EPA launches nearly $1B in grants to replace polluting heavy-duty vehicular polluters

With the launch of a nearly $1 billion Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently pushed forward with a plan to replace polluting heavy-duty vehicles with zero-emission vehicles.

The program will advance eligible Class 6 and 7 no emission vehicles and fund zero-emission vehicle fueling infrastructure and workforce development and training efforts. Currently, more than 3 million Class 6 and 7 vehicles are in use across the country, by the EPA’s figures, from school buses to delivery trucks.

“EPA’s Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program will slash climate and air pollution and enhance the country’s infrastructure by funding the deployment of zero-emissions vehicles and installation of supporting infrastructure,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said. “The program’s historic investment in zero-emission vehicles will secure our nation’s position as a global leader in clean technologies that address the impacts of climate change.”

This comes in addition to efforts made on electrifying light-duty vehicles. Currently, though, the transportation sector is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, and a major source of health-harming pollutants. The EPA noted that most vehicles eligible for replacement are powered by internal combustion engines that pre-date more recent EPA emission standards, meaning they pump out pollutants such as nitrous oxide, fine particulate matter and greenhouse gasses.

That also makes them particularly dangerous to the health of children, older adults, and those with preexisting conditions or higher health risks.

Under this funding opportunity will be two separate sub-program competitions: the School Bus Sub-Program for replacing school buses and the Vocational Vehicles Sub-Program for replacing vehicles such as box trucks, refuse haulers, dump trucks and more. Eligible applicants include states, municipalities, Tribes, territories and nonprofit school transportation association. At least 15 grants will likely go to Tribes and territories, and stipulations of the Inflation Reduction Act require at least $400 million of funding to go to one or more communities dealing with significant pollution.

In all, the program will work to help applicants transition to cleaner vehicles, reduce air and noise pollution, and promote clean energy jobs along the way. The deadline to apply is July 25, 2024, with awards expected to follow before the end of the year.