The city of Bangor, Maine, has agreed to pay a nearly $60,000 fine and switch to biodiesel for its fleet of vehicles to resolve hazardous waste and clean water complaints by the EPA.

The actual complaints concerned the storage, handling and disposal of hazardous wastes and the failure  to train personnel or have contingency plans in violation of federal and state hazardous waste standards. The EPA also charged that Bangor discharged untreated wastewater from its motor pool into a stream that eventually flows to the Penobscot River. Bangor apparently has come into compliance with hazardous waste laws and has disconnected the illicit discharge from the motor pool facility.

But as part of the penalty, or resolution of the complaint, the EPA pushed Bangor to switch over to biodiesel at an estimated additional cost of $165,432.

In addition to paying a $59,586 penalty, the city’s agreement to convert its diesel fleet to biodiesel will reduce emissions of hydrocarbons by 21 percent, of particulates by 5 to 10 percent and of carbon monoxide by 11 percent. The project also has the added benefit of replacing non-renewable fossil fuels with a renewable agricultural-based fuel. The agreement may also help encourage a stronger market for the alternative fuel in central and northern Maine. The federal government’s energy and environment policy has put a priority on converting diesel fleets to biodiesel.

That’s an interesting policy approach. Rather than simply levy a fine, have part of the penalty involve a systemic solution that provides long-term benefit—sort of like community service as applied to individual law-breakers.