AGC Works to Preserve National Diesel Grant Funding

AGC, along with a broad-based diesel coalition, sent a letter to the Office of Management and Budget encouraging them to include funding in the fiscal year 2015 budget for grants, loans, and rebates made possible by the Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA).  AGC chapters – working with AGC of America – have won millions in federal funds to support AGC members’ voluntary “retrofit” projects.  The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program has awarded and distributed funding provided by DERA through a competitive grant program to incentivize and support many clean-diesel projects.  AGC chapters and members have voluntarily applied for and won millions of dollars in EPA diesel retrofit grants, in addition to leveraging millions more in matching and in-kind contributions to help their members afford the high cost of reducing emissions from construction equipment. Future federal funding for the DERA program remains uncertain.  The President’s fiscal year 2014 budget only added to the uncertainty by proposing a 70 percent cut to DERA.  AGC is focused on ensuring both the Administration and Congress recognize the importance of the program and that they provide greater financial assistance to the many equipment owners who seek a fair and effective way to reduce emissions from existing fleets of off-road equipment. For more information, please contact Sean O’Neill at (202) 547-8892 oroneills@agc.org.