EPA invites projects for Midwest Clean-Diesel grants

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5’s Midwest Clean Diesel Initiative today announced it expects to award up to $300,000 this year in grants for diesel-emission reduction projects in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. Project proposals will be accepted until Sept. 18 and final awards are expected to be made around Jan. 1.

Proposals may include but are not limited to diesel exhaust retrofits, vehicle replacement, idle reduction technologies or strategies, and use of cleaner burning fuels such as biodiesel. School bus projects are not eligible for these grants.

MCDI is a collaboration of federal, state and local agencies, along with communities, non-profit organizations and private companies working together to reduce emissions from diesel engines to improve air quality in the Midwest.

Diesel emissions contain large amounts of nitrogen oxides and fine particles (soot). Nitrogen oxides are precursors of ground-level ozone or smog, which is a lung irritant, while fine particles can aggravate respiratory and heart conditions.

A copy of the request for proposals is at http://www.grants.gov and http://www.epa.gov/midwestcleandiesel. The title of the announcement is “Midwest Clean Diesel Initiative.” For more information, contact Steve Marquardt by e-mail at marquardt.steve@epa.gov.