Region 1: EPA New England

Programs

Greater Boston Breathes Better (GB3) provides one-stop shopping for local partners to participate in EPA's voluntary transportation programs and other innovative projects to reduce air pollution and air toxics from mobile sources.

These national voluntary programs include:

National Voluntary Diesel Retrofit Program
The EPA has developed a program to address the problem of pollution produced from diesel construction equipment and heavy-duty vehicles that are currently on the road today. This web site is designed to help fleet operators, air quality planners and retrofit manufacturers obtain the information they need to create effective retrofit projects.

Clean School Bus USA
School buses are the safest way for children to get to school. Pollution from diesel vehicles has health implications for everyone, but especially children. Clean School Bus USA brings together partners from business, education, transportation, and public health organizations to work toward the following goals:

• Encouraging policies and practices to eliminate unnecessary school bus idling.
• Retrofitting buses that will remain in the fleet with better emissions control technologies and/or fueling them with cleaner fuels.
• Replacing the oldest buses in the fleet with new, less polluting buses.

SmartWay Transport Partnership
The SmartWay Transport Partnership is a voluntary collaboration between U.S. EPA and the freight industry designed to increase energy efficiency while significantly reducing greenhouse gases and air pollution. SmartWay Transport Partners lead the way towards a cleaner, more efficient transportation future by adopting fuel-saving strategies that increase profits and reduce emissions – a "win-win" opportunity for all.

Best Workplaces for Commuters
On October 1, 2007, the University of South Florida’s Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) assumed program management responsibilities for the Best Workplaces for Commuters program (BWC). BWC was first established in 2001 by US EPA and US Department of Transportation (DOT) to promote innovative solutions to commuting challenges faced by employers and employees. The program provided the tools, guidance, and promotional opportunities necessary to help US employers of any size incorporate commuter benefits into their standard benefits plan, reap financial benefits, and gain national recognition. Participating companies earned the designation "Best Workplaces for CommuterSM"—a mark of excellence for environmentally—and employee-friendly organizations. CUTR brings new energy to the program but will continue to promote the nationally-recognized Best Workplaces for CommuterSM brand and maintain the National Standard of Excellence. Because of its extensive experience in transportation demand management, CUTR is well-positioned to effectively carry out the Best Workplaces for Commuters message and mission.

In addition to supporting the efforts of EPA’s national voluntary programs, GB3 is working with partners to promote innovative projects and strategies that help reduce air pollution from construction equipment and transportation sources. A few examples of recent GB3 partner efforts include:

• Disseminating model contract and bid language (PDF) (2 pp., 30 KB, about PDF) to any organization sponsoring construction and its related off-road diesel air impacts;
• Implementing and enforcing idle-reduction measures for trucks, buses and passenger vehicles;
• Promoting the use of cleaner diesel fuel in construction and marine operations; and
• Developing a small business innovation program which provides a best practices model for taking action to reduce diesel and multi-pollutant emissions from daily operations.