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Department of Ecology News Release - April 29, 2009
09-096
OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire and Department of Ecology Director Jay Manning announce several public agencies will use American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) funds to reduce harmful diesel-fuel emissions and to spend less public money on fuel.
The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) recently received $1.73 million through the recovery act. The money will help reduce toxic emissions and greenhouse gases that harm the environment and people. The funds also will support Washington’s economy by creating jobs as contractors will be needed to install new idle-reduction technologies on nearly 100 vehicles.
“The recovery act funding serves our communities and our environment,” said Gregoire. “This funding opportunity will help spur local economies and create and maintain critical jobs while greatly improving air conditions.”
Ecology will provide about $300,000 in grants to school districts, public utilities, transit authorities, and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). The agencies will use funds for technology that conserves fuel by reducing the need to idle diesel engines. Fleet managers can choose the type of technology that best matches their operations. Each retrofit is expected to reduce a piece of equipment’s tailpipe particle emissions by 50 to 60 percent.
The school districts and transit authorities will add pre-heaters with timers on some bus engines, so they will use less fuel to warm up on cold days. WSDOT will buy energy-efficient LEDs to replace bulbs in emergency road signs now powered by idling engines. The utilities will install control modules with deep-cycle batteries to help power emergency road signs and tools.
Diesel exhaust is the air pollutant most harmful to public health in Washington. Diesel emissions pose 70 percent of the cancer risk from airborne pollutants. They put healthy people at risk for respiratory disease and worsen the symptoms of people with health problems such as asthma, heart disease and lung disease.
“This is an ideal use of stimulus money. It creates and preserves jobs, reduces air pollutants and cuts the amount of public money the agencies will spend on fuel,” said Stuart Clark, Ecology’s Air Quality Program manager.
Here’s how Ecology will distribute grants:
As announced April 10, Ecology also will use about $1.3 million in stimulus money to help install pollution controls on cargo-handling equipment at the ports of Tacoma, Vancouver and Seattle. Ecology estimates that money will yield more than 200 exhaust retrofits. Examples of cargo-handling equipment include trucks, loaders, stackers, and forklifts.
Washington state is administering the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act investments with an unprecedented level of transparency and accountability. Gov. Gregoire created a Web site, www.recovery.wa.gov, so every Washingtonian can see where tax dollars are going and hold government accountable for the results. On the federal level, President Obama has appointed Vice President Biden to oversee all states’ recovery efforts and to root out waste and fraud. This combined oversight will ensure taxpayer dollars are put to good use and recharge the economy.
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Media Contact: Seth Preston, Ecology communications manager, 360-407-6848; 360-584-5744 cell; spre461@ecy.wa.gov
For more information: www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/cars/diesel_exhaust_information.htm
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
