Funding
Boston CleanAir Vehicles program
Request for Proposals
June 1, 2009-December 31, 2009
City of Boston will pay up to half the cost - Your vehicles will get CleanAir stickers
The City of Boston, acting through the Boston Air Pollution Control Commission (APCC), seeks proposals from Boston-based businesses for the retrofit of pre-2007 on-road and off-road diesel vehicles with air pollution emissions-control equipment.
From June 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009, the APCC anticipates awarding approximately $100,000 for retrofit projects for on- and off-road diesel vehicles, with up to $9,999 for an individual project. Proponents are expected to match the APCC grant award on a one-to-one basis. The APCC anticipates using any remaining funding to make discretionary grants of up to $9,999 for other projects related to transportation and air quality.
Eligible applicants (businesses can be commercial, industrial, or transportation-related):
- Boston-based businesses
- Other businesses with a significant presence in Boston
Eligible vehicles include:
- Pre-2007 on-road diesel vehicles, including trucks, buses, and vans
- Off-road diesel vehicles, including bulldozers, backhoes, excavators and cranes
Businesses applying for off-road retrofits must make a commitment to use only ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel (ULSD) in those vehicles. ULSD is already required, according to EPA regulations, for all on-road vehicles.
For further information, contact the Air Pollution Control Commission:
617-635-4452
aditya.sudhakar@cityofboston.gov
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The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 ("Recovery Act") appropriated $1.5 billion of discretionary grant funds to be awarded by the Department of Transportation for capital investments in surface transportation infrastructure, also known as "Grants for Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery" or "TIGER Discretionary Grants." The funds provided by TIGER Discretionary Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis to projects that have a significant impact on the Nation, a metropolitan area, or a region.
In addition, the Recovery Act allows for up to $200 million of the $1.5 billion to be used to pay the subsidy and administrative costs of the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 1998 ("TIFIA") program, a Federal credit assistance program, if it relates to TIGER projects. These are being called “TIGER TIFIA Payments." Applicants for TIGER TIFIA Payments will be required to submit an application pursuant to this notice and a separate TIFIA loan application.
This notice also requests comments on the proposed selection criteria and guidance for awarding TIGER Discretionary Grants.
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Clean Cities Fiscal Year 2009
Petroleum Reduction Technologies Projects for the Transportation Sector
Funding Opportunity DE-PS26-09NT01236-00
Application deadlines:
Round 1: May 29, 2009
Round 2: September 30, 2009
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Funding: Funds for cost-shared projects that expand the use of alternative fuel and advanced vehicle technologies including the installation or acquisition of infrastructure necessary to directly support these vehicles (up to $300 million will be available in this AOI). Minimum DOE funding represents FY09 funding. Up to 30 awards with a 50/50 cost share will be appointed. The funding minimum per project is $5 million to a maximum of $15 million. As required by Section 721 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, prospective applicants are limited to heads of state, local governments, metropolitan transportation authorities (or combinations of these) working with a designated Clean Cities coalition. Proposals that are ready for immediate initiation, including evidence of mature design, site agreements, site licensing and permitting, partner commitments, and equipment availability, will receive higher priority in the evaluation process.
Modifications to this funding opportunity, as well as the full announcement are available at www.grants.gov. To find modifications, visit www.grants.gov and choose "Find Grant Opportunities" in the left navigation. Click "Browse by Agency" and select US Department of Energy from the list of agencies. Then choose "Clean Cities Fiscal Year 2009 Petroleum Reduction Technologies Projects for the Transportation Sector, Funding Opportunity DE-PS26-09NT01236-00" from this list of solicitations.
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MassCleanDiesel Funding for School Bus Owners
MassCleanDiesel is the nation's first statewide program to reduce air pollution from diesel-powered school buses. MassCleanDiesel will equip all eligible diesel-powered school buses in the Commonwealth with diesel retrofits, at no expense to bus owners. By reducing pollution from diesel-powered buses, MassCleanDiesel will help provide cleaner rides to school for kids and healthier air for everyone.
To receive diesel retrofits, bus owners will need to enroll in MassCleanDiesel, provide general information about their school buses, obtain estimates from retrofit vendors, and then arrange for retrofit installations. MassDEP will reimburse retrofit vendors for these installations, provided they meet all terms of the program.
To get answers to specific questions, call the program Help Line (617-292-5809) or e-mail MassClean.Diesel@state.ma.us.
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Funding Now Available for FY09 Clean Diesel Activities
For fiscal year 2008, Congress appropriated funds for the first time under the Energy Policy Act (2005) to help reduce harmful emissions from heavy duty diesel engines. Through the National Clean Diesel Campaign, the EPA will award grants to assist its eligible partners in building diesel emission reduction programs that improve air quality and protect public health throughout the country. For fiscal year 2008, the amount of funding available is $49.2 million.
This year, Clean Diesel funding is split into two basic components:
National Clean Diesel program (70% of funding)
State Clean Diesel Grant program (30% of funding)
Under the National Clean Diesel program, EPA Regions 1 and 2 as part of the Northeast Diesel Collaborative (NEDC), will award grants to assist its eligible partners in reducing diesel emissions across the region. EPA Regions 1 and 2 have approximately $5.4 million in funding available for the deployment of EPA-verified and certified technologies. To download the Northeast Diesel Collaborative Emissions Reduction Request for Proposals, click here.
For more information about both the National Clean Diesel program and the State Clean Diesel program, please see:
For more information:
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2008 Northeast Diesel Collaborative (NEDC) Emissions Reduction Request for Proposals
On March 17, 2008, EPA Regions 1 and 2, through the Northeast Diesel Collaborative, announced the availability of approximately $5.4 million in clean diesel funds as part of the 2008 National Clean Diesel Program. This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits proposals for diesel emissions reduction projects from eligible entities in EPA Regions 1 and 2, which include the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont - including Tribal lands belonging to the federally recognized tribes in these regions, or the territory of the US Virgin Islands, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
EPA Regions 1 and 2 anticipate awarding approximately 6-12 assistance agreements from this announcement, subject to availability of funds and the quality of proposals received. EPA Regions 1 and 2 will accept proposals between $50,000 and $750,000; however, we anticipate most awards will range from $100,000 to $500,000.
The 2008 NEDC Emissions Reduction Request For Proposals
2008 NEDC Question & Answer Session: April 10, 2008
2008 NEDC Question & Answer Session: May 7, 2008
Are projects proposals to use verified retrofit technologies on engines outside the horsepower range in the verification eligible under this RFP?
Under this solicitation, projects to equip existing diesel engines with EPA or CARB verified retrofit technologies are eligible. The technology must be verified specifically for that engine horsepower and application. A list of EPA verified technologies is available at: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/retrofit/verif-list.htm. A list of CARB verified technologies is available at: http://www.arb.ca.gov/diesel/verdev/vt/cvt.htm.
Who can apply?
Under this solicitation, the following entities are eligible to apply for assistance, in accordance with Section 791(3) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005:
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a regional, State, local or tribal agency or port authority with jurisdiction over transportation or air quality; and
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a nonprofit organization or institution that: 1) represents or provides pollution reduction or educational services to persons or organizations that own or operate diesel fleets; or 2) has, as its principal purpose, the promotion of transportation or air quality.
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School districts, municipalities, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), cities and counties are all eligible entities under this assistance agreement program within the extent that they fall within the definition above.
What types of projects can I propose?
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Idling and Retrofit Technologies and Engine Upgrades – EPA Regions 1 and 2 will fund 100% of the cost of idling or retrofit technologies.
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Cleaner Fuel Use – EPA Regions 1 and 2 will fund the cost differential between the cleaner fuel and conventional diesel fuel.
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Engine Repower – EPA Regions 1 and 2 will fund up to 50% of the cost of an engine repower.
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Vehicle/Equipment Replacement – EPA Regions 1 and 2 will fund up to 25% of the cost of a new vehicle or piece of equipment (except for school buses; see below).
- School Bus Replacement:
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For buses that meet EPA’s 2010 emissions standards, EPA Regions 1 and 2 will fund 50% of the cost of a replacement school bus.
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For buses that meet EPA’s 2007 emissions standards, EPA Regions 1 and 2 will fund 25% of the cost of a replacement school bus
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If an innovative finance project involves installation of idle reduction technology or vehicles or equipment retrofitted with a verified emission control technology, then this program will finance: up to 100% of the cost of idling reduction technology, or up to 100% of the cost of the vehicle or equipment retrofitted with verified emission control technology.
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If an innovative finance project involves vehicle/equipment replacement, then the program will finance: up to 100% of the cost of a newer vehicle or piece of equipment if the existing vehicle or equipment is scrapped or the replaced engine is returned to the original engine manufacturer for remanufacturing to a cleaner standard.
For more complete information on what constitutes an eligible project, please see the RFP.
How Will I Quantify My Project's Emission Reductions?
Is There A Funding Match Requirement?
- There is no requirement for a matching contribution from applicants. However, EPA encourages the use of leveraged funds to enhance and expand the project. Proposals that leverage resources beyond EPA’s funding may receive additional points during the evaluation process.
When Is My Proposal Due?
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The closing date and time for receipt of proposals is June 12, 2008, 6:00 PM, Eastern Standard Time (EST). All hard copies of proposal packages must be received by Halida Hatic by June 12, 2008, 6:00 PM EST in order to be considered for funding. Electronic submissions must be submitted via http://www.grants.gov by June 12, 2008, 6:00 PM, EST. Proposals received after the closing date and time will not be considered for funding.
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Please note that the registration process to apply for this funding opportunity through grants.gov can take up to one week or longer to complete. We advise applicants to start the registration process as soon as possible, and to refer to the RFP for specific instructions.
Is the Pre-Proposal Letter of Intent Required?
- No. The pre-proposal letter of intent is not required; however, it is recommended. To allow for efficient management of the competitive process, EPA requests submittal of an informal notice of "Intent to Apply" by April 25, 2008. Submission of Intent to Apply is optional; it is a process management tool that will allow EPA to better anticipate the total staff time required for efficient review, evaluation, and selection of submitted proposals. Eligible entities seeking funding should submit a letter of intent to apply by the stated deadline (April 25, 2008) via email to: hatic.halida@epa.gov.
Will there be a Question and Answer Session?
- Regions 1 and 2 will host two Question and Answer sessions via teleconference on the following dates:
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April 10, 2008 from 10:00 am to 12 noon, call-in number: 866-299-3188. Enter Conference Code: 2126373745#.
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May 7, 2008 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm, call-number: 866-299-3188. Enter Conference Code: 2126373745#.
Who Can I Contact For Questions Or Help?
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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 submit written questions to Halida Hatic at hatic.halida@epa.gov.
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Please type “Diesel RFP Question” in the subject line of your email. All questions and answers will be posted to the website www.northeastdiesel.org no later than 7 business days after we receive them.
- If you can't find an answer to your question in the Q&A Document posted to this website, or to ask a specific question about the 2008 NEDC RFP, please contact Halida Hatic at 617-918-1680 and/or hatic.halida@epa.gov or Matt Laurita at 212-637-3895 and/or laurita.matthew@epa.gov. Answered questions will appear in the next update of the Q&A document.
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Various federal, state, and nonprofit organizations provide funding that can be used for the reduction of emissions from long-duration truck and locomotive idling.
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The U.S. Department of Transportation's CMAQ program provides funds to state DOTs, MPOs, and transit agencies to invest in projects that reduce air pollution from transportation-related sources.
The CMAQ program is one source of funds for Transportation Control Measures (TCMs) employed for the purposes of reducing congestion and improving air quality.
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