University Times

A nonprofit environmental watchdog group recently accused the University of being “an air pollution scofflaw,” citing Pitt’s failure to post signs alerting drivers to the 2008 state law banning idling by certain diesel vehicles. But the director of Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) here said Pitt already was on its way to complying with the law before the scofflaw charges were leveled.

In a press release issued by Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future (PennFuture), Tiffany Hickman, western Pennsylvania outreach coordinator for the citizens organization, stated, “We were astonished to find that Pitt is in violation of this important law. Diesel idling contributes to our region’s dirty and dangerous air pollution problem … yet Pitt has no signs that would lead to cleaner air.”

The Diesel Powered Motor Vehicle Idling Act (Pennsylvania Act 124), which went into effect in February 2009, requires that property owners post permanent signs in locations where “diesel subject vehicles,” that is, commercial vehicles weighing more than 5 tons, load or unload and in any location that provides 15 or more parking spaces for such vehicles.

The law prohibits owners and drivers of diesel-powered motor vehicles engaged in commerce (as opposed to private use) from idling for more than five minutes in any continuous 60-minute period, with exceptions for extreme weather conditions, vehicle maintenance and emergencies.

(Under the law, diesel-powered buses, school buses and school vehicles may idle for 15 minutes in a continuous 60-minute period when passengers are on board.)

In response to the PennFuture allegations, EH&S director Jay Frerotte told the University Times, “Prior to PennFuture targeting Pitt about a lack of specific signage in parking areas for large vehicles, the University had initiated planning to address the installation of these signs where necessary.”

In addition, Frerotte continued, “Signs with identical intent already exist in certain loading dock areas at the University, but these signs will be replaced with signs that conform to the current specification,” that is, to read precisely “No Idling, Diesel-Powered Vehicles Over 5 Tons, Act 124 of 2008” as required by the law.

“Pitt’s plan to provide additional signage where applicable will include only buildings owned by Pitt. University stakeholders will be consulted to determine sign locations in the coming weeks,” Frerotte said.

He added, “Pitt has an excellent record for reducing air pollution in the county, as exemplified by several recent environmental stewardship awards and the construction of our state-of-the-art steam generation plant that uses natural gas as a fuel to fire boilers with exceedingly low emission of air pollutants.”

—Peter Hart