N.Y.-N.J. sweetens truck replacement deal

N.Y.-N.J. sweetens truck replacement deal    The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Board of Commissioners on Thursday agreed to supplement to its truck replacement program.
   The agency will help fund the replacement of about 126 additional drayage trucks with 1994 to 2003 model year engines that frequently serve the port with trucks equipped with engines built in model year 2007 or newer.
   The agency will invest $4.7 million, along with a $1.6 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, to provide $6.3 million for replacing the trucks, with the actual number contingent upon purchase price of the newer trucks.
   In July 23, 2009, the board authorized a program to help replace about 636 pre-1994 model drayage trucks. To date, applications to replace 201 older trucks have been submitted, and 53 trucks have been replaced.
   In December 2010, a study estimated that about 3,990 drayage trucks of model years 1994 to 2003, and about 231 drayage trucks of model years 1993 or older, each serve the port’s marine terminal facilities three or more times per week.
   At the beginning of this year, the port authority banned Class 8 dray trucks with pre-1994 model year engines from servicing the port. In addition, Class 8 drayage trucks with engines that fail to meet or exceed 2007 model year on-road federal EPA heavy-duty diesel-fueled emission standards will be denied access to its marine terminal facilities after 2016.
   Also Thursday, the port authority board authorized extending a lease with Cargill Inc., for a liquid bulk orange juice terminal in Port Newark-Elizabeth through the end of 2016. Cargill has operated a terminal there for about 25 years. ' Chris Dupin