Finance Program FY08

Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.

This web page was originally published in March 2008.

This program allows EPA to explore innovative funding opportunities through a national grant competition. These innovative funding programs will provide financial assistance to fleets to reduce diesel emissions (~3.4 million for FY08).

What is the National Clean Diesel Finance Program?
Who Can Apply?
What is an Eligible Use of Funding?
Project Examples

What is the National Clean Diesel Finance Program?

The National Clean Diesel Finance Program, administered by EPA's Smartway Transport Partnerships, will award cooperative agreements to establish innovative finance programs, like low cost loans, for buyers of eligible diesel vehicles and equipment to reduce diesel emissions throughout the United States.

Innovative finance projects include those where the loan recipient receives a unique financial incentive (i.e., greater than regular market rates or conditions) for the purchase of eligible vehicles or equipment.

Particular emphasis is on establishing low cost loan programs for the retrofit of used pre-2007 highway vehicles (e.g., heavy-duty trucks) and new or used pieces of nonroad equipment (e.g., bulldozer) with EPA or California Air Resources Board verified emission control technologies.

For more information on EPA's Smartway Innovative Financing: What SmartWay Can Do For You: Innovative Financing

Who Can Apply?

Eligibility Information

The 2008 SmartWay Clean Diesel Finance Program Request for Proposals (PDF) (24 pp, 141k) is open until June 9, 2008.

What is an Eligible Use of Funding?

Finance Program cooperative agreements are used to establish innovative financing. The financing must:

Lower costs to the buyer by providing lower interest rates, longer repayment terms, greater approvability of loan, or some other financial incentive where the loan recipient receives a unique financial incentive (i.e., greater than regular market rates or conditions) for the eligible vehicle or equipment.
Apply nationally or multi-EPA Regionally to any eligible vehicle or equipment owner residing in the United States, its Territories, and Tribal Lands. In some cases, EPA Regions may also offer cooperative agreements for innovative finance programs under their solicitation of proposals. In the case of Regional solicitations, the grant recipient must limit their proposed innovative financing to eligible vehicle or equipment owners that reside in the Region’s States, Territories, or Tribal Lands. Note, there is no requirement in the Regional solicitations that the vehicles or equipment operate exclusively with the Region’s area.

Finance proposals may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Issuance of loan guarantees
Equity investments that leverage additional funds
Issuance of tax exempt or taxable bonds to create a low-cost loan program
Revolving loan funds

What is an Eligible Use of Funds?

The following types of vehicles and equipment qualify for funding:

Buses
Medium or heavy-duty trucks (particular emphasis on used pre-2007 heavy duty trucks)
Marine vessels
Locomotives
Nonroad equipment, and vehicles used in construction
Stationary generators and engines
Cargo handling equipment (including at a port or airport)
Agricultural equipment
Mining equipment
Energy production equipment

Project Examples

A national environmental group, partnering with a lending institution and used truck dealerships, establishes a low interest loan program for used, pre-2007 heavy-duty trucks retrofitted with an EPA verified emission control technology. The environmental group leverages additional funds by borrowing funds from another lending institution. The lower interest rate comes from the blending of EPA funds (at 0 percent interest) and borrowed funds at lower market rates. Working with used truck dealerships, potential truck purchasers are offered a loan at lower interest rates if they select the retrofitted truck.
A State transportation agency, partnering with a State economic development agency and new/used construction equipment dealerships, issues a state bond that creates a low interest loan program for the purchase of new or used pieces of non-road construction equipment retrofitted with an EPA or California Air Resources Board verified emission control technology. The State transportation agency uses the EPA award to create the bond initiative by paying for bond issuance fees, bond counsel and bank attorney fees, underwriter fees, trustee fees, and bond insurance. Once the bond receives sufficient investors, the funds are loaned through participating equipment dealerships. Potential equipment purchasers are given the choice to purchase the retrofitted equipment with a loan at a lower than market interest rate, or the traditional non-retrofitted equipment at a market based interest rate.

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