The New York State (NYS) Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) handed out multiple citations in October as part of an “area-wide environmental quality detail focused on commercial vehicles.”
On November 9, the NYS DEC released results from activities conducted by Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs) statewide.
Officials said the ECOs focused on commercial vehicle environmental quality offenses taking place in Orange, Rockland, and Westchester Counties in October, which “resulted in a variety of tickets for offenses, including the unlawful transfer of solid waste and leaking oil.”
See below for the DEC’s breakdown of the commercial vehicle enforcement actions taken by ECOs in late October.
- On October 19, ECOs Franz, Malone, and Schuck observed several trucks dumping fill at a construction site during an environmental quality enforcement detail in the Town of Tuxedo, Orange County. During a more thorough inspection, the Officers determined that the fill material and site were contaminated with construction and demolition materials, including brick, asphalt, and plastic, which are violations of New York State’s Environmental Conservation Law. The drivers were issued tickets for the related offenses, including failure to possess a tracking document for shipments of waste and transporting waste without a registration, as required. Transportation of solid waste is highly regulated in New York State and strictly enforced by DEC’s Division of Law Enforcement. Tickets are returnable to the Town of Tuxedo Court.
- On October 21, ECOs Franz, Malone, and Schuck observed a waste transporter operating in the Village of Tarrytown, Westchester County, with an expired diesel emissions inspection. ECOs initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle, investigated further, and discovered the waste oil removal vacuum truck was also operating with an expired New York State Part 364 waste transporter registration. The company received multiple tickets for both offenses, returnable to the Village of Tarrytown Court.
- On October 24, ECOs Malone and Schuck observed a truck idling in a parking lot in the Town of Ramapo, Rockland County, for nearly 10 minutes. The Officers inspected the truck and observed the front tire discharging fluid from the wheel hub. Tickets were issued to the driver for idling diesel for longer than five minutes, a violation related to air pollution control, and depositing an unwholesome substance on a highway, both violations of New York State’s Environmental Conservation Law. Tickets are returnable to the Town of Ramapo Court.
- On October 31, ECOs Franz and Schuck conducted enforcement details in the City of Yonkers, Westchester County, that resulted in 13 tickets, one written warning, and multiple verbal warnings for offenses connected to unregistered waste transporters, uncovered loads of solid waste, and other vehicle and traffic law violations. All tickets are returnable to Yonkers City Court. ECOs routinely patrol Environmental Justice Communities, such as Yonkers, to help ensure the fair and meaningful treatment of all people, regardless of race, income, national origin or color, with respect to development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
You can learn more about New York State’s idling regulations for heavy-duty trucks here.
The post New York environmental conservation officers target CMVs for idling too long, leaking oil, and waste hauler violations appeared first on CDLLife.
