By Ashley Fletcher Frampton
Charleston Regional Business Journal
Published June 1, 2010
With the help of a state grant, S.C. Public Railways has replaced engine components in two of its 10 locomotives with parts that reduce harmful diesel emissions.
Officials from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control today thanked S.C. Public Railways for making the switch and announced a $105,000 grant that pays for half of the cost.
“Reducing diesel emissions is one of the biggest public health challenges that we face today,” said Myra Reece, chief of DHEC’s Bureau of Air Quality.
Reece said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires that new diesel engines meet lower emissions standards. But about 20 million older diesel engines are in use now across the country, and because diesel engines have long lives, it could take 30 years before all of those are replaced.
To encourage entities to voluntarily upgrade diesel engines, DHEC provides matching funds through a special grant program.
The replacement of parts in two of S.C. Public Railway’s locomotives will cut down on the particulate matter from those engines by 31% and reduce nitrogen oxides by about 52%, Reece said.
The move improves the fuel efficiency of the engines, reducing fuel use from 12 to seven gallons per hour.
S.C. Public Railways, a division of the S.C. Department of Commerce, operates three common carrier railroads, two of which provide for switching services that allow CSX and Norfolk Southern access to Port of Charleston terminals.
The agency also operates a short line railroad in Berkeley County that serves BP Chemical and Nucor Steel.
Jeff McWhorter, president and CEO of S.C. Public Railways, said the agency hopes to replace engine components in more locomotives in the future.
“By taking proactive steps to improve air quality, we are improving the quality of life for residents in the areas we serve and furthering our commitment to support the port’s clean air initiatives,” McWhorter said.
S.C. Public Railways, the S.C. State Ports Authority and DHEC have taken other steps in recent years to improve air quality. In 2007, for example, S.C. Public Railways began using cleaner-burning, low-sulfur diesel ahead of a 2012 federal mandate.
In March, the State Ports Authority and DHEC extended a voluntary agreement begun in 2007 that has reduced air emissions from port-owned and private diesel equipment.
