The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority will spend more than $2 million to reduce diesel emissions throughout its commuter rail system. Under a consent decree filed in federal court, the MBTA and the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company will undertake the following:
- Install electric plug-in stations to reduce idling during layovers
- Switch to ultra-low sulfur fuel
- Install new less-polluting auxiliary engines on 14 locomotives
These proposed actions respond to a federal action filed against the MBTA for excessive idling. “It is imperative that anti-idling laws are followed, given the proximity of these layover facilities to densely-populated communities and environmental justice neighborhoods,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency’s New England office. Link to EPA press release.
Comments on this entry are closed.