Border 2012 U.S.-Mexico Environmental Program

Improving Air Quality in Arizona-Sonora
August 2008

THE PURPOSE OF THIS INFORMATION Bulletin is to provide

residents of the Arizona-Sonora border region with news and updates on the Border 2012 U.S.-Mexico Environmental Program.
This edition focuses on projects of the Ambos Nogales Air Task
Force, which is part of the Arizona-Sonora Regional Workgroup.
Activities under this workgroup strive to accomplish Border
2012’s mission of protecting the environment and public health
in the U.S.-Mexico border region, consistent with the principles
of sustainable development. For more information on the Border
2012 Program please visit www.epa.gov/Border2012.

Diesel Emission Reductions through
Retrofitting: Improving Air Quality
within the Ambos Nogales Region

The difference between the two types of technology is the type
of fuel used. DOCs can be installed on new or used commercial
vehicles and buses using regular diesel fuel, whereas DPFs can
only be used in conjunction with ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) fuel
as well as other cleaner fuels like biodiesel and emulsified diesel.
The installation of DOCs is expected to reduce PM emissions from
these vehicles by 20 to 30 percent and reduce CO and HC emissions by 50 percent. Vehicles retrofitted with DPFs are expected
to reduce PM emissions by 90 percent and NOx emissions by 5
to 10 percent. To date, ADEQ has retrofitted 32 school buses in
the region—29 with DOCs and 3 with DPFs—and plans to retrofit
an additional 10 school buses and 50 hauling trucks.
As a result, these projects will help to reach the goals of the Border 2012 Binational Environmental Program by improving air quality and human health along the Arizona-Sonora border.

Vehicle emissions have long been identified as one of the

main sources of ambient air pollution within the Ambos Nogales
Cocospera air basin. Recently, Arizona has focused its efforts to
reduce these emissions through the retrofitting of older diesel engines with air pollution control devices.
To assist with these efforts, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) was awarded funds by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for two projects in the Ambos
Nogales region to retrofit diesel powered school buses and commercial trucks with two EPA approved retrofit technologies: diesel
oxidation catalysts (DOC) and diesel particulate filters (DPF).
Both control devices break down pollutants such as particulate
matter (PM), hydrocarbons (HC), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO) before they are released into the atmosphere.

Project stakeholders at El Instituto Tecnologico de Nogales biodiesel laboratory

Biodiesel Demonstration Project Builds
Binational Capacity in Ambos Nogales
Those of us who live along the border know that in addi-

tion to sharing a culture, we share the same environment and find
that the existing problems within the areas of air, water, waste and
health are all interrelated.

The Rio Rico School District Bus Fleet
Any ADEQ translation or communication in a language other than English is unofficial
and not binding on the State of Arizona.

Nogales, Sonora, is served by a binational wastewater conveyance system that forwards waste to Nogales, Arizona. Analysis
has shown that the improper disposal of waste vegetable oil and
grease has generated challenges for treatment plant management; including sewer clogs and overflows.
Printed on recycled paper

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Improving Air Quality in Arizona-Sonora

In addition to wastewater, the Ambos Nogales air basin also suffers from poor air quality; national ambient air quality standards
are regularly exceeded in both Nogales, Arizona and Nogales, Sonora. Particulate matter is the primary cause of those violations,
and diesel vehicle emissions are a major source in the region.
To address these multimedia issues, the Arizona-Sonora Air, Water, Waste and Environmental Health Task Forces, developed a
project to build biodiesel production and distribution capacity
within the Ambos Nogales region. The demonstration project,
which began last year, intends to reclaim waste vegetable oil and
grease from local restaurants and maquiladoras, convert it into
biodiesel, and demonstrate the use of the fuel in school and public sector safety vehicles. Currently, the project has begun the production of biodiesel within local communities and is now evaluating its continuing use in the Ambos Nogales region.
Biodiesel is an EPA-approved alternative, renewable fuel, which
meets the American Society of Testing and Material (ASTM) standard and is the only alternative fuel to have completed the rigorous
Health Effects testing requirements of the Clean Air Act. Biodiesel
may be blended with petroleum-based diesels and used directly
in diesel engines. The use of this renewable fuel will benefit air
quality in the region because the combustion of biodiesel releases
less particulate matter, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons than
its petroleum diesel counterpart. In addition, through creating a
market for used vegetable oil, less oil and grease will be disposed
of through the municipal sewer system and landfills.
This project will promote the use of cleaner burning renewable
fuels in the Ambos Nogales region and is an example of extensive
binational collaboration among several public and private sector
institutions in both Sonora and Arizona.

Urban Road Paving Program
in Nogales, Sonora, to Reduce
Particulate Matter Pollution
A common trend shared border-wide is the high demand

for an improved transportation infrastructure. The abundance of
unpaved urban roadways presents both economic and public
health concerns on both sides of the border.
In Nogales, Sonora, the city’s unpaved roadways are the main
sources of an annual 8,896 tons of suspended particle (PM10)
emissions. The movement of private vehicles and public transportation, coupled with the area's frequent windy conditions, result
in the suspension of these fine dust particles in the air that are a
potential source of respiratory illnesses (allergies, asthma, etc.)
primarily among children and young adults.
To address this issue, the city of Nogales, Sonora has secured
an infrastructure loan for $8.83 million from the North American
Development Bank (NADB) to fund the city’s Comprehensive Paving and Air Quality Program. The program aims to pave more than
3.2 million square feet of public streets with reinforced waterproof
concrete and asphalt in 30 of its subdivisions. Priority will be given
to roadways used for public transport.
"With its accelerated economic and industrial development and
a population growth rate more than double the national average,

An unpaved road in Nogales, Sonora

Nogales, Sonora, needs as much support as possible to move
basic infrastructure projects off the ground and keep up with current and future demand for services," stated Héctor Camacho,
Deputy Managing Director of the North American Development
Bank (NADB).
Paving dirt roads will reduce air pollution from suspended dust
particles in the Cocospera air basin shared by Nogales, Sonora,
and Nogales, Arizona, thus improving the overall health conditions for residents. In addition, paving streets will increase public
safety by facilitating the access of police, firefighters and ambulances to these cities.

Contacts

Websites

Arizona/Sonora Task Force
Co-Chairs

U.S. Epa Border 2012
Program

Edna A. Mendoza
Arizona Department of
Environmental Quality
eam@azdeq.gov

www.epa.gov/Border2012

Martín Cruz
Comisión de Ecología y Desarrollo
Sustentable del Estado de Sonora
(CEDES)
martin.cruz@cedes.gob.mx

www.azdeq.gov

U.S. EPA Border Air
Coordinator
Christine Vineyard
Vineyard.Christine@epa.gov

Arizona Department of
Environmental Quality
(ADEQ)
Secretariat For
Environment And Natural
Resources (SEMARNAT)
www.semarnat.gob.mx

Commission Of Ecology
And Sustainable
Development (CEDES)
www.cedes.gob.mx

Border Environment
Cooperation Comission
(BECC)
www.cocef.org

North American
Development Bank (NADB)
www.nadbank.org