SAN FRANCISCO - According to a new report by the E.P.A., clean diesel grants have greatly improved public health by cutting harmful pollution that causes premature deaths, asthma attacks, and missed school and workdays. The agency estimates that clean diesel backing generates up to $13 of public health benefits for every $1 spent on diesel projects. This 3rd report to Congress presents the final results from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and covers fiscal years 2009-2011.
Since its start in 2008, the Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) plan has significantly improved air quality for communities across the country by retrofitting and replacing older diesel engines. Diesel exhaust significantly contributes to the formation of dangerous soot and smog and is likely to increase the risk of cancer. The backing from the plan has helped reduce approximately 335,200 tons of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and 14,700 tons of particulate matter (PM), which are linked to a range of respiratory ailments and premature death. The plan has also saved 450 million gallons of fuel and prevented 4.8 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions - equivalent to the yearly CO2 emissions from in excess of 900,000 cars.
"This report shows that our diesel plan is providing immediate health benefits while cutting the pollution that contributes to climate change," said Deborah Jordan, EPA's Air Division Director for the Pacific Southwest. "We are reducing exposure to diesel pollution by backing cleaner trucks, trains, and heavy equipment, which helps communities that are disproportionately impacted, such as those near ports, rail yards and heavily traveled roads."
Operating throughout our transportation infrastructure today, over ten million diesel engines -- the nation's "legacy fleet" -- need to be replaced or repowered to reduce air pollutants. While some of these will be retired over time, many will remain in use, polluting America's air for the next 20 years. DERA grants and rebates are replacing these legacy engines with cleaner alternatives. Priority is given to fleets in regions with disproportionate amounts of diesel pollution, such as those near ports and rail yards.
One Region nine award recipient was the California Air Resources Board (CARB). E.P.A. awarded CARB a two-year DERA State Clean Diesel Plan grant to install Diesel Particulate Filters on 60 school buses operating throughout California. This plan was implemented using $660,050 in DERA grant backing combined with $473,950 in CARB matching funds and $44,600 in leveraged backing from the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District (SJVAPCD), other state funds, and participating school bus owners. The plan was administered through a partnership between CARB, SJVAPCD, and participating fleets.
"The California Air Resources Board values its partnership with E.P.A. under the West Coast Collaborative to implement DERA grants that reduce school bus emissions throughout our state and lower school children's direct exposure to both cancer-causing and smog-forming pollution," said CARB Chair Mary D. Nichols. "DERA grant funds provide much needed support for CARB's Lower-Emission School Bus Program, which is administered in partnership with SJVAPCD. It is safe to say that without DERA, many children in California would be breathing dirtier air during their ride to and from school."
The report also estimates the impacts from backing in fiscal years 2011-2013. Additional highlights include:
Environmental Benefits
· 18,900 tons of hydrocarbon prevented
· 4,836,100 tons of carbon dioxide prevented
· 450 million gallons of fuel saved
Public Health Benefits
· Up to $12.6 billion in monetized health benefits
· Up to 1,700 fewer premature deaths
· Although not quantified in the report, NOx and PM reductions also prevent asthma attacks, sick days, and emergency room visits.
Plan Accomplishments
· 642 grants funded
· $570 million funds awarded
· 73,000 vehicles or engines retrofitted or replaced
· 81% of plans targeted to areas with air quality challenges
· 3:1 leveraging of funds from non-federal sources
To search DERA recipients by state, please visit
https://www.epa.gov/cleandiesel/clean-diesel-national-grants#dera2
For more information on the National Clean Diesel Campaign, visit:
http://www.epa.gov/cleandiesel.
For more information on the West Coast Collaborative, visit:
http://www.westcoastcollaborative.org.
To access the Report, visit:
http://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-03/documents/420r16004.pdf
