News Release: U.S. EPA AWARDS $2 MILLION IN RECOVERY FUNDING TO THE TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO REDUCE DIESEL EMISSIONS AND CREATE JOBS

Contact Information: Kara Belle, (404) 562-8322, belle.kara@epa.gov

 

 

 (ATLANTA – June 29, 2009) In a move that stands to create jobs, boost local economies, reduce diesel emissions and protect human health and the environment for people of Tennessee, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $2 million to the Tennessee Department of Transportation to reduce idling emissions from heavy-duty diesel trucks. This clean diesel project will create jobs while protecting Tennessee’s air quality.

“This grant is a great investment in environmental protection and will provide long-term economic benefits for Tennessee,” said Stan Meiburg, EPA Acting Regional Administrator in Atlanta.  “This funding will go a long way in helping to bolster the economy and protect public health and the environment by creating green jobs that improve air quality.”

The funds are provided under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) of 2009 National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program. Under this funding competition, EPA Region 4 alone received 98 grant applications requesting more than $140 million to help fund clean diesel emissions projects. The award announced today was chosen to both maximize economic impact and emissions reductions. 

 

This project will reduce long-term idling of heavy-duty trucks in Tennessee by installing a network of 175-200 electrified parking spaces at selected interstate highway truck stops. This will reduce air pollution around truck stops and save fuel.  A 200 lane project will result in the reduction of 60.32 tons of nitrogen oxides, 1.72 tons of particulate matter, and 3,552 tons of carbon dioxide per year. 

In addition to helping to create and retain jobs, the clean diesel projects would reduce premature deaths, asthma attacks and other respiratory ailments, lost work days, and many other health impacts every year.  

The Recovery Act allotted the National Clean Diesel Campaign (NCDC) a total of $300 million, of which the National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program received $156 million to fund competitive grants across the nation. The Recovery Act also included $20 million for the National Clean Diesel Emerging Technology Program grants and $30 million for the SmartWay Clean Diesel Finance Program grants.

In addition, under the Act’s State Clean Diesel Grant program, a total of $88.2 million has been provided to States for clean diesel projects through a noncompetitive allocation process.

 

President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 on February 17, 2009 and has directed that the Recovery Act be implemented with unprecedented transparency and accountability. To that end, the American people can see how every dollar is being invested at Recovery.gov.

 

For information on EPA’s implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 in Tennessee, visit: http://www.epa.gov/recovery

 

For information about EPA’s clean diesel initiatives, visit: http://www.epa.gov/cleandiesel

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