Train and ship diesel pollution targeted in strategy, along with other power sources
More than six months after political and industry comment on the need for modes other than trucking to tackle their emissions, the New South Wales Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has launched its strategic plan on the issue.
The Diesel and marine emissions management strategy aims to reduce the harmful impact of emissions from the non-road diesel and shipping sectors and the EPS insists “urgent action” is required.
“We are also seeing increasing evidence that air pollution from non-road diesel and shipping emissions is harmful to human health,” EPA director of reform and compliance David Fowler says.
“The non-road diesel sector is the largest unregulated source and the fourth largest man-made source of harmful fine particle (PM2.5) emissions in the Sydney Greater Metropolitan Region.
“The strategy we are launching today highlights our plan for progressively controlling and reducing diesel exhaust and marine emissions from the priority sectors of shipping, rail locomotives and diesel-powered equipment used in EPA-licensed activities such as coal mining and construction.”
Non-road (plant) equipment owned by the NSW Government or operated under government contracts is also targeted.
The strategy presents a range of current and future actions including:
- proposed requirements on coal mines to identify best practice options to reduce diesel exhaust emissions;
- minimum performance standards for non-road diesel equipment procured by NSW government agencies;
- completion of a pilot locomotive emission upgrade program; and
- completion of a research project into feasible emission reduction measures for shipping.
Last June, federal Liberal MP Craig Kelly and the Australian Trucking Association took rail in particular to task over the state of the country’s ageing diesel locomotive fleet.
The strategy document can be found here.