| OTIA III State Bridge Delivery Program |
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| Web Brief (Jun 05) |
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Cleaner fuels on ODOT bridge projects help clear Oregon's air
Clean Fuels for Bridges initiative receives first-of-its-kind EPA grant
Diesel exhaust is the No. 1 air pollution problem in Oregon. While this fact is generally known, many have pointed out the difficulty in solving the problem. Stakeholder groups cite cost, time, and availability of alternatives as barriers to a lasting solution.
The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) took on this challenge by partnering with the Lane County Regional Air Pollution Authority (LRAPA) on a groundbreaking initiative called the Clean Fuel for Bridges Project. The project encourages heavy construction contractors on ODOT’s OTIA III State Bridge Delivery Program to use cleaner fuels in construction machinery.
The Clean Fuel for Bridges Project is a landmark effort, the first of its kind in the country. Forward thinking on the issue of cleaner fuels earned LRAPA a funding grant of $80,000 from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The project beat out 50 other applications. In awarding the grant, the EPA praised the LRAPA for tackling the emissions problems of non-road, heavy construction machinery. To date, heavy machinery emissions have been considered too difficult to clean.
“The Clean Fuel for Bridges Project demonstrates a commitment to better air quality at construction sites in the state,” said Sharon Banks, manager of administration and planning for LRAPA and the writer of the grant. “By encouraging contractors to use cleaner fuels for non-road vehicles, we are making a significant improvement in an area that had previously been ignored.”
Through this project, LRAPA will reimburse heavy construction contractors working on ODOT’s bridge program along the Interstate 5 corridor up to 5 cents per gallon for using Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel or biodiesel fuels.
During the next decade, the Oregon Transportation Investment Act (OTIA ) III State Bridge Delivery Program will repair or replace hundreds of aging state highway bridges throughout Oregon. Successfully completing the program will require a large fleet of heavy construction equipment. The Clean Fuel for Bridges Project is designed to decrease harmful emissions of this equipment and significantly improve air quality at bridge construction sites.
“We are constantly looking for effective partnerships and innovative solutions that improve public health and safety on the bridge program,” said Heather Catron, OTIA III State Bridge Delivery Program manager. “Partnering with LRAPA on the Clean Fuel for Bridges Project will decrease potentially harmful emissions on construction equipment.”
Normal diesel exhaust is a hazardous substance that includes 40 known carcinogens. The most harmful toxin in the exhaust is sulfur, which is a particulate material that carries other toxins into the lungs.
Standard diesel used in construction equipment contains more than 500 times the amount of sulfur found in Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel or biodiesel. The dramatic decrease in sulfur emissions associated with clean fuel means cleaner air and less negative health impacts to workers on site or to residents in nearby communities.
Using cleaner fuels on construction equipment may ultimately decrease healthcare costs across the state. According to the EPA, emissions from standard diesel used in construction equipment results in about $9 of respiratory disease healthcare costs annually for every per person in the United States.
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