September 27, 2006

The Department of Environmental Quality announced today it will be working together with CSX Corporation on a project to reduce diesel emissions from railroad switchyards in the Detroit area. The project is being implemented as part of the Detroit Air Toxics Initiative.

Under this joint effort, the DEQ will provide CSX with $23,500 in funding for the project which CSX will use to install horsepower reduction technology on one of their switchyard locomotives. Installation of this equipment will result in reduced diesel emissions from the retrofitted locomotive, including a reduction in diesel particulate matter and nitrogen oxides.

“This innovative partnership between DEQ and CSX will further our efforts to create cleaner and healthier air in Detroit and its surrounding communities,” said DEQ Director Steven E. Chester. “This is a demonstration of our ideal that Michigan can, and must, have both a healthy environment, and a healthy economy.”

The switchyard locomotive to be retrofitted operates at switchyards that are part of the Conrail Shared Assets in the Detroit area. These switchyards primarily include the Dearborn, Livernois, and River Rouge Yards.

The DEQ worked with a stakeholder group consisting of representatives from government, industry, universities, and environmental and community groups in selecting this diesel emission reduction project for funding through the Detroit Air Toxics Initiative. The Detroit Air Toxics Initiative is a project that has been funded by a grant awarded to the DEQ from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Fiscal Year 2003 Community Assistance and Risk Reduction Initiative.

The project has focused on evaluating the risks from air toxics in the Detroit area and funding a project to help reduce these risks.

Additional information on the Detroit Air Toxics Initiative is available at www.michigan.gov/deqair under “Air Toxics.”

Editor’s note: DEQ news releases are available on the department’s Internet home page at www.michigan.gov/deq.

“Protecting Michigan’s Environment, Ensuring Michigan’s Future”

Revised September 27, 2006 by Pat Watson