The Ohio EPA is awarding more than $3.2 million to seven organizations to replace aging diesel-powered vehicles and equipment with new electric vehicles and equipment.
Ohio EPA estimates that these upgrades will greatly reduce annual emissions across Ohio, including those pollutants that create smog.
“Every little bit helps when it comes to improving air quality,” said Ohio EPA director Anne M. Vogel. “It’s exciting to know that these grants fund projects that will reduce the amount of pollutants released into the air. This is just one of many things the DeWine administration is doing to improve air quality throughout the state as we transition to modern, cleaner technologies for both transportation and industry.”
Grant recipients are:
- Dutch Maid Logistics, Inc., Cuyahoga and Portage counties, is receiving $764,865 to help replace three 2006-2007 model year terminal tractors with new all-electric terminal tractors.
- Exel Inc. dba DHL Supply Chain (USA), Lucas County, is receiving $309,000 to help replace two 2015 and 2019 model year diesel terminal tractors with new all-electric terminal tractors.
- KWA Inc. Ltd., Trumbull County, is receiving $217,661 to help replace a 2017 diesel terminal tractor with one new all-electric terminal tractor.City of Mentor, Lake County, $329,000 to help replace two 1996 and 2005 diesel school buses with one new all-electric school bus.
- Metalico Akron Inc., Summit County, is receiving $754,188 to help replace a 2005 diesel material handler with one new all-electric material handler.
- Ruan Transport Corporation, Cuyahoga County, is receiving $292,165 to help replace one 2007 diesel terminal tractor with one new all-electric terminal tractor.
- Shaker Heights City Schools, Cuyahoga County, is receiving $596,144 to help replace two 2010 model year diesel school buses with new all-electric school buses.
The grants are funded from dollars allocated to Ohio from the settlement of an enforcement action taken against Volkswagen and its affiliated companies by U.S. EPA and the state of California for violations under the Clean Air Act. During his time as Attorney General, Governor DeWine, along with other state attorneys general, worked to ensure that states would receive their share of funding from the settlement. The grant program is investing $75 million over 10 years to reduce nitrogen oxide pollution in Ohio. Selection considerations were given for specifically targeted reduction categories (e.g., school and transit buses, and heavy-duty trucks) and to vehicle replacement projects that would produce the largest reduction of nitrogen oxide emissions for the grant dollars invested.
A committee of Ohio EPA and Ohio Department of Transportation representatives reviewed the grant applications and selected the grant recipients.
