EPA Announces $5 Million in Grants Available for Tribes and Insular Areas to Replace Diesel Equipment and Reduce Harmful Emissions
For the first time under this competition, matching funds are not required.
WASHINGTON (April 30, 2021) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of grant funding available to Tribal and certain insular area governments, to implement projects aimed at reducing emissions from the nation’s existing fleet of older diesel engines. EPA anticipates awarding approximately $5 million in Diesel Emissions Reduction Program (DERA) grants to eligible applicants, subject to the availability of funds. Older diesel engines emit large amounts of NOx and PM2.5, which contribute to serious public health problems, including asthma, lung disease, and various other cardiac and respiratory diseases.
“Far too often, people living on Tribal lands and insular areas are overburdened by pollution from aging vehicles and engines,” said EPA Acting Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation Joseph Goffman. “These grants target the specific needs of Tribes and insular areas to update their fleets with cleaner equipment that will reduce harmful diesel exhaust in their communities.”
A total of $4.5 million will be made available to Tribal governments, or intertribal consortia, and Alaska Native villages; and $500,000 will be made available to insular area governments including the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. EPA anticipates awarding five to ten cooperative agreements to Tribal governments, intertribal consortia or Alaska Native villages; and two to four cooperative agreements to insular area governments. For the first time, matching funds are not required for eligibility. This approach will expand access to diesel emission reduction projects to those Tribal and insular areas with more limited resources.
Nearly ten million legacy diesel engines are in use in the United States. Problems that result from these engines include thousands of premature deaths, millions of lost workdays, and numerous other negative health impacts every year. The DERA program prioritizes projects in areas that face the most challenging air quality issues, especially those that benefit underserved communities or populations that have faced or are facing environmental health or environmental justice disparities.
Application packages must be submitted electronically to EPA through Grants.gov to be considered for funding. Although funding for both Tribes and insular areas is being announced under this single Request for Application, the applications will be reviewed separately. Three informational webinars to accommodate diverse time zones will take place on 05/12/2021, 05/18/2021, and 05/20/2021 for interested applicants. EPA anticipates sending notification of awards in August of 2021.
Since the inaugural year of funding for DERA in 2008, EPA has awarded over $830 million on 850 grant projects and 450 rebate projects to reduce diesel emissions nationwide. Many of these projects funded cleaner engines that operate in overburdened communities whose residents suffer from higher-than-average instances of asthma, heart and lung disease.
For more information and to access the Request for Applications, visit https://www.epa.gov/dera/tribal.
To attend the informational webinars, visit https://www.epa.gov/dera/tribal#dates for links. Pre-registration is not required.
For general information on the DERA Program, visit https://www.epa.gov/dera