1.2 billion gallons per year.

EPA’s idling program brings together partners, such as the Department of Energy, the Department of Transportation, the American Trucking Association, the National Association of Truck Stop Operators, manufacturers of idle control technologies, local fleet operators and truck stop operators working together to implement idle control strategies.

The workshop will be held at Northern Arizona University located at South San Francisco Street in Flagstaff, Arizona, on August 17-18.

For more information on EPA’s idling program, visit https://www.epa.gov/otaq


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