Demonstrating its leadership in environmental stewardship, Westchester County has specified its commitments to fighting diesel emissions.  The five New York counties’ efforts will reduce diesel emissions, which have been identified by EPA as a contributing factor in respiratory problems, asthma and other ailments.  New York City has already employed many of its own measures and has offered to assist the counties in any way that it can.  In addition to national regulations aimed at drastically cutting pollution from diesel engines, EPA provides monetary and technical assistance to help local and state entities implement programs designed to slash diesel pollution.

EPA Regional Administrator Alan J. Steinberg, the County Executives of five metropolitan area Counties, New York City and top environmental government leaders entered into the milestone agreement unveiled today in New York City.  The innovative and comprehensive agreement presents decisive actions such as retrofitting, retiring and replacing polluting engines, creating cleaner fleets of municipal vehicles, adopting cleaner fuels, designing and enforcing measures to reduce engine idling, and investing in pollution reduction technologies.

“If all politics are local, so are many sources of air pollution,” said EPA Regional Administrator Alan J. Steinberg.  “By signing this Statement of Intent and committing to a plan of action, these counties along with New York State and New York City are taking the initiative in combating diesel pollution.  President Bush and the EPA are committed to making that black puff of diesel smoke from diesel engines something you only read about in history books.”

"We in Westchester have been committed to doing our part to reduce the pollutants from diesel engines and we are proud to be part of this regional effort," said County Executive Andrew J. Spano.  "We are presently testing four hybrid buses that produce fewer emissions, and based on the results we will determine whether to procure hybrid vehicles for our future Bee-Line bus purchases.   In addition, we will continue to use ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel on these buses and all county vehicles, and we will continue to help our local municipalities and school districts to obtain this ultra-low sulfur fuel for their operations."

Westchester County’s initiatives include:

• The County will implement the provisions of Act No. 19-2006 effective September 1, 2006. This act requires the use of ultra-low sulfur fuel and best available retrofit technology for all diesel-powered on-road and off-road vehicles owned, leased, and/or operated on behalf of the County.  
• The County will continue the diesel engine retrofit program to include an additional 78 buses, bringing the total to 162 buses by the end of 2007.
• The County will undertake an evaluation of the four demonstration hybrid buses recently introduced into service. Based on performance, the County will consider procuring hybrid vehicles for its 2008 bus procurement.
• The Westchester County Airport, through its ISO 14001 Certified Airport Environmental Management System, will undertake a base-line emissions audit during 2006.

The New York State Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration have also stepped up their efforts in environmental protection, and have committed to helping the counties find ways to fund the ambitious measures they are pursuing.

Commissioner Emily Lloyd of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection said, “The Bloomberg administration is very pleased to be able to cooperate with surrounding counties and our federal and state partners to help reduce emissions from diesel equipment.  Under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the City has dramatically enhanced its diesel emission controls by implementing six local laws that decrease emissions from construction equipment, sightseeing buses, school buses, sanitation trucks and the City’s own fleet of on-road diesel vehicles.  We share these goals with the surrounding counties and pledge to work hard for cleaner air for everyone.”

"Governor Pataki and the New York State Department of Transportation have long supported programs to protect air quality throughout New York State.  This new collaboration will build upon the Department's strong environmental record by improving the air we breath in the New York City metropolitan area," State Department of Transportation Commissioner Thomas J. Madison Jr. said.  "This initiative encourages our partners to embrace clean fuel practices and technologies, and will enable NYSDOT and the transportation sector to help significantly reduce diesel emissions."

"We strongly support the eligibility of diesel retrofits and other cost-effective emission reduction activities under the congestion mitigation and air quality improvement program (CMAQ) program," said Federal Highway Administration Division Administrator Robert Arnold

The New York Metropolitan Air Quality Initiative is a stellar example of the work being done as part of a broader Northeast Diesel Collaborative- an EPA lead partnership of private, non-profit and government groups working together to reduce diesel pollution throughout the Northeast using a variety of strategies, including: public education; linking and expanding the scope of existing programs; creating new partnerships, programs, regulations, and agreements to reduce emissions; and demonstrating new technologies. 

For the complete text of the agreement and for more information about how to reduce diesel emissions, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/region02/air/nymaqi.pdf and http://www.northeastdiesel.org