EPA Proposes Cuts In Diesel Exhaust From Trains

WASHINGTON (AP) _ The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to reduce diesel exhaust from trains and ships, a move supported by some environmentalists. <br/><br/>EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson

Friday, March 2nd 2007, 10:11 am

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) _ The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to reduce diesel exhaust from trains and ships, a move supported by some environmentalists.

EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson on Friday issued proposed emission standards for diesel locomotive engines, tugs, barges, ferries and recreational marine engines. The toxic chemicals and soot in diesel exhaust can cause cancer.

``By tackling the greatest remaining source of diesel emissions, we're keeping our nation's clean air progress moving full steam ahead,'' Johnson said in a statement.

The standards, when adopted and fully phased in, would reduce particulate pollution and smog-forming nitrogen oxides from each engine by 90 percent, said Environmental Defense, an advocacy group that supports the EPA proposal.

The particulate pollution cuts for marine engines would be required by 2014, and those for locomotives would be required by 2015. Cuts in nitrogen oxides for marine engines would be required by 2016, and those for locomotives would be required by 2017.

``EPA is clearly on the right track in proposing to address the dangerous diesel exhaust from trains and ships,'' said Fred Krupp, president of Environmental Defense, who was joining Johnson in announcing the proposal at Port Elizabeth, N.J.

The proposed rule is similar to ones adopted by EPA since 2000 for large diesel trucks and buses, and for construction, mining and agricultural equipment, which cut diesel exhaust through the use of low sulfur diesel fuel and improved engine designs, the group said.

``Cleaning these engines up will prevent death and disease,'' said Frank O'Donnell, president of Clean Air Watch advocacy group.