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AGC Member Earns 'National Clean Diesel Campaign Pioneer' Award from U.S. EPA

AGC member Bob Lanham (William Brothers Construction, Houston, Texas) was awarded for his leadership and endorsement of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Clean Diesel Campaign retrofit program. The Award of Recognition was presented in Washington, D.C., by EPA's Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation Gina McCarthy during the recent Clean Diesel 10 conference.  EPA selected Lanham as the sole construction industry representative to receive such an honor. Lanham continues to demonstrate the effectiveness of an incentive-based approach to cleaning up the "legacy" fleet of off-road construction equipment by maintaining an effective business model while reducing diesel emissions.  EPA has recognized him as a partner in those efforts over the last ten years.  According to a case study on EPA's website, Williams Brothers Construction Company "has become a national model... [by taking] a proactive approach embracing innovative measures for reducing diesel emissions." [caption id="attachment_1721" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Caption: L to R - Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator U.S. EPA Office of Air and Radiation; Bob Lanham, vice president Williams Brothers Construction Company; Margo Oge, director U.S. EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality. EPA’s top air leaders tell Bob Lanham that his “exemplary efforts and early support of the National Clean Diesel Campaign inspired others to become involved, and to unite behind the common goal of reducing diesel emissions.”"]Caption: L to R - Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator U.S. EPA Office of Air and Radiation; Bob Lanham, vice president Williams Brothers Construction Company; Margo Oge, director U.S. EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality. EPA’s top air leaders tell Bob Lanham that his “exemplary efforts and early support of the National Clean Diesel Campaign inspired others to become involved, and to unite behind the common goal of reducing diesel emissions.” [/caption] Williams Brothers has been an advocate for non-regulatory, incentive-based control measures for on- and off-road diesel equipment.  In addition to engine and equipment replacement, the company has implemented several environmental policies that have become models for other construction firms interested promoting clean air while maintaining a profitable bottom line. These corporate environmental policies include:
  1.     A no idling policy
  2.     Preventative maintenance policies and procedures
  3.     Use of low sulfur diesel fuel in construction equipment
Clean Diesel 10 AGC helped to plan and moderate the "Non-road Track" at Clean Diesel 10, a significant event held last month to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of EPA's National Clean Diesel Campaign.  AGC has been actively involved in EPA's NCDC since its inception in 2000, and today, AGC continues to collaborate with EPA to provide the association's 95 Chapters and nearly 33,000 members with the information they need to make the voluntary program work (click here to see related story in this Observer). [caption id="attachment_1722" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="L to R - Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator U.S. EPA Office of Air and Radiation, thanks AGC’s General Counsel Michael Kennedy and AGC’s Senior Environmental Advisor Leah Pilconis for their “partnership” and “significant contribution to the clean diesel program,” headed up by EPA’s Jim Blubaugh."] L to R - Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator U.S. EPA Office of Air and Radiation, thanks AGC’s General Counsel Michael Kennedy and AGC’s Senior Environmental Advisor Leah Pilconis for their “partnership” and “significant contribution to the clean diesel program,” headed up by EPA’s Jim Blubaugh.[/caption] For more information, contact Leah Pilconis at (703) 837-5332 or pilconisl@agc.org.