EPA Awards $30 Million for Clean Diesel Projects

ATLANTA – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is awarding a combined $3.42 million to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environment Control and the Alabama State Port Authority for clean diesel projects as part of its ongoing campaign to reduce harmful diesel exhaust that can lead to asthma attacks and premature deaths.   

The Diesel Emission Reduction Program, also known as DERA, is designed to replace, retrofit or repower older diesel-powered engines like marine vessels, locomotives, trucks and buses.

Diesel engines are durable, fuel-efficient workhorses in the American economy. However, older diesel engines that predate newer, cleaner standards emit large amounts of air pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM). These pollutants are linked to health problems, including asthma, lung and heart disease and premature death. The clean diesel projects funded through these grants will work to address the more than 11 million older diesel engines that continue to emit higher levels of pollution.

In this year’s competition, winners were selected based on a proposal’s potential for maximizing health and environmental benefits by targeting areas that have significant air quality issues.  Reduced air pollution from diesel engines in these areas can have a direct and significant impact on community health. 

New this year is an increased funding availability per award that will allow EPA to target larger engines used in marine vessels and locomotives, which will result in significant emissions reduced per engine.

 
DERA was enacted in 2005 and since it was first funded in FY 2008, EPA has awarded over 500 grants nationwide. These projects have reduced hundreds of thousands of tons of air pollution and saved millions of gallons of fuel.

More on the grants and the National Clean Diesel Campaign: http://www.epa.gov/cleandiesel

EPA’s Clean Diesel Funding Announcement

Applauded By Diesel Technology Forum

Washington, D.C. – The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) announcement today that it was awarding $30 million for clean diesel projects is another important step in reducing emissions primarily through the use of clean diesel technology, said Allen Schaeffer, the Executive Director of the Diesel Technology Forum.

The funding for the Diesel Emission Reduction Program (DERA) and State Clean Diesel Grant Program are designed to replace, retrofit or repower older diesel-powered engines like marine vessels, locomotives, trucks and buses.

“We are pleased EPA is supporting clean diesel projects with this important funding,” Schaeffer said. “DERA has been one of the most bipartisan and successful clean air programs in the past decade.

“The combination of new clean diesel technology and ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel has helped to reduce diesel emissions to near zero levels for new buses, trucks and off-road equipment.  Now the older engines that continue to power our economy will also benefit from the upgraded engines and filters provided by DERA.”

DERA Has Support of Republicans and Democrats

Schaeffer also noted that DERA is one of the few environmental programs that has sustained strong support from both Republican and Democrats in Washington, D.C. and state capitals throughout the nation.

“DERA’s effectiveness has never been questioned,” he said.  “The bipartisan Diesel Emissions Reduction Act has allowed communities in all 50 states to upgrade older diesel school and transit buses, commercial trucks, locomotives and other equipment with modern and cleaner diesel engines and air filters.

“In addition, DERA is widely supported by more than 500 environmental, health, industry, labor and government organizations.

“A major reason DERA is supported by both political parties is because it is extremely cost effective.  EPA has found that $1 in government investment returns $13 worth of health and environmental benefits to the American people.

New Clean Diesel Technology Can Dramatically Reduce Emissions from Older Diesel Engines

“There are an estimated 11 million existing older diesel engines and equipment that do not have the most recent clean diesel technology which has reduced emissions by 97 percent.  The U.S. needs a two-fold approach based on a solid economic plan that gets the nation’s contractors and truckers to invest in the new generation of the cleanest and most fuel efficient diesel engines ever made.

“Second, we need a fully-funded DERA program that provides assistance to owners of existing engines and equipment that still have productive value but would benefit from modernizing and upgrading.  The new clean diesel engines and ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel have dramatically reduced emissions and helped improve air quality throughout the country,” Schaeffer said.  “But it’s vital that we use this new technology to help clean up the older diesel engines still in use.”

ABOUT THE DIESEL TECHNOLOGY FORUM

The Diesel Technology Forum is a non-profit national organization dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of diesel engines, fuel and technology. Forum members are leaders in clean diesel technology and represent the three key elements of the modern clean-diesel system: advanced engines, vehicles and equipment, cleaner diesel fuel and emissions-control systems. For more information visit www.dieselforum.org.