Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Technical Contact: Mike Nelson, 651-297-8615 Media Contact: Colleen Coyne, 651-297-7363 Saint Paul, Minn. -- St. Cloud-based Langford Inc. trucking and the Minnesota Trucking Association (MTA) were among 23 firms honored in late October for their leadership roles in reducing diesel emissions through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) SmartWay Transport Partnership. "The good work of these two organizations will help protect the quality of the air in this region, and set a great example for other freight handlers to follow," says Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Acting Commissioner Brad Moore. "Also, the fact that 10 percent of all trucking companies participating in the SmartWay program nationally are from Minnesota is proof of the state's spirit of environmental leadership through public-private partnership." SmartWay, established in 2004, is a voluntary partnership between the EPA and more than 450 freight companies that offers incentives for fuel efficiency improvements and greenhouse gas emission reductions. "The freight industry drives America's economy, and EPA's SmartWay partners are keeping more money in their pockets while helping us all breathe easier," says EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. Nationally, truck and rail transportation consumes more than 35 billion gallons of diesel fuel per year. Diesel engines emit harmful fine particles, components of smog and other air pollutants - some of which are linked to human health effects - and produce more than 350 million metric tons of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2). SmartWay's goal is to cut annual CO2 emissions by 33 to 66 million metric tons and up to 200,000 tons of nitrogen oxide emissions by 2012, complementing new federal rules reducing sulfur in diesel fuels and tightening emissions standards for new diesel engines. Minnesota is considered one of the largest trucking centers in the nation, served by 150 companies moving more than 400 million tons of goods each year. Mobile sources of air pollution -- including trucks, cars and other vehicles -- contribute 46 percent of our air pollutant load in Minnesota. And, although Minnesota meets all federal air quality standards, the MPCA is involved in a number of outreach efforts to encourage voluntary reductions of pollutants throughout the state. For example, the agency has a Small Business Environmental Improvement Loan Program, which has some funds available for low-interest loans to small businesses for equipment that meets or exceeds environmental regulations.

To learn more about the loan program, contact the MPCA's Small Business Ombudsman, Mike Nelson at mike.nelson@pca.state.mn.us. More air pollution information is available at /air/mvpollution.html and on the SmartWay Web site at http://www.epa.gov/smartway. About the Winners
Langford Inc., owned and operated by Greg and Joyce Langford, specializes in hauling customized building products. The company was an early adopter of auxiliary power units that reduce truck idling during driver rest breaks. Also, the Langfords are helping a Canadian firm with EPA-verification testing on a new carburetor hydrogen-injection system that allows fuel to burn more completely and efficiently. The MTA is a 700-member non-profit trade association representing the state's motor carrier industry. Based in Roseville, the MTA got in on the ground floor of SmartWay by working with regional carriers to reduce air emissions by improving fuel efficiency.