H.J.R. 5

1

JOINT RESOLUTION ON CLEAN AIR
2 2010 GENERAL SESSION
3 STATE OF UTAH
4 Chief Sponsor: Carol Spackman Moss
5 Senate Sponsor: Patricia W. Jones
6
7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This joint resolution of the Legislature encourages the citizens of Utah to eliminate all
10 unnecessary idling of motor vehicles.
11 Highlighted Provisions:
12 This resolution:
13 . encourages Utahns to eliminate unnecessary idling of their motor vehicles to protect
14 public health and the environment, reduce air pollution, conserve fuel, and protect
15 motor vehicle performance.
16 Special Clauses:
17 None
18
19 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
20 WHEREAS, exhaust from idling motor vehicles accumulates in and around vehicles
21 and can enter nearby facilities and buildings through air intakes, doors, and open windows;
22 WHEREAS, this exhaust poses a health risk to children, workers, drivers of the
23 vehicles, and the community at large;
24 WHEREAS, exhaust from gas-fueled passenger vehicles and light trucks and
25 diesel-fueled trucks and buses is a significant source of air pollution, including small particles
26 known as fine particulate matter;
27 WHEREAS, while idling, diesel-fueled engines release carbon monoxide, nitrogen

28 oxides, and volatile organic compounds, as well as greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide;
29 WHEREAS, when idling, gas-fueled engines release hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide,
30 sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and precursors to the formation of ground level ozone, as well
31 as greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide;
32 WHEREAS, exposure to exhaust from motor vehicles can cause lung damage,
33 respiratory problems, and heart disease;
34 WHEREAS, exhaust from motor vehicles can exacerbate asthma and existing allergies,
35 lead to lung and other cancers, damage plants and soil, and reduce visibility;
36 WHEREAS, children and the elderly are most likely to be adversely affected by
37 exposure to air pollution;
38 WHEREAS, typical passenger vehicles and diesel-fueled vehicles burn up to a gallon of
39 fuel for every hour of idling;
40 WHEREAS, using a heavy-duty diesel-fueled truck engine to power cab amenities is
41 costly;
42 WHEREAS, 10 seconds of idling uses more fuel than turning off and restarting the
43 motor vehicle's engine;
44 WHEREAS, unwarranted idling can cause excessive engine wear and contaminate
45 spark plugs and engine oil;
46 WHEREAS, excessive idling can increase motor vehicle maintenance costs and shorten
47 engine life;
48 WHEREAS, reducing the idling and the associated air pollution of motor vehicles,
49 including school and other buses and diesel-fueled trucks, will save money and fuel, reduce
50 dependence on foreign sources of fuel, secure health benefits, protect the environment, and
51 improve the quality of life in Utah;
52 WHEREAS, reducing engine idling decreases the emission of air pollutants and thereby
53 avoids attendant adverse health impacts;
54 WHEREAS, the Legislature recognizes that there are circumstances in which no
55 alternative to idling is available, including when an engine is needed to operate equipment used
56 to load or unload merchandise, when a utility company's construction and maintenance
57 vehicle's engine must run to perform needed work, when idling lasts less than three minutes by
58 public transportation buses making repeated stops to discharge and pick up passengers, and

59 when idling is necessitated by service or repair or by an emergency vehicle;
60 WHEREAS, drivers who turn off their engines, rather than idling unnecessarily, benefit
61 from fuel savings and decreased costs associated with engine maintenance;
62 WHEREAS, by reducing consumption of fuel, drivers, businesses, and government
63 entities can save on costs and decrease reliance on foreign sources of fuel;
64 WHEREAS, idle control technologies are available for long-haul trucks that provide
65 heat, air conditioning, and electrical power to the truck cab without requiring the engine to run;
66 WHEREAS, frequent restarting has little impact on engine components such as the
67 battery and starter motor, and wear caused by restarting is an expense that can be readily
68 recouped by fuel savings;
69 WHEREAS, even on winter days, modern gas-fueled passenger car engines do not need
70 more than 30 seconds of idling before they can be driven;
71 WHEREAS, diesel-fueled passenger truck and bus engines generally require less than
72 five minutes of idling to warm up; and
73 WHEREAS, owners and operators of long-haul trucks can use one of several idle
74 control technologies, such as auxiliary power units and truck stop electrification, to provide
75 heat, air conditioning, and electric power to the truck cab without idling:
76 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah
77 encourages drivers on Utah roads to avoid excessive idling which, as a general rule, is more
78 than 10 to 15 seconds for passenger vehicles.
79 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature encourages drivers on Utah roads
80 to turn off engines as soon as possible after arriving at loading or unloading areas and not to
81 restart the vehicles until they are ready to depart.
82 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature encourages drivers of service
83 delivery vehicles to turn off their engines while making deliveries, avoiding drive-up or
84 drive-through services, and instead park their cars to access businesses and services.
85 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature encourages drivers to turn off
86 engines during passenger pickup and drop-off, such as at schools, airports, and public
87 transportation hubs.
88 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature encourages drivers of gas-fueled
89 passenger vehicles to limit engine warm-up to 30 seconds and encourages drivers of

90 diesel-fueled passenger vehicles, buses, and trucks to limit engine warm-up to the time
91 recommended by the vehicle's manufacturer, which is generally less than five minutes.
92 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature encourages owners and operators of
93 long-haul trucks to use one of several idle control technologies, like auxiliary power units and
94 truck stop electrification, that provide heat, air conditioning, and electric power to the truck cab
95 without idling.
96 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature encourages businesses and
97 government to encourage customers not to idle cars and encourages businesses, schools, airport
98 authorities, and governmental entities frequented by customers who idle their motor vehicles to
99 post signs to discourage idling.
100 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Utah
101 Department of Environmental Quality and the Utah Department of Transportation.




Legislative Review Note
as of 1-7-10 9:22 AM

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel