Contact Us

Newsroom

All News Releases By Date

 

SmartWay to Launch Dray Truck Initiative to Reduce Port Emissions

Release Date: 06/23/2011
Contact Information: Dawn Harris-Young, (404) 562-8421, harris-young.dawn@epa.gov


Industry leaders, environmental groups and EPA to join forces in bold new initiative to clean the air at US ports

(ATLANTA – June 23, 2011) – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation Gina McCarthy will join officials from the state, public and private sector to unveil a new SmartWay Transport Partnership program to slash pollution from the thousands of trucks that service our nation’s ports.

SmartWay Transport Partnership is EPA’s highly successful partnership with freight industry, to green the nation’s supply chain. The program’s new initiative will focus on reducing harmful diesel emissions from dray trucks – large diesel trucks that are widely used in port facilities to haul freight from cargo ships to nearby local distribution points. Many dray trucks in use at ports today are older and dirtier than trucks used on highways, and contribute to air quality concerns at ports and surrounding areas, which include many low income and other vulnerable communities.

Who: Gina McCarthy, EPA Assistant Administrator of Air and Radiation
Gwen Keyes Fleming, EPA Regional Administrator
      Jim Newsome, President & CEO, South Carolina State Ports Authority
Myra Reece, Bureau Chief of Air Quality for SC Department of Health and Environmental Control
Marcia Aronoff, Senior VP for Programs, Environmental Defense Fund
      Rick Gabrielson, President, Coalition for Responsible Transportation & Director of International Transportation, Target
Rahim Karriem, President, Lowcountry Alliance for Model Communities

What: Dray Truck Initiative to Reduce Port Emissions

When: Tuesday, June 28, 2011 at 11:00 a.m.

Where: Wando Welch Terminal
      400 Long Point Road
      Mount Pleasant, SC

PLEASE NOTE: Advanced security clearance is required for access to port facilities. All media attending the event will need to provide (1) name, (2) date of birth and (3) drivers license number/state issued to Allison Skipper (askipper@scspa.com) no later than 12 p.m. on Monday, June 27. Thank you for your cooperation!