Transportation Emissions - DEP

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Transportation Emissions

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Asbestos Abatement

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Building & Construction Emissions

Transportation Emissions


Transportation Emissions

Emissions from transportation, primarily cars, buses, and trucks, contribute a significant amount of pollution to our air on a daily basis. Every year motor vehicles contribute approximately 11% of the local fine particulate matter and 28% of the nitrogen oxide emissions. The City has been actively finding ways to reduce emissions from motor vehicles including passing and enforcing rules to use cleaner fuels across the city and to reduce unnecessary emissions like idling. For general information, visit Air Quality.

Idling: Citizens Air Complaint Program

Idling emissions from gasoline and diesel motor vehicle engines are known contributors to health related impacts, including asthma, respiratory and cardiovascular harm. Idling for longer than three minutes or more than one minute while adjacent to a school is illegal. If you witness a vehicle idling illegaly, you can contact 311 or file a complaint online. If you would like to file an idling complaint and potentially receive an award for your enforcement efforts, visit Citizens Air Complaint Program.

Variances

Download the Idling Variance Waiver Form

Access the Idling Variance Request Tracker

For information about public hearings, visit News and Events. To submit comments relating to idling variances, please use the Idling Variance Comments Form.

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Vehicle Regulations

Local Law Air Reports

2023

Download the 2023 Local Law 58 Air Report

2022

Download the 2022 Local Law 58 Air Report and Data

Download the Local Law Air Reports for Fiscal Year 2022—Cover Letter and Report

2021

Download the 2021 Local Law 58 Air Report and Data

Download the Local Law Air Reports for Fiscal Year 2021—Cover Letter and Report

2020

Download the Local Law 77 Air Report FY 2020—Cover Letter and Report

Download the Local Law Air Reports for Fiscal Year 2020—Cover Letter and Report

2019

Download the Local Law Air Reports for Fiscal Year 2019—Cover Letter and Report

2018

Download the Local Law Air Reports for Fiscal Year 2018—Cover Letter and Report

2017

Download the Local Law Air Reports for Fiscal Year 2017—Cover Letter and Report

2016

Download the Local Law 38, 40, 41, 42 Air Reports FY 2016—Cover Letter

Download the Local Law 38 Air Reports for Fiscal Year 2016

Download the Local Law 77 Air Report FY 2016—Cover Letter and Report

2015

Download the Local Law 38, 40, 41, 42 Air Reports for Fiscal Year 2015—Cover Letter

Download the Local Law 38 Air Reports Fiscal Year 2015

Download the Local Law 77 and 39 Air Reports for Fiscal Year 2015—Cover Letter

Download the Local Law 77 Air Reports for Fiscal Year 2015

Download the Local Law 39 Air Report for Fiscal Year 2015

2014

Download the Local Law 38,39, 40, 41, 42 Air Reports FY 2014—Cover Letter

Download the Local Law 38,39, 40, 41, 42 Air Reports FY 2014

Download the Local Law 77 Air Report for Fiscal Year 2014—Cover Letter and Report

Vehicle Idling—Rules and Exemptions

Idling Near Schools

The law limits vehicle idling to one minute adjacent to any school, pre-K to 12th grade, public or private, in the City of New York. These flyers can be posted in school facilities and distributed to parents and teachers.

View the Rule for Engine Idling

Download Turn it Off to Clear the Air: Stop Idling in English, Español, 中文

Processing Device DECAL Program

This program identifies vehicles that may be exempt from idling regulations while processing devices are in operation. Section 39-01 of Title 15 of the RCNY defines a “processing device”* as:

a device that accomplishes the function for which the vehicle or equipment was designed, other than transporting goods or people, via a mechanical connection to the engine, including but not limited to operating a lift, crane, pump, drill, hoist, or mixer; or

a system that controls the environment of temperature-sensitive cargo or substances, including but not limited to food, provided that such cargo or substances are being transported in a vehicle designed for the transportation of such cargo or substances.

*The term “processing device” shall not include a heater or air conditioner operated for cabin comfort.

Processing Device DECAL Application

To apply for a Processing Device DECAL:

Please fill out the Processing Device Vehicle Form. At the end of the form, you will be asked to upload photographs to prove that your vehicle is equipped with a processing device. You may upload up to three photographs.

After reviewing your application, we will notify you to make the vehicle(s) available for inspection.

If you have any questions or concerns, contact: pddecal@dep.nyc.gov.

Note: Vehicles with a Processing Device Compliance DECAL (view an example DECAL) have been inspected by DEP and have been determined to have a qualifying processing device. Therefore, when the DECAL is affixed and the processing device is in use, these vehicles are not in violation of the idling law.

City-Operated Motor Vehicles

On May 11, 2005, Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed Local Law 39 for the year 2005 requiring that diesel fuel-powered motor vehicles owned or operated by city agencies be powered by ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel (ULSDF). The law further requires that a percentage, increasing yearly to 100 percent, of diesel fuel-powered motor vehicles with a weight of more than 8,500 pounds that are owned or operated by city agencies usethe best available retrofit technology (BART) or be equipped with an engine certified to the 2007 EPA standard for reducing the emission of pollutants. DEP went through the Citywide Administrative Procedure Act (CAPA) process and promulgated a list of what constitutes BART in a hierarchical schematic. Diesel Particulate Filters and Diesel Oxidation Catalysts were found to be the best devices based on the EPA and California Air Resources Board for verified technology.

View the Rules Concerning the Use of Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel Fuel and Emission Control Technology On City Motor Vehicles

View the Law that Amended the Rules Concerning the Use of Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel Fuel and Emission Control Technology On City Motor Vehicles

Sanitation Vehicles

On May 9, 2005, Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed Local Law 40 for the year 2005 requiring that any solid waste contract or recyclable materials contract specify that diesel fuel-powered vehicles and diesel fuel-powered non-road vehicles used in the performance of such contracts be powered by ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel (ULSDF). The law further requires that any solid waste or recyclable materials contract specify that all diesel fuel-powered vehicles and diesel fuel-powered non-road vehicles used in the performance of such contracts use the best available retrofit technology (BART) for reducing the emission of pollutants.

Download the Local Law 40 Compliance Reporting Form

Download the Solid Waste or Recyclable Material Contract Emissions Compliance Form

View the Rules Concerning the Use of Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel Fuel and Emissions Control Technology On Solid Waste Vehicles A

View the Law that Amended the Rules Concerning the Use of Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel Fuel and Emissions Control Technology On Solid Waste Vehicles A

Heavy Duty Trade Waste Hauling Vehicles

Local Law 145 of 2013, requires that every heavy duty trade waste hauling vehicle that is owned or operated by an entity required to be licensed or registered by the Business Integrity Commission and operating in New York City be equipped with either an EPA certified 2007 (or later) engine or utilize “Best Available Retrofit Technology,” as defined by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection before January 1, 2020. The chairperson of the Commission may issue a waiver of this requirement if the applicant for such waiver has demonstrated that compliance with such requirements would cause undue financial hardship on the applicant.

View the Rule for Retrofit Technology in Heavy Duty Trade Waste Hauling Vehicles

View the Law that Amended the Rule for Retrofit Technology in Heavy Duty Trade Waste Hauling Vehicles

Download the Trade Waste Vehicle Compliance Reporting Form

Download the Trade Waste Variance Application

Sight-Seeing Buses

On May 11, 2005, Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed Local Law 41 for the year 2005 requiring that any sight-seeing bus that is licensed by the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) and is equipped with an engine that is over three years old shall use the best available retrofit technology (BART) for reducing the emission of pollutants. A sight-seeing bus, as defined by the law, is a vehicle that carries eight or more passengers and operates for hire from a fixed point in the City to a place of interest or amusement. DEP went through the CAPA process and selected diesel particulate filters and diesel oxidation catalysts as the BART.

View the Rules Concerning the Use of Emissions Control Technology On Sight-seeing Buses A

View the Law that Amended the Rules Concerning the Use of Emissions Control Technology On Sight-seeing Buses A

Download the Sight-Seeing Compliance Form

School Buses

On May 11, 2005, Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed Local Law 42 for the year 2005 requiring that by September 1, 2006 all diesel fuel-powered school buses shall be powered by ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel (ULSDF). DEP went through the Citywide Administrative Procedure Act (CAPA) process and promulgated a list of what constitutes the best available retrofit technology (BART)in a hierarchical schematic.

View the Rules Concerning the Use of Ultra-low Sulfur Diesel Fuel and Emissions Control Technology on Vehicles That Transport Children to and from School

Non-road Vehicles (Construction Equipment, Generators, etc.)

On December 22, 2003, Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed Local Law 77 for the year 2003 requiring any diesel-powered non-road vehicle, fifty horsepower and greater, that is owned by, operated by or on behalf of, or leased by a City agency be powered by ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel (ULSDF) and utilize the best available technology (BAT) for reducing the emission of pollutants. DEPhas gone through the CAPA process and has chosen Diesel Particulate Filters and Diesel Oxidation Catalysts as the BAT. DEP continues to review the technology every 6 months. On May 6, 2016, the revisions to the Air Code (Local Law 38 of 2015) became effective, which included the below amendment to Section 24-163.3 (d) (1) (ii) that requires that the installer and /or manufacturer select BAT for a specific engine family.

View the Rules Concerning the Use of Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel Fuel and Emissions Control Technology In Nonroad Vehicles Used In City Construction

Download Local Law 77

View the Law that Amended the Rules Concerning the Use of Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel Fuel

Download the Local Law 77 Monthly Reporting Form

Download the Machine Emission Compliance Form