Environment DEC
From the October 2005 issue
DEC'S "Emission Patrol" a Success in Enhancing Air Quality
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Acting Commissioner Denise M. Sheehan announced the results of the "Emission Patrol"-an agency initiative conducted during the month of July aimed at increasing compliance with laws regulating smoke emissions from heavy-duty diesel vehicles.
"New York State is a national leader in improving air quality under the leadership of Governor Pataki," Commissioner Sheehan said. "This initiative succeeded in enforcing, and bringing attention to violations of, our air regulations during a month when air pollution can contribute to harmful health and environmental effects. I am proud of the hard work of DEC's divisions of Law Enforcement and Air Resources and our partners to ensure compliance with our state's regulations."
Heavy-duty Diesel Emissions Targeted
Pollution from heavy-duty
vehicles can cause numerous
health problems
The Heavy-Duty Vehicle Emissions Reduction Act was signed into law by Governor Pataki in 1998. DEC enacted regulations to implement the law the following year. The goal of the act is to reduce the harmful effects of pollution from heavy-duty diesel vehicles, which include: increases in fine particulate matter; eye, throat and bronchial irritation; headaches, nausea, and increased incidence of lung cancer.
Under the "Emission Patrol" initiative, Environmental Conservation Officers (ECOs) in all nine DEC regions staff extra patrols and road checks throughout the month of July, targeting violations of the state's diesel emissions regulations. Forty-nine separate patrol details, led by DEC's divisions of Law Enforcement and Air Resources, checked 896 trucks across New York. In addition to DEC, 11 other state and local agencies participated, including: state departments of Transportation, Agriculture and Markets, and Taxation and Finance; State Thruway Authority; New York State Police; City of New York Police Department; Suffolk County Police Department, and Woodbury, Little Falls, Avon and Greece police departments.
Patrol Gets Results
The results of the July 2005 "Emission Patrol" included 99 violations issued specifically because of non-compliance with the state's Heavy-Duty Vehicle Emissions Reduction Act. An additional 380 violations were written for other vehicle and traffic violations, and resulted in the removal from service of 29 trucks that were found unfit to be on the highways. Penalties for air emissions violations range from $700 for a first offense to $1,300 for subsequent offenses. Ticketed individuals have 30 days to correct the problem and be retested. Penalties can be reduced if the problem is corrected.
To date, more than one-third of DEC's ECOs have been certified to operate computerized smoke meters used to measure diesel-vehicle emissions. In 2004, ECOs conducted nearly one-thousand vehicle emissions inspections in addition to their many other duties, and issued more than 300 tickets for air emissions violations. Below is a link to more information about diesel emission programs from the Division of Air Resources Bureau of Mobile Sources and Technology Development.
