|
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AIR POLLUTION CONTOL BOARD
SUPPORTS AgTEC TRUCK WEIGHT REFORM PROPOSAL
Release: January 28, 2009
CONTACT: Fletcher Hall (301/765-0273)
fletcher@frhallassociates.com
Rockville, MD – As part of its 2009
legislative agenda, the San Joaquin Valley California Air Pollution
Control District Governing Board recently adopted the mission of the
Agricultural Transportation Efficiency Coalition (AgTEC) to “increase
truck weights on federal highways to 97,000 pounds for commercial vehicles
transporting raw agriculture commodities and forest products.” It is the
first district in the nation to endorse the AgTEC mission formally.
The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District is the regional
agency responsible for air quality management in the eight counties of the
San Joaquin Valley Air Basin: San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera,
Fresno, Kings, Tulare, and the Air Valley Basin areas of Kern County. The
District is the largest agricultural production region in California. It
works with local, state, and federal government agencies, the business
community, and residents of the Valley to reduce emissions that harm air
quality.
AgTEC is a national group comprising companies, associations, and
interested organizations seeking federal legislative reform of the truck
weight statutes in the 111th Congress.
Joel “Bud” Wallace, a Merced County resident and AgTEC Vice Chairman,
stated, “I am delighted to see the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution
Control District Governing Board take the lead in the nation to support
common sense reform of current truck weight legislation in Congress. The
AgTEC proposal will help the District reach its containment goals and
improve transportation safety in towns and cities of the San Joaquin
Valley.” Wallace explained, “The AgTEC proposal is especially important to
the San Joaquin Valley, where agriculture is so vital to our economy. The
current top 10 sources of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) are heavy-duty diesel trucks, off-road equipment, farm
equipment, food and agriculture processing, farming operations, and food
and agriculture.”
The California League of Food Processors has also strongly endorsed the
AgTEC truck weight reform proposal.
For more information, visit www.ag-haul.org.
The Agricultural Transportation Efficiency Coalition is composed of 65
associations and businesses committed to improving the efficiency of
transporting raw, unprocessed agricultural and forest products from farms
and forests to processing facilities.
######
Return to News
Releases
Forest Resources Association
Inc. (FRA)
600 Jefferson Plaza, Suite 350,
Rockville, MD 20852
FRA National office telephone: 301/838-9385
Click here for FRA Staff and FRA Division
contact information
FRA Site Map
|
