Environmental case study with faculty-approved analysis and sources

Environmental Case Study

Ten years ago, the United States Environmental Protection Agency established the Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicle Standards and Highway Diesel Sulfur Control Requirements. The rule accomplished a comprehensive single national program to control emissions of heavy-duty vehicles by regulating the both the vehicles and the diesel fuel used in the engines. The aim was to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOX ) by 2.6 million, non-methane hydrocarbons by 115,000 tons, and particulate matter by 109,000 tons by 2030. By 2006, most areas of the country sold only ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel. By 2007, the only new diesel engines sold required ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel. One looming problem was that diesel engines are durable and have a long product life -- the change to cleaner engines would take until about 2020.

Problem Statement

Diesel fuel is the cause of one-third of the nitrogen oxide (NOX) and one-fourth of the particulate matter that come from transportation. The connection between air pollution and respiratory disorders, including lung cancer, has long been established. The Puget Sound region was found by the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) to be in the national top 5 percentile for exposure to air toxins. An air toxics assessment found that 70% of the air toxics risk was due to diesel exhaust emissions. Ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel is available as an alternative in public transportation and corporate fleets. Cleaner engines of new designs are also available as replacements for existing high-polluting engines. The political will to make changes that could substantively reduce air pollution was in evidence in 2001. What was lacking was a mechanism to enforce lasting changes.

Conclusion