North Texas Diesel Emissions Reduction 2023 Call For Partners

UPDATE: The Call for Partners deadline is closed and no longer accepting applications. 

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a funding opportunity under the 2023 Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) National Grants for activities that reduce emissions from medium-duty and heavy-duty diesel vehicles and equipment to improve public health.  
 
The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) anticipates submitting a proposal on behalf of the North Central Texas area.  To identify specific projects,NCTCOG is opening the North Texas Diesel Emissions Reduction 2023 Call for Partners (CFP) to seek activitiesto be a part of the NCTCOG grant proposal submitted to EPA.  This CFP will fund replacement of existing diesel-powered medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicles or equipment to newer, cleaner vehicles or equipment operating in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) ten-county ozone nonattainment area and areas of air toxics concern housing goods movement and transportation hubs. 
 
The NCTCOG proposal will implement projects aimed at reducing emissions from existing fleets of diesel vehiclesat locations such as airports, rail yards, terminals, or distribution centers which have been identified as focus areas by the EPA.  All projects must address existing diesel emissions occurring in areas associated with goods movement.  Projects may include, but are not limited to, diesel emissions reduction solutions from the following diesel emissions source types: 

  • School buses
  • Transit buses
  • Class 5 - Class 8 medium-duty and heavy-duty highway vehicles
  • Nonroad engines, equipment or vehicles used in construction, handling of cargo (including at ports or airports), agriculture, mining, or energy production (including stationary generators and pumps)
  • Transport Refrigeration Units
  • SmartWay verified idle reduction technology for on-road highway vehicles
  • Locomotive engine replacement and locomotive shore power connections systems 


Partners included in the proposal must submit an application, letter of commitment and other required documents for grant-required matching funds that will range from 0 to 75 percent of total project cost, depending upon individual projects submitted.  More requirements are outlined in the CFP guidelines.  
 
Application, letter of commitment and other required documents must be received in-hand no later than 5 p.m. Central Time, on Friday, October 27, 2023, to attention AQ Grants-NTDER 2023 CFP, North Central Texas Council of Governments, 616 Six Flags Drive, Arlington, Texas 76011.  

Call for Partners Details

Eligible Applicants: 

Eligible applicants include private sector fleets and public fleets including public agencies for high-use diesel vehicles and equipment operating at goods movement facilities like airports, rail yards, terminals, and distribution centers.   

Eligible applicants must adopt a policy consistent with the Regional Transportation Council (RTC)  Clean Fleet Policy  or similar policy prior to receiving the rebate.   

Eligible Projects & Funding Levels: 

All existing vehicles, equipment, and engines must be diesel. The new replacement vehicle, equipment, or engine may be diesel, gasoline, or alternative fuels, covered at the following funding levels: 

Activity 

Description 

Maximum Funding Levels 

On-Road Vehicle Replacement*

Non-Road Vehicle and Equipment Replacement 

Certified vehicle replacements for over the road, short-haul trucks, and other freight and goods movement trucks  

Certified vehicle and equipment replacements for non-road diesel vehicles and equipment 
 

45% of Eligible Costs if New is Zero Emission** 
 
35% of Eligible Costs if New is Powered by CARB Optional Low-NOx Certified*** 
 
25% of Eligible Costs if New is for All Others 

On-Road Engine Replacement* 


Non-Road Engine Replacement 

Certified engine replacements for over the road, short-haul trucks and other freight and goods movement trucks 
 

Certified engine replacements for non-road diesel vehicles and equipment 
 

60% of Eligible Costs if New is a Zero Emission Power Source**  
 
50% of Eligible Costs if New is Powered by CARB Optional Low-NOx Certified*** 
 
40% of Eligible Costs if New is an EPA Certified Engine**** 

Transport Refrigeration Unit (TRU) Trailer Replacement 
 
 

Electric Transport Refrigeration Unit trailer replacements for diesel Transport Refrigeration Units trailers 
 
Must operate solely on grid, battery, or other zero-emission power sources 

45% of Eligible Costs 

Drayage Truck Replacement* 
 

Replacement of drayage trucks operating on or transgressing through port or intermodal rail yard property 


50% of Eligible Cost 

Locomotive Engine Replacement***** 

Locomotive engine replacements for engines previously operating 1,000 or more hours per each of two 12-month periods 

60% of Eligible Cost if Zero Emission Power Source  

50% of Eligible Cost if Powered by CARB Optional Low-NOx Certified 
 
40% of Eligible Cost if EPA Certified 

Locomotive Idle Control Strategies 

Shore power installation for locomotives 
 
SmartWay verified locomotive technologies -- including the specified categories -- are listed in a table at: www.epa.gov/verified-diesel-tech/smartway-verified-list-idling-reduction-technologies-irts-locomotives.  
 
No funds awarded shall be used for locomotive shore connection system projects that are expected to be used less than 1,000 hours/year. 


40% of Eligible Cost 

On-road Highway Vehicle with New or Previously Installed Exhaust After-Treatment Retrofit 

EPA Verified Highway Idle Reduction Technologies when combined with new or previously installed exhaust after-treatment retrofit 


100% of Eligible Cost 

*Eligible fuel cell projects are limited to hydrogen fuel cell engine replacements for eligible urban transit buses, shuttle buses and drayage trucks, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicle replacements for eligible urban transit buses, shuttle buses, and drayage trucks. 

**Eligible costs for battery electric powered vehicle, equipment and engine replacement projects can include the purchase and installation of one charging unit per vehicle, including the unit and charging cable, mount and/or pedestal. These costs are subject to the mandatory cost share requirements. 

***CARB=California Air Resources Board; Please see the Low-NOx Engine Factsheet found on the DERA National Grants website for guidance on identifying engines certified to meet CARB’s Optional Low NOx Standards - https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPDF.cgi/P10119PZ.PDF?Dockey=P10119PZ.pdf 

****EPA=Environmental Protection Agency; a list of currently available engines certified to EPA’s standards are available at: https://www.epa.gov/emission-standards-reference-guide/all-epa-emission-standards   

*****Tier 3 engines may be used for engine replacement only if Tier 4 is demonstrated to not be available or feasible through a best achievable technology analysis.  Locomotive engine replacements must commit to using Tier 4 engines if Tier 4 engines with the appropriate physical and performance characteristics are available. Applicants anticipating the use of Tier 3 or Tier 4i engines should discuss their rationale for proposing Tier 3 or Tier 4i engine replacements. Tier 3 is not eligible for locomotive replacement.  Fuel cell engine and locomotive replacements are not eligible. 

Eligible Locations: 

Projects will be located and operate in any of the ten counties (Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, Tarrant, and Wise counties) currently classified as nonattainment for the pollutant ozone under either the 2008 or 2015 ozone standards and/or within the counties identified as area of air toxics concern which includes Dallas, Denton, and Tarrant counties. Projects operating within the above counties as well as within environmental justice areas and freight-oriented development areas are most desirable and will receive higher scoring evaluation.  See the map for locations in priority areas. 

Map of Counties


See Call for Partner Guidelines for more specific eligibility information in the 'How to Apply' section below. 

How to Apply

How to Apply:

  1. Review the Guidelines [PDF]
  2. Review Frequently Asked Questions [PDF]
  3. Review the draft Rebate Agreement [PDF]
  4. Fill out the Intent to Submit Form (optional)
  5. Submit an Online Risk Assessment Questionnaire: Review the Online Risk Assessment Reference PDF to familiarize yourself with the questions. Once you click the Online Risk Assessment Questionnaire Link, you will need to finish it in one session to submit the responses, financial statements, and any required attachments. If you are a public entity such as a local government, the North Central Texas Council of Governments may already have a current risk assessment on file. Please contact Nancy Luong at 817-704-5697 or nluong@nctcog.org to verify. Online Risk Assessment Questionnaire - complete and submit online. Online Risk Assessment Reference [PDF]
  6. Submit Application and Letter of Commitment by Mail or in Person
  • Application [XLS]
  • Letter of Commitment [Word]
    • For emailed application responses, you must still include original signatures for Part 4-Certification section and any required documentation with hard copy application and commitment letter packet to be considered complete.


The complete and signed application, letter of commitment, price quote, copy of signed Clean Fleet Policy and Idle Reduction Policy must be received by 5 p.m. (Central Time) on Friday, October 27, 2023. Applications received after 5 p.m. on the deadline will not be considered and will be returned unopened. The hard copy submittal will count as the official submittal. In addition to the hard copy submittal, NCTCOG encourages electronic submission of the Application [XLS] and all needed attachments to AQGrants@nctcog.org. Electronic-only submissions will not be evaluated.

Mailed or delivered to the following address by the deadline:

          North Central Texas Council of Governments
          Transporation Department
          North Texas Diesel Emissions Reduction 2023 Call for Partners
          Attention: AQ Grants
          616 Six Flags Drive
          Arlington, TX 76011

Staff Contacts
Trey Pope
Jason Brown