Canadian Truckers Complain About Emissions Rules for Railroads

Environment Canada may begin to scrutinize railroads’ fuel emission standards more closely in response to an exchange of letters over the past few months between Minister of the Environment David Anderson and Canadian Trucking Alliance Chief Executive Officer David Bradley.

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In September, CTA said fuel emissions in trucking and railroading were not regulated equally. In a letter to Anderson, CTA specifically cited a 1995 memorandum of understanding between the Railway Association of Canada and Environment Canada that allows the rail industry to conform to a different set of diesel-emission regulations than trucking.

Unlike the trucking industry, the rail industry has not been required to use diesel fuel with lower sulfur levels since the 1995 memorandum.

The CTA letter was its response to Environment Canada’s decision in June to add PM10 emissions (particulate matter of less than 10 microns) to the list of toxic substances under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. CTA opposed that classification, suggesting instead that PM10 be classified as a “controlled substance.”

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