US EPA awards $30 million for clean diesel projects

11 October 2012

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $30 million for clean diesel projects under the Diesel Emission Reduction Program (DERA). The DERA program is designed to replace, retrofit or repower older diesel-powered engines like marine vessels, locomotives, trucks and buses.

In this year’s competition for funding, winners were selected based on a proposal’s potential for maximizing health and environmental benefits by targeting areas that have significant air quality issues, said the EPA. New this year is an increased funding availability per award that will allow EPA to target larger engines used in marine vessels and locomotives.

The 2012 awards include 23 projects with EPA funding ranging from $282,000 to $1,390,000. Eight of these projects are retrofits or projects that include retrofit components. The retrofits include diesel oxidation catalysts, crankcase filters and particulate filters for school buses, drayage and long haul trucks and construction equipment. The remaining projects include repowering and/or replacement of older equipment.

The funding was applauded by the Diesel Technology Forum.

DERA was enacted in 2005 and since it was first funded in FY 2008, EPA has awarded over 500 grants nationwide.

Source: US EPA