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U.S. EPA Region 7 Awards $975,609 in Recovery Funding to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to Reduce Diesel Emissions and Create Jobs

Release Date: 07/15/2009
Contact Information: Bryan, 913-551-7433, [email protected]

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Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Kansas City, Kan., July 15, 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 the State of Missouri, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $975,609 to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) for the statewide reduction of diesel emissions. This clean diesel project will create jobs while protecting air quality in St. Louis and the Springfield/Southwest Missouri area.

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 7 alone received 34 grant applications requesting almost $92.2 million to help fund clean diesel emissions projects. The award announced today was chosen to both maximize economic impact and emissions reductions.

"These Clean Diesel grants provide an excellent opportunity to upgrade diesel fleets while improving local air quality," said William Rice, Acting Regional Administrator. "They also allow local businesses needed work, thus increasing regional economic stability."

MDNR is receiving federal funds to conduct a project targeting fleets in St. Louis and the Springfield area. In St. Louis, 44 school buses, 10 concrete mixers and 16 heavy-duty trash trucks would be targeted through a partnership with St. Louis Clean Cities Coalition. In Springfield, MDNR plans to partner with the Ozark Center for Sustainable Solutions at Drury University to retrofit 98 school buses and replace 13 school buses.

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 Recovery 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 http://www.recovery.gov.

For information on EPA’s implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 in Region 7, visit: https://www.epa.gov/recovery.

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

For information about the Missouri Department of Natural Resources: http://www.dnr.mo.gov/