Diesel Retrofit News - 2007

• December 28, 2007

  Missouri Receives Grant to Reduce In-Use Diesel Emissions - The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has received a $55,000 grant from the Central States Air Resources Agency and Blue Skyways Collaborative to reduce in-use diesel emissions from trucks. The department will work with the Grace Hill Clean Air Program in St. Louis and use a portion of the funds to retrofit five trucks with SmartWay kits consisting of diesel oxidation catalysts and diesel particulate filters. For more information, go to: www.blueskyways.org/archives/News/mdnr_blueskywaysgrant.htm.
  
  

• December 21, 2007

  Congress Approves FY 2008 Federal Budget Bill with DERA Retrofit Funding - Both the House and Senate passed an omnibus federal spending package this week that provides FY 2008 funding for most federal agencies including EPA. President Bush is expected to sign this massive $555 billion appropriations package before the Christmas recess. The bill provides EPA with $7.5 billion for FY 2008, $262 million above the President's original budget request but $264 million below EPA's FY 2007 funding level. The $7.5 billion EPA funding level is also lower than earlier proposals put forward by the Senate and House. Included within the EPA FY 2008 funding is $50 million in funding for the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA). DERA will provide EPA with a significant boost in diesel retrofit incentive funds and provide up to 10% of DERA funds to assist manufacturers in verifying new retrofit technologies. DERA was authorized by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 but has not received funding until now. Language included in the FY 2008 spending bill indicates that DERA funds can be used anywhere across the country but some preference should be given to ozone or particulate matter non-attainment areas.

  In addition to the $50 million DERA funding, the spending bill also will provide California's South Coast and San Joaquin Valley air districts with $5 million each to assist with the clean-up of diesel pollution. The spending package also funds EPA's state and tribal assistance grant account at $2.9 billion, higher than the President's $2.72 billion request but still lower than the current $3.16 billion FY 2007 funding level. This account provides states with funds for core environmental programs. Clean air grants to states are provided $217 million in funding for FY 2008. EPA is also provided $3.5 million in funding to finalize a rule that would require mandatory reporting of greenhouse gas emissions by nearly all sectors of the economy.

  West Coast Collaborative Announces FY 2008 Clean Diesel RFP - EPA Region 9 is soliciting proposals through the West Coast Collaborative for innovative projects that reduce emissions from existing diesel engines in the region (California, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii, and the U.S Pacific Islands). Projects must demonstrate effective emissions reductions (including, but not limited to, reductions in PM, CO2, CO, NOx, and HCs) from existing diesel engines through a variety of strategies such as emission control technologies; idling reduction strategies; cleaner burning fuels; and alternative and biofuels production, distribution, and use. All projects must demonstrate applications, technologies, methods or approaches that are new, innovative, or experimental. A demonstration project that is carried out through a routine or established practice is not eligible for funding. States, local governments, territories, Indian Tribes, international organizations, public and private universities and colleges, hospitals, laboratories, and other public or private nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply.

  EPA Region 9 anticipates awarding a total of approximately $500,000 under this announcement (approximately two to three grants ranging from no less than $75,000 to no more than $300,000). Matching funds are not required under this program.

  Proposals are due by February 15, 2008. Awards are anticipated to be handed out in May 2008. For a copy of the RFP, go to: www.epa.gov/region09/funding/pdfs/final-wcc-diesel-rfp-12-6-07.pdf.
  
  

• November 21, 2007

  SEDC Awards Grant to North Carolina School District to Retrofit Buses - On November 20, 2007, as part of EPA's Clean School Bus USA program, the Southeast Diesel Collaborative (SEDC) presented a grant for $110,000 to the Cumberland County School District in North Carolina to reduce diesel school bus emissions. Ninety school buses will be retrofitted with emission control devices (diesel oxidation catalysts and closed crankcase ventilation systems). Cumberland County is the fourth largest school district in North Carolina and currently transports over 25,000 students a day. For more information on this grant announcement, go to: www.southeastdiesel.org.
  
  

• November 16, 2007

  Texas Announces Program to Reimburse Costs for School Bus Retrofits - On November 10, 2007, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) began accepting applications from Texas school districts to reimburse costs associated with installing diesel retrofit technologies on diesel school buses. The Texas Clean School Bus Program received $7.5 million from the Texas Legislature to award to public school districts and charter schools as reimbursement for the cost of eligible diesel retrofit projects. Funding is available through Texas Clean School Bus grants. Technology options include: a closed crankcase filtration system, a diesel particulate filter, a diesel oxidation catalyst, and a flow-through filter.

  Funding is open to school bus retrofit projects in all public school districts and charter schools in Texas that operate one or more diesel-fueled school buses. A diesel school bus proposed for retrofit must be used on a regular, daily route to and from a school and have at least five years of useful life remaining, unless the applicant agrees to remove the retrofit device at the end of the life of the bus and reinstall it on another bus.

  More than 36,000 buses carrying an estimated 1.3 million students operate in Texas each school day. The Texas Education Agency reports that more than 33 percent of the school buses in local fleets are more than 10 years old. The grant period runs from November 10, 2007 to February 29, 2008. For more information on this diesel retrofit grant program, go to: www.texascleanschoolbus.org.
  
  

• November 9, 2007

  Port of Vancouver to Prohibit Older Trucks Starting in 2008 - The large Port of Vancouver in British Columbia will impose restrictions on access to the port by older container trucks starting on January 1, 2008. From January 1, 2008, the Port will no longer allow access on port property to container trucks older than 1989, and starting January 1, 2009 this prohibition will include trucks older than 1994. The Port is instituting a new truck licensing system that will allow the Port to control access to only those container trucks that comply with the new requirements. In addition to restricting port access to trucks of a certain age, trucking companies will also be required to pass increasingly stringent annual opacity checks conducted by provincially certified facilities and to pass random opacity checks through the year. The Port will also begin to enforce mandatory idle reduction regulations on and around the Port starting in January 2008. Additional information concerning the Port of Vancouver's new truck policies are available at: www.portvancouver.com.

  North Carolina Offers Grants to Reduce Emissions from In-Use Diesel Engines - To help North Carolina reduce ozone and fine particulate matter (PM2.5), the state is offering Mobile Source Emissions Reduction Grants. The goal for the 2008 grants will be to reduce emissions from both on- and off-road in-use diesel engines; however, any project that reduces mobile source emissions will be considered. Funding for the grants comes from legislation passed in 1993 which provided that certain portions of those taxes on the sale of gasoline in North Carolina (1/64 of a cent per gallon of gasoline sold) be used to fund portions of the North Carolina Division of Air Quality beginning on January 1, 1995. Each year, a Grant Review Committee, comprised of representatives from environmental protection groups, private industry, and various city, county, and state agencies, selects a focus for the upcoming grant year. Although other projects may be submitted and funded, priority will be given to projects addressing the goal for that year.

  Suggested project ideas include:
  
  

  • School bus retrofits (preference is for projects combining the use of DOCs/DPFs with crankcase ventilation systems)
  • Biodiesel projects (funding will not be available for production; funding will only be available for storage and infrastructure)
  • Alternative-fueled vehicles (vehicles for personal use will not be funded; priority will be given to fleets purchasing their first alternative-fueled vehicles)
  • Heavy-duty diesel on-road trucks and off-road equipment (projects to be considered would be retrofits, repowering, and replacement; any engines replaced must be scrapped)

  Government agencies, private organizations, businesses, and individuals are all invited to submit proposals for the funding. Proposals should be e-mailed or postmarked no later than December 31, 2007. For a copy of the application package, go to: www.ncair.org/motor/ms_grants/.

  Ohio EPA Awards Grant for School Bus Retrofits - The Highland Local School District in Sparta, OH, has been awarded an Ohio EPA grant to install retrofit equipment on seven of its school buses. The $51,345 grant will be used to install DPFs on the buses. The funding comes from Ohio's Clean Diesel School Bus Fund, which is funded from civil penalties that the Ohio EPA collects from environmental violations. Since the fund was created in 2006, a total of $1.4 million has been awarded to 26 school districts to retrofit 545 school buses, removing more than eight tons of pollutants from the air.
  
  

• November 2, 2007

  Massachusetts State Retrofit Bill Advances - The Massachusetts Senate Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture Committee has voted to advance a statewide diesel retrofit bill, S2338. If adopted, this legislation would require the state to retrofit its own public fleet vehicles by 2011 and to retrofit municipal garbage and recycling trucks by 2012. The bill would also set up a multi-million dollar fund to help private fleets reduce diesel particulate emissions from their trucks through retrofits, repowers, or replacements. The bill now awaits consideration by the Massachusetts Senate Ways and Means Committee. Details of this Massachusetts diesel retrofit legislation are available at: www.openmass.org/bills/show/5361.
  
  

• October 19, 2007

  EPA Releases New Book to Educate Children about Clean School Buses - On October 18, 2007, the U.S. EPA and Scholastic released "The Magic School Bus Gets Cleaned Up," a new special edition book based on the popular Scholastic Magic School Bus series that takes children on a "smart, fun, and colorful trip" to learn what can be done to protect their lungs and their world from air pollution. At the press event, EPA Deputy Administrator Marcus Peacock read the book to second graders gathered in Cunningham Park Elementary School library in Vienna, VA, just outside of Washington, D.C. Afterward, the students boarded Scholastic's traveling Magic School Bus, which functions as an interactive science experience for children. The bus is retrofitted with a diesel particulate filter provided by Caterpillar. For more information about the book, including how to obtain a copy (the book is free), go to: www.epa.gov/otaq/schoolbus/msb-book.htm.

  Ohio EPA Settlement with Steel Fabricating Company Includes Funds for School Bus Retrofits - In early October, Warren Fabricating Corp. in Hubbard, Ohio, in a settlement with the Ohio EPA, was ordered to pay $25,000 to resolve air pollution control violations associated with the demolition of one of its 150,000 square-foot buildings back in 2004-2005. The building was not inspected for asbestos nor did the company submit a notice of intention to demolish the building. The civil penalty included $10,200 to administer Ohio EPA's air pollution control programs, $10,200 to the Ohio Environmental Education Fund, and $5,100 to the Ohio EPA's clean diesel school bus program. Warren Fabricating Corp. specializes in large steel fabrications and heavy machining for surface mining equipment, steel mills, power generation, and large press manufacturers. The company has until March 2008 to completely remove and properly dispose of any remaining demolition debris.
  
  

• October 12, 2007

  Historic Settlement with American Electric Power Includes Diesel Retrofit Projects - On October 9, 2007, in the single largest environmental enforcement settlement in history, the Department of Justice and the U.S. EPA announced that American Electric Power agreed to cut 813,000 tons of air pollutants annually at an estimated cost of more than $4.6 billion, pay a $15 million penalty, and spend $60 million on projects to mitigate the adverse effects of its past excess emissions. This settlement resolves a lawsuit filed against AEP in 1999, alleging the company violated the New Source Review requirements of the Clean Air Act from its 16 coal-fired power plants. Included in the environmental projects, AEP must spend no less than $21 million on one or more of the following Mobile Source Projects:
  
  

  • Diesel Tug/Train Project: AEP is among the leading barge operators in the U.S., with operations on the Ohio River, Mississippi River, and the Gulf Coast. All the marine diesel fuel used on the barges operated by AEP must be ULSD by June 1, 2012, pursuant to EPA's Nonroad Diesel Rule.
  • As part of the Mobile Source projects, AEP may elect to achieve accelerated emission reductions from their tugboat feet on the Ohio River and/or their diesel-powered trains used at or near their power plants.
  • For the diesel tug/train project, AEP is required to do one or more of the following:
    • Accelerated retrofitting or re-powering of tugs with engines that require the use of ULSD.
    • Retrofitting or repowering marine engines in the Ohio River Tug Fleet with diesel oxidation catalysts (DOCs), diesel particulate filters (DPFs), or other equivalent advanced technologies that reduce emissions of PM and VOCs from marine engines in tugboats. AEP must only install DOCs/DPFs that have received approvals or verifications, if any, from the relevant regulatory agencies for reducing emissions from tugboat engines. AEP must also maintain any DOCs/DPFs installed as part of the Tug Project for the useful life of the equipment, even after the completion of the project.
  • Accelerated use of ULSD for the Ohio River Tug Fleet, from the date of entry through January 1, 2012.
  • Emission reduction measures for diesel-powered trains, such as retrofitting with or conversion to multiple diesel engine gensets that are EPA Tier III off-road certified, diesel electric hybrid, or anti-idling controls/strategies.

  More information on this settlement agreement is available at: www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/decrees/civil/caa/americanelectricpower-cd.pdf.
  
  

• October 5, 2007

  EPA Announces $177,815 in Grants for Clean Diesel Projects in Southeast - On September 28, 2007, U.S. EPA-Region 4, as part of the Southeast Diesel Collaborative, announced the availability of $177,815 to fund projects within the Southeast (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee) to demonstrate new, innovative, or experimental approaches to reduce diesel emissions. Up to three grants, between $50,000 and $125,000, will be awarded. Potential projects include diesel retrofits, vehicle replacement, idle reduction technologies, and the use of cleaner burning fuels. Proposals are due by November 14, 2007. For a copy of the request for proposals (RFP), go to: www.epa.gov/region4/air/mobile/sedc-rfpfinal52306.pdf.
  
  

  Boston Announces New Diesel Pollution Retrofit Grant Program - On September 28, 2007, Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino announced a new Diesel Retrofit Grant Program at the AltWheels Alternative Transportation and Energy Festival in Boston. Mayor Menino pledged $50,000 in matching funding for Boston-based commercial diesel truck fleets to retrofit their vehicles with pollution control technologies. Boston has already retrofitted over 600 municipal vehicles with diesel oxidation catalysts and switched its fuel use to a cleaner burning biodiesel blended fuel, reducing tailpipe emissions by more than 90%. The Air Pollution Control Commission will administer the grant program and eligible projects will be funded over two years.
  
  

• September 21, 2007

  DTF Holds Diesel Retrofit Webinars - On September 18 and 19, 2007, the Diesel Technology Forum (DTF) held two webinars (web seminars) on clean diesel technology. As part of a new webinar series, the two webinars, "Diesel Retrofit Technologies - Availability, Performance and Cost" on September 18th and "Diesel Retrofit 101 - A Cost Effective Emissions Reduction Strategy" on September 19th, focused on the air quality benefits of diesel retrofit, the different types of technology solutions, and funding sources. Both webinars provided good background information on the many issues surrounding diesel retrofit technology. For recorded versions of the two webinars (each were 90 minutes in length) and copies of the presentations, go to: www.dieselforum.org/resources/webinars/. Written summaries of the Q&A sessions will be available soon.
  
  

• September 14, 2007

  Funds Awarded in North Carolina for Clean Fuel and Advanced Technology Projects - In early September, a total of $300,000 was awarded by the North Carolina Solar Center at NC State University to reduce mobile source emissions through the Clean Fuel & Advanced Technology (CFAT) Project. The funds will be used for ten projects that will reduce transportation-related emissions in nonattainment counties in North Carolina. This is the second round of awards. Projects include:
  
  

  • Triangle Transit Authority will outfit 22 buses with DOCs and crankcase filtration systems. The City of Gastonia will be installing DOCs on six of their refuse haulers.
  • Several CFAT funded projects will expand the use of E85. Holmes Oil Co. will be using CFAT funds to install an E85 tank and dispenser at a new refueling station in Chatham County. In Cherryville, Thomas Petroleum Co. will convert a gasoline fuel island to E85. The City of Raleigh will use CFAT funds to purchase a mobile fueling system to supply the city fleet's 75 flex-fuel vehicles with E85. Another 90 FFVs are expected to be added to Raleigh's fleet in 2008.
  • CFAT funds will also go towards the purchase of alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles. Charlotte Douglas International Airport will be transporting passengers between terminals and parking lots on two hybrid electric buses. The City of Hickory will be adding a CNG-fueled Honda Civic GX to their Public Utilities Department fleet.

  Grant recipients will contribute nearly $500,000 in cost share, providing 60% of total project costs. Awarded projects are expected to be completed within the next 18 months and a third call for projects will be issued in early 2008.
  
  

• September 7, 2007

  Port of Stockton Settlement Includes Truck Retrofit and Replacement - On August 29, 2007, environmental activists and Port of Stockton officials in California settled four years of legal and regulatory disputes over new commercial shipping and hundreds of acres of industrial development at the former naval base of Rough and Ready Island. Under the settlement, the port will require cleaner-burning diesel trucks and encourage ships to use cleaner fuels; guard against impacts from dredging operations; and pay the plaintiffs more than $1.65 million in legal and environmental monitoring fees. Key air quality provisions of the settlement include:
  
  

  • The port has 10 years to amass a $5 million air quality fund through credits of $15,152 for each clean-burning truck that replaces an older polluting truck on Rough and Ready Island. It is expected to require such trucks of commercial tenants leasing port property. If it falls short of the 330 trucks to meet the target, it will have to come up with the balance in cash and use that to purchase new trucks or retrofit old ones to meet then-existing emission standards.
  • The port is responsible for up to half the cost of buying a new tugboat or retrofitting an old tugboat to meet current smog standards.
  • Discounted dock fees at Rough and Ready Island will be offered to ships burning low-sulfur fuels in their auxiliary engines.
  • Electrical service will be provided for refrigerated shipping containers instead of using gasoline or diesel generators to keep the containers cool.
  • Time limits will be placed on idling trucks and tugboats.
  
  
• August 31, 2007

  Indianapolis Launches Clean Air Initiative for Businesses - On August 29, 2007, Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson and representatives of the city's business community embarked on a public-private effort to improve air quality in central Indiana. The Central Indiana Clean Air Partnership (CICAP) will enlist businesses as members based on their willingness to commit to specific actions to reduce air pollution. The Indianapolis Department of Public Works, through its Office of Environmental Services, has outlined a number of steps businesses can take to make a visible difference in central Indiana's air quality. Businesses that join the CICAP will commit to a specific level of participation (Gold, Silver, or Bronze) based on the actions they agree to implement, from retrofitting diesel vehicles with diesel oxidation catalysts (DOCs) to encouraging employees to ride their bikes to work. When a business joins CICAP, it will receive a toolkit that includes a commitment checklist as well as a certificate identifying the firm as a CICAP member. CICAP is a program of Knozone, the city's effort to educate central Indiana residents about the health effects of air quality. For more information on CICAP, go to: www.indycicap.org.
  
  

• August 24, 2007

  Federal Settlement Against Valero Energy Includes Funds for Retrofits - On August 16, 2007, the Department of Justice and the U.S. EPA reached an agreement with Valero Energy Corp. that provides for a $4.25 million penalty and $232 million in new and upgraded pollution controls at refineries in Tennessee, Ohio, and Texas. The state of Ohio and Memphis-Shelby County, Tennessee, have also joined in the consent decree and will receive a portion of the civil penalty.

  The agreement requires the $232 million to be used for the installation of new pollution controls at the refineries in Port Arthur, Texas; Memphis, Tennessee.; and Lima, Ohio, that, when fully implemented, will reduce annual emissions of nitrogen oxide by more than 1,870 tons per year and sulfur dioxide by more than 1,810 tons per year.

  Of the $4.25 million, the state of Ohio will receive $800,000 for civil infractions and nearly $1.2 million for supplemental environmental projects to help benefit the city of Lima and the state at large. The latter amount includes $50,000 to help the Ohio Environmental Council install diesel retrofit equipment on trucks and buses; $200,000 for a study that aims to reduce emissions from idling Lima-area vehicles by synchronizing traffic lights; $200,000 for a statewide survey of airborne particles; $675,000 for controls to reduce VOC emissions from the Lima refinery; and $50,000 for infrared camera imaging to help identify leaks at the refinery. In addition, about $160,000 of Ohio's $800,000 share of the civil penalty will go to the state's diesel school bus retrofit fund. Additional supplemental projects will be performed in the communities near the Memphis refinery, such as the installation of emission control equipment on municipal diesel trucks and buses, and the installation of new equipment to control wastewater treatment plant odors.

  This settlement is part of the EPA's national effort to reduce air emissions from refineries. Through federal settlements such as this one, approximately 84 percent of domestic refining capacity is now operating under pollution reduction agreements. Including the settlement with Valero, 89 refineries located in 26 states across the nation are now under agreements to address environmental problems and to invest over $4.7 billion in new pollution control technologies.

  A copy of the consent decree is available on the DOJ website at: www.usdoj.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html.
  
  

• August 17, 2007

  Fine Against Valero Energy Includes Funds for Retrofits - On August 8, 2007, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality fined Valero Energy Corporation $119,149 for air emissions that occurred at its Texas City plant in 2006. TCEQ cited 12 different incidents that occurred at the plant in which SO₂ or VOCs were released into the atmosphere. TCEQ said that the emissions could have been prevented by using proper operating procedures. Half of the fine levied against Valero - $59,574 - will be used to help local school districts and transit agencies replace or retrofit diesel buses to reduce emissions.
  
  

  Burbank Airport to Retrofit Bus Fleet - The Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority approved purchasing retrofit technology in early August that will cut diesel emissions from the Bob Hope Airport's shuttle bus fleet. The airport will spend $171,556 to retrofit 11 diesel buses that are used to shuttle passengers to and from parking lots with active DPFs. The retrofit devices will be installed in early September.
  
  

• July 27, 2007

  Oregon Legislature Approves Bill to Help Clean Up In-Use Diesel Engines - The Oregon Legislature approved a bill (HB 2172) at the end of June that provides incentives for replacing and retrofitting diesel engines in Oregon's school buses, trucks, construction equipment, and farm vehicles. The bill now moves to Governor Ted Kulongoski's (D) office for his approval. Specifically, the Clean Diesel bill will provide grants, loans, and tax credits to retrofit, rebuild, or replace older diesel engines, and to reduce diesel idling. The incentives will be available to all private and public entities that operate diesel engines. The overall goal is to reduce health risks from diesel particulate matter to the health benchmark adopted by the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission within 10 years.

  The bill consists of four components:
  
  

  • Clean Diesel Fund - Provides grants and loans to retrofit or rebuild public or private diesel engine fleets, scrap old engines, and reduce idling.
  • Clean Diesel Tax Credit - Encourages private investment by providing a tax credit of up to 50% for retrofits and rebuilds.
  • Clean Engine Replacement Incentives - Extends until 2011 the existing new truck engine tax credit that encourages the purchase of new, cleaner engines with advanced exhaust control technology.
  • Clean School Bus Grants - Improves the ability of Oregon school districts to compete for federal and private grants used for retrofitting or replacing diesel school buses by allowing school districts to use the State School Fund to match grants.

  HB 2172 is endorsed by a variety of stakeholders, including the Oregon Trucking Association, Associated General Contractors, the American Lung Association, and the Oregon Environmental Council.
  
  

• July 20, 2007

  EPA Issues RFP for Midwest Clean Diesel Grants - On July 18, 2007, U.S. EPA Region 5's Midwest Clean Diesel Initiative announced it expects to award up to $300,000 this year in grants for diesel-emission reduction projects in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Project proposals will be accepted until September 18, 2007 and final awards are expected to be made around January 1, 2008. Proposals may include but are not limited to diesel exhaust retrofits, vehicle replacement, idle reduction technologies or strategies, and use of cleaner burning fuels such as biodiesel. School bus projects are not eligible for these grants. For a copy of the request for proposals (RFP), go to: www.epa.gov/midwestcleandiesel/grants/mcdirfp07.html.

  Chemical Company's Supplemental Environmental Projects Include Cleaner School Buses - On July 18, 2007, the U.S. EPA and the Department of Justice reached a settlement with Equistar Chemical LP, addressing various air, water, and hazardous waste violations at seven petrochemical plants in Texas, Illinois, Iowa, and Louisiana. The case was initiated as a result of inspections conducted by the EPA's National Enforcement Investigations Center (NEIC) at Equistar's Channelview, TX, and Morris, IL Facilities. During the inspection, EPA found extensive Clean Air Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and Clean Water Act violations. Equistar has already initiated corrective actions for the regulatory violations identified. Equistar will pay a civil penalty of $2.5 million, and spend $6.56 million on federal and state supplemental environmental projects, such as the purchase of emergency response equipment and newer, cleaner school buses; funding for the Mississippi River Tourism Center; and hazardous waste cleanup activities in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Additionally, Equistar has agreed to monitor and fix leaks of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hazardous air pollutants, such as benzene, from process units; to change out equipment that uses ozone-depleting substances; and to reduce flaring of VOCs.
  
  

• July 13, 2007

  Midwest Clean Diesel Initiative Awards $100,000 for Minnesota Retrofits - On July 10, 2007, the U.S. EPA's Midwest Clean Diesel Initiative (MCDI) awarded almost $100,000 to the Minnesota Environmental Initiative's Project Green Fleet to help retrofit at least 100 diesel-powered school buses and 19 heavy-duty diesel trucks in Minnesota public fleets with emission control devices. The school districts getting bus grants are Bloomington, Duluth, Eden Prairie, Edina, Saint Louis Park, Saint Paul, and Independent School District 196 serving the Rosemount, Apple Valley, and Eagan areas. The cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul and Washington and Hennepin counties will get heavy-duty diesel truck retrofits for 15 vehicles, and private firms working on the new baseball stadium construction in Minneapolis will get retrofits for four vehicles. The school bus grant is part of EPA's Clean School Bus USA program. For more information, go the MCDI website at: www.epa.gov/midwestcleandiesel.

  Blue Skyways Collaborative Announces Clean School Bus USA Grant Opportunity - The U.S. EPA's Blue Skyways Collaborative expects to award $1,360,000 this year in grants for school bus diesel-emission reduction projects in Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. City, state, and tribal governments, as well as nonprofit organizations, can submit grant proposals through September 21, 2007. Proposals may include projects to retrofit existing buses with emission-control devices, upgrade or replace engines, purchase cleaner fuels, and replace older buses. Last year, Blue Skyways clean school bus projects impacted approximately 2,875 buses, reducing pollutants and greenhouse gases by 240 tons per year and saving almost 85,000 gallons of fuel. For a copy of the RFP, go to: www.blueskyways.org/pdf/epa-r7artd-07-004.pdf.
  
  

• July 6, 2007

  Yolo-Solano's Clean Air Projects Include Funds for Diesel Retrofits - On June 20, 2007, the Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District in California announced the recipients of funding for 19 Clean Air projects. Through the District's Clean Air Funds program, $630,000 will be distributed for the purposes of encouraging the use of clean technology, low-emission vehicles, alternative transportation, transit services, and public education. The funding comes from a portion of the annual Department of Motor Vehicles registration fee and from AB 8 property tax proceeds for Solano County projects. Projects applications involving clean technology/low-emission vehicles that received funding were: City of Davis - retrofit of three heavy-duty diesel trucks; Esparto Unified School District - engine replacement for one school bus; Unitrans - new bus engine for one diesel bus and catalytic converters for 10 CNG buses; UC Davis - plug-in hybrid vehicle demonstration project; City of Woodland - purchase of two low-emission vehicles; Yolo County, Planning, Resources and Public Works - replacement of diesel dump truck.

  Connecticut Bill Includes Funds for School Bus Retrofits - On June 28, 2007, the Connecticut House of Representatives voted 124-2 to pass a bill, which, among other measures, includes funds aimed at retrofitting every school bus in the state. If passed, school districts must retrofit certain model year school buses with emission control devices, as long as the work can be covered by $10 million in funds taken from the state surplus. The Connecticut Alliance Against Diesel Pollution says that the fund is sufficient to retrofit every bus with an emission control device. Other environmental initiatives folded into the legislation include: all motor vehicles getting at least 40 miles per gallon will be exempt from the sales tax from January 1, 2008 to July 1, 2010, and at least half of the vehicles purchased by the state after January 1, 2008 must be hybrids, electric, or run on other alternative fuels. The bill now goes to Governor Jodi Rell for her signature.

  Arizona Announces Nearly $3.2 Million in Grants to Clean Up School Buses - On July 2, 2007, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) Director Steve Owens announced that 11 school districts in Maricopa and Pima Counties have been awarded $3,177,000 in grants by ADEQ to purchase cleaner school buses, as well as retrofit emission control equipment for their current fleets. The districts were eligible for grants of up to $35,000 toward the purchase of a new CNG school bus; up to $15,000 toward the purchase of a new school bus equipped to run on ULSD fuel and equipped with a DPF; and up to $8,000 to retrofit used school buses with DPFs. The school districts receiving the grants are already participating in ADEQ's voluntary School Bus Idling Program, under which school districts reduce diesel emissions by limiting bus idling near schools. For a listing of the grant awards to each school district, go to: www.azdeq.gov/function/news/2007/july.html.
  
  

• June 29, 2007

  EPA Announces Availability of Clean School Bus Funding in West and Southeast - On June 21, 2007, as part of the West Coast Collaborative and Clean School Bus USA programs, the U.S. EPA announced the availability of over $1.3 million for clean diesel school bus projects in Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and the western U.S. territories. Since 2001, the EPA has awarded over $5.5 million to clean up school buses in the West. The deadline for submitting applications is August 20, 2007. For a copy of the RFP, go to: www.epa.gov/region10/cleanschoolbus.html.

  Also, on June 21, 2007, in conjunction with the Southeast Diesel Collaborative, the U.S. EPA announced the availability of funding assistance for projects to reduce diesel emissions from school buses in EPA Region 4 (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee). Awards will either be in the form of either grants or cooperative agreements and will range between $75,000 and $250,000 per project. EPA anticipates funding approximately six projects for a total of $680,000. The deadline for submitting applications is August 3, 2007. For a copy of the RFP, go to: www.epa.gov/region4/air/mobile/Region%204%20CSBUSA%20Final%20RFP%202007.pdf.

  Similar to all Clean School Bus USA projects, EPA is accepting applications for projects from state and local governments, school districts, Indian tribal governments, and non-profit organizations in the respective regions. Project solicitations may include a variety of diesel emission reduction solutions, such as retrofit emission control technology, engine or vehicle replacement, idle reduction technologies or strategies, and/or cleaner fuel use.
  
  

• June 22, 2007

  Pittsburgh Unveils Rebate Program to Fund Retrofits for School Buses - On June 19, 2007, the Clean Air Task Force, Clean Water Action, the Group Against Smog and Pollution, and the Heinz Endowments announced the establishment of the Pittsburgh Healthy School Bus Fund. The goal of this rebate program is to promote a clean ride to school by providing funds to retrofit pre-2007 engine buses serving the Pittsburgh school district with both a diesel particulate filter (DPF) and a closed crankcase ventilation (CCV) system. Currently, the Pittsburgh Public Schools use approximately 350 full-size diesel school buses. The Heinz Endowments has made this program possible by providing $500,000 in initial funds. The expectation is that a combination of public and private grants will make substantial additional funding available. For more information on the program and to download reservation and payment forms, go to: www.DieselRetrofitRebate.org.
  
  

• June 15, 2007

  $1.7 Million Available for Clean Diesel Projects in Northeast - On June 8, 2007, the U.S. EPA announced the availability of nearly $1.7 million for clean diesel projects through the 2007 Northeast Diesel Collaborative Emissions Reductions Request for Proposals (RFP). EPA is soliciting applications under the Voluntary Diesel Retrofit program and Clean School Bus USA. Projects may include a variety of diesel emissions reduction solutions, such as retrofit emission control technology, engine or vehicle replacement, idle reduction technologies or strategies, and cleaner fuel use. All projects must benefit the air quality in the geographic areas that include Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Vermont. The deadline for applying is July 31, 2007. For a copy of the RFP, go to: www.epa.gov/region02/grants/nedc_rfp_final_060707.pdf.

  British Columbia to Require Retrofits for Older Diesel Trucks - On June 6, 2007, the British Columbia government introduced measures requiring all older commercial diesel trucks to install an emission control device (diesel oxidation catalyst or equivalent) by 2009 to reduce diesel emissions in the province. The regulation affects commercial and government-owned trucks built before 1993 and weighing 5,000 kilograms (11,000 lbs) or more. Although they make up only 7,200 of the over one million vehicles in the province, they account for 6.8 percent of all particulate matter pollution from all sources, according to the Environment Ministry. The measure is expected to reduce PM emissions by an estimated 60 million tons a year. Recreational vehicles, construction equipment, and unlicensed nonroad vehicles are not affected by this regulation.

  Memphis to Retrofit City Refuse Trucks - The Memphis and Shelby County Health Department, along with the City of Memphis Public Works Department, has announced that 85 (36%) of the city's solid waste trucks are being retrofitted with diesel oxidation catalysts (DOCs). Installation of the DOCs is scheduled to begin by mid-summer and be completed by December 2007. All of the trucks to be retrofitted were acquired between 2000 and 2005. Older trucks will be replaced over the next six years. The $175,000 for this retrofit project is provided by funding from Cargill Corporation, which has a corn milling plant in Memphis. This Cargill project is one of four planned by Cargill under an agreement with the EPA to resolve alleged environmental violations.

  School District in PA Receives EPA Grant to Reduce Diesel Emissions from Buses - On June 11, 2007, the U.S. EPA awarded $325,000 to West Chester Area School District in West Chester, PA to retrofit 65 of its school buses. Funding for this retrofit project is being provided by the $7 million congressional appropriation for EPA's Clean School Bus USA program. The EPA grant will be used by the school district to install DPFs on the school buses. The West Chester Area School District transports almost 17,000 children daily and the school buses cover 750 square miles on their various routes.
  
  

• June 1, 2007

  EPA Releases New Documents on Cost-Effectiveness of Diesel Retrofits - On May 30, 2007, the U.S. EPA released a report entitled "Diesel Retrofit Technology: An Analysis of the Cost Effectiveness of Reducing Particulate Matter and Nitrogen Oxides Emissions from Heavy-Duty Nonroad Diesel Engines Through Retrofits" that demonstrates how nonroad diesel retrofits can be a cost-effective strategy for reducing air pollutants. The report expands on the analysis performed by EPA's previous technical report on retrofit cost-effectiveness for heavy-duty diesel engines (issued in March 2006) by analyzing more nonroad applications and estimating the cost-effectiveness of various NOx strategies.

  In the report, EPA calculated that the cost-effectiveness for both diesel oxidation catalyst and catalyzed diesel particulate filter retrofits ranged from $18,700 to $87,600 per ton of PM reduced. In addition, EPA calculated the cost-effectiveness for both selective catalytic reduction systems and engine upgrade kits ranging from $1,900 to $19,000 per ton of NOx reduced. The results can be compared to similar estimates for other EPA programs targeted at reducing diesel particulate matter. For example, EPA estimates that the cost-effectiveness of retrofitting school buses and class 6-8b trucks ranges from $11,100 to $69,900 per ton of PM reduced. In addition, EPA estimates that the cost-effectiveness of the Urban Bus Retrofit and Rebuild program is $31,500 per ton of PM reduced, the 2007 Heavy-Duty Highway diesel emission standards is $14,200 per ton, and the Nonroad Tier 4 emission standards is $11,200 per ton.

  In addition, EPA released "The Cost-Effectiveness of Heavy-Duty Diesel Retrofits and Other Mobile Source Emission Reduction Projects and Programs," which provides estimates of emissions reductions and cost-effectiveness of retrofit technologies and other mobile source measures. The document focuses on CMAQ-eligible projects and encourages agencies to consider cost-effectiveness, air quality, and health effects when deciding how to invest air quality resources.

  For a copy of the reports, go to the Publications page on EPA's National Clean Diesel Campaign website at: www.epa.gov/cleandiesel/publications.htm.

  EPA Grant to Retrofit School Buses in Kentucky - On May 24, 2007, as part of the U.S. EPA's Clean School Bus USA program, the Southeast Diesel Collaborative (SEDC) presented a grant for $171,000 to the school boards of Montgomery and Bourbon Counties, KY, to retrofit 51 buses with diesel oxidation catalysts and diesel particulate filters. Although these counties are currently in attainment for ozone and fine particulate matter, they are undertaking the retrofits as part of a strategy of emissions reductions aimed to avoid future nonattainment designations. The grant is one of four being awarded in the Southeast this year, totaling $680,000. For more information, go to the SEDC's website at: www.southeastdiesel.org.
  
  

• May 25, 2007

  School Districts in Arkansas to Retrofit School Buses - In late April, the Marion and West Memphis school districts in eastern Arkansas announced that they will retrofit 50 school buses with diesel oxidation catalysts. Of the 50 school buses, 31 are from Marion and 19 are from West Memphis. All of the school buses are manufactured before 2003. The $46,480 needed to retrofit the buses was provided jointly through the U.S. EPA and the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). ADEQ officials say funding is still available for other school districts interested in retrofitting their school buses.
  
  

• May 18, 2007

  Puerto Rico to Participate in Clean School Bus USA - On May 11, 2007, the U.S. EPA announced that Puerto Rico has formed the Puerto Rico Clean School Bus USA Workgroup (Alianza Puertorriquena Guaguas Limpias, Aire Limpio) and will participate in the agency's Clean School Bus USA program. The announcement was highlighted at a ceremony at Polytechnic University in San Juan, where EPA joined the workgroup to unveil the first school bus in Puerto Rico to be retrofitted (with a DOC). The new Puerto Rico workgroup is a partnership of federal and commonwealth agencies, as well as private and academic institutions. EPA also announced that Puerto Rico has joined the Northeast Diesel Collaborative, allowing it to compete for millions of dollars of EPA grant money given to school districts and organizations to help pay for retrofit devices. EPA says the vast majority of school buses in use in Puerto Rico were built before 2004, generating significant amounts of air pollution, including fine particles, and releasing to the environment six times more pollution overall than buses built starting in 2004.
  
  

• May 11, 2007

  DTF Releases Guide on Accessing CMAQ Funds for Diesel Retrofits - The Diesel Technology Forum (DTF), in collaboration with the Emissions Control Technology Association (ECTA), recently released a guide to assist those wishing to learn more about the potential retrofit funding opportunities available under the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program. Diesel retrofit projects have been eligible for funding under the CMAQ program since its inception. However, new priority for the funding of diesel retrofit projects was established by Congress in 2005 in its passage of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). This priority status has sparked new interest in the CMAQ program from fleet managers, state air quality officials, transportation agencies, environmental organizations, and others seeking PM and NOx emission reductions. The guide provides insight into the program's administration and offers suggestions on how to increase the competitiveness of diesel retrofit applications. For a copy of the guide, go to: www.dieselforum.org/fileadmin/templates/FactSheetMasterFolder/CMAQ_web.pdf.
  
  

• May 4, 2007

  AGC Releases Report on Ways to Reduce Emissions from Construction Equipment - On April 20, 2007, the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), in conjunction with the U.S. EPA, released a report focused on low-cost ways to reduce emissions from nonroad construction equipment. The report, Cleaner Diesels: Low Cost Ways to Reduce Emissions from Construction Equipment, examines a variety of equipment operation and maintenance measures, fuel strategies, and retrofit technologies that construction companies can employ. The report also documents the costs and benefits of the strategies and discusses practical implementation issues. For a copy of the report, go to AGC's website at: www.agc.org/hottopics.
  
  

• April 27, 2007

  Placer County, CA, Clean Air Grants Include Diesel Retrofit Projects - On April 12, 2007, the Placer County Air Pollution Control District Board of Directors awarded over $2.17 million in 2007 Clean Air Grants for projects to reduce air pollution in Placer County, CA. The award is funding approximately 54 projects, including: heavy-duty vehicle and school bus modernizations, diesel retrofits, new electric and hybrid vehicle purchases, alternative transit programs, an educational program, a freeway services program, fire prevention assistance, video teleconferencing, and air quality research. A list of the funded projects is available at: www.placer.ca.gov/upload/apc/documents/cag/cagpressrelease041707.pdf.

  Environmental Association in PA Announces School Bus Retrofits - On April 20, 2007, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of environmental pioneer Rachel Carson's birth in Springdale, PA, the Rachel Carson Homestead Association announced that they are honoring her with a program that will, among other things, reduce diesel emissions from school buses. The initiative by the Pittsburgh Public Schools is among the first 20 Rachel Carson Legacy Challenge commitments. The Pittsburgh Public Schools will use a newly established Healthy School Bus Fund to retrofit up to 350 school buses with devices to reduce diesel exhaust by 90 percent. The fund will be seeded with $500,000 from The Heinz Endowments but will also seek grants from Allegheny County and the state. The program will continue through May 27, 2008, the 100th anniversary of Carson's birth, when the program hopes to have signed up 100 major commitments.
  
  

• April 20, 2007

  EPA Awards Grant to Retrofit Construction Vehicles in South Carolina - On April 17, 2007, the U.S. EPA's Southeast Diesel Collaborative (SEDC) recognized York Technical College in South Carolina and its partners during a demonstration to retrofit publicly-owned, nonroad vehicles with emission control technology that will significantly reduce diesel emissions. Under a National Clean Diesel Campaign grant of $95,040, the project will install diesel oxidation catalysts on 50 vehicles, including backhoes, bulldozers, motor graders and others, from the fleets of the City of Rock Hill, the South Carolina Department of Transportation, and Chester County. The reduction in emissions and other important data from the retrofitted equipment will be documented over the next year. The project, led by the Energy Resource Center at York Technical College, will serve to introduce and demonstrate the effectiveness of retrofit technologies. For more information, go to: www.southeastdiesel.org.
  
  

• April 13, 2007

  Grant from Settlement Used to Retrofit School Buses in New Orleans - The St. Charles Parish School Board in New Orleans could retrofit about one-fourth of the school system's diesel-powered buses with emission control devices with a grant from the Valero St. Charles Refinery. Announced on April 9, 2007, the grant for $200,000 is part of a multi-million dollar settlement between the U.S. EPA and Valero over alleged air pollution violations in 2005. As part of the EPA settlement, Valero agreed to spend $5.5 million on supplemental environmental projects (SEPs) across areas where it has operations, including Louisiana. School board members said plans are to retrofit at least 26 of the District's 107 diesel buses with PM filters (flow-through filters) or diesel oxidation catalysts. School board members and Valero officials outlined the grant at a meeting of the school board's transportation committee. The entire board unanimously agreed to support accepting the grant. A final vote is scheduled for the board's next meeting on May 2, 2007.
  
  

• April 6, 2007

  EPA Awards $74,000 Grant to School District in Ohio to Retrofit Buses - On March 30, 2007, the U.S. EPA awarded a $74,000 grant to Worthington City Schools in Ohio for a project to cut diesel emissions from its school buses. EPA said the grant will be used to retrofit 26 buses with emission control devices and to replace an older school bus. The grant is part of EPA's Clean School Bus USA program. For more information on Clean School Bus USA, go to: www.epa.gov/cleanschoolbus/.

  EPA Grant Helps School District in Delaware Reduce Diesel Exhaust Pollution - On April 3, 2007, the U.S. EPA Clean School Bus USA program awarded $570,000 to Brandywine School District in Wilmington, DE. The grant will be used by the school district to install diesel particulate filters on approximately 67 diesel-powered buses.
  
  

• March 30, 2007

  EPA Awards $150,000 Grant for Clean-Diesel Initiative - On March 26, 2007, EPA Region 5 announced the award of $150,000 grant to the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission for a cooperative project to reduce diesel emissions from public diesel fleets in central Ohio. An additional $68,924 for the project will come from local sources. The Mid-Ohio Public Diesel Fleet Initiative is a partnership of the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, the Ohio Environmental Council, the city of Columbus, and the Central Ohio Transit Authority to demonstrate clean-diesel technologies and strategies to reduce diesel emissions. The members will reach out to communities in mid-Ohio to show what can be done to reduce diesel emissions by retrofitting vehicles with diesel oxidation catalysts to reduce emissions, install hydraulic heaters to keep engines warm in cold weather, and use cleaner burning biodiesel fuel. More information on this initiative is available at: www.epa.gov/midwestcleandiesel/newsroom/index.html#mcdilgnews.

  EPA Awards $298,960 to Erie County to Retrofit School Buses - On March 28, 2007, the U.S. EPA announced the award of $298,960 to Erie County's Department of Environment and Planning to retrofit 128 school buses in 6 school districts. The grant is part of the EPA's Clean School Bus USA program. The grant will fund EPA-approved retrofit technology; data collection on emissions before and after the retrofit; presentations to other school districts; assistance to all Erie County schools in finding other sources of funding for retrofits; and a final report to help other communities learn about and adopt the technology. More information on this grant is available at: www.epa.gov/region02/cleanschoolbus/.
  
  

• March 23, 2007

  Kentucky AGC Receives Grant to Clean Up Construction Equipment - On March 19, 2007, the U.S. EPA awarded the Kentucky Association of General Contractors (AGC) a $50,000 Southeast Diesel Collaborative (SEDC) grant to implement the Kentucky Clean Diesel Construction Program. The grant provides funding to encourage the use of cleaner equipment by the construction industry statewide. This grant is the first in the nation awarded to a state AGC for a clean diesel construction project and the first awarded under the Southeast Diesel Collaborative partnership. The Kentucky AGC will partner with Messer Construction Company to reduce diesel emissions from their construction industry equipment. Additional partners supporting the Kentucky Clean Diesel Construction Program include Caterpillar, John Deere, and Engine Controls Systems. For more information, go to the SEDC website at: www.southeastdiesel.org.
  
  

• March 2, 2007

  Northeast Diesel Collaborative Announces $3.8 Million in New Clean Diesel Projects - On February 16, 2007 in Boston, EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson announced $3.8 million in funding to eight organizations in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Vermont to help reduce pollution from diesel vehicles operating in the Northeast. The funds were made available by EPA through the Northeast Diesel Collaborative (NEDC). The grants announced include:
  
  

  • New Haven, CT, received nearly $115,000 to install advanced pollution control technology on construction equipment operating at school construction sites in downtown New Haven
  • Massachusetts received $50,145 to retrofit up to 18 pieces of nonroad construction equipment statewide with a combination of diesel oxidation catalysts and diesel particulate filters. The State also received $120,000 to retrofit up to 98 school buses statewide with a combination of diesel oxidation catalysts and diesel particulate filters.
  • The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey received $125,000 to retrofit five diesel locomotive utility track vehicles with idle reduction technologies and two or more of the same locomotives with diesel oxidation catalysts.
  • ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability received $299,406 to retrofit up to 100 school buses in five communities in four states, including, Brattleboro, VT; Cambridge, MA; Hamden, CT; Springfield, MA; and Syracuse, NY. Communities will also be able to use funds to offset the cost of switching to a blend of biodiesel fuel.
  • Erie County, NY, received $298,960 to retrofit up to 128 school buses with advanced pollution control technology.
  • Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation received $194,494 to retrofit up to 25 school buses statewide with a combination of auxiliary heaters, diesel oxidation catalysts, and crankcase filters.
  • Maine Department of Environmental Protection received $55,823 to retrofit 11 school buses in southern Maine.
  • New York State Energy and Research Development Authority received $171,040 as part of a project to retrofit more than 1,000 school buses with a combination of technologies, including diesel oxidation catalysts, crankcase filters, and diesel particulate filters.

  The grants are part of EPA's National Clean Diesel Campaign. Through this program, EPA provided $1.4 million for the new projects, leveraging an additional $2.4 million in matching funds through the NEDC.

  For more information on EPA's National Clean Diesel Campaign, go to: www.epa.gov/cleandiesel/index.htm. For more information on the Northeast Diesel Collaborative, go to: www.northeastdiesel.org.

  Bridgeport, CT, to Retrofit 111 School Buses - Public school buses in Bridgeport, Connecticut, will be equipped with emission control devices to reduce diesel emissions. The project involves 111 buses contracted by the city. The program is being funded with $534,000 from the settlement of a lawsuit in 2003 involving the Connecticut Attorney General's office and EPA against the Virginia Electric Power Company.
  
  

• February 23, 2007

  EPA Announces More Than Half a Million Dollars for Clean School Bus Projects through Blue Skyways Collaborative - On February 21, 2007, the U.S. EPA and its Blue Skyways Collaborative announced more than $678,000 in grants to communities in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas to help cut air pollution from school buses.

  In Arkansas, the state Department of Environmental Quality was awarded $126,518 to implement a school bus retrofit project in Pulaski County. The project will focus on reducing the diesel emissions generated by up to 85 school buses that transport special-needs children and is expected to reduce more than 35,000 pounds of smog-forming pollutants and 1,100 pounds of particulate matter per year.

  In Louisiana, the Caddo Parish Public School District was awarded $53,599 to implement the use of biodiesel fuel in all of its 487 school buses and retrofit older school buses with diesel emission controls. The project is expected to reduce more than 200,000 pounds of smog-forming pollutants and 6,000 pounds of particulate matter per year.

  In Oklahoma, the Fort Sill Apache Tribe was awarded $176,674 to implement a school bus retrofit project in rural Caddo County that covers four school districts. The project is expected to reduce more than 400 pounds of smog-forming pollutants and 14 pounds of particulate matter each year per school bus.

  In Texas, the North Central Texas Council of Governments was awarded $176,674 to retrofit and replace an estimated 60 school buses throughout a 16-county area. The project is expected to reduce more than 24,000 pounds of smog-forming pollutants and 840 pounds of particulate matter per year. A second grant of $145,049 was also awarded to the Capital Area Council of Governments to retrofit 40 diesel-powered buses in two school districts, purchase more than 200,000 gallons of biodiesel fuel, and buy one plug-in, diesel-electric hybrid bus. That project is expected to reduce more than 16,000 pounds of smog-forming pollutants and 560 pounds of particulate matter per year.

  For more information on the Blue Skyways Collaborative, go to: www.blueskyways.org.

  EPA Awards Grant to Retrofit School Buses in Kansas City Area - On February 21, 2007, the U.S. EPA awarded a $216,000 grant to help 18 school districts in Missouri and Kansas retrofit older school buses with diesel oxidation catalysts. School districts that are participating in the Clean School Bus USA program include Lee's Summit, North Kansas City, Olathe, Blue Valley, and Shawnee Mission. Combined with $975,000 from the federal Congestion Mitigation/Air Quality (CMAQ) program and $50,000 from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the money will help retrofit 1,300 buses in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The Mid-America Regional Council is administrating the EPA award.

  EPA Awards Grant to ALA for Chicago Clean School Bus Project - On February 15, 2007, U.S. EPA Region 5 awarded a $94,876 grant to the American Lung Association (ALA) for a project to cut diesel emissions from school buses in the Chicago metropolitan area. EPA said the grant will be used to retrofit 43 buses in school districts in Green Oaks, Mundelein, Grayslake, and Ingleside. This grant is part of EPA's Clean School Bus USA program. For more information on Clean School Bus USA, go to: www.epa.gov/cleanschoolbus/.
  
  

• February 16, 2007

  Agreement with Hartford Trash Authority Includes Funds for Diesel Retrofit - On February 8, 2007, the Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority (CRRA) and the city of Hartford announced the details of an agreement that could resolve a long-standing dispute over who will pay the $35.5 million to close and then monitor the authority's landfill in Hartford's North Meadows. The agreement unified the city and the CRRA in efforts to secure state permits to keep the landfill open until 2008 and to get $15 million in state funds to then close the facility. The city would be absolved of all costs associated with closing and maintaining the landfill and Hartford would also get $2 million in additional benefits. To close the landfill, the trash authority must place a synthetic cap over the mounds of refuse on the property and monitor the land for 30 years. If all conditions of the agreement are met, the city will get a benefits package from the CRRA of $2 million that will go toward reducing diesel emissions, promoting recycling in Hartford, and finding ways to use the property after the landfill is closed. With $150,000 of that money, the CRRA agreed to retrofit 17 pieces of diesel equipment. The authority will also reimburse the city $200,000 to retrofit 27 diesel trucks that Hartford uses to haul trash and recyclables. More information on this settlement is available at: www.courant.com/news/local/hc-cthfdtrash0208.artfeb08,0,2904470.story?coll=hc-headlines-local.

  Settlement with Bus Companies Includes Diesel Retrofit Project - On January 10, 2007, the U.S. EPA reached a settlement with three bus companies, Arrow Line Acquisitions in Connecticut, Bonanza Acquisition in Rhode Island, and Peter Pan Bus Lines in Massachusetts. This consent agreement settles the bus companies' violation of the Clean Water Act storm water permit requirements and federal oil spill prevention regulations. Peter Pan also violated the Massachusetts' vehicle idling limitations, which prohibits vehicle engine idling for more than five minutes. In addition to monetary fines, Peter Pan agreed to equip nearly its entire New England passenger bus fleet with new crankcase filters that will minimize potential storm water pollution from bus oil leaks. The new filters will reduce leaks from individual buses by one to six gallons of oil per year. Peter Pan will install the filters on 268 buses by the end of December 2007.
  
  

• February 9, 2007

  Arizona to Develop Incentives for Diesel Retrofits - On January 8, 2007, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano issued an Executive Order outlining strategies to reduce PM emissions in Maricopa County (Phoenix) and other surrounding counties. Among other measures, the strategies include the development of incentives for retrofitting existing on-road and off-road diesel engines. More specifically, the Executive Order calls for the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality to develop requirements stating that any State agency that contracts for the use of on-road or off-road heavy-duty diesel equipment in Maricopa, Pima, and Pinal Counties shall construct its Request for Proposals (RFP) in such a way that gives incentives to bidders that use: "equipment retrofitted with diesel retrofit kits; newer clean diesel technologies and fuels; or 'green diesel,' biodiesel fuel, or other fuels that are cleaner than petroleum diesel." For a copy of the Executive Order, go to: azgovernor.gov/dms/upload/EO_2007_03_SDOC4873.pdf.

  EPA Awards Grant to University of Illinois to Cut Diesel Emissions from Buses - On January 31, 2007, U.S. EPA Region 5 awarded a $50,000 grant to the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana for a project to cut diesel emissions from local mass transit buses. EPA said the grant will be used to retrofit four diesel-powered buses with equipment that will reduce diesel emissions in the Champaign-Urbana community. The grant is part of U.S. EPA Region 5's Midwest Clean Diesel Initiative.
  
  

• February 2, 2007

  EPA Awards $50,000 Grant to Wisconsin to Cut Diesel Emissions from Waste Haulers - On January 18, 2007, U.S. EPA Region 5 awarded a $50,000 grant to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for a project to cut diesel emissions from Wisconsin garbage trucks. EPA said the grant will be used to retrofit at least 21 garbage trucks with emission control technology in the city of De Pere and in the Milwaukee metropolitan area. The grant is part of EPA Region 5's Midwest Clean Diesel Initiative.

  Grants Help Salt Lake City Buy Cleaner School Buses - Chevron USA is giving the Davis School District in Salt Lake City, Utah a $200,000 grant to retrofit some of its 230 diesel-powered school buses with pollution-control devices. In addition, the Jordan School District is collecting grant money from the state and the U.S. EPA to help buy 33 school buses that run on compressed natural gas (CNG). Currently, about 10 percent of the Jordan School District's fleet run on compressed natural gas. The Jordan School District grant was offered in conjunction with the Utah Clean Cities Coalition as part of the Wasatch Front Clean School Bus initiative. The grants pay the difference in cost between a bus that runs with a diesel engine and an engine that runs on compressed natural gas.

  Ohio EPA Settlement with Specialty Chemical Maker Includes Funds for Diesel Retrofit - On January 16, 2007, the Ohio EPA reached a settlement with the Cognis Corp., a specialty chemical maker, for claims that it failed to, among other things: comply with organic compound emission requirements, monitor and maintain records of landfill gas sulfur content, conduct timely stack tests for emissions, and promptly repair a malfunctioning boiler in its Cincinnati plant. Cognis will pay a fine totaling $290,000, of which $62,000 will go towards the Clean Diesel School Bus Program. Cognis must also conduct a $20,000 pollution prevention study and test air pollution equipment in the presence of state or county regulators.
  
  

• January 26, 2007

  U.S. EPA Region 5 Kicks Off Midwest Clean Diesel Leadership Group - On January 24, 2007, U.S. EPA Region 5 hosted the first meeting of its Midwest Clean Diesel Leadership Group in Chicago, IL. The group of 32 public-sector and private-industry organizations shares the goal of cutting emissions from one million diesel engines in the region by 2010. The Leadership Group is part of EPA Region 5's Midwest Clean Diesel Initiative (MCDI). The meeting began with a press event in the morning announcing the group (which included remarks by EPA Regional Administrator Mary Gade and EPA-OTAQ's Merrylin Zaw-Mon, and a photo session with all of the group members) and was followed by afternoon breakout sessions where members discussed the group's strategic initiatives. State environmental policy leaders from the Midwest shared some of their own experiences developing programs to reduce diesel particulate and NOx emissions from existing diesel engines operating in their own state.

  EPA created the MCDI to reduce emissions from existing diesel engines in the region. MCDI estimates that more than three million diesel engines in the Midwest would benefit from the use of cleaner fuels and idle-reduction and diesel-retrofit technologies and strategies. These include rebuilding, repowering, replacing, refueling, and retrofitting these engines with emission control devices. So far, the public-private partnership has undertaken more than $30 million in projects, affecting 350,000 engines, and reducing air pollution by more than 3.5 million pounds per year, including the application of more than 6,000 diesel retrofits and more than 11,000 engine repowers. The majority of the diesel applications impacted to date are on-road engines (e.g., school buses, transit buses, municipal vehicles).

  For more information on the MCDI and the Leadership Group, go to: www.epa.gov/midwestcleandiesel.
  
  

• January 19, 2007

  Tennessee Announces New Diesel Retrofit Grant Projects - On January 11, 2007, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) announced two new grant projects aimed at reducing emissions from diesel engines in nonattainment areas of the state. The pilot projects will provide $1.6 million in competitive grant funds for retrofitting older diesel engines used in road construction equipment and locomotives. Funds may be used to add emission control and idling reduction devices to older diesel engines, to rebuild older engines, or to replace older engines with newer, cleaner engines. Project funds are provided under the federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) program, which provides dedicated funds for transportation projects that reduce emissions from mobile sources.

  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. This competitive 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 competitive funding opportunity is open to rail companies and authorities that operate in the Knoxville and Chattanooga areas.

  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.

  Ohio Settlement with Recycling Facility Includes Funds for Diesel Retrofit - The Ohio EPA reached a settlement with Clean Harbors, a local recycling facility, for exceeding its permitted emissions limitation in 2002 and 2003. Clean Harbors will pay $64,000 in civil penalty to Ohio EPA's air pollution control programs and $16,000 to support Ohio EPA's clean diesel school bus program. Clean Harbors was also cited for failing to meet efficiency standards that are required for its pollution equipment and failing to submit a required stack test report in a timely manner. The company operates six facilities that provide a full range of collection, treatment, disposal, and recycling services for mercury-type wastes. In late 2003, Clean Harbors cleaned up its air pollution control equipment and has been operating in compliance with its permit since that time.

  Funding Available under Ohio School Bus Retrofit Program - Proposals for the next round of funding available under the Ohio EPA's Clean Diesel School Bus Fund Retrofit Grants program are due March 1, 2007, with the final round on September 1, 2007. Nearly half of the $1 million available funds were distributed in 2006. The program, funded from environmental violations, helps school districts to retrofit diesel school buses with pollution control equipment in counties not meeting the federal air quality standards. Information about this Ohio school bus program and application materials can be obtained at: www.epa.state.oh.us/oeef/html/schoolbus.html.

  New York City Settlement with EPA Requires Use of Cleaner Diesel Fuel at Port - On January 17, 2007, the U.S. EPA announced that it has reached a settlement with the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) requiring it to pay for cleaner diesel fuels for local marine vessels and pay a penalty of $20,000. The settlement is the result of NYCEDC being cited by EPA because it placed dredged material from its New York City Passenger Ship Terminal into the Historic Area Remediation Site without the testing required in its federal permit. Under the settlement with EPA, NYCEDC will provide $85,000 in credited funds to allow Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company to buy ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) fuel for marine vessels it operates in the Port of New York and New Jersey. Additionally, the company has independently committed to consider using the ULSD fuel in its marine equipment into the future. More information on this settlement is available at: www.epa.gov/region02/water/ocean.
  
  

• January 12, 2007

  New Jersey Announces Proposed New Rule for Diesel Retrofit Program - On December 18, 2006, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection published the proposed rule for its Diesel Retrofit Program. Originally announced back in September 2005, New Jersey's Diesel Retrofit Program will require the installation of closed crankcase ventilation systems or tailpipe retrofit devices on certain diesel-powered vehicles and equipment, including school buses, solid waste collection vehicles, publicly-owned commercial buses, privately-owned commercial buses, and publicly-owned on-road vehicles and off-road equipment. A public hearing concerning the proposal is scheduled for January 30, 2007 in Trenton, NJ. Written comments on the rule are due by February 16, 2007. For a copy of the proposed rule, go to: www.nj.gov/dep/rules/notices/121806a.htm.
  
  

• January 5, 2007

  EPA Region 5 Announces New Clean School Bus Grants - On December 20, 2006, U.S. EPA Region 5 awarded a $95,000 grant to NextEnergy Center to help retrofit school buses with diesel emission controls. The grant will help NextEnergy buy diesel oxidation catalysts that will be used to retrofit 58 school buses for Michigan school districts in areas that do not meet the health-based outdoor air quality standard for ozone. The schools districts are: Hamilton Community Schools, Hamilton; Hartland Consolidated Schools and Howell Public Schools, Howell; and the Edwardsburg School District, Edwardsburg.

  Also, on December 20, 2006, EPA Region 5 awarded a $50,000 grant to Fort Wayne (Indiana) Community Schools to help retrofit school buses with diesel emission controls and to help buy biodiesel fuel. The project includes two school districts: Fort Wayne Community Schools and Southwest Allen County Schools. The districts will install diesel oxidation catalysts on 30 buses, and together the districts will use biodiesel fuel in 372 buses.

  Both of these grants are part of EPA's Clean School Bus USA program (www.epa.gov/cleanschoolbus).