FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 20, 2007
Contact: Tracy Polovick 
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Vance Introduces Legislation to Reduce Commercial Vehicle Idling

HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania's air quality would improve under legislation recently introduced by Sen. Pat Vance (R-Cumberland/York) that would significantly restrict the idling of commercial diesel vehicles.

"This legislation will not only improve the health of residents, but also commercial drivers," Vance said. "Drivers' proper rest and health are impaired by breathing air from diesel idling. Furthermore, the American Lung Association ranks Cumberland County among the 25 worst in the country for air-particle pollution. Nine states and Washington D.C. have statewide idling laws. It is time for Pennsylvania to join them."

The Clean Air Board of Central Pennsylvania has been working to address the issue of idling, especially in the Carlisle area. "Most of the complaints we receive are about diesel emissions," said Jennifer McKenna, president of the board. "We desperately need to limit diesel idling in our community."

Trucking firms also are interested in this issue. "This legislation will create one simple and easy to understand law that covers the entire state, instead of a patchwork approach," said Jesse Keen, vice president of Keen Transport Inc. in Carlisle. "It also allows for quality driver rest periods during extreme temperatures and gives the industry the needed time to develop valuable alternatives to the idling of diesel engines for extended periods."

Senate Bill 1095 would prohibit commercial diesel vehicles from idling for more than five minutes in any hour. The legislation permits idling under certain conditions, including:

• traffic jams and traffic signals;
• powering of mechanical or electrical operations necessary for loading, unloading or mixing;
• operating defrosters, heaters or refrigeration required for health and safety, but not during a rest period; and
• heating or cooling of buses for the comfort of passengers.

The legislation also contains transitional exemptions allowing idling in extreme temperatures.  The idling restrictions would not apply at trucking terminals or truck stops if the outside temperature is below 40 degrees or above 80 degrees and idle reduction technology is fully occupied or unavailable.  This exemption would expire after three years, at which time it is expected that idle reduction technology will be more widely deployed.

Violation of the law would result in up to a $50 fine for the first offense and up to a $150 fine for each subsequent offense.

Vance's district includes all of Cumberland County and Carroll, Fairview, Franklin, Monaghan, Warrington and Washington townships and Dillsburg, Franklintown and Wellsville boroughs in York County.

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