For Release: Wednesday, April 22, 2009
DEC's Earth Day Crackdown Targets Dirty Diesels from Buffalo to Plattsburgh to Long Island
To mark Earth Day, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today took statewide a clean air initiative, cracking down on smoke-spewing diesel trucks in pullover operations across New York.
From Buffalo to Plattsburgh to Long Island, DEC officers targeted trucks churning out plumes of visible exhaust - in violation of state air regulations. Dubbed DEC's "Stop Smoking Initiative for Trucks and Buses," the enforcement operation was carried out in strategically chosen neighborhoods known for heavy truck traffic.
"Every New Yorker deserves a clean, safe, healthy community in which to live," said Governor David A. Paterson. "But today, emissions from smoking and idling trucks and buses continue to pollute the air and undermine the health of too many New Yorkers. That is why we are committed to dealing with this issue."
"Especially on Earth Day, this enforcement action reminds us that clean air is essential to all New Yorkers," said DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis. "Under Governor Paterson, we first began this initiative in a few targeted areas last fall and every time we carried out a pullover operation in one neighborhood, other communities asked 'When are you coming here?' For that reason, it couldn't be more appropriate than to take it statewide on Earth Day 2009."
"While we know that commercial transportation is a vital component to our economy, we must have a proactive plan to ensure not only that trucks comply with clean air laws, but also to protect neighborhoods," said Henry Hamilton, DEC Assistant Commissioner for Public Protection. "This enforcement strategy does both."
This week, DEC carried out the pullover operations in:
-- Wyandanch (Suffolk County).
-- Flanders (Suffolk Co.).
-- Brentwood (Suffolk Co.).
-- Manhattan.
-- Fishkill (Dutchess Co.).
-- Newburgh.
-- Albany.
-- Watervliet (Albany Co.).
-- Schoharie (Schoharie Co.).
-- Kingsbury (Washington Co.).
-- Plattsburgh.
-- Utica.
-- Salina (Onondaga Co.).
-- Elmira.
-- Gates (Monroe Co.).
-- Tyre (Seneca Co.).
-- Cheektowaga (Erie Co.).
-- Angola (Erie Co.)
-- Niagara Falls.
-- Buffalo.
Penalties for violations of state air emission standards are $700 for the first offense and $1,300 for subsequent offenses. Operators that repair faulty vehicles can have the fines reduced.
The "Stop Smoking Initiative for Trucks" was based on a successful pilot program launched in New York City more than a year ago. Commissioner Grannis previously committed DEC to taking the program to neighborhoods elsewhere in the state.
While DEC has conducted pullovers in several regions of the state over the seven months, the Earth Day operations marked the first time operations were carried out in every region on the same day.
DEC will be working with community groups and local governments to develop an outreach program to educate the trucking industry and neighborhood groups about the laws and serious consequences of polluting trucks. A key feature of the program will involve empowering communities to identify idling hot spots in their neighborhoods.
As part of New York's commemoration of Earth Day, Governor David A. Paterson continues to demonstrate a clear commitment to clean air, clean water, healthy communities, fighting climate change, and promoting renewable energy policies. He is a vocal advocate for clean water investments and "greening" state government. The Governor's specific achievements include New York's historic participation and leadership role in addressing global warming with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, and accomplishing what previous Governors could not by getting the Legislature to finally pass the Bigger, Better, Bottle Bill. By adopting an ambitious but achievable 45 by 15 clean energy goal (45 percent of New York's electricity from renewable sources and efficiency by 2015), Governor Paterson has set New York on a path to become the global leader in the clean energy economy, creating green jobs, boosting the economy and protecting the environment
