Grants & Funding
National Funding Assistance Program
EPA’s National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program awards competitive grants to fund projects that implement EPA or CARB verified and certified diesel emission reduction technologies.
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2011 Awarded Projects
EPA has awarded $50 million for clean diesel projects as part of its ongoing campaign to reduce harmful emissions in the air and better protect people's health. These efforts will replace, retrofit or repower more than 8,000 older school buses, trucks, locomotives, vessels, and other diesel powered machines. Reducing emissions from existing diesels provides cost-effective public health and environmental benefits while supporting green jobs at manufacturers, dealerships and businesses across the country. Full Press Release
Background
The National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program provides funding to reduce emissions from existing diesel engines through a variety of strategies, including but not limited to: add-on emission control retrofit technologies; idle reduction technologies; cleaner fuel use; engine repowers; engine upgrades; and/or vehicle or equipment replacement; and the creation of innovative finance programs to fund diesel emissions reduction projects. Under this grant program, funding is restricted to the use of EPA and California Air Resources Board (CARB) verified and certified diesel emission reduction technologies.
Information about the program for 2012-2016 can be found at Reauthorization of Diesel Grants
Eligible Applicants
- U.S. regional, state, local or tribal agencies/consortia or port authorities with jurisdiction over transportation or air quality
- Nonprofit organizations or institutions that:
- represent or provide pollution reduction or educational services to people or organizations that own or operate diesel fleets; or
- have, as their principal purpose, the promotion of transportation or air quality
School districts, municipalities, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), cities and counties are all eligible entities under this assistance agreement program to the extent that they fall within the definition above.
Eligible Use of Funding
The following types of fleets qualify for funding:
- Buses
- Medium or heavy duty trucks
- Marine engines
- Locomotives
- Non-road engines or vehicles used in:
- construction
- handling of cargo (including at a port or airport)
- agriculture
- mining
- energy production (including stationary generators and pumps)
At least half the funds will be for the benefit of public fleets. This includes private fleets contracted or leased for public purpose, such as private school buses, refuse haulers, or equipment at public ports. However, only eligible entities can apply directly to EPA for funding (e.g., a school district would apply and administer a project on behalf of the private school bus contractor).
Grant applicants can propose projects to significantly reduce diesel emissions by
- deploying EPA or California Air Resources Board (CARB) verified retrofit technologies
- early replacement of engines or vehicles (incremental cleaner technology costs only - see Request for Proposals)
- repowering with EPA certified cleaner diesel or certified alternate fuel engine configurations
- reducing long-duration idling with EPA approved technologies
Examples of verified retrofit technologies
- Diesel Oxidation Catalysts
- Diesel Particulate Matter Filters (wall or flow-through)
- Closed Crank Case Ventilation Systems
- Biodiesel
- Engine Upgrade Kits
Examples of verified idle reduction technologies
- Auxiliary power units
- Electrified parking spaces (truck stop electrification)
- Shore connection systems and alternative maritime power
- Shore connection systems for locomotives
- Automatic shutdown/start-up systems for locomotives
Note: Equipment that is used for testing emissions and/or fueling infrastructure costs is not eligible for funding. Pursuant to Section 792(d)(2) of the EPAct of 2005, no funds awarded under this program shall be used to fund the costs of emissions reductions that are mandated under Federal, state or local law.