| Nov. 7, 2008
As part of the overall effort to cut down on pollutants
stemming from port activities, the South Coast Air Quality Management
District (AQMD) will co-sponsor a demonstration of four compressed natural
gas (CNG) drayage trucks.
The air quality agency’s Governing Board approved the
contract today for the almost $2-million project, with AQMD’s share not to
exceed $421,250 from the Clean Fuel Funds. The rest of the costs will be
shared between the other project partners, SoCalGas, AutoCar and California
Cartage Co.
The project is the first to demonstrate the use of CNG, a
clean-burning low-carbon fuel, in drayage trucks at the ports. A small
refueling station will also be installed for the trucks’ use.
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) heavy-duty trucks are already
in use at the port. AQMD’s goal is for the ports to convert half of its
trucks to natural gas.
“In light of a predicted rapid increase in trade at the two ports,
reducing port pollution has become a number one priority for our agency,”
said Barry Wallerstein,
AQMD’s executive officer. “These CNG trucks have the
potential to help provide cleaner air for the community and a cost savings
to the truck operators.”
Approximately 65 percent of containers being moved from
San Pedro Bay Ports by truck are delivered within 25 miles of the harbors.
There are about 16,500 of these so-called drayage trucks that move goods
from wharves to warehouses and train yards south of downtown Los Angeles.
The average round trip is about 25 miles.
CNG technology can provide the necessary power and range
needed to make these short-haul deliveries from the port while having 33
percent lower life-cycle costs than a comparable new diesel truck.
Earlier in the year, AQMD and the Port of Los Angeles
introduced a heavy-duty electric short-haul drayage truck. Also the first of
its kind, the demonstration truck can pull a 60,000-pound cargo container at
a top speed of 40 mph and it has a range of between 30 to 60 miles per
battery charge. The local manufacturer of the emissions-free truck is
expected to open an assembly plant in Los Angeles.
In other action today, the Board:
- Amended Rule 444 – Open Burning and Rule 208 – Permit and Burn
Authorization for Open Burning. The amendment strengthens the rules to be
more health protective, improve clarity and enforceability. The rule will
now also take into account the Air Quality Index (AQI) for forecasting
“marginal,” “permissive,” and “no burn” days in the region. In addition,
the amendment includes a prohibition on agricultural burns within 1,000
feet of sensitive receptor locations.
AQMD is the air pollution control agency for Orange County and major
portions of Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.
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