ALBANY - A coalition of environmental, public health and business groups testified this week in support of regulations drafted by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation which implement aspects of the New York State.

As specified in regulations, on-road and off-road heavy duty diesel vehicles which are owned or under contract with New York State must use ultra low sulfur diesel fuel, and be fitted with best available retrofit technologies by December 31, 2010.

"Year after year, and day after day, New Yorkers are exposed to some of the dirtiest air in the nation," said Louise Vetter, Chief Executive Officer for the American Lung Association of New York. "These regulations will ensure that technology, which is available today and can be installed immediately, will be required on the state owned and operated fleet of diesel powered on-road and off-road vehicles."

"Implementation of comprehensive NY DERA regulations will support the jobs and economic development investment Corning has made in upstate New York," said G. Thomas Tranter, Jr., president of Corning Enterprises.

The Diesel Emission Reduction Act of 2006 required the commissioner of DEC to enact rules governing which technologies shall be considered best available retrofit technologies. The law also established the following schedule for installing the retrofit technologies: not less than 33 percent of vehicles by December 31, 2008; not less than 66 percent of vehicles by December 31, 2009; and, not less than 100% of vehicles by December 31, 2010.