WASHINGTON – EPA has announced the availability of almost $50 million in grant funding to establish clean diesel projects aimed at reducing emissions from the nation’s existing fleet of diesel engines, according to the NAFA Fleet Management Association. The funding, which was authorized by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and funded for the first time this fiscal year, will be administered by EPA’s National Clean Diesel Campaign (NCDC) and its network of seven collaborative, made up of EPA regional offices and public and private sector partners, according to NAFA.

State, local, regional, and tribal governments can apply for the grants, as well as non-profits and institutions with transportation, educational services, and air quality responsibilities. The grants are targeting school or transit buses, medium- and heavy-duty trucks, marine engines, locomotives, and non-road engines. Grant recipients can use a variety of cost-effective emission reduction strategies, such as EPA-verified retrofit and idle-reduction technologies, EPA-certified engine upgrades, vehicle or equipment replacements, cleaner fuels, and creation of innovative clean diesel financing programs. For more information about NCDC and funding opportunities, visit http://www.epa.gov/cleandiesel.