Notice

Availability of Grants through the Driving PA Forward Initiative

August 25th, 2023

DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Availability of Grants through the Driving PA Forward Initiative; Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Pennsylvania State Clean Diesel Grant Program

[53 Pa.B. 5342]
[Saturday, August 26, 2023]

 The Department of Environmental Protection (Department) announces an opportunity to apply for $3,659,904 in grants offered through the Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Pennsylvania State Clean Diesel Grant Program (Grant Program). A portion of funding has been made available for this opportunity through the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Federal Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA). Most of the funding for this offering, approximately $2.6 million, is from the settlement of a lawsuit with Volkswagen Group—USA, relating to diesel vehicle emission violations, and is being used as the Commonwealth's voluntary match funding under the DERA program. Funding is available for eligible diesel emission reduction projects that will improve air quality and protect public health and the environment by reducing emissions from diesel-powered vehicles and engines.

 The Department is seeking applications for projects that will replace or retrofit fleet diesel-powered highway and nonroad vehicles, engines and equipment. Most of the vehicle or engine's annual operation time must occur within this Commonwealth. Public and private entities that operate diesel-powered fleets throughout this Commonwealth should apply. These entities may include school districts, municipal authorities, political subdivisions, State agencies, nonprofit entities, corporations, limited liability companies or partnerships incorporated or registered in this Commonwealth, air quality or transportation organizations and metropolitan or rural planning organizations. Projects must use technologies certified or verified by the EPA or the California Air Resources Board to lower diesel emissions, unless otherwise noted in the Grant Program guidelines. The technology may be a single technology or a combination of available technologies.

 The Department will not reimburse grant recipients for project costs incurred prior to the grant performance period set forth in the applicable grant agreement. The Grant Program guidelines and application instructions are available on the Department's Driving PA Forward webpage at www.dep.pa.gov/DrivingPAForward.

 A recorded presentation providing an overview of the Grant Program and application process is available on the Department's Driving PA Forward webpage. Applicants can contact the Bureau of Air Quality at ra-epvwmitigation@pa.gov or (717) 787-9495 with questions about this grant offering.

 Applications must be submitted online through the Commonwealth's Electronic Single Application web site, eGrants, at https://www.esa.dced.state.pa.us/Login.aspx. The Department is now accepting applications. Applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. on October 20, 2023. The Department will review and score applications after the application period closes.