The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is providing $8 million in grant funding to reduce diesel emissions in Oregon in 2021. Revenue for this program is provided by the Environmental Mitigation Trust Fund, subject to the
settlement agreement between the United States and Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. In 2019, the Oregon Legislature authorized the creation of a grant program supporting businesses, governments and equipment owners in replacing older and more polluting diesel engines with new, cleaner technologies and exhaust control retrofits. These grants will be disbursed to awardees as a reimbursement of eligible project costs incurred during the project period.
Key dates for 2021
Estimated dates of grant application and deadlines are below. These are subject to change based on the timing and availability of funds and the schedule of implementation tasks.
- Grant program opens for applications: 6/30/2021
- Grant program closes for applications: 9/30/2021
- Grant awards announced: 12/1/2021
- Funding for projects becomes available: 2/15/2022
Key information about the program
In order to reduce diesel emissions, older, more polluting vehicles, equipment and engines must be permanently and verifiably removed from service or fitted with exhaust control technology. The following descriptions of eligible project types provide guidelines regarding potential activities that the grant program can fund:
Replacement:
These projects replace diesel engine motor vehicles with an equivalent motor vehicle or replace a piece of equipment powered by a nonroad diesel engine with equivalent equipment.
Repower:
The projects must replace an existing diesel engine with a newer, cleaner engine or power source that is certified by the Environmental Protection Agency and, if applicable, meet a more stringent set of engine emission standards.
Retrofit:
The projects must equip a diesel engine with new emissions-reducing parts or convert the diesel engine into an engine capable of being powered by alternative fuel.
Resources for retrofitting vehicles and equipment service providers