California Proposes New Regulations to Reduce Diesel Pollution at Ports

The California Air Resources Board Chairman Mary Nichols highlighted two port-related emissions reductions programs on Wednesday, Dec. 5th. If passed by the full Board later this week, the programs will dramatically reduce diesel particulate matter pollution from ships and trucks throughout the state by 2014.

The first regulation requires operators of certain types of ocean-going vessels to shut down their diesel auxiliary engines while docked at the state's busiest ports in favor of using shore-based electrical power. The second regulation is aimed at cleaning up emissions from the aging fleet of dirty diesel trucks that hauls goods around the clock to and from ports and rail yards throughout the state.

"These first-of-their-kind measures will continue our work to slash port-related emissions," Nichols said. "Residents from San Pedro to Oakland will breathe easier as a result of our aggressive actions to clean up diesel emissions from ports throughout the state. We owe it to the long-suffering ports communities to continue our quest of reducing all the emissions we can from ships, trucks and trains."

ARB adopted strategies in December 2005 that require cleaner engines in cargo handling equipment and clean fuel on ships.

Combined with the measures before the Board this week, ARB regulations will reduce diesel particulate matter emissions from container and cruise ship terminals by almost two-thirds by 2010, and by an estimated 75 percent by 2014. Overall diesel soot emissions will decline by 1,800 tons per year in 2014.

Shore Power
The new regulation will require certain fleet operators of container, passenger and refrigerated cargo ships ("reefers") to turn off their auxiliary engines -- which power lighting, ventilation, pumps and other onboard equipment -- while a ship is docked for most of its stay in port. The rule will affect almost 95 percent of the ship visits in these three categories.

Once docked, operators would then be expected to receive their electricity from shore-based sources or meet percentage reductions through other means. Ports affected by the regulation are those most visited: Los Angeles, Long Beach, Oakland, San Diego, San Francisco and Hueneme in Ventura County.

A 2005 ARB exposure study at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach shows that more than two million people live in areas around the ports with predicted cancer risks of greater than 10 in a million due emissions from docked ocean-going vessels. From that study and other data, ARB estimates that about 61 premature deaths per year can be attributed to exposure to diesel exhaust generated from ships in port.

Container, passenger and reefer vessels call at California ports almost 6,000 times each year, accounting for nearly 85 percent of the emissions from all docked ships. In 2006, approximately 1.8 tons per day of diesel particulate matter and 21 tons per day of oxides of nitrogen (NOx), a key ingredient of smog, were emitted from the diesel-fueled auxiliary engines of docked ships. The regulation is expected to reduce diesel and smog-forming emissions from docked container, passenger and reefer ships by nearly 50 percent relative to levels otherwise expected to be emitted in 2014, and 80 percent by 2020.

Next year, ARB expects to introduce a similar rule that will reduce emissions from bulk ships, tankers and vehicle carriers.

Port Trucks
ARB staff estimates that California has about 20,000 port or "drayage" trucks that frequently visit the ports and rail yards and have the greatest impact on local air quality. Drayage trucks are a significant source of diesel particulate matter, contributing three tons per day statewide. With regards to the smog precursor NOx, port trucks emit 61 tons per day.

The regulation is expected to reduce diesel particulate matter emissions from drayage trucks from baseline 2007 levels some 86 percent (2.6 tons per day) by 2010. Emissions of NOx are expected to be reduced from 2007 baseline levels by 62 percent (42 tons per day) by 2014.

ARB estimates that the proposed regulation will prevent 1,200 premature deaths from 2009 through 2020, with benefits being the most dramatic in the communities where port trucks are heavily concentrated.

Phase one of the new regulation requires all pre-1994 drayage truck engines be retired or replaced with 1994 and newer engines by the end of 2009. In addition, trucks with 1994-2003 engines will need to be either replaced or retrofitted to achieve an 85 percent reduction in diesel particulate matter by the same deadline. The second phase of the regulation requires all drayage trucks to meet 2007 emissions standards by the end of 2013.

The rule also requires compliant trucks working at the 14 ports and 11 rail yards affected by this regulation to be entered into a special registry by late 2009.

Next year, the Board will consider a similar measure which will focus on reducing emissions from in-use private heavy duty diesel truck fleets.

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How to reduce diesel particulate matter by using diesel particulate filters from CleanAIR Systems.