Illinois Green Fleets Programs Darwin Burkhart, Illinois EPA Illinois Healthy & High Performing Schools Symposium Lincolnshire, Illinois April 18, 2014.

Illinois Green Fleets Programs

Darwin Burkhart, Illinois EPA

Illinois Healthy & High Performing Schools Symposium

Lincolnshire, Illinois April 18, 2014

Illinois Clean Diesel Grant Program

Why Clean Diesel?• Diesel engines last for years, and many are still “out there”

that were built before emission standards started to be phased in (1980’s) or meet much less stringent emission standards (1990’s – 2000’s) than currently required with new engines

• We have found locomotive and marine engines from 1950’s to 1970’s, construction and mining equipment from 1980’s, and trucks and school buses from 1990’s to mid-2000’s still in operation, with several years of life left in them

Popular Clean Diesel Options• Heaters for school buses (reduces idling) • Diesel Particulate Filters for school buses (reduces exhaust

emissions, only for buses <MY 2007)

• Auxiliary Power Units and similar systems for long-haul trucks (reduces idling)

• Engine Repowers/Upgrades (replace old engine with new, clean engine or use upgrade kit)

• *Diesel Oxidation Catalysts (reduces exhaust emissions)• *Closed Crankcase Ventilation (reduces evap. emissions)

*Popular from <2012, but not currently installed as much

Vehicles & Equipment• School Buses• Over-the-Road Trucks• Mass Transit Buses• Other Diesel Trucks (utility, delivery, public works,

etc.)• Off-road equipment (mining, construction, quarry)• Marine Boats, Tugs, Ferries• Locomotives• Airport vehicles and equipment• Harbors and Ports

Past Clean Diesel Funding and Programs for School Buses

• In 2002, U.S. EPA started the “Clean School Bus USA” program, offering nationally competitive grants to a small number of school districts to “clean up” their school buses; also conducted national outreach campaign

• In 2003, Illinois EPA started the Illinois Clean School Bus Program ($2.3M in funding limited to school buses from 2003-2007); some other states also started clean school bus programs

Current Funding for School Buses2013 Diesel Emission Reduction Act “State Allocation”

$140,000 statewide

Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs)Violating company sponsors clean diesel projects (mostly idling equipment on school buses)

Congestion Mitigation & Air Quality (CMAQ) funding from FHWA available for school buses in the Chicago area$8 million total through 2016-2017

$5 million for clean school buses (heaters, particulate filters)$3 million for Natural Gas and Propane trucks, school buses, and similar vehicles

Clean Diesel Grant ProgramMatch Requirements for School Buses• For School Districts and Schools that “own and operate” their school buses, NO MATCH

for heaters or particulate filters (e.g., 100% funded)

• For commercial school bus companies:

- No match required for particulate filters

- 50% match required for heaters due to fuel savings potential

• School buses that are funded are required to stay in service in Illinois for 5 more years, or heaters stay with school district

Illinois Clean Diesel Grant Program2003-2013

• Projects: 415

• Vehicles/Equip.: 8,700+

• Grants: Over $25 million

• Locations: Nearly every county in IL

School Bus Projects2003-2013

• Projects: 132 (out of 415)

• School Buses: 4,353 (out of 8,700+)

• Grants: $7,425,127 (out of $25 million)

• Locations: All over the state

These are not your “typical” grants• For many states, the environmental agency or organization is

the official “grantee” with the federal government, who then runs a sub-grant program and acts as the “middle man”

• In our case, Illinois EPA does the “heavy-lifting:” Gets the $, handles paperwork and communications with federal agencies, does the federal reporting, modeling, simplify the paperwork, assist the sub-grantee and provide guidance, etc.

• This encourages small businesses, school districts, truckers, local governments and others to get involved, where they wouldn’t otherwise

Some Recent Participants• Johnsburg• St. Charles• Zion Benton• Palatine• Kaneland• Homer• Woodstock• Oswego• Peotone• Naperville• Wauconda• Minooka

• Marengo-Union• Fremont• Lockport• Elgin• McHenry• Antioch• Prairie Grove• Valley View• Woodland• Warren Township• Leyden• Round Lake Beach

School Bus Stories• “The School is on Fire!”

• “Bus Drivers Pulling Rank”

• “Be sure to turn off your programmable heaters during the holidays”

• And, seriously, “Kids and reduced asthma”

Programs for Alternate Fuel School Buses

Alternate Fuel Programs for School Buses

• Illinois Alternate Fuels Rebate Program(statewide)

Provides rebates of $4,000 for new alternate fuel school buses or conversions to an alternate fuel (66 Propane school buses to date)

• Chicago Area Green Fleet Grant Program

Coming Soon: Will provide grants for natural gas and propane school buses, and other public sector vehicles, covering 50% of the extra cost of the alt. fuel bus

Illinois Green Fleet Designations• If a fleet implements clean fuels and vehicles and is

committed, it can join our fraternity of over 120 designated “Illinois Green Fleets” throughout Illinois

• Benefits:- Free lunch or dinner- Invitation to join Chicago Area Clean Cities- Green Fleet plaque- Picture with yours truly (at worse)- Highlighted on our website- Included in Press Release- And, I’ll talk about you “a lot”

Illinois Green Fleets Program Contact Info

Darwin Burkhart

[email protected]

217-557-1441www.illinoisgreenfleets.org