H.J.R. 5 Enrolled

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

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

86 transportation hubs.
87 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature encourages drivers of gas-fueled
88 passenger vehicles to limit engine warm-up to 30 seconds and encourages drivers of
89 diesel-fueled passenger vehicles, buses, and trucks to limit engine warm-up to the time
90 recommended by the vehicle's manufacturer, which is generally less than five minutes.
91 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature encourages owners and operators of
92 long-haul trucks to use one of several idle control technologies, like auxiliary power units and
93 truck stop electrification, that provide heat, air conditioning, and electric power to the truck cab
94 without idling.
95 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature encourages businesses and
96 government to encourage customers not to idle cars and encourages businesses, schools, airport
97 authorities, and governmental entities frequented by customers who idle their motor vehicles to
98 post signs to discourage idling.
99 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Utah
100 Department of Environmental Quality and the Utah Department of Transportation.