The Port of Tacoma Commission has authorized a fee-free market-based program for reducing truck emissions at the Washington State facility.
A 2008 Tacoma port truck study indicated 86 percent of its trucks met 2010 emissions standards, and to encourage the remaining 14 percent to upgrade, the commission plan will:
The commission also will develop a system to track progress and will continue partnering with the Port of Seattle to implement common components of each port’s truck program and coordinate expediting transportation infrastructure improvements.
People who spoke in favor of the program included representatives of the Washington Trucking Association, Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, Washington Department of Ecology, Washington Retail Association, Washington Department of Transportation and the Port of Seattle.
“Our customers and business partners have worked with port staff and our clean air authorities to develop comprehensive and market-led approaches to environmental stewardship,” says Port of Tacoma Commission President Clare Petrich. “Their decisions to voluntarily participate in these efforts are voluntary, and they come at a cost. But they recognize that today that environmental stewardship makes good sense and is good business.”
