News Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Joe Polinski
(803) 981-7161

York Tech and City of Rock Hill to Demonstrate Clean Diesel Technologies

April 16, 2007

ROCK HILL—As part of the EPA’s National Clean Diesel Campaign, York Technical College and its partners, including the City of Rock Hill, have received a $95,040 grant to retrofit dozens of publicly-owned non-road vehicles with technology that will significantly reduce their emissions.

Officials from York Technical College, the Energy Resource Center, the City of Rock Hill, the EPA and others participating in the project will be demonstrating the technology on Tuesday, April 17, from 1 p.m. until 1:30 p.m. at the City of Rock Hill’s Fleet Maintenance Facility, located at 349 Columbia Avenue.

The project will install diesel oxidation catalysts on 50 vehicles—including backhoes, bulldozers, motor graders and others—from the fleets of the City of Rock Hill, the South Carolina Department of Transportation, and Chester County. The reduction in emissions and other important data from the retrofitted equipment will then be carefully documented over the next year. The project, led by the Energy Resource Center at York Technical College, will serve to introduce and demonstrate the effectiveness of retrofit technologies, which help reduce harmful pollutants such as the fine particulate matter generated by diesel engines.

Largely because of its proximity to Charlotte, much of York County has been designated by the EPA as an ozone non-attainment area.

The use of the diesel oxidation catalysts will reduce particulate matter emissions by approximately 20 percent and hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide by an estimated 50 percent. Clean diesel projects like these have reduced hundreds of thousands of tons of nitrogen oxides and tens of thousands of tons of particulate matter across the nation.

"We are pleased to be able to partner with York Technical College in this effort to improve our community," said Rock Hill City Manager Carey Smith.  "Measures such as these that can be taken to improve the environmental quality of life are worth the investment for the City's future."

The City of Rock Hill has an established history of promoting clean air and environmental quality. Rock Hill has been designated as a Clean City and the city council has passed a number of resolutions in support of environmental enhancement, preservation, and improvement. The City of Rock Hill currently uses a number of alternative fuel vehicles, including ethanol, natural gas, and electric. All of the diesel vehicles owned by the City are operated with bio-diesel (B-20) fuel. Further, the “Textile Corridor” that is currently being redeveloped in the urban center of the city has been designated as an environmental justice project area.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has a plan to significantly reduce pollution from new diesel engines through their National Clean Diesel Campaign. This plan combines regulatory measures with voluntary initiatives, like the Southeast Diesel Collaborative, to reduce the pollution emitted from diesel engines across the country. The goal of the Southeast Diesel Collaborative is to improve air quality by encouraging the use of clean, renewable energy and by reducing diesel emissions from existing engines and equipment from the agriculture, heavy construction and on-road sectors.

“EPA is proud to recognize the efforts of the York Technical College Energy Resource Center and the City of Rock Hill for their efforts to improve air quality and protect public health,” said Jimmy Palmer, EPA Regional Administrator. “Emissions from diesel engines are a serious public health threat and environmental challenge, as well as a priority for EPA.”

The Energy Resource Center at York Technical College, under the direction of Rod Trump, is a leader in the field of renewable energy resources, energy conservation and efficiency, as well as alternative fuel vehicle technology. The Center provides educational opportunities for individuals, industry, and government agencies and serves as an information resource to promote awareness of new and emerging energy technologies.

"Clean air and the availability of affordable energy are everyone's concern," said Trump. "By providing the stepping stone to bringing these new technologies to fruition, everyone in our region will benefit."

For more information, contact Rod Trump at (803) 981-7074 or rtrump@yorktech.com.

York Technical College . 452 S. Anderson Road . Rock Hill, SC 29730