Pennsylvania diesel idling restrictions went into effect Friday.


Gov, Edward Rendell signed the Diesel-Powered Motor Vehicle Idling Act (Act 124) on Oct. 9. The law restricts heavy-duty diesel vehicles from idling more than five minutes per hour.

Act 124 applies to diesel-powered motor vehicles engaged in commerce with a gross weight of 10,001 pounds or more that are not specifically exempted.

Trucks with sleeper berths are exempted during times of low and high temperatures until May 1, 2010. State officials say this gives truckers time to make alternative arrangements for sleeping, such as using an electrified truckstop parking space or buying equipment that provides power without idling.

"Idling of these heavy-duty engines produces large quantities of dangerous air pollutants that can be particularly harmful to young children, the elderly and people with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema and bronchitis," said Acting Environmental Protection Secretary John Hanger. "Across the nation, these vehicles consume 1 billion gallons of fuel annually by idling their engines. This new law will protect the health of our citizens, reduce our reliance on imported oil, and drive the adoption of new technologies to meet our nation's transportation needs."

Each year, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, heavy-duty trucks in Pennsylvania emit about 3,200 tons of nitrogen oxides, a pre-cursor of smog and ground-level ozone; 210,000 tons of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas linked to climate change; and 65 tons of fine particulate matter by burning diesel fuel while idling.

The DEP's Small Business Advantage Grant program has invested more than $1 million on top of the nearly $2 million truck owners and operators have spent to purchase 238 auxiliary power systems. For more information on this program, visit www.depweb.state.pa.us, keyword: SBAdvantage.

Other investments by the commonwealth, in conjunction with those by private enterprises, have made 11 truckstop electrifications systems available across the state. For an online map of system locations, visit www.idleaire.com and click on "Locations."

For more information on the Diesel-Powered Motor Vehicle Idling Act, visit www.depweb.state.pa.us, keyword: Diesel Idling.