Sprague celebrates 25 years of pioneering ULSD in New York City
- Sprague Operating Resources LLC
- 3 hours ago
- 4 min read
Sprague Operating Resources LLC, a leading provider of energy solutions across the Northeast, is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its groundbreaking work with New York City Transit that pioneered the commercialization of ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) in the United States.
This historic effort began a full decade before the federal mandate took effect, accelerating a major shift in public policy and technology.
The introduction of ULSD was a critical step in a broader effort to address New York City’s persistent air-quality issues.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, with asthma hospitalization rates a major concern across the city, officials faced mounting pressure to curb pollution.
In the face of limited and expensive options—like compressed natural gas buses—NYCT sought an innovative, cost-effective solution.
“In the late 1990s, NYCT was committed to reducing the environmental impact of the bus fleet,” said Dana Lowell, former head of research and development for the NYCT department of buses. “We immediately saw the value of diesel particulate filter (DPF) technology and were eager to test it. But there was one problem—we needed a ‘special’ ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel to make it work.”
After an extended field test with emissions reporting by Environment Canada, ULSD proved to lower emissions and work with existing equipment seamlessly.
In September 2000, Sprague took a bold, proactive step, becoming the pioneer supplier of ULSD to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for the NYCT Clean-Fuel Bus Program.
This move occurred a full decade before the U.S. EPA mandate for all on-road ULSD took full effect in 2010.
The key to the program’s success was its pragmatic, technology-neutral approach, which invited the fastest and most cost-effective innovations to reduce diesel bus pollution.
ULSD, with a sulfur content of 15 parts per million (ppm) compared to the previous standard of up to 500 ppm, did more than just clean up the fuel itself.
Crucially, it paved the way for the adoption of modern emissions-reduction technologies, such as DPFs, on diesel buses and trucks.
“The result was a solution that eliminated more than 90 percent of the problem, and a solution that was easily scaled to other transit and trucking fleets across the country and around the world,” said Rich Kassel, who led the “Dump Dirty Diesels” campaign at the Natural Resources Defense Council at the time and co-chaired the task force that considered the technology options.
By pairing the cleaner fuel with the new filter technology, the NYCT program ultimately cut harmful particulate-matter pollution from its bus fleet by over 90 percent by 2006, setting a global standard for urban mass transit.
“We also knew that every dollar spent to clean up old diesel trucks would yield more than $12 in health benefits, making diesel clean-up extremely cost-effective,” said former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, who was EPA administrator at the time.
“This wasn't just a product switch,” said Steven J. Levy, managing director at Sprague Energy, a central figure in the company’s clean-fuel initiatives. “It was a commitment to public health, cleaner cities and the future of transportation. Twenty-five years ago, we recognized the opportunity to partner with NYCT in their quest to reduce emissions. Sprague’s investment in supply and distribution infrastructure proved that ULSD could be implemented at scale, long before the industry was ready. It’s what we do—find solutions for ourselves and our customers.”
Following the tragic events of 9/11, Sprague’s early investment also allowed construction equipment at the World Trade Center site to operate with cleaner fuel.
This became a model for “clean construction,” dramatically reducing emissions during the massive rebuilding effort in Lower Manhattan.
Sprague’s leadership was recognized by federal authorities.
In 2003, Levy hosted then-EPA Administrator Whitman and EPA Region II Administrator Jane Kenny at one of Sprague’s ULSD terminals to highlight the private sector’s role.
The pioneering legacy of the ULSD conversion continues to drive Sprague’s work, the company said.
That same spirit is evident in Sprague’s recent focus on renewable diesel, a modern, drop-in nonfossil-fuel replacement for traditional diesel that significantly cuts greenhouse-gas emissions and particulate matter.
“Everything old is new again,” commented Barry Panicola, the managing director of commercial sales at Sprague. “The same way ULSD was introduced before it was required, we’re now doing the same with renewable diesel. ULSD afforded a clean-air solution in the early 2000s, and today, renewable diesel offers an immediate, nonfossil-fuel option as we transition to electrification and other future technologies. We’re seeing history repeat itself, with even better outcomes.”
Sprague is currently:
Supplying the NYC DOT Staten Island Ferry with renewable diesel through a contract with the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services, further reducing the city’s marine-fleet emissions.
Supplying the first retail fuel stations east of the Rockies in New York City to dispense renewable diesel, offering a drop-in solution for commercial and private fleets.
Generally supplying renewable diesel to various government and commercial accounts across its service territory of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
From delivering the first gallons of ULSD to the MTA to supplying cleaner fuel for construction at Ground Zero and now leading the renewable diesel introduction to the maritime industry, Sprague said its legacy of clean-fuel leadership continues.
As Sprague marks this 25-year milestone, the company said it reaffirms its dedication to leading the energy transition, ensuring that its customers stay ahead of environmental mandates while it continues its legacy of delivering cleaner, more sustainable energy options to the communities it serves.
