HomeMy WebLinkAbout876 - SUPPORTING the Environmental Protection Agencys final rule for heavy-duty diesel fuel and engiRESOLUTION NO. 876
A Resolution of the City Council for the City of Boulder, Colorado, in Support of the
Environmental Protection Agency's final rule for heavy-duty diesel fuel and engine emissions
WHEREAS, the City of Boulder has a strong record of supporting clean air through environmental
and transportation programs and policies;
WHEREAS, the City of Boulder strongly supports EPA's final rule to reduce heavy-duty diesel
emissions because it is a system-based, cost-effective program to improve public and environmental
health;
WHEREAS, implementation ofthisprogram mayprevent 8,300premature deaths and hundreds
of thousands of cases of respiratory illness annually;
WHEREAS, the rule is equivalent to removing the annua[ pollution created by 13 million of
today's trucks and buses;
WHEREAS, heavy duty trucks and buses account for 27% ofthe smog-forming nitrogen oxides and
two-thirds of the particulate pollution emitted by all vehicles on the road even though they are only
2% of all vehicles on the road;
WHEREAS, EPA estimates the total cost of the rule to be $4.3 billion in 2030, and the toYal dollar
value of the benefits to be $70.4 billton in 2030;
WHEREAS, the action will save more money and lives than the landmark adoption of Tier 2 vehicle
standards and low-sulfur gasoline;
WHEREAS, the cost impacts are small considering that trucks and buses can remain in operation
for 20 years and travel more than 1,000,000 miles. The benefits of the action outweigh costs by 16
to one;
WHEREAS, the heavy-duty diesel rule will establish diesel engine emission standards for
particulate matter and nitrogen oxides that will be phased in between 2007 and 20I0, establish
a sulfur concentration cap for onroad diesel fuel that will be phased in beriveen 2006 and 2010,
allow, throughthephasedapproach,greaterfleribilityforenginemanufacturersandfuelrefiners
while ma~cimizing total emissions reductions
WHEREAS, the City of Boulder is located in an airshed that is subject to frequent inversions,
resulting in the concentration of air pollutants that adversely affect the health of our cdtdzenry,
and;
WHEREAS, President Bush has postponed the effective date of the rule for 60 days to allow ttme
for review;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Boulder reaffirms its commitment to
full implementation of the EPA Final Rule for Cleaner Heavy-Duty Trucks and Buses and
Cleaner Diesel Fuel; and the Ciry of Boulder asks that President Bush not overturn the policy,
but rather reaffirm his administration's support for this Rule and endorse rapid implementation
ofthe Rule; and directs that copies of this Resolution be sent to the elected representatives of the
residents of this municipality, including the U.S. Representative(s), U.S. Senators, and the
President.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 6th day of February, 2001.
/'`i'..L. Z . ~ ti''~
William R. Toor
Mayor
Attest:
Ciry Clerk on behalf of the ~~
Director of Finance and Record