Environmental Defense Calls Clean Ferry Project First Of Its Kind

(16 September 2003 - New York) Environmental Defense today applauded the formation and funding of the Clean Ferry Emissions Reduction Initiative for New York Harbor.  The initiative, which today was awarded a major federal grant, will identify and put into place clean fuels and best available retrofit technologies to cut pollution from diesel-powered ferries in New York Harbor.  

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“Diesel emissions contain more than 40 cancer-causing compounds, and since 9/11 the number of diesel ferries in New York Harbor has almost doubled,” said Environmental Defense Living Cities program director Andy Darrell (pictured, right).  “By putting enough funding on the table to clean up virtually every private ferry in the Harbor, it looks like smooth sailing toward healthier air for New York Harbor.  New York is now poised to lead the country and the world in developing clean diesel technology for marine applications.”

Though ferries are an integral part of the city’s transportation network, they have an Achilles heal - dirty emissions with serious impacts on health and the environment.  This project will clean emissions from more than 40 diesel-powered ferries or 85% of the total ferries in New York Harbor.  At this time, none of the ferries in the Harbor are equipped with pollution controls.  By using retrofits and cleaner fuels like ultra low sulfur diesel, this project could reduce emissions by 75 to 90%. 

“The sponsors and participants in this project should be commended for stepping forward now to protect public health,” said Darrell.  “Close to half of Americans live in areas where the air is unsafe to breathe.  This project will point the way toward cleaner air for New York’s waterfront and for port cities around the country.” 

Every resident of New York City breathes air that fails to meet basic air quality standards, and diesel is a major source of that pollution.  In New York County, 80% of the added cancer risk from poor air quality is due to mobile sources, and for many compounds, diesel is the main culprit.  Diesel emissions are linked to childhood asthma, decreased lung function and other respiratory illnesses. 

A leader in urban air issues, Environmental Defense has provided expertise for the project about the best available technologies to reduce diesel emissions from ferries.  For additional information about the project and other air quality work by Environmental Defense in New York City and across the nation please visit http://www.environmentaldefense.org/go/airquality.