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EPA, Freight Industry Save Fuel and Help the Environment - Nominations sought for excellence awards

Release Date: 02/13/2006
Contact Information: Roxanne Smith, (202) 564-4355 / [email protected]

(Washington, D.C.-Feb. 13, 2006) EPA's SmartWay Transport Partnership program, designed to reduce greenhouse gases and air pollution, announced its first environmental successes with its freight industry partners.

"The freight industry's achievements in SmartWay are consistent with President Bush's national call to conserve our country's energy resources and use collaborative, innovative approaches to resolve environmental problems," said Bill Wehrum, acting assistant administrator for Air and Radiation.

Since its inception in February 2004, SmartWay projects have saved 283.6 million gallons of fuel per year. EPA estimates the fuel savings to yield reductions of 3.1 million tons of carbon dioxide, 22,000 tons of nitrogen oxide, and 800 tons of particulate matter emissions on an annual basis by 2007. The emissions reductions and fuel savings in the two years that SmartWay has existed translate into the equivalent of emissions from nearly 550,000 cars or about 390,000 homes heated in the United States.

EPA announced the achievements at the Annual American Trucking Association Leadership meeting in Tampa, Fla. SmartWay also welcomed the signing of the 300th SmartWay partner, Dupre´ Transport at the meeting. The number of partners has increased almost six-fold in the two years since the program's launch.
The SmartWay Transport Partnership is a national voluntary program developed by EPA and freight industry representatives to reduce greenhouse gases and air pollution, and promote cleaner, more efficient ground freight transportation. By 2012, the partnership aims to reduce 33 million to 66 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions and 200,000 tons of nitrogen oxide emissions annually. Partners include truck carriers, freight shippers and rail carriers, among others.

To promote the program's achievements, EPA is currently accepting nominations for the first annual SmartWay excellence awards through June 30, 2006. The awards will recognize companies and organizations that have made significant contributions to protecting the environment through their participation in the partnership. All SmartWay partners are eligible for consideration. Presentation of the awards will occur in late October 2006 at the American Trucking Association annual conference in Dallas, Texas and the National Association of Environmental Managers in Savannah, Ga.

More information about the SmartWay Transport Partnership: epa.gov/smartway

More information on nominations for the SmartWay Award: epa.gov/smartway/awards.htm