(INDIANAPOLIS) — The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) and the Indiana Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust Fund Committee (Committee) today formally announced Round 2 of the Indiana Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust Program’s grant funding which will distribute awards ranging from $50,000 to $2 million. The total available funding for this round is $9.83 million.
Grant money will be awarded to clean air projects that significantly reduce diesel emissions across Indiana. Example projects include replacing older, higher emission diesel garbage trucks with newer, cleaner, compressed natural gas-powered vehicles or replacing old diesel school buses with new clean-diesel, alternative fuel or electric buses. Some of the Round 1 projects included replacing diesel-powered school buses with electric and propane-powered buses, diesel-powered transit buses with electric and compressed natural gas-powered transit buses, diesel-powered refuse haulers with compressed natural gas-powered refuse haulers, as well as one diesel-powered switcher locomotive being replaced with an electric-powered rail car mover.
Public and private entities may submit applications, and the Request for Proposals (RFP) deadline is April 30, 2020. Application information can be found at http://www.idem.IN.gov/vwtrust. Questions about the RFP process can be directed to:
Shawn M. Seals
Senior Environmental Manager
Indiana Department of Environmental Management
(317) 233-0425
SSeals@idem.IN.gov
The Indiana Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust Program is a statewide program supported with funds from Indiana’s portion of the national Volkswagen Mitigation Trust Fund. The program is focused on equipment and vehicle repowers and replacements with newer, cleaner alternatives of various fuel types. The program will post separate, additional solicitations for the Light-duty Electric Vehicle Infrastructure and Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) components of the Indiana Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust Program. The Committee expects to select projects by June 2020 with funds awarded soon thereafter.
For more information about the Indiana Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust Program, please visit http://www.idem.IN.gov/vwtrust.
About the Committee
The Indiana Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust Fund Committee was formed under an executive order issued by Gov. Eric Holcomb on Oct. 4, 2017. The Committee will play a vital role in the disbursement of Indiana’s share of funds from the Environmental Mitigation Trust created as part of Volkswagen’s settlement of Clean Air Act violations regarding diesel emissions from their vehicles. Indiana will receive approximately $41 million under the terms of the consent decree.
About IDEM
IDEM (http://www.idem.IN.gov) implements federal and state regulations regarding the environment. Through compliance assistance, incentive programs and educational outreach, the agency encourages and aids businesses and citizens in protecting Hoosiers and our environment.
