All News Releases By Date

EPA awards $135,000 National Clean Diesel grant to the American Lung Association of Hawai'i

Release Date: 11/16/2005
Contact Information: Dean Higuchi, 808-541-2711, higuchi.dean@epa.gov

HONOLULU - Today at Grace Pacific's Makakilo Quarry, U.S. EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Wayne Nastri announced $135,000 in federal funding to the American Lung Association of Hawai'i to replace older, dirtier diesel construction equipment engines with newer, cleaner engines to reduce air pollution on Oahu and Kauai as part of the National Clean Diesel Campaign.

"Exposure to diesel exhaust from older engines poses significant localized health risks such as increased chances of heart and lung disease, and cancer," said Nastri. "This project will protect the health of construction workers and the community and is a very good example of what can be accomplished through a public-nonprofit-private sector partnership."

The Grace Pacific Corporation will contribute $592,200 for the project and the American Lung Association of Hawai'i will contribute $1,271. In addition, this grant represents the kick-off event for Hawai'i to join the West Coast Collaborative, the first pilot of the National Clean Diesel Campaign.

The project will replace the engines of two off-highway trucks; one wheeled loader; and two generators with new engines that meet EPA's most advanced emissions standards. The equipment is owned by Grace Pacific on Oahu and Kauai and represents 28 percent of the company's off-highway trucks, 6 percent of the wheeled loaders and 16 percent of the generators. The project will reduce diesel fuel use by an average of 12 percent and reduce air emissions by approximately 50 percent for the five pieces of equipment.

This project is one of 10 grants totaling more than $1 million to support clean diesel projects across the country. The value of the grants will nearly triple to $3 million, as industry partners contribute almost two dollars for every dollar of federal funds. This grant competition focused on reducing emissions from non-road vehicles and equipment used in construction and port-related activities.

The National Clean Diesel Campaign consists of regulatory and voluntary efforts to reduce emissions from new diesel engines and the 11 million existing diesel engines by 2014. The campaign has two components: develop and implement the most stringent emissions standards for new engines and fuel; and promote voluntary emissions reductions of the existing fleet through retrofits, cleaner fuels, engine replacement, reduced idling and other pollution-cutting measures.

The West Coast Collaborative represents a partnership between leaders from federal, state, and local government, the private sector, and environmental groups in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Arizona, Alaska, Hawai'i, Canada and Mexico committed to reducing diesel emissions along the West Coast. The collaborative seeks to leverage federal funds to reduce emissions from the most polluting diesel sources in the most affected communities and to significantly improve air quality and public health. For more information, please visit: www.westcoastcollaborative.org.

# # #