EPA is offering a Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) Request for Applications (RFA) that is open to tribal governments (or intertribal consortia), Alaska Native Villages and insular area governments for projects that reduce emissions from older diesel engines.
Donor Name: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
State: All States
County: All Counties
Territory: U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 10/26/2022
Size of the Grant: $800,000
Grant Duration: up to 36 months
Details:
Reducing emissions from diesel engines is one of the most important air quality challenges facing the country. From transportation to energy generation, the diesel engine powers almost every sector of the American economy. Due to improved EPA diesel engine regulations and emissions standards over the past few decades, engines currently coming off the manufacturing line are now sixty times cleaner than before. However, despite these tighter standards for new engines, the nearly eight million legacy diesel engines already in use continue to emit large amounts of PM2.5 and NOx. These air pollutants contribute to serious public health problems like asthma, lung disease, and various other cardiac and respiratory illnesses, which result in thousands of premature deaths, millions of lost workdays, and numerous other negative health impacts every year in the United States.
The Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) program promotes an array of diesel emissions strategies by working with manufacturers, fleet operators, air quality professionals, environmental and community organizations and state and local officials to address the varying priorities of different regions and sectors. DERA supports environmental justice by prioritizing emissions reductions in areas receiving disproportionate impacts from diesel fleets to provide an environment where all people enjoy the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards.
Scope of Work
- DERA grants provide funding to eligible recipients so that they may implement programs which incentivize and accelerate the upgrading or retirement of the legacy diesel fleet. Eligible activities include the retrofit or replacement of existing diesel engines, vehicles and equipment with EPA and California Air Resources Board (CARB) certified engine configurations and verified retrofit and idle reduction technologies. There are several ways DERA recipients may implement projects and fund project partners depending on the roles and responsibilities of each.
- If the applicant is the owner of the target vehicles, the applicant may directly implement the project. If the applicant is partnering with diesel fleet owners, the applicant may award subawards or participant support costs (i.e., rebates).
Funding Information
- The amount of federal funding requested per application by the tribal governments (or intertribal consortia) or Alaska Native Villages must not exceed $800,000, and the amount requested per application by the insular area government entities must not exceed $300,000.
- EPA anticipates most projects can be completed within 24 months, however initial project periods of up to 36 months will be allowed where justified by the activities, timeline and milestones detailed in the workplan.
Eligibility Criteria
- In accordance with Assistance Listing 66.039, applications will be accepted from tribal governments (or intertribal consortiums), Alaska Native Villages, or insular area government agencies which have jurisdiction over transportation or air quality.
- Tribal governments are defined as Federally recognized Indian tribal governments, which are any Indian Tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community (including Alaska Native Villages) certified by the Secretary of the Interior as eligible for the special programs and services provided through the Bureau of Indian Affairs as well as any organization or intertribal consortium that represents Federally recognized tribes.
- For the purposes of this RFA, “intertribal consortium” is defined as a partnership between two or more eligible tribal governments as defined above, that is authorized by the governing bodies of those tribes to apply for and receive assistance under this program. Intertribal consortia are eligible to receive assistance under this program only if the consortium demonstrates that all members of the consortium meet the eligibility requirements for the program and authorize the consortium to apply for and receive assistance by submitting to EPA documentation of (1) the existence of the partnership between Indian tribal governments, and (2) authorization of the consortium by all its members to apply for and receive the assistance.
- For the purposes of this RFA and as defined in 48 U.S.C. §1469a, “insular areas” include the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
