Applied Natural Gas Fuels Inc (AGAS)

[MadeBucksOnThis]

7 Apr, 2010
DRAFT 2010 Update to the San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan

In five years, under the Clean Air Action Plan, diesel PM from all port-related sources would be reduced by a total of 1,200 tons per year. NOx emissions would be reduced by 12,000 tons per year, and SOx emissions would be reduced by 8,900 tons a year.[1]

Pollution Reduction Strategies:

* The Clean Air Action Plan addresses every category of port-related emission sources: ships, trucks, trains, cargo-handling equipment and harbor craft and outlines specific, detailed strategies to reduce emissions from each category.
* The ports propose to eliminate dirty diesel trucks from San Pedro Bay cargo terminals within five years.
* The ports will join with the state and local agencies to finance programs to replace trucks with a new generation of clean or retrofitted vehicles.
* The ports, along with the South Coast Air Quality Management District, propose to allocate more than $200 million over five years towards this effort and will also aggressively seek state bond funding to assist with this massive truck replacement initiative.
* As part of the Plan, all major container cargo and cruise ship terminals at the ports would be equipped with shore-side electricity within five to ten years so that vessels can shut down their diesel-powered engines while at berth.
* Ships also would be required to reduce their speeds when entering or leaving the harbor region, use low-sulfur fuels, and employ other emissions reduction measures and technologies.
* Within five years all cargo-handling equipment would be replaced or retrofitted to meet or emit at levels below those called for in the toughest U.S. Environmental Protection Agency emissions standards for new equipment.
* Without the Clean Air Action Plan, much of the cargo handling equipment not affected by the California Air Resource Board's recently adopted cargo handling equipment regulation would be allowed to operate at current emission levels until it wears out.
* Within five years all switching locomotives operating in the Ports also will meet the toughest U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards for new locomotives, use cleaner fuels and exhaust treatment and devices that will automatically shut off engines to prevent extensive idling.
* In addition, all new rail yards must use the cleanest technologies available for locomotives, trucks, and cargo handling equipment within their facilities.
* The Plan also includes a far-reaching research component to address and ultimately overcome obstacles that impair the utilization of the cleanest vessels, engines and equipment in the world at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

For full text of the DRAFT Final 2010 CAAP Update, visit http://www.cleanairactionplan.org/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=2441

[1] http://www.cleanairactionplan.org/news/displaynews.asp?NewsID=25&targetid=2