NYS air quality controls for Lower Manhattan reconstruction, Oct 2002

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

Establish a workgroup to identify and implement transportation control measures that could have air quality benefits. The measures could be funded and implemented by the transportation agencies and could include the construction of new bikepaths, pedestrian improvements, the use of alternative fuels, traffic signal improvements, and commuter choice programs that promote mass transit. DEC will establish this workgroup.

The use of ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel (ULSD), which has a sulfur content of between 15 parts per million (ppm) and 30 ppm as compared to levels of up to 5,iSEE ppm in conventional types of diesel foel. will reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon monoxide. The ULSD fuel also will decrease exhaust particulate emissions, odors, and black smoke.

All off-road construction equipment operating at the World Trade Center site, including backhoes, cranes, bulldozers and compressors, will be fueled by ULSD. The program will be phased-in during the next several weeks. A similar program using ULSD fuel in reconstruction operations at 7 WTC is underway. Silverstein Properties, Inc. is rebuilding 7 WTC on land owned by the Port Authority.

By 2007, under a rule issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), trucks and buses will be required to use ULSD fuel.

Charles Gargano, vice-chairman of the Port Authority and president of the Empire State Development Corporation, said, “I’m pleased that the Port Authority will be carrying out this program to protect the air in Lower Manhattan while work proceeds to create a fitting memorial and rebuild our community.”

Port Authority Executive Director Joseph J. Seymour said, “As we continue the critically important work of rebuilding Lower Manhattan and improving our mass transit system, we need to try to minimize the short-term environmental i act on the neighboring community. We and our public sector parmers, the MTA, the New York State Department of Transportation, and the City of New York, will link transit modes and systems in a way that will not only foster an economic revival in Lower Manhattan, but which will also make mass transit use more attractive - thus providing substantial air quality benefits for those who live and work in the area.”

State Department of Transportation Commissioner Joseph H. Boardman said, “The Department of Transportation currently has the highest number of alternate fuel vehicles of any State agency and continues to add more to our fleet regularly. The use of ultra-low sulphur diesel in the vehicles working to rebuild and recoimect Lower Manhattan is yet another example of Governor Pataki’s vision of a cleaner and greener New York.”

Peter Kalikow, chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said, “We at the MTA have already begun to shoulder the responsibility of reducing emissions from passenger vehicles, support vehicles and heavy construction equipment. We enthusiastically embrace the Governor’s call to help improve the region’s air quality and we are throwing all of our resources into answering that call.”

Paul J. Elston, chair. League of Conservation Voters, said, “The announcement that the government agencies are committed to using low sulfur fuel and particulate traps on the construction

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