The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) has released its first solicitation for projects under the Volkswagen Diesel Settlement Environmental Mitigation Trust (EMT).The purpose of the EMT is to execute environmental mitigation projects that reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx).Under this solicitation, $8,710,353.78 in EMT funding is available for eligible Class 4-8 School Bus projects. The grant program, managed by TDEC’s Office of Energy Programs, will provide financial assistance to public, nonprofit and private fleets in Tennessee that apply to receive funding to replace a minimum of one eligible School Bus with any new diesel, Alternate Fueled or All-Electric School Bus. School Buses eligible for replacement include 2009 engine model year or older Class 4-8 School Buses sold or introduced into interstate commerce for purposes that include carrying students to and from school or related events. Eligible School Buses may include Type A-D School Buses. Additional grant details include:
- Grants shall not exceed $750,000 per Grantee;
- Eligible applicants are limited to one application each;
- Applications may include a variety of vehicle and/or fuel types; and
- All terms and conditions of the program are outlined in an Application Manual.
Applications and supporting documentation must be submitted electronically via the TDEC Online Grants Management System, which may be accessed here: https://tdec.smartsimple.com/. Applications must be received by 4 p.m. CST on Dec. 14, 2018. Awards are expected to be announced in January 2019, and the expected timeframe for grant contracting efforts will be March 2019. For more information, visit TDEC’s School Bus Replacement Grant webpage. TDEC will host an application workshop on Oct. 16, 2018 at the Wilson County Schools Administrative and Training Complex in Lebanon. Representatives of school districts, school bus contractors and other interested persons are encouraged to attend to learn about the application process and program terms and conditions, including project eligibility, timelines for implementation and reporting requirements. Additional information and an RSVP link for this workshop will be released on TDEC’s webpage in the coming days. TDEC will also release additional solicitations in the coming months for Class 4-8 Shuttle and Transit Bus projects, Class 4-7 Local Freight Truck projects, Class 8 Local Freight Truck and Port Drayage Truck projects, and Light Duty Zero Emission Vehicle Supply Equipment projects. Interested persons and entities are advised to sign up for the TDEC VW email list at https://signup.e2ma.net/signup/1843437/1737620/ to be kept apprised of all future and related announcements. For additional information on the VW Settlement, visit the TDEC website here: http://www.tn.gov/environment/VWSettlement.
