The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is awarding a Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program grant totaling $716,115 to the American Lung Association to reduce diesel emissions in fleets of United Parcels Service (UPS) vehicles operating in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The grant will be used specifically to replace 24 short haul Class 8A vehicles owned and operated by UPS.
The new vehicles will be powered by CNG or LNG, among other clean fuels. This investment will collectively cut air emissions of NOx, PM2.5, hydrocarbons and CO2. “Region 4 is proud to support clean investments which promote innovative air quality projects. Most importantly, these investments ultimately provide a health benefit to the Southeast by eliminating exposure to diesel exhaust,” said EPA Acting Region 4 Administrator Mary S. Walker.
Reducing emissions from diesel engines is one of the most important air quality challenges facing the country. Even with EPA’s stringent heavy-duty highway, non-road, marine and locomotive standards set to take effect over the next decade, millions of diesel engines already in use will continue to emit large amounts of NOx, particulate matter and air toxics, which contribute to serious public health problems.
Diesel emissions are linked to thousands of premature deaths, hundreds of thousands of asthma attacks, millions of lost work days, and numerous other health impacts every year. This grant will eliminate or reduce diesel emissions through the implementation of cleaner engines, vehicles, and technologies.
Source: EPA
