MBTA agrees to reduce diesel pollution in South Boston, Scituate

The federal EPA announced today the MBTA has agreed to changes in fuels and idling procedures to reduce pollution at the Widett Circle layover facility in South Boston and the Greenbush line station in Scituate.

The T will also pay a $225,000 fine, the EPA says.

In a consent decree, the T agreed to switch locomotives on the commuter-rail system to "ultra-clean diesel fuel" for two years, install electrical systems at certain yards and stations to plug coaches in so that diesels don't have to run while trains are waiting to go into service and install, by the end of 2012, new, cleaner auxiliary engines on 14 trains. The settlement also requires the T and the MBCR to have trains lay over only at facilities with plug-in service.

The EPA says residents living near the two facilities complained about the fumes. At Widett Circle, the EPA says, trains idled for an average of almost four hours at a time.

The EPA estimates the improvements will cost $2 million.