University of Louisville
OP-2: Outdoor Air Quality

University of Louisville No Idling Policy

Policy:
This shall apply to all vehicles owned by the University of Louisville or its affiliates or operated by any employee or contractor of the university during the course of their job duties at the university. All UofL personnel or agents of UofL that operate a vehicle or powered equipment shall be made aware of this policy prior to operations and refreshed as necessary.
All vehicles should be turned off when not in use or when the driver leaves the vehicle for any length of time. Equipment should not be left idling more than 1 minute and should be turned off unless doing so would hurt its operation.

Exceptions:
• Vehicles at job sites requiring the use of emergency lights or other powered accessories to accomplish their assignment.
• Department of Public Safety vehicles are exempted during emergency and training situations.
• Inclement weather situations where the supervisor authorizes the use of the vehicle/equipment heater-defroster for the work crew’s comfort when the temperature is below freezing or over 90 degrees. In these situations vehicle may idle for 5 minutes for heating/cooling. At no time should the vehicle be left unattended.

Background:
Unnecessary idling poses a risk to people in the vicinity and to the environment. Engine emissions are increasingly connected to a wide variety of health complaints. Automobile exhaust leads to tropospheric ozone formation and other forms of air pollution. It also releases greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, a major contributor to global climate change. No-idling is a simple and cost-effective way to reduce emissions and protect health.
Vehicles idling get zero miles per gallon. Unnecessary idling wastes fuel and pollutes. Running an engine at a low speed also causes more wear and tear on the vehicle. Studies have shown that the break-even point of turning an engine off and restarting it as compared to leaving it on to idle is 30 seconds.

Guidance:
Drivers of vehicles should turn off their vehicles as soon as possible to reduce idling and harmful emissions. Vehicles should be turned off when unloading passengers or goods. Buses should not idle while waiting for students during field trips, athletic events or other events using buses. Engines of service vehicles should be turned off while making deliveries. Vehicles should be turned off while waiting at train crossings. Where appropriate, signage shall be used to inform drivers of the no-idling policy.

UofL submits annual emission inventories to the local Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District (LMAPCD) and EPA Region IV by April 15 for the previous calendar year. The stationary sources considered as emission sources are those specified in Belknap campus's Title V permit and include the following sources (and what is tracked and contributes to the emission totals): boilers at the Steam and Chill Plant (natural gas and fuel oil quantities usages are tracked), the Print Shop (gallons of paints/solvents used), emergency generators (hours operated); hot water and steam boilers (hours operated), a paint booth (gallons of materials used), a parts washer (gallons used), cooling towers (estimated total dissolved solids in water). EPA emission factors are used for both Criteria Air Pollutants and Hazardous Air Pollutants, and contribute to the reported emissions from the boilers, generators, steam boilers and heaters. The ozone-depleting compounds we inventory are VOCs and the "Other standard categories of air emissions identified in permits and/or regulations" listed here represent Ammonia emissions.

Reported emissions were taken from the University's annual emission inventory, which is an annual requirement according to the Title V permit for Belknap campus. Emissions are for a calendar year 2017.