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$135,000 awarded to Port of Seattle to Assess and Reduce Diesel Emissions in Puget Sound

Release Date: 11/15/2005
Contact Information: Claire Schary
schary.claire@epa.gov
(206) 553-8514

November 15, 2005


$135,000 in EPA Funding with $380,000 in matching funds

Today at the Puget Sound Seaport Diesel Solutions Workshop, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced two grants totalling $135,000 to the Port of Seattle for diesel emissions reductions projects.

• The Puget Sound Maritime Air Emissions Inventory Project & Diesel Emissions Reduction Project will receive $100,000 in EPA funding, along with $310,000 in matching funds from other organizations.

• The Port of Seattle's Diesel Emissions Reduction Project will receive $35,000 in EPA funding, along with $70,000 in matching funds.

These grants are part of $1.4 million in EPA funding, combined with more than $5.8 million in matching funds from West Coast Collaborative partners, to 16 projects in Washington, Oregon and California to help reduce diesel pollution.

“Diesel emission reductions represent one of the most important opportunities to achieve rapid and cost effective health and environmental benefits on the West Coast,” said Michael Bogert, Regional Administrator for EPA's Northwest office in Seattle. “Reducing diesel emissions will decrease the incidents of asthma and improve overall air quality."

The Puget Sound Diesel Solutions Workshop, held today at the Port of Seattle International Conference Center (Pier 66), will bring together over 100 air agency staff and marine-related diesel fleet owners and operators, including terminal operators, cruise, rail, trucking, tug, and tour bus operators, to support diesel emissions reduction strategies at Puget Sound area ports

The Puget Sound Maritime Air Emissions Inventory & Diesel Emissions Reduction project is a comprehensive activity-based inventory of maritime-related air emission sources in the greater Puget Sound region. This project also promotes the use of control technologies like diesel oxidation catalysts (DOC), cleaner fuels like ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) and biodiesel, and public education activities such as idle reduction programs for truckers and equipment operators at the seaports and other maritime terminals.

The Port of Seattle Diesel Emissions Reduction Project will implement the priority strategies developed in partnership with the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency and the terminal operator. The project will retrofit off-road and on-road vehicles at one of the port's terminals.

Due to their close proximity to ports like the Port of Seattle -- the nation's fifth-largest container port and the 20th largest worldwide -- some Puget Sound communities face health risks from port air pollutants. In children, air pollutants like particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) have been linked with asthma and bronchitis, and high levels of the pollutants have been associated with increased school absenteeism and emergency room visits.

Transportation services at the Port of Seattle are provided by more than 30 steamship operators/agents, 30 tug/barge operators, and more than 150 truck/warehouse operators.

The Puget Sound Maritime Air Forum is a voluntary public/private partnership working together for healthy air through fact-based, cost-effective emissions reduction strategies. The Forum was established and is led by the Port of Seattle. For more information, please contact Barbara Cole, Senior Environmental Program Manager at the Port of Seattle (cole.b@portseattle.org, 206-728-3326), or Kimberley Cline, Communications Specialist at the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (KimberleyC@pscleanair.gov, 206- 689-4070), or visit their website at www.maritimeairforum.org.

The West Coast Collaborative is an ambitious partnership between leaders from federal, state, and local governments, the private sector and environmental groups in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Arizona, Alaska, Canada and Mexico who are committed to reducing diesel emissions along the West Coast.

For more information about the West Coast Collaborative, please contact Peter Murchie (murchie.peter@epa.gov, 503-326-6554) or Michelle Roos (roos.michelle@epa.gov, 415-947-4187),

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Related Links:

West Coast Diesel Collaborative (www.westcoastdiesel.org)
health effects of breathing diesel exhaust (www.westcoastdiesel.org/health.htm)

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