Total CMAQ program funds included in the bill amount to approximately $12 billion (over six years). The transportation bill directs states and metropolitan planning organizations to give priority in the distribution of CMAQ funds to diesel retrofits (especially where they are required under construction contracts) which provide air quality benefits.
EPA estimates there are 600,000 off-road vehicles that will be used on construction sites in non-attainment areas, 200,000 of which will be retired, 200,000 of which will be eligible for engine rebuild/repower and 200,000 of which will be eligible for aftertreatment. The agency believes that about $3 billion of CMAQ funds could be used to retrofit these vehicles. Other vehicles that could be retrofitted under the CMAQ provisions include trucks and transit buses.
Immediate action
Because new vehicles and engines are purchased gradually over time to replace older units, diesel retrofit programs such as this one, are important to help make a difference in the immediate future.
To learn more about diesel retrofits and other government programs designed to help reduce air pollution, visit www.epa.gov.
