排放大量廢氣的烏賊柴油卡車與怠速卡車，將是紐約市保護公眾健康的長期執法新目標。
市環保局將會在重型卡車進出社區的地點執行定期但無預警的執法行動，也會在柴油卡車聚集的地點執行相同的檢查。在這些特定地點，環保局將會攔下明顯排放廢氣的烏賊卡車。每次烏賊卡車執法行動開始前，環保局和紐約市環保部門也會巡視怠速公車和卡車的聚集地點。
除了在紐約市執行本計畫之外，市環保局也計畫在其他地區執行類似的環保行動。這項行動來自於2007年在東哈林區紐約市政府和州政府聯手打擊卡車和引擎污染的成果，東哈林區有大量的卡車經過，同時當地也有很高的氣喘人口比例。
環保局的執法人員將361輛卡車攔下檢查，開出了163張違反州立空氣和安全規範的罰單，執法人員也針對怠速的情形開出10張罰單。紐約市環保局則開出了33張怠速和11張違反市規的引擎罰單。
在東哈林區的合作經驗之下，環保局估計20%在該區域進出的卡車違反了州立的空氣法規。
交通流量研究顯示大約1萬輛卡車每天經過東哈林區，意即大約2千輛卡車每天在該區排放超乎合法範圍的空氣污染物。
這個計畫的主要特色是讓當地社區居民一起加入，提供居家附近怠速的常見停車地點，紐約市民可以撥311幫助執法人員找到更多怠速卡車和公車的停放地點。
「PlaNYC是紐約市長彭博長期的永續發展計畫，透過減少有害肺部、造成氣喘的空氣污染物，讓紐約成為全美空氣最乾淨的城市，而減少車輛的排氣就是這個計畫中的重要策略。」環保局行動小組組長拉維特(Steven Lawitts)說。
「毫無疑問地改善我們的空氣品質可以幫助預防氣喘，這也是為什麼會和州政府一起合作執行排氣標準的行動。」
「我們的目標是發現和鎖定那些車輛和柴油卡車停放聚集的地點，此舉將會持續減少空氣污染、保護孩子和社區居民的身體健康。」
「我們可以解決紐約市的柴油污染問題，」紐約環保局資深律師卡瑟(Richard Kassel)表示，「執行現有的反污染法來清理空氣，讓氣喘兒呼吸地更自在。」
Diesel trucks spewing plumes of visible exhaust and idling too long in violation of New York air regulations are the targets of a new long-term enforcement strategy aimed at protecting public health.
Under the plan, Department of Environmental Conservation personnel will carry out regular but unannounced enforcement actions in places where heavy truck traffic enters or leaves a neighborhood, as well as in areas where diesel trucks tend to congregate.
At those hot spots, DEC will conduct pullover operations that target trucks emitting visible exhaust.
Each time a "smoking truck" enforcement action is set up, DEC people and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection will patrol the area for trucks and buses idling excessively.
In addition to implementing this plan in New York City, DEC plans to take similar enforcement actions in environmental justice neighborhoods elsewhere in the state.
The initiative comes as a result of a successful city-state crackdown on truck and boiler pollution last year in East Harlem, a neighborhood with high asthma rates and heavy truck traffic.
DEC law enforcement officers pulled over and inspected 361 diesel trucks and issued 163 tickets for violations of various state air and safety regulations. The officers also issued 10 tickets for excessive idling.
The New York City DEP issued 33 tickets for idling trucks and 11 tickets for boilers that violated city codes.
Based on that East Harlem experience, DEC estimates that close to 20 percent of the trucks traveling the area are out of compliance with state air regulations.
With transportation studies showing there are about 10,000 truck trips daily through East Harlem, that means that there could be nearly 2,000 trucks emitting illegal levels of pollutants every work day in the area.
A key feature of the program will involve empowering communities to identify idling hot spots in their neighborhoods. New Yorkers can call 311 and help identify the locations where enforcement personnel will find hot spots of smoking and idling trucks and buses.
"PlaNYC, Mayor Michael Bloomberg's long-term sustainability plan, aims to give New York City the cleanest air of any city in America by reducing the harmful pollutants that decrease lung function and aggravate asthma and reducing emissions from vehicles is an important strategy of this plan," said DEP Acting Commissioner Steven Lawitts.
"There's little, if any, doubt that improving our air quality will help prevent asthma attacks in New York City's most affected communities," Lawitts said. "That's why we are committed to working with our state partners in enforcing emissions standards."
"Our goal is to identify and target hot spots where vehicles and diesel trucks tend to idle and congregate. So,Together with local agencies, advocacy groups and the public, we will continue to reduce air pollution and to protect our children and communities."
"We can solve New York City's diesel pollution problem," said Richard Kassel, NRDC Senior Attorney. "Enforcing the anti-pollution laws already on the books is a smart way to clean up our air and help children with asthma breathe easier."
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
