May 9 UPDATE: EPA’s 2013 Diesel Retrofit Grant Competition is NOW OPEN! To view the Request for Proposals (RFP), application, instructions and all supporting information go here - .Proposal packages are due by Tuesday, June 25, 2013, at 4:00 pm EDT. |
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Despite these facts and figures, future federal funding for the DERA program remains uncertain (see below for more details). In the proposed fiscal year (FY) 2014 budget, President Obama announced a 70 percent cut to the DERA program. This would reduce available funding from approximately $20 million (appropriated as part of this year’s continuing resolution) to $6 million for FY 2014.
ѻý is continuing to work with a broad Washington, D.C.-based diesel coalition to urge Congress to provide greater financial assistance to the many equipment owners who seek a fair and effective way to reduce emissions from existing fleets of off-road diesel equipment, as more dedicated and innovative funding is surely needed. (See coalition Letter to House Appropriations Committee; Letter to Senate Appropriations Committee.) EPA estimates that 11 million pieces of older equipment are still in operation across the country. Indeed, just as state and local clean air officials develop plans to help meet President Obama’s new and more stringent clean air standards for fine particles (with on tap), the proposed FY 2014 budget would nearly eliminate the DERA funding “tool” that has helped many non-attainment areas reduce emissions and get into compliance. The cut in public funding for this voluntary incentive program will take away the much-needed support that diesel equipment owners need to help cover the high costs of modernizing older diesel engines via engine replacements and retrofits.
ѻý worked alongside the coalition to secure (H.R. 5809), thereby allowing EPA to continue to provide grants through FY 2016 to eligible entities for projects that reduce emissions from existing diesel engines. The bill authorizes up to $100 million annually and allows for a new type of “” funding mechanism, as well as other changes advocated by ѻý intended to make the grants more accessible to construction contractors. As stipulated in the original Act, 70 percent of DERA funds are to be used for national competitive grants, with the remaining 30 percent allocated to the states.
DERA Funding History |
|
Fiscal Year | Rounded Amount |
FY 2008 | $49M |
ARRA | $300M |
FY 2009/2010 | $120M |
FY 2011 | $50M |
FY 2012 | $30M |
FY 2013 | Less than $19.9M |
General DERA Grant Tips
Here are some tips to help you start preparing your FY 2013 diesel grant application now. 1. Sign up for EPA’s National Clean Diesel Campaign email updates online at to receive prompt notification when the 2013 request for proposals (RFP) is open. 2. Identify your fleet – e.g., type of equipment, size and age of engine, etc. Are you looking to retrofit, repower, replace?- Check out EPA’s reporting sheets posted online at (not required) to see a list of the information EPA will be asking you to gather.
- Describe the impact of air pollution in your community: Is your community disproportionately impacted by air pollution? Are there highway, rail yards, ports, mines, etc. polluting your community air?
- Describe your past performance on similar grants in scope or with the federal government.
- Identify key staff who will take responsibility for running your grant. What is their experience, etc.?
- Documents that will provide great information include the FY 2012 RFP and the 2009-2012 FAQs.