EPA awards over $4.8 million to Midwest Clean Diesel partners; Wis. DOT gets $750,000

Release date: 02/26/2009

Contact Information: Phillippa Cannon, 312-353-6218, cannon.phillippa@epa.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
No. 09-OPA023

(Chicago, Ill. - Feb. 26, 2009) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 today announced the award of more than $4.8 million in grants to 13 state and local partners as part of the Midwest Clean Diesel Initiative. These regional grants come from the $49.2 million 2008 National Clean Diesel Campaign.

EPA presented a $750,000 check to one of the grant recipients, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, at a Forward Wisconsin clean diesel workshop today in Milwaukee.

"The Midwest Clean Diesel Initiative is a collaboration by government, industry and environmental organizations that reflects our commitment to protecting public health by reducing the impacts of diesel pollution," said EPA Acting Regional Administrator Bharat Mathur. "We have set high goals. By leveraging public and private money, we are reducing pollution from existing diesel engines while encouraging new technologies."

The Midwest Clean Diesel Initiative was founded by EPA Region 5 in 2004 to reduce pollution from older diesel engines by making them run cleaner and eliminating unnecessary idling. Since then, the partnership has affected more than 600,000 engines.

"EPA looks forward to funding even more of these very worthwhile clean diesel projects thanks to the American Recovery and Revitalization Act, better known as the Economic Stimulus Package," added Mathur.

Under ARRA, about $300 million will go to reducing emissions from diesel engines nationally. This additional funding is expected to improve air quality and create jobs at companies that manufacture emission control devices and idle reduction technologies. EPA anticipates that it will also create jobs for the technicians who install these devices on trucks, buses, and construction equipment.

The groups receiving funding today from the Midwest Clean Diesel Initiative are:

• Illinois Green Fleets (statewide)-$678,604
• Chicago Public Schools (City of Chicago)-$373,909
• Northwest Indiana Forum Foundation (ArcelorMittal Steel, NW Indiana)-$164,032
• Indiana Department of Environmental Management (statewide)-$334,500
• NextEnergy Center (Southeast Michigan)-$250,000
• Lenawee Intermediate School District (Lenawee County, Mich.)-$154,381
• Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker School District (Huron County, Mich.)-$251,100
• Clean Energy Coalition (Michigan statewide)-$250,000
• Minnesota Environmental Initiative (statewide)-$400,000
• Stark County Educational Services Center (Ohio)-$465,364
• Clean Fuels Ohio (statewide)-$412,554
• Ohio Environmental Council (Franklin and Cuyahoga counties)-$394,589
• Wisconsin Department of Transportation (statewide)-$750,000