The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced selections amounting to nearly $125 million under the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act National Grants Program. This initiative aims to upgrade or retire older diesel engines, promoting cleaner and zero-emission solutions that enhance air quality and public health. Entities in New Jersey, New York, and the tri-state area will receive about $15 million for related projects.
Lisa F. Garcia, Regional Administrator, stated, "This infusion of EPA funding will create jobs, improve air quality, and help move our country into a clean energy future." She emphasized that reducing diesel pollution can decrease premature deaths and respiratory ailments while also benefiting the economy by creating jobs.
Senate Environment and Public Works Chairman Tom Carper highlighted the long-term benefits of the program: "For almost 20 years now, the competitive grants administered through the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act program have taken inefficient and old diesel engines off the road and replaced them with cleaner, American-made technology."
Projects receiving funding include several initiatives in New York and New Jersey:
1. Delta Air Lines Ground Support Equipment at JFK Airport will replace 30 non-road airport ground support equipment with zero-emission vehicles.
2. The Connecticut Maritime Foundation will upgrade propulsion engines on ferries operating in New York waters.
3. Leonardo Academy, Inc., is set to replace nine diesel straddle carriers at port facilities with electric-hybrid models.
4. South Jersey Port Corporation plans to acquire a new zero-emission forklift.
5. The Port Authority of NY & NJ will update its truck fleet by replacing 100 older port drayage trucks.
6. Another project by Leonardo Academy involves replacing 20 yard trucks with electric vehicle alternatives in Union County.
Overall, approximately 70 national DERA projects have been tentatively selected to reduce diesel emissions across various sectors such as school buses and construction equipment. Many selections focus on replacing older machinery with zero-emission technologies like all-electric school buses and terminal tractors.
Eligible activities for these funds include retrofitting or replacing existing diesel engines with certified configurations from EPA or California Air Resources Board standards. Reducing emissions from legacy diesel engines remains a significant air quality challenge due to their higher pollutant levels compared to newer models.
The DERA program prioritizes areas facing poor air quality impacts or environmental justice risks while aligning with the Biden-Harris Administration's Justice40 Initiative aimed at directing federal investment benefits towards disadvantaged communities.
