The overall purpose of the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement program is to improve air quality by reducing transportation emissions. The Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration have been delegated authority to implement the program. Established in 1991, the program funds transportation projects that allow states and regions to meet the requirements of the Clean Air Act. CMAQ funding may only fund transportation projects in nonattainment or maintenance areas. These are areas where air quality does not meet or once did not meet National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone, carbon monoxide, or particulate matter.
In 2007, the Oregon Legislature directed $250,000 per year of Oregon's CMAQ funding to DEQ to reduce diesel emissions from onroad vehicle engines.
Request for Application
DEQ is currently seeking applications for transit electrification projects in the Portland Metro; Salem-Keizer; Central Lane; Rogue Valley (Medford); Middle Rogue (Grants Pass); Klamath Falls; La Grande; Lakeview; and Oakridge areas.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is making $500,000 in federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funding available to public transit providers across Oregon for projects that accelerate transit fleet electrification.
This funding opportunity is exclusively for:
- Purchase of new zero-emission transit buses (battery electric or hydrogen fuel cell), and/or
- Installation of charging or fueling infrastructure that directly supports zero-emission transit operations.
CMAQ funds are intended to reduce transportation-related emissions in areas that are in, or have previously been in, nonattainment or maintenance for federal air quality standards. Transit electrification is an effective and measurable strategy for reducing diesel particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector.
CMAQ award recipients must provide 20% match of total project cost using non-federal dollars.
DEQ will award up to $500,000 for this funding opportunity.