The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) is requesting proposals for grant awards to private and public organizations for diesel emission reduction activities. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has awarded NDEQ a $1.73 million grant, under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), aimed at reducing diesel emissions in the state of Nebraska. NDEQ will provide funding assistance to cover up to 100% of the cost for purchasing and installing diesel emission reduction equipment.

Any public entity or private organization or individual that has eligible diesel equipment and operates primarily in Nebraska is eligible to apply for and receive funding for assistance as part of this grant. Proposals must be received in the Lincoln office of NDEQ by no later than 4 p.m. CDT June 30, 2009.

Types of diesel equipment that are eligible for this grant include: school buses, transit buses, medium duty and heavy duty trucks, refuse haulers, delivery trucks, construction, agriculture, concrete trucks, long haul trucks and stationary diesel engines. Other types of diesel equipment may also be eligible.

Funding eligibility, criteria for prioritization, application format, and special conditions are outlined on NDEQ’s web site, https://dee.nebraska.gov/home.

For more information about DEQ’s DERA grants, contact the DERA grants coordinator in DEQ’s Air Quality Division at (402) 471-4272, or e-mail the agency at NDEQ.moreinfo@Nebraska.gov

###

Related links:
EPA Region VII (Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa and Missouri) Clean Diesel program: http://www.epa.gov/region07/eparecovery/cleandiesel.htm

April 8, 2009 EPA Region 7 news release: Nebraska Receives $1.73M Federal Economic Recovery Funding to Reduce Diesel Emissions, Protect Health and Create Jobs