News Releases from Region 09
EPA awards Diesel Emissions Reduction Act grants for clean air projects in California
SAN FRANCISCO – As part of the West Coast Collaborative, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $7,076,382 in Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) grants to California to curb harmful pollution from large diesel sources, such as trucks, buses, and agriculture equipment.
"Clean diesel technologies not only improve air quality, but advance innovation and support jobs,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. "These projects will significantly reduce harmful emissions and directly benefit the health of residents.”
"By promoting clean diesel technologies, we can improve air quality and human health, advance American innovation and support green jobs in economically disadvantaged communities, while growing our economy," said Alexis Strauss, Acting Regional Administrator for EPA's Pacific Southwest Region. "Public-private partnerships like the West Coast Collaborative are leading the way on reducing harmful diesel emissions and creating jobs.”
The DERA program is administered by EPA's West Coast Collaborative, a clean air public-private partnership that leverages public and private funds to reduce emissions from the most polluting diesel sources in impacted communities in West Coast states and U.S. Territories.
Award recipients in California:
South Coast Air Quality Management District was awarded $1,050,000 to replace ten 2012 or newer diesel trucks with new trucks powered by engines certified to meet California Air Resources Board’s optional low nitrogen oxide emission standard. The 2012 and newer trucks will be used to replace ten model year 1995–2006 heavy-duty diesel trucks, which will then be scrapped in Washington State.
The City of Long Beach Harbor Department was awarded $2,423,448 to replace old marine vessel and cargo handling equipment engines with Tier 3 and all electric zero emissions engines operating at the Port of Long Beach. The funds will be combined with $3,354,772 in matching funds from the Harbor Department’s project partners, Foss Maritime, Curtin Maritime, and SSA Marine, to implement the project.
San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District was awarded $1,239,959 to replace agricultural tractors and equipment operating in the San Joaquin Valley. Combined with $6,587,258 in matching funds from San Joaquin Valley Air District and participating fleets, this project will replace ninety-two diesel-powered agricultural tractors or loaders with new agricultural equipment with cleaner Tier 4 engines.
San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District was awarded $1,150,000 to replace large trucks operating in the San Joaquin Valley. Combined with $6,109,420 in matching funds from San Joaquin Valley Air District and participating fleets, this project will replace fifty-two old diesel-powered delivery trucks with new trucks with cleaner engines.
Bay Area Air Quality Management District was awarded $639,670 to replace an old diesel switcher locomotive with a new cleaner Tier 4 locomotive operating in goods movement service in the San Francisco Bay Area. The funds will be combined with $1,931,792 in matching funds from Bay Area Air District’s project partner, Oakland Global Rail Enterprise, LLC, to implement the project.
California Air Resources Board was awarded $573,305 to replace school buses operating throughout the State of California. Combined with $3,102,396 in matching funds from the California Air Resources Board and participating school bus fleets, this project will replace nine diesel school buses with all-electric, zero-emission buses.
Including the grant award to California, EPA has awarded nearly $12.5 million in DERA funding to recipients in Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Washington to reduce diesel emissions from large diesel sources, such as trucks, buses, agriculture and port equipment. These projects will improve air quality by reducing over 3,000 tons of nitrogen oxide and 200 tons of particulate matter from over 350 medium and heavy duty diesel engines.
Reducing particulate matter emissions has important public health and air quality benefits and reduces black carbon.
To learn more about all of this year's West Coast Collaborative DERA projects, visit: http://www.westcoastcollaborative.org.
For more information about EPA's National Clean Diesel campaign and the national DERA awards, visit www.epa.gov/cleandiesel.
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