News Releases from Region 02

EPA Provides Support to New Jersey for Program to Cut Diesel Emissions

(New York, N.Y.) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 2 office has awarded a $258,480 Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) grant to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) to reduce emissions from diesel engines. The grant will fund the retrofitting and replacement of off-road equipment as part of its ongoing effort to reduce emissions from off-road diesel equipment. Since 2008, the EPA has granted about $3.8 million to NJ to support reducing diesel emissions in NJ.

"Clean diesel technologies not only improve air quality, but advance innovation and support jobs,” said U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt. “These projects will significantly reduce harmful emissions and directly benefit the health of residents.”

Off-road equipment, such as excavators, loaders and pavers, are among the dirtiest of diesel engines, emitting large amounts of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and particulate matter (PM). Off-road equipment is not replaced very often, is less frequently maintained, and is frequently left to idle for very long periods of time. In addition, much of this off-road equipment has been in operation for many years and, at the time of their manufacture, the engines were not built to the same emission standards as they are today.

NJDEP will use the EPA funds to install emissions controls, such as diesel particulate filters and selective catalytic reduction emission control devices, or replace older equipment with new, cleaner equipment to cut harmful diesel pollution from off-road equipment.

For more information about EPA's National Clean Diesel campaign and DERA program, visit www.epa.gov/cleandiesel.

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://twitter.com/eparegion2 and visit our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/eparegion2.

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