Engineering & Utility Contractors Association (EUCA) provided critical testimony to the City of San Francisco's Board of Supervisors recently on pending legislation requiring significant equipment retrofits and emission restrictions for any contractor working for the city.
Tara Haas, EUCA director of government relations, testified, "Contractors bidding work for a city of San Francisco agency already have to comply with 89 requirements. The proposed Clean Construction Ordinance would be suicide for the city's hopes of completing any future capitol improvement programs on-time and on-budget. Contractors simply will not put themselves at a competitive disadvantage by complying with this ordinance purely for the privilege of bidding to the city of San Francisco. They will choose to bid elsewhere."
The "Clean Construction Ordinance," would require Tier 2 engines on equipment used on city projects by 2008, as well as mandate the use of bio-diesel. Violations for non-compliance would be $100 per day, per non-compliant engine. EUCA is also working with the Port of Oakland (which is considering similar measures, and includes engine idling limits of two minutes) and the California Air Resources Board as they adopt a statewide rule to reduce emissions from off-road diesel construction equipment. (Source: EUCA)