Two regional public transportation agencies, a local school district and an area refuse company are getting nearly $3.3 million in federal money to reduce their diesel emissions.
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday announced more than $15 million in grants statewide to replace or refurbish aging diesel engines with newer and cleaner diesel technology or alternative fuel technology.
Funds for the Ohio Diesel Emissions Reduction Grant Program came from the Federal Highway Administration.
Local winners include:
•Republic Services Inc. in Stark County, $936,255 to replace 2009 diesel refuse trucks with 2016 compressed natural gas-powered (CNG) refuse trucks and to construct a CNG refueling facility on Hazel Street in Akron. The city of Akron was a sponsor of the grant.
•The Stark Area Regional Transit Authority, $1 million to purchase a zero-emissions hydrogen fuel cell transit bus to replace a 2002 diesel bus and to partially finance the purchase of three smaller 2016 diesel transit buses to replace three 2010 diesel buses.
• Brunswick City School District, $531,811 to replace seven 2002-2005 diesel buses with seven 2016 diesel buses and to purchase 61 direct-fired heaters to be installed in the existing bus fleet to reduce idling.
•Portage Area RTA, $830,000 to replace two 2006 diesel transit buses with 2016 CNG-powered buses.
A total of 35 Ohio counties and parts of three other counties are eligible for the grants.
The 26 winning projects will reduce air pollution in Ohio by 745 tons a year, the Ohio EPA said.
An additional $10 million is scheduled to be distributed in Ohio later this year.