Tennessee announces diesel retrofit grants

16 January 2007

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) announced two new grant projects aimed at reducing emissions from diesel engines in nonattainment areas in the state. The pilot projects will provide $1.6 million in grant funds for retrofitting older diesel engines used in road construction equipment and locomotives. Funds may be used to retrofit older diesel engines with emission controls and idling reduction devices, to rebuild older engines or replace them with newer, cleaner engines. Project funds are provided under the federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) program.

TDOT has allocated $800,000 to the pilot Road Construction Diesel Retrofit Project. The project seeks to reduce diesel emissions from construction equipment used on federally funded road projects in nine nonattainment counties in the Knoxville and Chattanooga areas. These counties include: Anderson, Blount, Hamilton, Jefferson, Knox, Loudon, Sevier and portions of Cocke and Roane counties. This funding opportunity is available to road construction companies and associated suppliers with current or recently awarded state road construction contracts in these East Tennessee counties.

TDOT has also allocated $800,000 for the pilot Locomotive Diesel Retrofit Project. The goal of the project is to reduce diesel exhaust emissions from switchyard locomotives and short haul or commuter rail locomotives that spend most of their operating time in air quality non-attainment or maintenance areas. This funding opportunity is open to rail companies and authorities that operate in Anderson, Blount, Davidson, Hamilton, Jefferson, Knox, Loudon, Montgomery, Rutherford, Sevier, Shelby, Sumner, Williamson, Wilson and portions of Cocke and Roane counties.

The deadline for project funding applications for both projects is January 26, 2007. Applications for both projects are available on TDOT’s website at www.tn.gov/tdot/cmaq.

Source: TDOT