The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Tuesday announced that 26 entities will receive $9,724,683.74 in total grant funding to replace class 4-7 local freight trucks (medium trucks) and class 8 local freight trucks (large trucks) across the state.
The total includes $3,772,646.05 for medium truck projects, and $5,952,037.69 for large truck projects. They include:
City of Athens
Knoxville Utilities Board
BFI Waste Services
City of Lebanon
Burton Transport
City of Lenoir City
City of Chattanooga
Maury County Fire Department
Etowah Utilities
McNairy County Highway Department
City of Franklin
City of Memphis
City of Gallatin
Millington Airport
Town of Greeneville
Montgomery County
Hancock County Highway Department
Morgan County
Jefferson County
City of Pigeon Forge
Jimmy T. Wood, Inc.
City of Portland
City of Johnson City
Washington County/Johnson City EMS
Karns Fire Department
Waste Management of Tennessee, Inc.
The pair of competitive grant programs comprise the state’s third solicitation for projects under the Volkswagen Diesel Settlement Environmental Mitigation Trust. The purpose of the EMT is to execute environmental mitigation projects that reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides.
“This move toward modern trucks will benefit communities across our state,” Governor Bill Lee said. “We continue to address air quality standards with Volkswagen settlement funds, and we are pleased these grants will provide upgrades where they’re needed.”
“The Volkswagen settlement funds are helping us tackle environmental issues in a responsible way,” David Salyers, commissioner of TDEC, said. “We continue to apply the funds in ways that keep us on a path toward cleaner air.”
For the Medium Truck Grant Program, selected awardees will replace a total of 35 engine model year 1992-2009 diesel trucks with 10 new diesel, two all-electric, 14 hybrid, eight propane, and one compressed natural gas trucks. These selected medium truck replacement projects are expected to reduce 22,561.47 pounds, or 11.28 tons, of NOx emissions over the lifetime of the new vehicles, with a vehicle cost-effectiveness rating of $166.44 per pound of NOx reduced.
For the Large Truck Grant Program, selected awardees will replace a total of 51 engine model year 1992-2009 diesel trucks with 42 new diesel, one all-electric, one hybrid, and seven compressed natural gas trucks. These selected large truck replacement projects are expected to reduce 49,770.78 pounds, or 24.89 tons, of NOx emissions over the lifetime of the new vehicles, with a vehicle cost-effectiveness rating of $119.46 per pound of NOx reduced.
Of the funded vehicle replacements, 63 trucks will operate 70 percent or more of the time in former nonattainment areas for ozone and/or fine particulates (PM2.5) under National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Twenty-eight funded trucks will operate in counties that bear a disproportionate share of the air pollution burden (determined by TDEC’s Disproportionate Burden Index). Additionally, six funded trucks will operate in two of the state’s economically distressed counties, supporting local government and business economies by offsetting the cost of new and cleaner vehicle and transportation technologies.
The State of Tennessee’s Beneficiary Mitigation Plan under the VW Settlement EMT has been updated, both to reflect this funding announcement as well as to address minor modifications made to the Environmental Mitigation Trust Agreement for State Beneficiaries. More information can be found at TDEC’s Beneficiary Mitigation Plan website.
TDEC is the lead agency for administering the state’s VW Settlement EMT allocation. Announcements on future funding programs under the EMT will be shared by the department.
Visit the TDEC website for additional information on the VW Settlement. Those interested are advised to sign up for the TDEC VW email list.