Successful Strategies for Diesel Emission Specification Implementation

There have been several studies that have been conducted on the health implications of diesel engine emission. They have all concluded that the emission from diesel engines is a health hazard. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set standards for diesel exhaust emission, but they apply only to new engines. Effective from 2011, all new non-road diesel engines will have to meet the EPA's stringent Tier 4 standards for exhaust emission. However, there are no regulations that mandate existing machine models to be upgraded to Tier 4 emission level standards. As a result, only when the emission control specifications are included in construction contracts it is possible to achieve a tier 4 level of emission control. This paper shows how the specification development and implementation process is utilized to build a team of committed advocates who can work with the contractors during bidding to ensure availability of compliant equipment from the start of the project. There are challenges associated with implementing the specification on leased equipment; these are also explained. The author has, for several years from the inception of diesel exhaust emission mitigation in 2003, spearheaded introduction and adoption of aggressive PM reduction technologies on construction equipment in Manhattan and created a heightened awareness of clean diesel and its health benefits.