Tough New Diesel Rule Announced in Port of Houston

Dallas, Texas, March 14, 2008 -- Today the Port of Houston is the site of a national announcement of new tough emissions standards for locomotive and marine diesel engines. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Stephen L. Johnson signed the Locomotive and Marine Diesel Engines Rule that will slash diesel emissions helping Americans to breathe cleaner air.

Attending the signing ceremony were EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene, Port of Houston Authority Planning and Environment Director Charlie Jenkins, Association of American Railroads President Ed Hamberger, and Goeff Conrad, representing the Engine Manufacturers Association.

“This is another step in the continuing process to bring cleaner air to Texas and the Nation,” said EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene. “Each step brings new achievements and cleaner technologies to improve the health of our residents and our quality of life.”

EPA’s Clean Diesel Locomotive and Marine program will work in collaboration with its partners to cut emissions from all types of diesel locomotives, including line-haul, switch, and passenger rail, as well as from a wide range of marine sources, including ferries, tugboats and all types of marine auxiliary engines.

As a result of the rule, the Houston-Galveston area is expected to see reductions of nitrogen oxide emissions in the Houston metropolitan area of more than 15,000 tons in 2020 and 32,000 in 2030. In 2020 the final rule will annually reduce particulate matter emissions in the Houston metro area by 560 tons and by 2030 these reductions will double to about 1,200 tons per year.

In addition to the benefits from the locomotive and marine standards, EPA has issued a number of rules that will help Houston reduce its ozone levels. These include: the toughest ozone eight-hour standard that EPA has ever set, the Clean Air Interstate Rule to reduce ozone forming emissions from power plants, and the Clean Air Diesel Rule Program to reduce emissions from highway, non-road and stationary diesel engines.

The Port of Houston is a 25-mile-long complex of diversified public and private facilities located just a few hours’ sailing time fro The Port of Houston is a 25-mile-long complex of diversified public and private facilities located just a few hours’ sailing time from the Gulf of Mexico. The port is ranked first in the U.S. in foreign waterborne tonnage, second in the U.S. in total tonnage, and tenth in the world in total tonnage. The Port of Houston is made up of the Port of Houston Authority and 150-plus private industrial companies along the Houston Ship Channel.

More about activities in EPA Region 6: http://www.epa.gov/region6

EPA Region 6 audio file is available at http://www.epa.gov/region6/6xa/audio.htm#audio031408_houston_diesel

Source: EPA

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