News for Release: Friday, September 15, 2006

 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

State-of-the-Art Maryland Manufacturing Facility to Create Clean Engines, New Jobs
           
Contact: John Millett, (202) 564-4355 / millett.john@epa.gov

(Washington, D.C. - September 15, 2006) Volvo Powertain's new North American Operations Center in Hagerstown, Md. will not only help make the environment cleaner, but also accelerate the economy.  EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson, Maryland officials and company representatives toured the $150 million facility that will design, test and produce the next generation of cleaner, high-tech engines for trucks and other heavy duty vehicles.

"Under President Bush's leadership, our nation is advancing the innovative technologies that power our economy and drive our environmental successes," said EPA Administrator Johnson. "For the past century, diesel engines have been America's economic workhorse – reliable, fuel efficient and long lasting. Thanks to the innovations of Volvo and our industry partners, this economic workhorse is expanding into an environmental workhorse."

The Bush Administration's clean diesel program uses a "systems approach," in which cleaner fuels help enable cleaner engine technologies such as those to be developed at the new Hagerstown plant. The program will reach a key milestone on Oct. 15, 2006, when retail stations will begin carrying ultra low sulfur diesel. Lowering the sulfur content will enable modern pollution-control technology to be effective on the 2007 trucks and buses.

Once these fuel and engine regulations are fully implemented, 2.6 million tons of smog-causing nitrogen oxide emissions will be reduced each year. Soot or particulate matter will be reduced by 110,000 tons a year. An estimated 8,300 premature deaths, 5,500 cases of chronic bronchitis and 17,600 cases of acute bronchitis in children will also be prevented annually.

Besides clean engines, this facility will also create economic growth. The plant has already created 1,800 jobs, and features the latest in manufacturing and communication technology.

The final diesel rule and related documents are available at http://www.epa.gov/otaq/diesel


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