Title
Environmental Protection Agency Grant for Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program FY 2019 (Ordinance S-45484)
Description
This report requests the City Council to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to apply for, accept, enter into an agreement, and disburse a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Grant, under the Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program FY 2019. Authorize the City Controller to disburse the necessary funds.
Report
Summary
The Solid Waste refuse fleet includes some older diesel vehicles with emissions that exceed those achieved by the most current emissions control technologies. Emissions from diesel engines contribute to production of ground level ozone, a pollutant for which the Maricopa County region is not currently meeting federal health standards. The intent of the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) grant program is to provide grant funding to help subsidize vehicle costs to replace higher polluting diesel emission engines with cleaner burning Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) 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.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - Region 9 will administer the Federal DERA Grant Program. If awarded, funding will be provided to purchase new low-emission fleet vehicles to replace old, high-polluting fleet vehicles with 2020 models or newer.
Staff anticipates obtaining grant funds to replace older diesel vehicles with 2020 or newer CNG models. The grant funds up to 35 percent of the new vehicle cost. The remainder of the cost would be paid out of the vehicle replacement budget. Additionally, the Public Works Department will partner with its long-haul contractor Mr. Bults Inc. (MBI) to replace one of its aging diesel tractor trailers with a 2020 CNG Kenworth T880. MBI will assume any costs associated with the vehicle replacement not covered by grant funding.
The application to EPA - Region 9 is due March 26, 2019. The granting agency anticipates notifying applicants on or about July 1, 2019, with an expected project completion date of June 30, 2021.
Financial Impact
The federal fund amount requested for this proposal is $2,040,193. If grant funds are awarded in full, the City would need to match up to $3,788,929 in funding. This match would be funded by the Solid Waste vehicle replacement fund.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Karen Peters and the Public Works Department.