The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) announced two new grant projects Thursday aimed at reducing emissions from diesel engines in nonattainment areas, which are areas of the state that do not meet federal air quality standards. The pilot projects will provide $1.6 million in competitive grant funds for retrofitting older diesel engines used in road construction equipment and locomotives.

“Diesel engines are the workhorses of the American economy and are generally fuel-efficient, dependable and durable, but they are also significant sources of air pollution,” said Gov. Phil Bredesen. “Reducing diesel emissions is especially important to protect both the environment and public health. This pilot project is designed to encourage companies to take voluntary actions to reduce harmful emissions from older diesel engines.”

Funds may be used to add emission control and idling reduction devices to older diesel engines, to rebuild older engines or replace them with newer, cleaner engines. For locomotives, technologies to reduce engine idling and horsepower are also effective at decreasing fuel use and exhaust emissions.

“Diesel retrofits, or emissions control devices, have been identified as one of the most cost-effective means of reducing pollution from heavy-duty diesel engines,” added TDOT Comm. Gerald Nicely. “These pilot projects will help TDOT assess the feasibility of using retrofit options to reduce emissions from heavy-duty diesel engines.”

Project funds are provided under the federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) program, which provides dedicated funds for transportation projects that reduce emissions from mobile sources.

TDOT has allocated $800,000 to the pilot Road Construction Diesel Retrofit Project. The project seeks to reduce diesel emissions from construction equipment used on federally funded road projects in nine nonattainment counties in the Knoxville and Chattanooga areas. These counties include: Anderson, Blount, Hamilton, Jefferson, Knox, Loudon, Sevier and portions of Cocke and Roane counties. This competitive funding opportunity is available to road construction companies and associated suppliers with current or recently awarded state road construction contracts in these East Tennessee counties.

TDOT has also allocated $800,000 for the pilot Locomotive Diesel Retrofit Project. The goal of the project is to reduce diesel exhaust emissions from switchyard locomotives and short haul or commuter rail locomotives that spend most of their operating time in air quality non-attainment or maintenance areas. This competitive funding opportunity is open to rail companies and authorities that operate in Anderson, Blount, Davidson, Hamilton, Jefferson, Knox, Loudon, Montgomery, Rutherford, Sevier, Shelby, Sumner, Williamson, Wilson and portions of Cocke and Roane counties.

The deadline for project funding applications for both projects is Jan. 26. Applications for both projects are available on TDOT’s website at www.tn.gov/tdot/cmaq. For more information, contact Alan Jones, Manager of TDOT’s Environmental Policy Office, at (615) 741-6832.