EPA final rule to clean up diesel pollution from trains, ships stronger than proposed rule
Posted by SARTRE at 12:13 PM(Houston, Texas – March 14, 2008) In an announcement from the bustling Port of Houston, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today finalized and improved upon its proposed emission standards to dramatically reduce harmful particulate pollution and smog-forming nitrogen oxides from the nation’s fleet of diesel locomotive engines, tugs, barges, ferries and recreational marine engines.
When fully implemented, the new standards will cut particulate pollution from each engine by 90 percent and smog-forming oxides of nitrogen from each engine by 80 percent. The health benefits of this rule will outweigh the costs by 15 to 1. These engines are a major source of smog-forming pollution and the extensive emission cuts will help communities here in Texas and across the nation achieve the new ozone health standard announced on Wednesday.
“These clean air standards will mean millions of Americans will have healthier and longer lives,” said Environmental Defense Fund President Fred Krupp. “From trains to ferries, the nation is transitioning to a bold new era of cleaner diesel engines. As today's diesel fleet turns over, diesel engines will no longer churn out suffocating black plumes of smoke.”
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