The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced the availability of $2.0 million in grant funding for tribal applicants to establish clean diesel projects.
Under the grant competition, each applicant may request up to $800,000 in federal funding. The EPA anticipates awarding up to eight tribal assistance agreements.
Projects may include replacing, upgrading or retrofitting school buses, transit buses, heavy-duty diesel trucks, marine engines, locomotives, energy production generators, or other diesel engines. Proposals from tribal applicants must be received by Thursday, Sept. 6.
The Tribal Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program gives priority to projects that achieve a significant reduction in diesel emissions and exposure in areas designated as having poor air quality and in areas receiving a disproportionate quantity of air pollution from diesel fleets. In addition, funding priority will be given to projects that address the needs and concerns of local communities, use partnerships to leverage additional resources to advance the goals of the project, and demonstrate the ability to promote and continue efforts to reduce emissions after the project has ended, according to the EPA.
This competition is part of the Diesel Emission Reduction Act program, which funds projects that clean up the nation’s legacy fleet of diesel engines. The EPA explains that older diesel engines emit more air pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, than newer diesel engines.
More information can be found here.
