Diesel Emission Reduction

North Carolina, through the Division of Air Quality, was awarded $1.73 million in grant funding to reduce emissions from diesel engines. DAQ received 101 eligible grant applications for projects from a variety of entities, including governmental (e.g. school bus retrofits) and private businesses (e.g. charter boats.)

State environmental officials have awarded nearly $1.2 million in grants for 24 projects aimed at reducing air pollution from diesel-powered vehicles, equipment and ships, with funds provided under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) of 2009.

The grants cover a range of projects, such as retrofitting school buses with controls to curb diesel emissions, repowering trucks and ships with cleaner-burning engines, and offsetting costs for using biodiesel fuel. A complete list of project recipients, locations and amounts of grants can be found below.

The ARRA funds are directed at older vehicles and equipment with diesel engines, which often lack the most up-to-date air pollution controls. Older diesel engines contribute significantly to air pollution in North Carolina and other states. Approximately $350,000 of the $1.73 million state allocation will also be used to provide rebates for auxiliary power units or 2010 compliant heavy duty engine replacements for long haul trucks.

ARRA Grants for Diesel Emissions Reduction Projects in North Carolina

Motor Vehicles

• City of Asheville, Buncombe County, biodiesel offsets, $30,000
• DPI/Piedmont/Potter, Wake County, biodiesel offsets, $50,000
• Western NC Regional Air Quality Agency, Buncombe County, diesel controls on fire trucks, $31,500
• City of Raleigh, Wake County, diesel particulate filters and repowering, $80,000
• City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, diesel particulate filters, $80,000
• City of Thomasville, Davidson County, replacement vehicle, $51,250
• Triangle J Council of Governments, Triangle metro area, replacement trucks, $50,000
• Craven County Schools, diesel retrofits, $50,000
• Cumberland County Schools, diesel retrofits, $50,000
• Currituck County Schools, diesel retrofits, $24,000
• Edenton-Chowan County Schools, diesel retrofits, $24,000
• Jackson County Schools, diesel retrofits, $48,000
• Martin County Schools, diesel retrofits, $48,000
• Stokes County Schools, diesel retrofits, $50,000
• Vance County Schools, diesel retrofits, $50,000

Ships and Marine Equipment

• Perry W. Beasley, Perry W. Beasley & Son Commercial Fishing, Tyrrell County, $13,150
• Brian Todd, Big Daddy, Pender County, $15,643
• Jay Kavanagh, Bite Me Sportfishing, Dare County, $65,886
• Myron G. Harris, Harris Charters, Carteret County, $47,500
• Bradley C. Gilliam, BUDDGilliam Adventures Inc., Hertford County, $42,100
• W.W. Winner, The Skeets Winner Corp., New Hanover County, $102,381
• Mayhew C. Williams Jr., Mayhew Clafton Williams Jr., Hyde County, $51,550
• Mike Daniels, Fisherman's Wharf Fillet, Dare County, $92,000
• Brent Fulcher, Tammy & Tracey Inc., Craven County, $28,300
   

In addition, the Department of Public Instruction was selected for funding through the competitive ARRA DERA process.  The N.C. Department of Public Instruction will use the $509,000 in Recovery Act funds to retrofit 121 school buses with diesel control devices having a particulate removal efficiency of 25 percent or greater and to retire six buses and replace them with buses having newer, cleaner 2010 engines in Wilson, Edgecombe, Pitt and Nash counties in North Carolina. The project is anticipated to reduce total life time emissions from these buses by 43.5 tons.  The Division of Air Quality will aid DPI in the technical aspects of this project.

Mecklenburg County also received $1.1 million in funding through the competitive DERA process to replace and repower diesel engines in the metropolitan area. This project will provide funding through sub-grants for 28 or more repowers and 6 or more replacements of non-road construction equipment, stationary diesel engines or highway diesel engines in the 13 county bi-state presumptive nonattainment region for the 2008 ozone standard. This project is estimated to reduce 166 tons of nitrogen oxides, 10 tons of particulate matter, 60 tons of carbon monoxide and 13 tons of hydrocarbons annually.