SALEM, Ore. — The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) will begin receiving applications in April from diesel engine owners who want to lower their emissions through the purchase of new engines or retrofitting older ones.
In 2019, the Oregon Legislature authorized the creation of the grant program for businesses, governments and equipment owners.
It will provide approximately $8 million every year for five years and is managed by the Environmental Mitigation Trust Fund. The first set of funding was awarded in 2021.
“This program recognizes the air contaminants and effects on climate produced by diesel engines,” an ODEQ news release stated. “It is designed to reduce diesel pollution, including nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, ozone and air toxics, among others. Used as grants to upgrade diesel equipment, the program will mitigate adverse impacts from diesel emissions. Targeted use of the funds will help Oregon … maximize benefits for vulnerable populations, e.g., low income, minority, elderly and youth, and prioritize pollution reductions in areas of the state with the highest emissions of NOx and particulate matter from diesel engines.”
Eligible projects include replacing diesel engine vehicles with an equivalent motor vehicle or replacing a piece of equipment powered by a non-road diesel engine with equivalent equipment, the news release noted. Projects must replace an existing diesel engine with a newer, cleaner engine or power source that is certified by the Environmental Protection Agency and, if applicable, meet a more stringent set of engine emission standards.
Projects must also equip a diesel engine with new emissions-reducing parts or convert the diesel engine into an engine capable of being powered by alternative fuel, according to ODEQ guidelines.
Grant applications, which are open to public, private and tribal diesel equipment owners across Oregon, will be accepted beginning on April 1. The deadline is June 6.
As a reimbursement program, the percentage of funding varies from 25-100%, depending on the project type, equipment and owner.
More information is available by clicking here.
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