EPA grant repowers Pittsburgh-area towboats

EPA grant repowers Pittsburgh-area towboats    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday awarded the Port of Pittsburgh Commission a $1.15 million grant to assist local companies repower towboats in the port district.
   The federal funds will be matched by about $1.97 million in private funds by Campbell Transportation Co., Consol Energy, and River Salvage for a total of about $3.1 million.
   The funds will be used to repower eight old engines and generators on four towing vessels, with new, cleaner burning engines and generators, the port commission said in a statement. The vessels are Campbell Transportation's Tensas, Consol Energy's Sara Elizabeth, and the Big Daddy and Anita Domino of River Salvage.
   The port commission surveyed local companies to identify those with projects eligible for the funding and ready to go at this time. A similar, earlier application under the 'Stimulus' program was not funded, but the EPA encouraged the port commission to reapply under a new round and was approved.
   The port commission said it would provide oversight of the grant, meet quarterly with companies, and provide reports.
   The project is calculated to reduce nitrous oxide by 112.6 tons per year, particulate matter by five tons per year, hydrocarbons by 2.13 tons per year, and carbon monoxide by 15.1 tons per year in the Pittsburgh region. The new engines will be able to use ultra-low sulfur fuel, the port commission said.
   The area of operations of the towing companies includes the Pittsburgh-Beaver County area, as well as Clairton, Pa., and West Virginia's Morgantown, Wheeling, Huntington and Charleston.
   The companies will enter into agreements with shipyards and equipment manufacturers to complete the repowering, the port commission said. Most of the work is to be completed in the 12 shipyards in EPA's region III, five of which are in the port commission's district. The repowers will be finished by July 2011.