Diesel retrofits in NE Ga. aimed at cutting smog

ATHENS - A $1.7 million federal stimulus grant to the University of Georgia is being used to retrofit diesel vehicles to reduce pollution.

Officials say the money will be used to retrofit 239 to 253 diesel buses, agriculture and construction equipment, tractor-trailers and garbage trucks in Clarke and Washington counties, both of which are under scrutiny for their air quality.

The filters are bolted onto vehicles' mufflers and remove nitrogen oxide, fine particulates and carbon monoxide from engine exhaust. Nitrogen oxide is a main component in smog.

After the retrofits, the vehicles run on ultra-low-sulfur fuel.

The Environmental Protection Agency says the retrofits will reduce each vehicle's fine particulate emissions by 6.4 tons, hydrocarbons by 13 tons and carbon monoxide by 91 tons.