Letter to the Editor: Engine Retrofits

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ach day as I travel to work, I pass by a truck that is “puffing” black smoke. More like “streaming” black smoke, really.

Before the Environmental Protection Agency spends the projected millions-to-billions of dollars mentioned in your article (“EPA to Propose Retrofitting 11 Million Diesel Engines,”), it should deal with the current issue of enforcement.

Many older vehicles are the trucks that emit the heavy smoke causing the problems of today. Most of these are not maintained, are no longer equipped with originally specified components, such as an injection pump or turbocharger, or have been tampered with in a way so as to gain power — but with increased emissions.

Let’s make sure that existing vehicles are in compliance before writing new policies and spending more money. My concern with the retrofit program is that the ultimate cost associated with these add-ons will be borne by the same end users who try to maintain their equipment, rather than those who are already creating high emissions by dodging their responsibilities.

Mike Ehrenhaft

I>Manager of Technical

aintenance

aste Management Inc.

ombard, Ill.

This letter appeared in the June 28 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.