Rep. Ritchie Torres Joins MTA and NYC DOT at Hunts Point to Mark Major Clean Air Milestone

20 diesel TRUs replaced; 75 more in the pipeline

WASHINGTON, D.C. —  Today, Congressman Ritchie Torres (NY-15) joined MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber and NYCDOT Commissioner Mike Flynn at the Hunts Point Produce Market to mark the replacement of 20 diesel-powered transport refrigeration units (TRUs) with clean diesel or hybrid models, the first major air quality investment funded through the congestion pricing mitigation program.

WATCH VIDEO OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE

The Bronx has some of the worst asthma rates in the country. Dirty diesel trucks are a central reason why. The TRU replacement program is a direct strike at that problem.

The 20 completed replacements are projected to cut annual emissions of particulate matter by 99.7%, nitrogen oxide by 66%, hydrocarbons by 96.8%, and carbon monoxide by 97.8%. A single TRU replacement avoids particulate matter emissions equivalent to removing 330 truck trips a day from the Cross Bronx Expressway. 20 replacements equals 6,600 fewer truck trips worth of pollution, every single day.

An additional 75 units are in the active pipeline for replacement this year. There are an estimated 1,000 TRUs operating at Hunts Point. The $15 million program is administered by NYC DOT and covers 100% of purchase, removal, and installation costs for participating tenants and operators.

Celebrating the announcement, Rep. Torres said: 

“Hunts Point feeds New York City, and for too long, the people who live next to it have paid the price in their lungs. The Bronx has some of the worst asthma rates in the country, and dirty diesel trucks are a big reason why. These 20 new TRUs are the equivalent of taking 6,600 trucks off the Cross Bronx Expressway. That’s real relief for real people in the Bronx, and this is exactly the kind of investment we deserve.”

Approximately 70% of place-based mitigation funds from congestion pricing will be invested in the Bronx, including a $20 million Bronx Asthma Initiative, $20 million for electric truck charging infrastructure, $25 million for parks and greenspace renovation in environmental justice communities, and $10 million for air filtration units in schools near highways.

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