Funding Opportunities:

National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program

The EPA has announced $9 million for the National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program. The Program is soliciting proposals nationwide for projects that achieve significant reductions in diesel emissions in terms of tons of pollution produced by diesel engines and diesel emissions exposure, particularly from fleets operating in areas designated by the Administrator as poor air quality areas. For information about funding and how to apply, visit http://www.epa.gov/cleandiesel/prgnational.htm.

EDA Economic Development Assistance Programs Federal Funding Opportunity – Total funding available TBD

Application Due: Varies by program year; next due date is June 13, 2013

Eligible Entities: State and local governments, federally recognized tribes, non-profits, institutions of higher education.

Under the Economic Development Assistance Programs (EDAP) Federal Funding Opportunity announcement, EDA will make construction, non-construction, and revolving loan fund investments under the Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance Programs. Grants made under these programs will leverage regional assets to support the implementation of regional economic development strategies designed to create jobs, leverage private capital, encourage economic development, and strengthen America’s ability to compete in the global marketplace. EDA is soliciting applications from rural and urban communities to develop initiatives that advance new ideas and creative approaches to address rapidly evolving economic conditions. EDA’s investment priorities include environmentally sustainable development and economically distressed and underserved communities.

For more information, visit the grant opportunity synopsis.

DOE Tribal Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Deployment Assistance – $2,500,000

Application Due: June 20, 2013

Eligible Entities: Indian Tribes, Tribal Energy Resource Development Organizations, and Tribal Consortia

DOE is soliciting applications to install community-scale or facility-scale renewable energy and/or energy efficiency energy projects on Indian lands. The renewable energy and/or energy efficiency projects are intended to provide electricity and/or heating and cooling or efficiency measures for existing tribal buildings, including homes, businesses, community buildings, government buildings, or other tribal facilities. Projects selected under this Funding Opportunity Announcement are intended to reduce energy costs and increase energy security for Indian Tribes and tribal members.

For more information, visit the funding announcement.

Clean Cities Technical Response Service (TRS) Question of the Month

What are the requirements for federal fleets under the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct 1992) and subsequent regulations and directives?

EPAct 1992, EPAct 2005, and National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2008

Under EPAct 1992 (https://federalfleets.energy.gov/federal_requirements/fleet_requirements/by_regulation#epact92), 75% of new covered light-duty vehicles (LDVs) acquired by federal fleets must be alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs). Federal fleets are considered covered fleets if both of the following conditions are met:

• They own, operate, lease, or otherwise control 20 or more non-excluded LDVs (vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 8,500 pounds or less) that are used primarily within a single metropolitan statistical area. Excluded vehicles include emergency, law enforcement, military tactical, and non-road vehicles, and

• Those same 20 vehicles are centrally fueled or capable of being centrally fueled.

NDAA of 2008 expanded EPAct 1992’s definition of AFVs to include hybrid electric vehicles, fuel cell vehicles, advanced lean burn technology vehicles, and any low-greenhouse gas (GHG) emitting vehicle (as defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) acquired in a location that would qualify for an EPAct 2005, Section 701 fuel waiver. Section 701 of EPAct 2005 requires federal fleets to use alternative fuels in dual-fuel vehicles unless the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) determines an agency qualifies for a waiver; grounds for a waiver include the lack of alternative fuel availability (within five miles or 15 minutes from the vehicle’s garaged location) and cost restrictions (alternative fuel is more expensive per gallon than gasoline). To find information about waivered fleets in your area, visit the Sustainable Federal Fleet Performance Data website (http://federalfleets.energy.gov/performance_data).

Federal fleets comply with EPAct 1992 requirements using AFV acquisition credits, which are granted based on the number of AFVs acquired and the volume of biodiesel fuel used. If an agency’s total AFV credits divided by the number of covered LDV acquisitions in a fiscal year (FY) equals 75% or greater, the agency is considered to be in compliance. Federal fleets earn credits for each light-, medium-, or heavy-duty AFV they acquire each year and for every 450 gallons of pure biodiesel (B100), equivalent to 2,250 gallons of B20, used in fleet vehicles.

For more information on EPAct 1992, please refer to the Federal Energy Management Program’s (FEMP) EPAct 1992 website (https://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/regulations/epact1992.html), as well as the full text of EPAct 1992 (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c102:H.R.776.ENR:).

Executive Orders

Executive Order (E.O.) 13423: (https://federalfleets.energy.gov/federal_requirements/fleet_requirements/by_regulation#13423) requires federal agencies with 20 or more non-excluded vehicles in their U.S. fleet to decrease petroleum consumption by 2% each year, relative to their FY 2005 baseline, through the end of FY 2015, for a total reduction of 20%. Agencies must also continue to increase their alternative fuel use by 10% per year, relative to the previous year over the same timeframe, yielding an approximately 159% increase.

E.O. 13514: (https://federalfleets.energy.gov/federal_requirements/fleet_requirements/by_regulation#13514) requires each federal agency to develop, implement, and annually update a Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan. Federal agencies must measure, reduce, and report their GHG emissions, with an overall federal government direct GHG emissions reduction goal of 28% by 2020, relative to a FY 2008 baseline. Reductions may be achieved through a variety of measures including reducing vehicle use, increasing fleet fuel efficiency, using AFVs, and implementing fleet optimization efforts. In addition, E.O. 13514 extended petroleum reduction targets established by E.O. 13423 to FY 2020, for a total future reduction of 30%.

Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA)

Further requirements for federal fleets were included in the EISA 2007 (https://federalfleets.energy.gov/federal_requirements/fleet_requirements/by_regulation#eisa), including fleet management plan requirements (Section 142), low-GHG emitting vehicle acquisition requirements (Section 141), and renewable fuel infrastructure installation requirements (Section 246). DOE is currently developing a rulemaking on the alternative fuel increase requirements under EISA Section 142.

For a summary of federal agency fleet requirements, refer to the Sustainable Federal Fleets website (https://federalfleets.energy.gov/) and Alternative Fuels Data Center Vehicle Acquisition and Fuel Use Requirements for Federal Fleets summary (http://www.afdc.energy.gov/laws/law/US/357). Also refer to the Clean Cities University course (http://www1.eere.energy.gov/cleancities/toolbox/university.html) on Understanding EPAct-Regulated Fleets and the FEMP training course on Fleet Management 101 (http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/femp/training/course_detail_ondemand.cfm/CourseId=51).

Add

Add

Additional Resources

STATION MAP AND LOCATOR

Click here for the station locator and current listings

What kind of fuel(s) can your vehicle use? Find out which vehicles use which fuels, research fuel conversions, and more at afdc.energy.gov