Elisa Brewer Pratt |
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FORTY-EIGHTH Monday and Tuesday Sponsored by: Department of Civil Engineering ATR Institute Click here for Flyer Click here for Registration Form
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Model Rule on non-road (i.e., off-road) diesel equipment anti-idling.
Dear AGC Chapters and Members: Attached is a draft Model Rule on non-road (i.e., off-road) diesel equipment anti-idling. I understand that several Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states are actively considering adopting this model rule once it becomes final. As drafted, the model rule is quite strict; it would limit idling of construction equipment to no more than three (3) consecutive minutes, with limited exceptions. AGC of America plans submit comments on this draft rule in advance of the SEPTEMBER 30th DEADLINE. Please email Leah Pilconis at pilconisl@agc.org this week with your thoughts and concerns regarding the attached draft (4 pgs). Comments also can be sent directly to Anna Garcia at agarcia@otcair.org. The draft model rule was written by the Ozone Transport Commission (OTC) Mobile Source Committee, which includes representatives for the OTC states, EPA Regional Offices and EPA headquarters. It was developed in conjunction with NESCAUM. The OTC is a multi-state organization created under the Clean Air Act (CAA). OTC is responsible for advising EPA on transport issues and for developing and implementing regional solutions to the ground-level ozone problem in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. If you have any questions, please contact Wick Havens, OTC Contractor, at wick.havens@pechan.com or 717-991-7303. Background Approximately 15 states and dozens of local counties have promulgated laws that restrict the amount of time that vehicles/equipment can idle their main engines. In April 2006, EPA compiled a list of state and local anti-idling laws (PDF) (EPA420-B-06-004). Since the publication of this document, new laws may have been passed, and some existing laws have been modified. For a continually updated list of state and local anti-idling laws, see the American Transportation Research Institute's (ATRI's) current list of state and local laws.
Also in April 2006, EPA released its own model for a state idling law (PDF) (EPA420-S-06-001) for states to consider adopting. EPA’s model law applies only to commercial diesel vehicles that are designed to operate ON HIGHWAYS (as defined under 40 CFR 390.5) and to locations where commercial diesel vehicles load or unload.
Government and industry alike have expressed concern about the inconsistent pattern and impractical design among existing state and local idling restriction laws. OTC is acting as a facilitator to help create more consistent idling laws (applicable to off-road diesels) around the country.
For the states, reducing idling may result in reductions of air pollutants. For the equipment owner/operator, reducing idling may result in fuel savings. More information on the costs/benefits may be found in the EPA report Cleaner Diesels: Low Cost Ways to Reduce Emissions from Construction Equipment online at http://www.epa.gov/ispd/pdf/emission_0307.pdf.
Click here for draft Model Rule on non-road (i.e., off-road) diesel equipment anti-idling.PDF. _____________________________
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Recommended highway construction crafts that are proposed for the Federal wage decisions. These recommended crafts are, in part, a result of an audit conducted by the US Department of Labor. USDOL asks that each District review the recommended crafts and make recommendations, if necessary, regarding whether the craft is named correctly and/or whether certain crafts should be combined with other crafts. Additionally, each District is asked whether the backhoe, excavator and trackhoe are considered the same piece of equipment or different pieces of equipment. The USDOL is seeking our comment immediately. Please review the attachments and provide feed back to Christine Archuleta by Thursday, September 2, 2010. We apologize for the short time-line. If you have any questions, please contact Christine at (505) 827-1776.
Thanks, METRO - RECOMMENDED CRAFTS 08172010 Bryan E. Brock, Director Office of Equal Opportunity Programs NM Department of Transportation 505.827.1774 |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Brian Turmail
CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD ABANDONS ORIGINAL ESTIMATES OF OFF-ROAD DIESEL EMISSIONS, CONCEDING OFF-ROAD RULE NOT NEEDED TO MEET EMISSIONS GOALS The California Air Resources Board abandoned its original estimates of off-road diesel emissions today, conceding that its “off-road rule” is not needed to meet ambitious goals for the off-road equipment in the construction and certain other industries. According to new estimates that the agency staff developed over the summer, off road fleets of diesel equipment will exceed the state’s emission goals for many years to come. During the earlier rulemaking process, the board staff used the now abandoned estimates to justify an “off-road rule” that would needlessly force contractors across the state to retire, retrofit, repower or replace billions of dollars worth of construction equipment, and all at a time when California’s construction industry is still losing jobs. When informed of the state’s new forecasts, association officials called on the Board’s members to repeal the rule “quickly and completely.” “The fact that this agency has been willing to find and fix the significant flaws in its original estimates is a victory for sound science over rash regulation,” said Mike Kennedy, general counsel for the Associated General Contractors of America. “As the agency’s own data now makes clear, it is time for the board to repeal its costly and unneeded rule.” Kennedy said the state’s new forecasts are for emissions of nitrogen oxide from the regulated fleets to fall well below the levels that the state has targeted in each and every year through 2025. The state now predicts that emissions of particulate matter will fall below the targeted levels through 2015 and will remain close to those targets through 2025. The state agency revised its diesel emissions estimates after an analysis of the state’s original “emissions inventory” found significant flaws in the state’s data. That analysis, conducted by Sierra Research on behalf of the Associated General Contractors of America, found that the state has systematically over-estimated diesel emissions from off-road equipment by a factor of 3.5. The new data that the state released today essentially confirms that finding, association officials noted. “The good news is that thousands of construction workers won’t have to lose their jobs on account of bad science and erroneous estimates,” said Kennedy. “The construction industry is now eager to work with the board to find ways to meet ambitious environmental goals and still protect the state’s remaining construction jobs.” ### Click here for Word .doc file. |
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