U.S. EPA awards $1.6 million to reduce diesel emissions in Arizona

September 17, 2020

PHOENIX — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $1,617,086 in Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) grants to public and private partners in Arizona. The funds will be used to replace old, polluting diesel vehicles, including school buses, refuse trucks and heavy-duty trucks operating in Maricopa County.

The DERA program is administered by the EPA’s West Coast Collaborative, a clean air partnership that leverages public and private funds to reduce emissions from the most polluting diesel sources in the western states and U.S. territories.

"By providing funds for cleaner air technologies, we can improve air quality and public health in Maricopa County," said EPA Regional Administrator John Busterud. “Public-private partnerships like the West Coast Collaborative are leading the way on reducing harmful diesel emissions and creating jobs.”

“The DERA grants are a great example of a federal-local partnership that results in tangible action to reduce emissions,” said Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. “The equipment the City of Phoenix will deploy with the help of this second year of grants will not only deliver the essential services of trash and recycling pickup, they will also contribute to our emissions reduction goals and cleaner air in our community.”

“Maricopa County is pleased to announce that the 2020 DERA program will provide funding for two zero emissions electric school buses, as well as additional cleaner burning vehicles,” said Maricopa County Air Quality Department Director Philip McNeely. “Recipients of this year’s funding include public and private entities in both Maricopa and Yuma Counties.  These projects are a step forward in achieving progress towards cleaner air in Arizona.”

“ADEQ appreciates EPA’s continued investment in cleaner air for Arizona,” said Misael Cabrera, Director, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. “EPA’s DERA grant with ADEQ’s matching funds is continuing to provide for cleaner burning vehicles that reduce diesel emissions and improve air quality across the state.”

This year’s grants to Arizona will fund the following projects:

1. City of Phoenix Public Works Department received $1,096,362 to replace nine diesel refuse trucks with new trucks powered by ultra-low NOx compressed natural gas engines. The funds will be combined with $2,394,886 from the City of Phoenix. Click here for more information.
2. Maricopa County Air Quality Department received $520,724 to replace 12 heavy-duty diesel vehicles including six school buses and six short-haul trucks. Replacement trucks include three propane buses and two battery-electric buses. The funds will be combined with $347,149 in AZ state matching funds and $1,474,335 in cost-share funds from participating fleets. Click here for more information.

EPA has implemented standards to make newer heavy-duty engines cleaner, but many older engines are still operating. They emit large amounts of pollutants, including particulate matter, which is linked to health problems, including aggravated asthma, bronchitis, lung damage, heart attack and premature death.

More information about these DERA grants can be found on the EPA West Coast Collaborative website https://westcoastcollaborative.org.

For more information about the DERA funding programs, go here: https://www.epa.gov/dera.

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