Green Equipment

The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) has released the findings of a joint study with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) focused on low cost ways to reduce air emissions from non-road construction equipment. The report, released in April, examines a variety of equipment operation and maintenance measures, fuel strategies and technologies that companies can employ.

“AGC recognizes that major engine overhauls and repowers are extremely expensive, and some companies are better positioned than others to make such an investment,” says AGC CEO Stephen E. Sandherr. “This report offers all contractors, and particularly the small businesses that dominate the industry, bottom-line information on affordable ways to bring about positive environmental results.”

AGC collaborated with the EPA’s Sector Strategies Program and the Office of Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ) to document the cost and benefits of the strategies and discuss practical implementation issues. The findings suggest that operating practices such as reduced idling, improved preventive maintenance and operator training will produce both business and environmental benefits.

Reducing emissions from the existing “legacy” diesel fleet is an important component of the EPA’s Clean Diesel Campaign. The EPA does not mandate retrofits, but instead encourages contractors to voluntarily clean up their equipment.

The AGC has worked with the EPA in advancing clean diesel initiatives that improve air quality and protect the business interests of construction contractors. AGC’s efforts include identifying incentives for retrofitting in-use equipment, informing fleet owners of grant opportunities, securing federal funding and crafting and promoting a federal tax incentive.

The new report follows an April 2006 recommendation by a federal clean air act advisory committee (CAAAC), crafted with the AGC, for the EPA to investigate benefits from changing operational behavior. AGC continues to serve as co-chair of the construction retrofit workgroup that supports the efforts of the CAAAC.

The full report, “Cleaner Diesels: Low Cost Ways to Reduce Emissions from Construction Equipment,” is available on AGC’s environmental Web site www.agc.org/hottopics.