The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced a regional competition for more than $5 million in grants available to agencies or organizations that reduce diesel emissions.

The EPA is encouraging all qualified applicants to submit proposals for funding now as part of an initiative to significantly reduce diesel emissions in Hawai'i, Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and the U.S. Pacific Islands.

"We have to accelerate air quality improvements," said Deborah Jordan, Air Division director for the U.S. EPA's Pacific Southwest region. "One of the most cost-effective ways to do that is by modernizing our legacy diesel fleet. Through this initiative, EPA hopes to deploy the latest and cleanest technologies to reduce emissions from diesel engines, which will result in significant benefits to public health."

Through the National Clean Diesel Campaign, the EPA is awarding $49.2 million in grants nationwide, to assist its eligible partners in building diesel emissions reduction programs across the country.

This funding is aimed at reducing emissions from the existing fleet of 11 million diesel engines that predate new air standards. Addressing the existing fleet is important because diesels remain in use for decades.

State, local, regional and tribal agencies or port authorities with jurisdiction over transportation or air quality can apply for the grants. Certain additional organizations are also eligible to apply, see the request for proposal for more details on applicant eligibility.

The grants target school and transit buses, medium and heavy-duty trucks, marine engines, locomotives, and nonroad engines, such as those used in construction or agriculture. Grant recipients can use a variety of cost effective emissions 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.

The closing date and time for submission of proposals is July 1 at 5 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time. EPA Regions 9 and 10 anticipate awarding six to nine assistance agreements from this announcement, with awards ranging from $500,000 to $1 million.

The full request for proposal, and additional information is available at: http://www.epa.gov/region10/cleandiesel.html.