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Louisiana Receives Economic Recovery Funding from U.S. EPA to Reduce Diesel Emissions, Create Jobs

Release Date: 04/10/2009
Contact Information: Dave Bary or Anthony Suttice at 214-665-2200 or [email protected]

(Dallas, Texas – April 10, 2009) – In a move that stands to create jobs, boost local economies, reduce diesel emissions and protect human health and the environment for the people in the State of Louisiana, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $1.73 million to the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ). The funding can be used to support clean diesel projects and loan programs to address the nation’s existing fleet of over 11 million diesel engines.

“This is how we create new, green jobs while we protect human health and the environment,” said EPA Acting Region 6 Administrator Lawrence E. Starfield. “The Recovery Act will put Louisiana to work by improving water infrastructure, cleaning up and redeveloping Superfund and Brownfields sites, and developing clean diesel technologies that bolster the state’s economy. These projects not only create and protect jobs, but cut costs and increase demand for materials, goods and services across the state.”

The funds provided by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) of 2009 will go to LDEQ to fund projects that reduce diesel emissions from on-road and off-road equipment through idle reduction technologies, engine upgrades and replacements, and cleaner fuels.

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. It’s estimated that the health benefits from diesel emissions reductions outweigh the costs by a ratio of up to 13-to-1.

Under ARRA’s State clean diesel funding program, $88.2 million is divided equally through a noncompetitive allocation process, meaning that all 50 states and the District of Columbia will receive $1.73 million.

States, local governments, non-profits and tribal agencies can also compete for a portion of $206 million under ARRA’s National clean diesel funding program.

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 Recovery.gov.

For information on EPA’s implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 in Louisiana, visit https://www.epa.gov/region6/eparecovery/index.htm .

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