EPA Selects Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy for Nearly $400K to Upgrade Older Diesel Engines to Cleaner and Zero-Emission Solutions

EPA Selects Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy for Nearly $400K to Upgrade Older Diesel Engines to Cleaner and Zero-Emission Solutions

October 17, 2024

LENEXA, KAN. (OCT. 17, 2024) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announcedselections totaling nearly $125 million under the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) National Grants program,including $395,450 to Nebraska.

This funding will incentivize and accelerate the upgrade or retirement of older diesel engines to cleaner and zero-emission solutions, leading to significant emission reductions and air quality and public health benefits.

These awards are in final workplan negotiations with the tentatively selected applicants. The DERA program prioritizes projects in areas that face air quality impacts, especially those projects that benefit disadvantaged communities and other areas that face particular public health or environmental justice risks or impacts.

"Every community deserves to breathe clean air, but too many communities are still over-burdened by pollution from older diesel equipment," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. "With the latest round of funding, EPA's successful DERA program will upgrade these sources of harmful pollution, and accelerate real progress toward a cleaner, more just, and healthier future for all Americans."

In total, EPA has tentatively selected approximately 70 national DERA projectsto reduce diesel emissions across a range of transportation sectors including the engine replacements and upgrades to school buses, port equipment, and construction equipment. In addition to funding new cleaner diesel technologies, over half of these selections will support replacing older equipment and vehicles with zero-emission technologies, such as all-electric school buses, terminal tractors, drayage trucks and provide shore power to marine vessels.

• The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy was selected to receive $395,450 to replace one Class 7 refuse hauler with a compressed natural gas truck; and replace two Class 6 school buses, six Class 7 school buses, and three Class 8 school buses with new diesel buses.

All selected projects will reduce diesel pollution and benefit local communities, including disadvantaged communities and other areas facing environmental justice concerns. A small number of awards are still being processed. Once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied and additional selections are finalized, EPA will update the DERA National Awards page.

Background

Eligible activities include the retrofit or replacement of existing diesel engines, vehicles, and equipment with EPA and California Air Resources Board (CARB) certified engine configurations and verified retrofit and idle reduction technologies. Reducing emissions from diesel engines is one of the most important air quality challenges facing the country. New diesel engines must meet tight standards, however, nearly 8 million legacy diesel engines across transportation sectors remain in service and emit higher levels of harmful nitrogen oxides and particulate matter than newer diesel engines.These pollutants are linked to a range of serious health problems including asthma, lung and heart disease, other respiratory ailments, and premature death.

In selecting projects for awards, priority was given to projects that:

• Are in areas designated as having poor air quality.
• Reduce emissions from ports and other goods movement facilities.
• Benefit local communities.
• Incorporate local communities in project planning.
• Demonstrate planning or action towards reducing vulnerabilities to climate impacts.
• Illustrate preparation for workforce development.
• Demonstrate an ability to continue efforts to reduce emissions after the project has ended.

DERA advances environmental justice by prioritizing emissions reductions in areas particularly affected by health and environmental impacts from diesel fleets. EPA is committed to ensuring that the DERA program delivers on the Biden-Harris administration's Justice40 Initiative, which set a goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.

Read more about the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) program.

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