Senator Murray Announces Major Federal Awards for Emission Reduction Projects Throughout Washington State

(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) announced more than $3.6 million in federal grants to local, statewide, and tribal projects to curb diesel emissions and move Washington state toward a greener future. The awards are part of the Environmental Protection Administration’s (EPA) Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) grant program, to help tribes, states and local communities reduce diesel soot and smoke, protecting air quality and reducing health risks. As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Murray has long supported the DERA program.

“These federal grants will fund projects that will not just improve air quality across Washington state for children and families, but also promote sustainability and help ensure that tribal communities can continue fishing their ancestral territories,” said Senator Murray. “I’m proud to announce these important awards that will help move communities across our state towards a healthier, more energy efficient future.”

See a full breakdown of federal awards going to Washington state below:

The awards going to the Northwest Seaport Alliance and the city of Tacoma will help to fund infrastructure to supply ocean-going vessels with cleaner shore power and fund the replacement of diesel-powered trucks from the Solid Waste Management fleet to reduce emissions respectively, while the Washington Department of Ecology award will fund a tugboat repower project to support reduced emissions in several regions across the state. The joint Washington state-Oregon funding will be used to replace diesel-only powered refrigerated trailers with zero-emission battery electric-solar refrigerated trailers. Finally, the three awards to the Swinomish, Lummi, and Quinault tribal communities will help to replace the diesel engines on marine vessels with lower emitting alternatives. 

Newer diesel engines operate more cleanly than in the past, but many older diesel engines that emit far more air pollution are still on the road and the water. Diesel emissions contain numerous pollutants – including soot, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide – that adversely affect cardiovascular and respiratory health. Diesel soot from school buses has also been associated with reduced lung function and increased incidences of pneumonia in children.

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