U.S. EPA's FY2009/2010
Request for Proposals (RFP) for the
National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program is now online at
http://www.epa.gov/air/grants_funding.html. EPA anticipates awarding a total of approximately $64 million under this announcement, subject to the availability of funds and the quality of proposals received.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will select project "winners" on a HIGHLY competitive basis using the criteria outlined in the new RFP. (NOTE: The number of diesel retrofit grant applications submitted to EPA during the last grant competition far exceeded the federal funding that was available. Stiff competition meant that many good grant applications were denied funding.)
The clean diesel hotline is
1-877-623-2322 (1-877-NCDC-FACTS) OR you can email
cleandiesel@epa.gov, for engineering/technical support, diesel emissions quantifier questions, and general clean diesel questions.
Timeline
- RFP published - October 6, 2009
- RFP closes - December 8, 2009 (local time)
- Notification of results to applicants - February 2010 (estimated)
- Awards distributed - March 2010 (estimated)
Background
Acting under the Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) program, EPA awards grants via its National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program on a HIGHLY competitive basis to fund the
implementation of diesel retrofit projects that will achieve significant reductions in diesel engine emissions.
Private construction companies cannot apply (on their own) for an EPA diesel retrofit grant. However, AGC members can partner with "eligible applicants" (including AGC Chapters; other nonprofit organizations or institutions; regional, state or local government agencies) to propose cost-effective clean diesel projects. Interested AGC members should also contact their local equipment dealers to begin assessing their fleets to determine what machines can potentially be cleaned up.
EPA's funding will pay up to a certain percentage of the cost to purchase/install diesel emission reduction solutions on "diesels" including medium and heavy-duty trucks and off-road construction equipment -- 100% for verified retrofit technologies (emission filters/catalysts), idle reduction technologies and certified or verified engine upgrades (kits only); 75% for engine repowers (newer engine); and 25% for all vehicle or equipment replacements. EPA grants cannot fund the cost of emission reductions currently mandated under federal, state or local law.
AGC Success Stories
Following EPA's most recent national diesel retrofit grant competition (held in April 2009 and funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009),
AGC of Kentucky and the Constructors Association of Western Pennsylvania (CAWP) have won $2 million and $925,000 respectively in federal grants. The AGC Chapters will use this money to help pay the high cost of reducing their members' emissions from off-road diesel equipment. Using a different approach,
AGC of Minnesota acted as a "silent partner" to Minnesota Environmental Initiative (MEI), a nonprofit group, who authored and submitted a proposal that also won $3 million; a portion of that grant will go to AGC of MN members to retrofit their designated equipment. In addition, in many other states, AGC members are benefiting from some of the same federal funds that EPA has awarded to state/city/county agencies, indicating there are many public-private partnerships at play.
From a national perspective, during the last grant competition, more than 600 grant applications requested nearly $2 billion dollars, with only $156 million in Recovery Act funding available for distribution via EPA's National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program. Latest reports show that the program funded 90 projects (15% of all submissions) located across the nation and designed to reduce diesel emissions from both on-road and off-road machines used in the construction, marine, locomotive, school bus, ports, and heavy-duty truck sectors. The current list of awarded projects is online at
http://www.epa.gov/otaq/diesel/projnational-aara.htm.
The construction industry's interest in investing in cleaner equipment is certainly impressive; however, if the past is any guide, AGC Chapters and Members have to expect fierce competition for the limited funds for such endeavors!
For more information, contact Leah Pilconis, Senior Environmental Advisor to AGC, at pilconisl@agc.org.
