Title
Fiscal Year 2017 State of Arizona Clean Diesel Grant Program (Ordinance S-43462)
Description
This report requests City Council to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to apply for and accept funds from the Maricopa County Air Quality Department and the United States Environmental Protection Agency for the Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) grant program, and to authorize the City Treasurer to accept, and for the City Controller to disburse, any funds related to this item. This report further requests approval for the City Manager, or his designee, to enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Maricopa County Air Quality Department to administer the program.
Report
Summary
The City fleet includes some older diesel vehicles with emissions that exceed those achieved by the most current emissions control technologies. The intent of the DERA grant program is to provide grant funding to assist in offsetting the cost of replacing higher polluting diesel emission engines with cleaner burning engines to reduce harmful emissions. Reducing vehicle emissions from the municipal fleet will demonstrate the City's commitment to lead by example toward the 2050 sustainability goal of clean air. Human health exposure to diesel exhaust can lead to health conditions like asthma and can worsen respiratory diseases. Emissions from diesel engines also contribute to production of ground level ozone, a pollutant for which the Maricopa County region is not currently meeting federal health standards.
The Maricopa County Air Quality Department will administer the state portion of the grant program. If awarded, funding will be provided to retrofit or re-power medium- to heavy-duty fleet vehicles with engine model year 1991-2010 with a 2013 or newer model, or purchase new low-emission fleet vehicles to replace old, high-polluting fleet vehicles, buses and equipment with 2013 models or newer. Staff anticipates obtaining grant funds for the following projects:
* Installation of exhaust controls such as retrofit devices such as diesel oxidation catalysts, crankcase emission control devices, verified idle reduction technologies, and particulate matter filters up to 100%
* Repower of engines up to 40%
* Replacement of older vehicles with 2013 or newer models up to 25%
The application to the Maricopa County Air Quality Department is due May 26, 2017. Grant funds are to be awarded for the period of October 2017 through September 2018 with all projects to be completed by September 2018. The Public Works and Aviation departments have expressed interest in the program.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Karen Peters and the Office of Environmental Programs.