Port of Baltimore trucks to be replaced using EPA DERA Grant

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will facilitate the replacement of older trucks at the Port of Baltimore with those using cleaner diesel engines through an $870,000 loan to Maryland Environmental Services (MES).

The grant is issued under the Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) and will help MES replace 25 drayage trucks with trucks made in 2011 or later, triggering annual reductions of 9.5 tons of carbon dioxide, 31.73 tons of nitrogen oxide and 1.09 tons of particulate matter. Drayage trucks move between container terminals and trucking facilities in heavily populated areas. As result of that, they can have a significant impact on the air quality for nearby residents.

“Cleaning up our air and ensuring people’s right to breathe healthy air is a priority for EPA,” EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin said. “The benefits of replacing these trucks will help us combat climate change and improve air quality in the surrounding communities.”

The MES grant falls under the EPA’s fiscal year 2015 DERA funding, which has also contributed to replacing and/or providing idle reduction and retrofit technologies to older engines. Overall, the program has positively impacted 600 communities by addressing emissions from 60,000 engines since 2008.