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ANTI-IDLING | CLEAN FUELS | RETROFITS |
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April 19, 2004 The
Philadelphia Diesel Difference - Working Group Meeting IN ATTENDANCE: April
Birnbaum, Air Management Services, Department of Public Health, Philadelphia. INTRODUCTIONS: Mr. Morris Fine, Director of Air Management Services, Department of Public Health, City of Philadelphia, welcomed all in attendance. He thanked the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission for the use of their facility as a meeting venue. Mr. Fine once again reminded the Working Group that the Diesel Difference Charter has been distributed electronically and to please have the highest-ranking representative of your organization as possible endorse the document. Please send your endorsements, including the name, title, and organization of the signatory, via e-mail to Ms. April Birnbaum at April.Birnbaum@phila.gov. For a list of current charter endorsements, please refer to the attached table. Mr. Fine alerted the Working Group to a number of important programmatical and funding updates. First, he noted that the Philadelphia Diesel Difference and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission are in the process of planning a special event, which is scheduled for late May. This event will consist of a press conference recognizing at least one platinum level diesel retrofit project, a signing ceremony for high-level charter endorsements, the awarding of $20,000 in grant funds from the EPA to the Amtrak Automotive Group for air toxics risk mitigation, and the kickoff of Ozone Action Season with a focus on fine particle forecasting. The Diesel Difference will keep you abreast of additional updates on this event via e-mail. Second, Mr. Fine informed the group that the particulate matter cost-benefit analysis data being assembled by the EPA for our region should be available by late April. Lastly, Mr. Fine announced that the Diesel Difference continues to investigate the potential for truck stop electrification at the Walt Whitman Service Plaza in South Philadelphia. This site will be one of two in Southeastern Pennsylvania, which is slated to receive Idle Aire installations. The Diesel Difference is currently assisting in the obtainment of project funding from various sources, including DVRPC, PA DEP, and the EPA. AMENDMENT TO THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE: At the February Diesel Difference meeting, a copy of a Draft Amendment to the Diesel Difference Organizational Structure was distributed to the Working Group. This document was reviewed and commented upon by both Working Group members, as well as the City of Philadelphia's Law Department. A revised copy of the Draft Amendment to the Diesel Difference Organizational Structure was distributed on April 19, 2004, which reflects these comments. Specifically, the document adds guidance for the use and protection of the Diesel Difference logo. The Working Group voted to accept this Amendment, as motioned by Mr. Jack LeBeau and seconded by Mr. Dick Ross. Attached is a copy of the Draft Amendment to the Diesel Difference Organizational Structure that was accepted on April 19, 2004. REPORT FROM THE CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP SUB-COMMITTEE: Mr. Bill
Coughlin presented a report from the Corporate Sponsorship Sub-Committee.
The Corporate Sponsorship Sub-committee is in the process of finalizing a
Power Point presentation, which will be used in the solicitation of potential
donors. This presentation includes a cost-benefit analysis of the health effects
associated with diesel particulate matter and a case study of an actual diesel
retrofit project in our region, accompanied by the emission reductions resulting
from the project, the cost of retrofitting the fleet, and the associated health
benefits resulting from the retrofit. Such information will aid in the donor's
understanding of their investment and the outcome that their contribution
would make. A representative of the Corporate Sponsorship Sub-Committee will
conduct this Power Point presentation for the purposes of discussion at the
May Diesel Difference Working Group meeting. REPORT FROM THE MOBILE SOURCE EMISSIONS REDUCTION CREDIT SUB-COMMITTEE: Ms. April Birnbaum, Chair of the Sub-Committee on Mobile Source Emissions Reduction Credits, presented a report for the Sub-Committee on Mobile Source Emissions Reduction Credits. Ms. Birnbaum informed the Working Group that Mr. Kevin Snape drafted a proposal for mobile source particulate matter trading in our region, which was reviewed during a Mobile Source Emission Reductions conference call on April 13, 2004. This comment document largely draws upon existing mobile-stationary source offset trading programs in Texas and California. It addresses the issues of enforceability, permanence, quantification, and the insurability of being surplus, as well as the new non-attainment designation of counties in our region for the 8-hour ozone standard and the pending non-attainment status for fine particulate matter (PM2.5). The proposal is currently being redrafted by members of the MERCS Sub-Committee and once complete, will be discussed with the appropriate regulatory parties. REPORT FROM THE TECHNICAL SUB-COMMITTEE: Ms. April Birnbaum, Chair of the Technical Sub-Committee, presented a report for the Technical Sub-Committee. Mr. Bill Coughlin, Mr. Kevin Snape, and Mr. Chris Thomas agreed to volunteer their time and effort to this committee at the March Diesel Difference Working Group meeting. On April 2, 2004, the Sub-Committee conducted its first conference call but was unable to embark upon its goals, due to such meager participation. One of the first tasks that this committee would like to accomplish is the compilation of a frequently asked questions sheet that will directly address any concerns expressed by fleet operators on the use of clean diesel technologies. If you are interested in participating in the Technical Sub-Committee, please e-mail Ms. April Birnbaum at April.Birnbaum@phila.gov. CLEAN AIR COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS: Mr. Eric Cheung of the Clean Air Council/Clean Cities Program updated the Working Group as to the status of the Clean Air Council Non-Monetary Recognition Program. Mr. Cheung circulated draft copies of the Diesel Difference brochures on both the non-monetary recognition program, as well as on a general overview of the Diesel Difference program. Once finalized, these brochures will be available on the Diesel Difference website. Mr. Cheung noted that the Clean Diesel Vehicle Decal has also been drafted and will be printed in the coming weeks. Mr. Cheung then announced that the Diesel Difference website, which is located at http://www.cleanair.org/dieseldifference/, is now accessible to the public. Please send any corrections and/or suggestions to Eric Cheung at echeung@cleanair.org. One suggestion that was made is to track the number of visitors, or "hits," to the website. Mr. Cheung closed his report from the Clean Air Council/Non-Monetary Recognition Program with an update on the May Diesel Difference special event. Mr. Cheung has obtained the participation of Mr. Donald Welsh, EPA Region III Administrator, and Mr. Nicholas DiPasquale, Deputy Secretary for PA DEP, and will await confirmation from Mr. Philip Goldsmith, Managing Director of the City of Philadelphia. He also thanks all who participated in the Clean Air Council 5K Run for Clean Air on April 17, 2004, including Mr. Morris Fine and Ms. April Birnbaum of the Diesel Difference. CLEAN DIESEL TECHNOLOGY OF THE MONTH: For our April presentation, Mr. Bill Coughlin discussed ultra low sulfur diesel and emulsified diesel fuels. Mr. Coughlin reviewed the specifications and production capabilities of the clean diesel fuels manufactured at Sunoco's Philadelphia Refining Complex. Both ultra low sulfur diesel and emulsified diesel fuel can be used to comply with pending 2006 on-road diesel fuel regulations. Please contact Bill Coughlin at wecoughlin@sunoco.com or Debbie McNeal at dlmcneal@sunocoinc.com for more information on clean diesel fuels. NEXT MEETING AND LOCATION: The next Diesel Difference Workgroup Meeting will be held from 10 AM until 12 PM on May 25, 2004 at the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission's Pennsylvania/ New Jersey Room, The Bourse Building, 111 S. Independence Mall East, 8th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106.
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