Clean Fuel News

EPA anticipates awarding approximately  $40 million in competitive grant funding for the Diesel Emissions Reductions Act (DERA) Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program. The Program is soliciting proposals nationwide for projects that achieve significant reductions in diesel emissions in terms of tons of pollution produced and exposure, particularly from fleets operating in areas designated by the Administrator as poor air quality areas.

Proposal packages must be submitted electronically to EPA through Grants.gov (www.grants.gov) no later than June 12, 2018, at 11:59  p.m. (ET) to be considered for funding.

Supporting Information for RFP

• 2018 Sample Project Narrative (WORD)(14 pp, 668 K, April 2018)
• 2018 Sample Application Fleet Description (EXCEL)(6 pp, 710 K, April 2018)
• 2018 Priority Area List (PDF)
• 2018 Sample Drayage  Operating Guidelines (PDF)

Frequently Asked Questions

All applicants are encouraged to review the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document for further clarification of this Request for Proposals. Applicants may email written questions to: [email protected]. Please type “RFP Question” in the subject line.

The FAQ document will be updated with new questions and answers weekly. The deadline for submitting questions via email is Friday, June 1, 2018 at 4:00 p.m. ET. The estimated final posting of the FAQ document will be Wednesday, June 6, 2018 at 4:00 p.m. ET.

RFP Information Sessions

EPA will host two Information Sessions regarding this Request for Proposals via teleconference/webinar, based on the schedule below. EPA will attempt to answer any questions in these public forums.

Eligible Uses of Funding

Eligible diesel vehicles, engines and equipment include:

• School buses
• Class 5 – Class 8 heavy-duty highway vehicles
• Locomotive engines
• Marine engines
• Nonroad engines, equipment or vehicles used in construction, handling of cargo (including at ports or airports), agriculture, mining or energy production (including stationary generators and pumps).

Grant funds may be used for clean diesel projects including:

• EPA verified technologies or certified engine configurations
• California Air Resources Board (CARB) EXIT verified technologies or certified engines
• Idle-reduction technologies that are EPA verified
• Aerodynamic technologies and low rolling resistance tires that are EPA verified
• Early engine, vehicle, or equipment replacements with certified engine configurations

Funds awarded under this program cannot be used to fund emission reductions mandated by federal law. Equipment for testing emissions or fueling infrastructure is not eligible for funding.

Please refer to the full RFP for specific information about this competition.

Eligible Applicants

The following U.S. entities are eligible to apply for Clean Diesel National Grants:

• Regional, state, local or tribal agencies/consortia or port authorities with jurisdiction over transportation or air quality
• Nonprofit organizations or institutions that represent or provide pollution reduction or educational services to persons or organizations that own or operate diesel fleets or have the promotion of transportation or air quality as their principal purpose.

School districts, municipalities, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), cities and counties are all eligible entities to the extent that they fall within the definition above.

Please refer to the full RFP for specific information about this competition.

Grant Process

The RFP includes information on how to prepare and submit a proposal package. The proposal package must be received by the deadline and include the following documents:

• Project Narrative (no more than 11 pages)
• Standard Form SF 424 – Application for Federal Assistance
• Standard Form SF 424A – Budget Information
• Applicant Fleet Description information
• Emission Reduction Calculations
• Cost-Share Commitment Letters, if applicable
• Partnership Letters, if applicable
• Mandated Measures Justification, if applicable

After the closing date, all eligible applications will be reviewed and ranked. Selected projects may be fully or partially funded.

Tools and Resources for Applicants

• Tips for a Successful Diesel Retrofit Project (PDF)(7 pp, 500 K, April 2013, EPA-420-B-13-025, About PDF) provides tips to help you get started and avoid common mistakes.
• Diesel Emissions Reduction Program (DERA): Technologies, Fleets and Projects Information (PDF) (36 pp, 1.3MB, October 2011, EPA-420-P-11-001, About PDF) provides information about retrofit technologies and what to look for.
• Clean Diesel Clearinghouse (CDCH) EXIT is a web-based tool that helps users determine the best available emission reduction technology for retrofitting diesel-powered vehicles and equipment.
• Shore Power Technology Assessment at U.S. Ports

Reporting Templates for Grantees

• Quarterly Reporting Template (Excel)(6 pp, 206 K, March 2014)
• Final Reporting Template, Part 1 (Word)(7 pp, 113 K, March 2014)
• Final Reporting Template, Part 2 (Excel)(6 pp, 192 K, March 2014)