Diesel Retrofit News - 2010

May 28, 2010

North Carolina Solar Center Receives EPA Leadership Award for Reducing Diesel Emissions - On May 26, 2010, the U.S. EPA, on behalf of the Southeast Diesel Collaborative (SEDC), presented the North Carolina Solar Center at North Carolina State University with the Leadership Award at the Mobilizing North Carolina Conference in Raleigh, NC. This is the second year the SEDC Leadership Council has presented the Leadership Award to recognize exemplary projects in emission reductions throughout the Southeast. The Center was recognized for demonstrating leadership through the implementation of a sub-grant program to reduce transportation-related diesel emissions.

With $1.6 million, the Center was able to fund 17 out of 30 diesel emission reduction projects. The project results include: 72 diesel retrofits, five heavy-duty hybrid electric vehicles, 11 refueling stations (biodiesel, ethanol, and natural gas), and 24 truck stop electrification spaces. Project partners include: Triangle Transit, Piedmont Biofuels, Charlotte Airport, Rowan County School District, Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation, Metrolina, Piedmont Biofuels and Piedmont Natural Gas, cities of Monroe, Greensboro, and Gastonia, Duke Energy, Smoky Mountain National Park and Friends of Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Progress Energy, and World Energy.

For more information, go to: yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/e77fdd4f5afd88a3852576b3005a604f/cfaaec619ca4a9068525772f006befb9!OpenDocument.

EPA Releases New Technical Bulletins on Use of DPFs, DOCs - New technical bulletins are now available on the U.S. EPA's National Clean Diesel Campaign (NCDC) website on the use of DPFs and DOCs in diesel retrofit projects. These technical bulletins are designed to support NCDC grant recipients (as well as their sub-recipients and others) and fleet managers who are using (or are considering using) DPFs or DOCs as retrofit technologies. The technical bulletins provide general information on how the technologies work, as well as information on the installation and operation and maintenance of the technologies. For a copy of the technical bulletins, go to: www.epa.gov/cleandiesel/publications.htm#tech.



May 21, 2010

Illinois DOT Clean Construction Requirements to Start in June - The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) will require that certain off-road diesel equipment used in state-funded construction projects be retrofitted with emission control devices starting on June 11, 2010. These requirements were established last year in response to an Executive Order signed by Governor Pat Quinn (D) in April 2009. The specification requires the installation of U.S. EPA- or ARB-verified Level 2 devices (or verification by a manufacturer's certification that the retrofit will provide a 50% reduction in PM) on Tier 0 and Tier 1 off-road diesel engines.

The clean construction requirements will be phased-in according to the following schedule:



• In the first year, the requirements will apply only to prime contractors and for equipment rated at 600 hp and greater.
• Beginning the second year, the requirements will apply to prime contractors and subcontractors and for equipment 100 hp and greater.
• Beginning the third year, the requirements will apply to prime contractors and subcontractors and for equipment 50 hp and greater.

The provision is only applicable in areas of the state designated as being in nonattainment for ozone and/or fine particulate matter. Exemptions will be made for large cranes and other equipment where no retrofit device is available. For more information, contact IDOT's Mike Renner at: (217) 782-6667 or Mike.Renner@illinois.gov.

(Note: Cook County, IL, adopted its own clean construction ordinance back in May 2009.)



May 14, 2010

Kansas Announces Availability of Funding for On- and Off-Road Clean Diesel Projects - On April 23, 2010, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment announced a grant opportunity for public and private fleet owners in Kansas to apply for funding to clean up their on-road and off-road diesel fleets. The funding for this program (the Kansas Clean Diesel Grant Program) comes from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 (ARRA) National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program. The minimum amount that may be applied for is $5,000 and the maximum amount is $100,000. Eligible projects include: verified diesel retrofit technologies, verified idling reduction technologies, verified cleaner fuel, certified vehicle replacements, and/or certified engine repowers. The deadline for submission of grant applications is June 18, 2010. For more information, including a copy of the grant application, go to: www.kdheks.gov/bar/air-monitor/dieselgrant.html.



May 7, 2010

British Columbia Requirement to Retrofit Older Diesel Trucks to Take Effect this Fall - Effective October 1, 2010, model year 1989-1993 on-road, commercial heavy-duty diesel vehicles registered in British Columbia, Canada, that have a licensed gross vehicle weight (GVW) of more than 8,200 kg will need to be retrofit with a verified DOC (or equivalent). The B.C. Air Action Plan (www.bcairsmart.ca), released in June 2008, sets out the requirements for the program. The retrofit requirement will not apply to buses, off-road vehicles (e.g., construction equipment), emergency vehicles, and farm vehicles under 17,300 kg. Only emission control devices verified by the U.S. EPA or California ARB will be accepted. Based on motor vehicle registrations, Ministry of Environment officials say approximately 4,200 on-road heavy-duty diesel vehicles will be affected. The measure is expected to reduce PM emissions in B.C. by an estimated 60 million tons a year, equivalent to permanently removing at least 1,000 heavy-duty vehicles from the road, say officials. B.C. is the first province in Canada to make retrofit technology mandatory for on-road, heavy-duty diesel vehicles. For more information, go to: cvse.ca/diesel_retrofit/faq.htm.

Maryland to Retrofit Older Dump Trucks - On April 28, 2010, the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) announced that it will use a $250,000 grant from the U.S. EPA to retrofit up to 120 older dump trucks with emission control devices. The funding comes from DERA funds awarded last year under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The retrofits will be installed this summer on pre-2004 heavy-duty dump trucks. SHA will conduct a pre- and post-vehicle emission evaluation to evaluate the effectiveness of the devices. SHA maintains a fleet of approximately 700 dump trucks. SHA plans to apply for additional grants to retrofit more dump trucks across the State. In addition to the retrofits, SHA noted that it has been using biodiesel (B5) in all of its dump trucks since 2005. For more information, go to: www.marylandroads.com/Pages/release.aspx?newsId=634.

Project to Retrofit School Buses and City Vehicles Announced in Northwest Indiana - On April 20, 2010, South Shore Clean Cities (SSCC), in cooperation with the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC), announced the NWI Clean Fleet Collaborative project in northwest Indiana. SSCC will work with school districts and municipal fleets in Lake and Porter Counties to install DOCs on their buses and diesel vehicles. The goal of the program is to achieve immediate air quality improvements in the near-term, with the long-term goal of eventually turning to alternative fuel sources for the region's vehicle fleets. Schools and municipalities will pay up front for the retrofits and will then be reimbursed through federal grant money. The program has $300,000 available now, with another $200,000 in funds available in July. SSCC said this program will result in cleaner air for over 125,000 children who ride school buses and the nearly 725,000 people who reside in these counties. For more information, go to: www.southshorecleancities.org.

Texas Extends Deadline to Apply for Funding under Texas Clean School Bus Program - On May 3, 2010, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) announced that applications will now be accepted until May 31, 2010, for funding to install retrofit devices on diesel school buses operating in the state. The original deadline was April 15, 2010, and then later extended to April 30, 2010. In addition, the grant is now available to all school districts in the state (previously, the grant was only available to school districts in nonattainment counties). A total of about $1.7 million in economic stimulus funding is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Eligible retrofit devices include DPFs, flow-through filters, DOCs, and crankcase filtration systems. For more information, including a link to the Request for Grant Applications (RGA), go to: www.texascleanschoolbus.org.



April 2, 2010

Texas Announces Environmental Fines, Includes Funds for Retrofit of School Buses - On March 30, 2010, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) approved penalties totaling $584,688 against 71 regulated entities in the state for violations of state environmental regulations. Included in the total are penalties of $146,917 against Dow Chemical Company for three air violations stemming from an investigation in May 2009 that found excess air emissions and inadequate equipment maintenance. Of this amount, $73,458 will be used in the Houston-Galveston area to retrofit school buses with emission control devices as part of the Texas Clean School Bus Program. For more information, go to: www.tceq.state.tx.us/comm_exec/communication/media/033010CommissionersAgenda.



March 26, 2010

NYSERDA Issues RFP for Database on Clean Diesel Technologies for Construction Equipment - On March 23, 2010, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced a request for proposals (RFP) to create a web-based information database focused on best available emission control technology (BAT) for diesel construction equipment used in New York State. By creating an inventory of entity-approved BAT, "the burden of research into appropriate and effective pairings of engines and devices is intended to be minimized for both contractors and regulators." Entities such as the "NY Interest Group" have advocated for the creation of this type of clearinghouse to facilitate decision-making in the specifying of BAT for construction projects in the NYC metropolitan area. The NY Interest Group includes: the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the Metropolitan Transit Authority, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, and some colleges and universities.

The funding available for this RFP is $500,000. NYSERDA intends to award one contract under this solicitation. Proposals are sought from a team with experience and expertise in the areas of diesel emission control technologies, relational database models, web-based information clearinghouses, business planning, in-use activity/emissions testing, and emission inventories, and who have a demonstrated ability to engage stakeholder groups in clearinghouse design. The funding, together with any in-kind and third-party support, is expected to cover all costs for a two-year period. Supplementary support for a third year may be available depending on the progress made by the contractor during the first year-and-a-half of the project.

Proposals are due by May 11, 2010. A public webinar will be held on April 20, 2010 (details on how to join the webinar are provided in the RFP). For a copy of the RFP (RFP No. 1666), go to: www.nyserda.org/funding/1666rfp.asp.



March 19, 2010

Texas Announces Availability of Grant Funding for NOx-Reduction Technologies - The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is seeking applications for technology projects focused on reducing air pollutant emissions, primarily NOx, from mobile and stationary sources in Texas. Eligible entities include developers of emission reduction technologies. This grant program is being implemented under the New Technology Research and Development (NTRD) Program. The primary purpose of this program is to facilitate the development, verification, and commercialization of technologies that businesses and governments may use to achieve emissions reductions under the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP) and/or State Implementation Plan (SIP). TCEQ has a strong preference for those technologies which can be verified and made available for commercial sale within two years of the date of the application for funding.

TCEQ is soliciting applications for projects for:



• Development, testing, and certification or verification of retrofits, emission control systems, and other advanced technologies that reduce NOx emissions from existing equipment and engines at least 25% without significantly reducing fuel economy.
• Development and testing of advanced technologies that produce very low or zero NOx emissions from stationary and mobile engines and/or vehicles.
• Field validation of technologies that have been shown in testing or through verification or certification to reduce NOx emissions but require demonstration of viability for full commercial acceptance.
• Development of innovative qualifying fuels and fuel production technologies that make use of energy resources in Texas.

The application deadline for this round of funding is April 26, 2010. For a copy of the Request for Grant Applications (RFGA), go to: www.tceq.state.tx.us/implementation/air/terp/ntrd_apps.html.

Louisville Announces New "Green" Business Incentive Programs, Includes Financing for Retrofit of Nonroad Equipment - Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Government has added four small-business incentive programs to encourage economic development and the creation of "green" jobs. One of the incentive programs is a $2-million revolving loan fund to help reduce emissions from nonroad diesel equipment. The Providing Opportunities with Emissions Reduction (POWER) Loan program offers low-interest loans to businesses in the Louisville metropolitan area (Jefferson County, KY) to retrofit, repower, or replace existing nonroad diesel equipment. This funding was awarded to the Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Government in August 2009 through the U.S. EPA's SmartWay Clean Diesel Finance Program under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). Examples of nonroad diesel equipment eligible for this loan program include construction, cargo-handling, agricultural, mining, energy production, marine engines, and locomotives. The equipment must currently be used in the Louisville metropolitan area at least 50% of the time and must continue to be during the duration of loan repayment.

The other recently announced small-business incentive programs are:



• Green Jobs Revolving Loan Fund, a $1.4 million revolving loan fund for companies with new green jobs or products;
• Nonprofit Energy Audit Grant, a $200,000 grant pool for non-profit organizations to improve the energy efficiency of their facilities through energy audits; and
• Go Green Loan program, a revolving loan fund that provides incentives for manufacturing companies that limit energy usage by installing monitors on power equipment.

For more information on any of these small-business incentive programs, contact Louisville Metro Government's Kurt Hummel at: (502) 574-4140 or Kurt.Hummel@louisvilleky.gov.

Vancouver Issues Report on Latest Activities of Non-Road Diesel Engine Initiative - On March 2, 2010, Metro Vancouver staff released a report summarizing the recent consultation activities of Metro Vancouver's Non-Road Diesel Engine Initiative. The proposed Initiative includes an emission regulation for older, higher polluting non-road diesel engines and an incentive fund to assist engine owners to upgrade, retrofit, or repower their engines. In this latest phase of consultation, Metro Vancouver solicited input on proposed regulatory requirements through public workshops, small group meetings, and ongoing correspondence with owners, operators, and managers of non-road diesel machines, equipment and emission control dealers and manufacturers, industry and environmental associations, interested groups, and the general public.

The next phase of the process (March 2010 to September 2010) is to review and refine the draft Initiative. Metro Vancouver is forming a work group with representatives from sectors affected by the proposed emission regulation to further discuss the details of the proposed Initiative. The proposed Initiative will be presented to the Metro Vancouver Board for approval in late 2010. For more information on Metro Vancouver's Non-Road Diesel Engine Initiative, including a copy of the report, go to: www.metrovancouver.org/services/permits/DieselEmissions.



March 12, 2010

Texas Announces New Round of Funding under Clean School Bus Program - The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has announced a Request for Grant Applications (RGA) for federal grant funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) for purchasing and installing retrofit devices on diesel school buses to reduce emissions. The grant is available to school districts in nonattainment and near-nonattainment counties in Texas. All sizes of diesel school buses are eligible. 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 bus life and reinstall the device on another bus). Eligible retrofit devices include DPFs, flow-through filters, DOCs, and crankcase filtration systems. While there is not a limit on the amount of funding that can be applied for, the award amount is at the discretion of the TCEQ. Applications are due by April 15, 2010.

For more information, including a link to the RGA, go to: www.texascleanschoolbus.org.



March 5, 2010

Grant Funding Available for Clean Diesel Projects in Kansas City - The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has awarded a sub-grant to the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) to fund clean diesel projects within the Kansas City metropolitan area through two Request for Proposals (RFP). Public and private fleet owners in Jackson, Clay, Ray, Clinton, Cass, Buchanan, and Platte counties may be eligible to apply for reimbursement for the purchase of diesel retrofit technology, idle reduction technology, EPA SmartWay technologies, fuel conversion kits, engine repowers, and/or vehicle replacements. Eligible vehicles include school buses, transit buses, fire trucks, medium- and heavy-duty trucks, trash trucks, construction equipment, agricultural equipment, locomotives, marine engines, stationary diesel engines, mining equipment, and cargo-handling equipment located in one of the eligible areas. The total amount of funding available is approximately $120,000. The grant funding is part of the $1.73 million in DERA funding that the state received in April 2009 under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 (ARRA) State Clean Diesel Grant Program. Applications must be submitted to MARC by April 16, 2010. For more information, including a link to the RFPs, go to: www.marc.org/Environment/airQ/cleandiesel.asp.

EPA Recognizes Port of Charleston, SC Department of Education for ARRA Clean Diesel Projects - On March 2, 2010, U.S. EPA Assistant Administrator of Air and Radiation Gina McCarthy joined the South Carolina State Ports Authority, the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control, and the SC State Department of Education (SCSDE) at an event to recognize the Port of Charleston and the SCSDE for implementing clean diesel projects using funds through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 (ARRA) National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program. (These projects were first announced by EPA on June 29, 2009 and July 6, 2009, respectively.)

The Port of Charleston is implementing a $3.6-million project to repower and retrofit cargo handling equipment, tug boats, a harbor dredge, and local drayage trucks. Local partners are providing $1.6 million in matching funds in addition to the nearly $2 million in economic stimulus money. The project, which is part of Charleston's Pledge for Growth environmental initiative, will reduce total annual NOx emissions by 176 tons and PM emissions by 9.9 tons per year, while helping to create or retain 37 jobs. With over $700,000 in ARRA funds, SCSDE is replacing four existing 65-passenger school buses with four hybrid-electric buses. The department will also retrofit crankcase filtration systems on 500 of its 1995 model year buses. The crankcase upgrade will result in an estimated 4.7-ton reduction in diesel emissions. The project is expected to create or retain 17 jobs.

For more information on this event, go to: yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/6424ac1caa800aab85257359003f5337/4328b7c7836c61ee852576da005b2c5b!OpenDocument.



February 26, 2010

EPA Region 4 Holds Event to Recognize Georgia Retrofit Project - On February 22, 2010, U.S. EPA Region 4 Acting Regional Administrator Stan Meiburg joined officials from the University of Georgia (UGA) and Athens-Clarke County in Atlanta to recognize a $1.7 million diesel retrofit project funded through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 (ARRA) National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program. (This project was first announced by EPA on July 10, 2009.) The project will retrofit 239 on-highway diesel vehicles in Athens-Clarke and Washington counties in Georgia. The retrofitted vehicles will operate on ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel, which alone is expected to reduce PM emissions by 6.4 tons. The project is expected to create and/or preserve approximately 32 jobs in an area with 30% of the population currently below the poverty level. The event included a demonstration of how DPFs will be installed on buses, garbage trucks, and other on-highway diesel vehicles. The demonstration coincided with a day-long workshop at UGA that educated city and county officials, as well as community members, on steps municipalities can take to reduce diesel emissions. For more information, go to: yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/d0cf6618525a9efb85257359003fb69d/4b0c776b42f65556852576d20060d3dd!OpenDocument.



February 19, 2010

Lawsuit Settlement Soliciting Applications for Projects to Reduce Vehicle Emissions, Includes Funding for Retrofits - The Reformulated Gasoline Settlement Fund is now soliciting applications from non-profit organizations for grants to fund projects designed to achieve fuel or air emissions benefits for consumers in California. The Reformulated Gasoline Settlement Fund is the result of the settlement of 14 class action lawsuits against Union Oil Company of California and Unocal Corporation (Unocal). In these lawsuits, the plaintiffs claimed that Unocal affected the price for CARB-compliant summertime reformulated gasoline (RFG) in California by urging ARB to adopt its proprietary formula for summertime RFG. Unocal denied any wrongdoing or that gas prices increased as a result of its actions. Under the settlement, the parties agreed to distribute 25% of the net proceeds (approximately $7 million) through an open competitive grants program.

The types of projects that will be funded include those that:



• Reduce diesel emissions (e.g., projects to retrofit existing or provide purchase incentives for new school buses, reduce port-related emissions, modernize older truck fleets, reduce emissions from locomotives);
• Increase the use of alternative-fuel vehicles (e.g., projects to convert taxicab fleets to hybrid/electric vehicles, upgrade car-sharing fleets to hybrid/electric vehicles, provide infrastructure to support alternative-fuel vehicle refueling or charging, convert hybrid/electric fleet vehicles to plug-in hybrids);
• Increase transit use and shared vehicle use (e.g., projects to expand the use of existing transit subsidy programs by the public, expand school bus use, increase car-share and bike-share rates of use);
• Educate targeted groups (e.g., projects to train fleet operators and drivers to reduce diesel bus and/or truck idling, promote eco-driving as part of driver education, train and assist local officials in designing and implementing effective local strategies to improve air quality and/or fuel efficiency); and/or
• Reduce the pool of high-emitting vehicles (e.g., projects to improve the identification, repair, or replacement of high-emitting vehicles).

Grants will likely range in size from $500,000 to $1,000,000. Applications are due by May 3, 2010. For more information, including a copy of the application form, go to: cypresfunds.net/reformulatedgas.html.

Louisiana Provides Additional Information on ARRA State Clean Diesel Grant Program Funding - The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ), under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), approved funding on September 18, 2009, for six diesel emission reduction projects in response to a July 1, 2009 solicitation of proposals for funding. Under the ARRA, LDEQ was allocated $1.73 million in DERA funding through the U.S. EPA's State Clean Diesel Grant Program. Additional information is now available on these six projects.

Grants moving forward and needing completion by the end of September 2010 include:



• $654,012 for Caddo Parish public schools to retrofit 111 school buses with DPFs.
• $120,000 for Caddo Parish to retrofit seven trucks with DPFs and engine upgrade kits.
• $429,682 for Bossier City to convert nine heavy-duty diesel trucks to compressed natural gas.
• $195,870 for East Baton Rouge Parish to convert four heavy-duty diesel trucks to compressed natural gas.
• $149,733 for New Orleans Public Belt Railroad to upgrade seven locomotives with idle switches.
• (The contract for the replacement of landscaping equipment at LSU had to be withdrawn because matching money for the program could not be found.)

All of the projects combined are estimated to reduce hydrocarbons by 9,700 tons, greenhouse gas emissions by 1,100 tons, and particulate matter by 240 tons over the life of the projects. In addition, the projects will help reduce the use of diesel fuel by 145,000 gallons a year, for a savings of about $362,500 annually.



January 28, 2010

EPA Reaches Settlement with Kansas Power Plant for CAA Violations, Includes Funding for Retrofits - The U.S. EPA and the U.S. Department of Justice reached a settlement with Westar Energy to resolve violations of the Clean Air Act (CAA). Westar Energy has agreed to spend approximately $500 million to significantly reduce harmful air pollution and pay a $3 million civil penalty. In addition, Westar will also spend $6 million on environmental mitigation projects. The agreement resolves violations of the Clean Air Act's New Source Review requirements at the company's Jeffrey Energy Center, a coal-fired power plant near St. Marys, Kansas. Under the settlement, Westar will install pollution control equipment at the Jeffrey Energy Center that is expected to reduce combined emissions of SO₂ and NOx by about 78,600 tons per year, which is 85% below 2007 emissions. In addition, Westar will surrender surplus SO₂ allowances. Westar will also rebuild and optimize controls to reduce PM emissions.

The settlement also requires Westar to spend $6 million on projects to benefit the environment and mitigate the adverse effects of the alleged violations, including:



• Retrofitting diesel engines on vehicles owned by or operated for public entities in Kansas with emission control equipment;
• Installing new wind turbines that will result in the reduction of criteria pollutants and GHGs, and provide electricity for the benefit of a school or nonprofit;
• Installing advanced truck stop electrification to reduce harmful emissions from idling trucks;
• Installing plug-in hybrid infrastructure to facilitate the use of plug-in hybrid vehicles; and
• Converting vehicles in Westar's fleet to reduce pollution by retrofitting diesel vehicles with emission controls and purchasing hybrid vehicles.

More information on this is available at: yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/bd4379a92ceceeac8525735900400c27/a85fb73e4c613f4f852576b600565a8a!OpenDocument.



January 15, 2010

Alabama to Use ARRA State Clean Diesel Grant Program Funding to Retrofit Vehicles, Locomotives in Birmingham - On January 5, 2010, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) announced that it is partnering with United States Pipe and Foundry Company (U.S. Pipe) and the American Cast Iron Pipe Company (ACIPCO) to utilize a portion of the $1.73 million awarded to the state through the U.S. EPA's State Clean Diesel Grant Program under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) to reduce diesel emissions in the Birmingham area. ADEM has allocated $196,880 for this project. U.S. Pipe and ACIPCO utilize a fleet of diesel vehicles, equipment, and locomotives to support their daily operations. The companies have voluntarily agreed to install diesel retrofit devices and idle reduction equipment on many of these vehicles and locomotives. U.S. Pipe recycles scrap metal and turns it into ductile iron pipes that carry clean drinking water into homes and business. ACIPCO is a manufacturer of ductile iron pipe, fire hydrants, and valves for the waterworks industry and steel pipe for the oil and gas industries. Both companies have agreed to have the project completed by September 30, 2010. For more information, go to: www.adem.state.al.us/PressReleases/2010/PartnerstoReduceDieselEmissions.pdf.



January 8, 2010

Connecticut Announces Recipients of ARRA State Clean Diesel Grant Program Funding - On December 31, 2009, Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell announced the grant recipients of the $1.73 million in DERA funding the state received through the U.S. EPA's State Clean Diesel Grant Program under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

The clean diesel projects are:



• State Highway Truck Retrofit ($600,000) - Using $150,000 of the funds, this project will retrofit 146 state highway plow trucks with DOCs (note: this project has been completed). After the winter season, the retrofitted trucks can be used year-round for other highway uses. Approximately $450,000 in stimulus funds will be used for similar retrofits for state highway construction equipment.
• Truck Stop Electrification ($380,256) - This project at the Port of New Haven will establish a truck stop electrification (TSE) parking area to relieve a long-standing problem caused by idling trucks waiting for gate access to deliver or pick up goods. The TSE units will allow truck drivers to have heat, air conditioning, and electricity for in-cab appliances without running their truck engines.
• Locomotive Engine Repower ($750,000) - This project will replace a diesel locomotive engine operated by the Providence and Worcester Rail Road in New Haven with low emission generators and DPFs. This project will be the first of its kind in Connecticut.

The Governor noted that these projects will further implement strategies set out in the Connecticut Clean Diesel Plan that was adopted in 2006. The three projects were selected from among 16 submitted for consideration.



North Carolina Announces RFA for Cleaning Up Nonroad Diesel Engines - North Carolina's Division of Air Quality has announced its second request for applications (RFA) under its NC Clean Construction Leading to Early Adoption of Diesel Emission Reductions (LEADER) program. The purpose of the LEADER program is to help clean up North Carolina's legacy fleet of Tier 0 (unregulated) nonroad diesel engines through the funding of retrofits, equipment replacements or engine repowers, or engine upgrade group solutions. The total funding available for this second request for applications is about $125,000. This funding comes from a DERA grant awarded to the NC Division of Air Quality by the U.S. EPA in October 2008. The application period closes on February 5, 2010. For more information, including a copy of the application package, go to: daq.state.nc.us/motor/LEADER/.