Environmental Initiative receives $1.1 million grant to reduce diesel emissions
Project Green Fleet (PGF), administered by Environmental Initiative, recently partnered with three Minnesota-based fleets, including Alliance Recycling Group and Transystems LLC, to submit a funding application to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). The application secured just over $1.1 million to replace six diesel vehicles — one material handler, four loaders, and one off-highway truck — over the next several months. These new vehicles will meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s most stringent emissions standards, joining the ranks of 4,809 diesel engines and vehicles Environmental Initiative has upgraded since 2006.
“The financial burden of upgrading an old diesel vehicle can be a barrier for fleet owners,” said Mike Harley, executive director at Environmental Initiative. “Connecting fleets to grants lowers the barrier to entry and makes upgrades possible.”
Environmental Initiative leads fleet owners through the process, from identifying grant opportunities to coordinating equipment installation. This assistance makes it easier for fleet owners to commit to investing in cleaner, lower emitting diesel vehicles.
According to the MPCA, most of Minnesota’s air pollutants come from smaller, widespread sources, like the vehicles being replaced through this grant. Diesel engines produce exhaust that contains more than 40 chemicals, including 15 known cancer-causing substances. Voluntary efforts like PGF significantly reduce the air pollution caused by diesel exhaust by replacing outdated equipment with newer engines that have better emission controls. Environmental Initiative is proud to have a longstanding history of diesel emission work that reduces 36 tons of fine particulate matter annually.
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Funding to replace these vehicles was made possible through the Environmental Protection Agency’s Diesel Emissions Reduction Act and the national Volkswagen Settlement funds administered through the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.