National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program
EPA’s National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program issues competitive grants to fund implementation of EPA or CARB verified and certified diesel emission reduction technologies.
On this page
- Request For Proposals
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Question and Answer Sessions
- Background
- Eligible Applicants
- Eligible Use of Funding
- Regional Collaboratives
Assistance in application preparation, including tips for successful projects and previously funded projects.
Request For Proposals
| Activity | Date |
|---|---|
| RFP published (PDF) (50 pp, 301K, About PDF) | October 6, 2009 |
| RFP closes | December 8, 2009 |
| Notification of results to applicants | February 2010 (estimated) |
| Awards distributed | March 2010 (estimated) |
Project Narrative Sample Format (Word) (12 pp, 130K, MS Word reader for document files
)
Frequently Asked Questions
All applicants are encouraged to review the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) (PDF) (63 pp; 285K; November 23, 2009; About PDF) document for further clarification of this Request for Proposals.
In accordance with EPA’s Assistance Agreement Competition Policy (EPA Order 5700.5A1), EPA staff will not meet with individual applicants to discuss draft proposals, provide informal comments on draft proposals, or provide advice to applicants on how to respond to ranking criteria. Applicants are responsible for the content of their proposals.
EPA will respond to questions in writing from individual applicants regarding threshold eligibility criteria, administrative issues related to the submission of the proposal, and requests for clarification about the announcement.
Please email written questions to cleandiesel@epa.gov. Please type "National RFP Question" in the subject line of your email. All questions and answers will be posted in the FAQ document. All questions submitted via email by 5:00 pm EST each Friday during the RFP open period will be answered and posted in the FAQ document by 5:00 pm EST on the following Wednesday. The deadline for submitting questions via email is Friday, November 27, 2009 at 5:00 pm EST. The final posting of the FAQ document will be Wednesday, December 2, 2009 at 5:00 pm EST.
Question and Answer Sessions
EPA will host Question and Answer sessions regarding this Request for Proposals via teleconference or webinar. EPA will attempt to answer any appropriate questions in this public forum. Dates, times, and participant information for Question and Answer sessions will be posted in the table below as it becomes available. Questions and answers from these teleconferences will also be posted in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) (PDF) (63 pp; 285K; November 23, 2009; About PDF)
| Host | Event/Date/Time | Registration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| EPA Region 1 | Question and Answer Call: November 4 3 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. EST |
Past Event | |
| EPA Region 5 | Question and Answer Calls: December 2 10 a.m. -11 a.m. CST |
Call-in Number: 866-299-3188 Access Code: 312 353 3214# |
Materials on Midwest Clean Diesel web site |
| EPA Region 2 | Question and Answer Webinar: October 15 10 a.m. -12 p.m. EDT |
Past Event |
Background
In 2009, EPA’s National Clean Diesel Campaign is distributing funding for the National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program through two separate funding sources:
- EPA’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 and 2010 Appropriations (see above)
- the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) *CLOSED*
The National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program provides funding to reduce emissions from existing diesel engines through a variety of strategies, including but not limited to: add-on emission control retrofit technologies; idle reduction technologies; cleaner fuel use; engine repowers; engine upgrades; and/or vehicle or equipment replacement; and the creation of innovative finance programs to fund diesel emissions reduction projects. Under this grant program, funding is restricted to the use of EPA and California Air Resources Board (CARB) verified and certified diesel emission reduction technologies.
Tribal Agencies
Please note that the minimum eligible funding request for tribal governments/consortia is $30,000.
Eligible Applicants
- U.S. 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 people or organizations that own or operate diesel fleets; or
- have, as their principal purpose, the promotion of transportation or air quality
School districts, municipalities, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), cities and counties are all eligible entities under this assistance agreement program to the extent that they fall within the definition above.
Eligible Use of Funding
The following types of fleets qualify for funding:
- Buses
- Medium or heavy duty trucks
- Marine engines
- Locomotives
- Non-road engines or vehicles used in:
- construction
- handling of cargo (including at a port or airport)
- agriculture
- mining
- energy production (including stationary generators and pumps)
At least half the funds will be for the benefit of public fleets. This includes private fleets contracted or leased for public purpose, such as private school buses, refuse haulers, or equipment at public ports. However, only eligible entities can apply directly to EPA for funding (e.g., a school district would apply and administer a project on behalf of the private school bus contractor).
Grant applicants can propose projects to significantly reduce diesel emissions by deploying EPA or California Air Resources Board (CARB) verified retrofit technologies, that cover incremental costs of early replacement and repower with EPA certified configurations, and reduce long-duration idling with EPA approved technologies.
Examples of verified retrofit technologies
- Diesel Oxidation Catalysts
- Diesel Particulate Matter Filters (wall or flow-through)
- Closed Crank Case Ventilation Systems
- Biodiesel
- Engine Upgrade Kits
Examples of verified idle reduction technologies
- Auxiliary power units
- Electrified parking spaces (truck stop electrification)
- Shore connection systems and alternative maritime power
- Shore connection systems for locomotives
- Automatic shutdown/start-up systems for locomotives
Note: Equipment that is used for testing emissions and/or fueling infrastructure costs is not eligible for funding. Pursuant to Section 792(d)(2) of the EPAct of 2005, no funds awarded under this program shall be used to fund the costs of emissions reductions that are mandated under Federal, state or local law.
Regional Clean Diesel Collaboratives
Links to Each of the Collaboratives
- Northeast Diesel Collaborative (EPA Regions 1, 2)

- Mid-Atlantic Diesel Collaborative (EPA Region 3)

- Southeast Diesel Collaborative (EPA Region 4)

- Midwest Clean Diesel Initiative (EPA Region 5)
- Blue Skyways Collaborative (EPA Regions 6, 7 plus Minnesota)
- Rocky Mountain Clean Diesel Collaborative (EPA Region 8)
- West Coast Collaborative (EPA Regions 9, 10, with Canada and Mexico)
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