Rule 391-3-21-.10 - Georgia Diesel Engine Retrofit Grants(1) Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program (CMAQ) School Bus Retrofit Grant Program Scope and Purpose. Grants are available under the Federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) grant program for retrofitting school buses that are located or operated in the 20-county metro-Atlanta ozone nonattainment area. (a) General Terms and Conditions of the Grant. 1. Projects submitted for funding under this Grant must identify the vehicles for retrofit and the type of emission control equipment to be used.2. Submitted projects must conform to all applicable programmatic conditions including, without limitation, coordination with EPD personnel; use of retrofit technologies that has been verified under EPA's Retrofit Program or certified by the California Air Resources Board (CARB); submission of quarterly reports; submission of a final report; compliance with applicable Federal procurement and subgrant procedures; certification that the emission control equipment was properly installed and is in working condition; proper maintenance of vehicles and retrofit equipment and enforcement of warranty claims against vendors if a maintenance problem arises; and use of the emission control equipment on the vehicles for a minimum of four years unless the equipment is damaged beyond repair or the vehicle becomes inoperable and is unable to be repaired.3. Projects that are awarded these funds require a 20% local or state match. There are limited State matching funds available for projects that qualify which will be awarded for acceptable applicants based on date of application receipt. Once these State funds have been expended, project applicants will be required to provide a 20% match. If a match is required from project applicants, it can be made with in-kind support as well as funds from project applicants.(b) Eligible Recipients of the Grant. An eligible applicant is any public school system fleet located or operated in the designated 20-county metro-Atlanta ozone nonattainment area. To receive funding, participating public school systems must own and operate their fleet.(c) Criteria for the Award. This project is limited to applications that retrofit school buses located or operated in the 20-county metro-Atlanta ozone nonattainment area. School systems must use currently-verified or certified EPA or CARB equipment.(d) Deadline For Submittal. EPD will send out the first solicitation for applications on March 2, 2009. Applications will be due by close of business on April 16, 2009. Funding will be distributed between applicants that reply within the first solicitation period and are able to provide any required matching funds. If funds remain after grants are awarded to all qualified projects from the first solicitation, a second solicitation will be issued and will remain open until all of the funds have been obligated. Retrofit projects will be awarded based on the order in which memoranda of agreements are signed and matching funds are available. The applications will be evaluated based on the criteria stated above.(2) Diesel Engine Retrofit Act (DERA) State Diesel Grant Program General Scope and Purpose. Grants are available under the DERA State Diesel Grant Program for retrofitting school buses located or operated in counties that have not been officially designated as nonattainment for the PM2.5 standard. (a) General Terms and Conditions of the Grant. 1. Projects submitted for funding under this grant must identify the vehicles for retrofit and the type of emission control equipment to be used.2. Submitted projects must conform to all applicable programmatic conditions including, without limitation, the coordination with EPD personnel; use of retrofit technologies that have been verified under EPA's Retrofit Program or certified by the California Air Resources Board (CARB); submission of quarterly reports; submission of a final report; compliance with applicable Federal procurement and sub-grant procedures; certification that the emission control equipment was properly installed and is in working condition; proper maintenance of vehicles and retrofit equipment and enforcement of warranty claims against vendors if a maintenance problem arises; and use of the emission control equipment on the vehicles for a minimum of four years unless the equipment is damaged beyond repair or the vehicle becomes inoperable and is unable to be repaired.(b) Eligible Recipients of the Grant. An eligible applicant is any public school system fleet that is located or operating within a county that is not designated as nonattainment for the PM2.5 standard.(c) Criteria for the Award. This project is limited to applications that retrofit school buses located or operated in counties that are not designated as nonattainment for the PM2.5 standard. Priority will be given to applicants that are located in counties that have not been designated as nonattainment for the PM2.5 standard but whose air quality monitors are showing exceedances of the national ambient air quality standards for particulate matter (PM2.5) or school systems located in counties that have not been designated as nonattainment for the PM2.5 standard but are located adjacent to counties exceeding the PM2.5 standard or adjacent to counties designated as nonattainment for PM2.5 will receive priority for this grant. School systems must use verified or certified EPA or CARB equipment. Applicants will also be given priority if they are able to provide matching funds.(d) Deadline for Submittal. EPD will send out the first solicitation for request for applications on March 2, 2009. Applications will be due by close of business on April 16, 2009. The projects will be evaluated based on the criteria stated above. A second solicitation will be opened if all of the funds are not obligated in the first solicitation. The second solicitation will remain open until all funding has been obligated and spent.(3) Directions For Submitting Applications for the Georgia Diesel Engine Retrofit (DER) Grants (CMAQ and DERA). Requests for copies of the general guidelines and proposal forms and submittal of applications for any of the Georgia DER Grants should be made to: Georgia Environmental Protection Division
Mobile and Area Sources Program
Attn: Stacy Allman
4244 International Parkway, Suite 136
Atlanta, Georgia 30354
e-mail: stacy.allman@dnr.state.ga.us
Note: E-mail copies of project proposals will not be accepted as official submittals.
(4) Award of Georgia Diesel Engine Retrofit grants are subject to Federal funding provided to EPD.Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 391-3-21-.10
O.C.G.A. Secs. 12-9-6, 28-5-122.
Original grant description entitled "Georgia Adopt-A-School Bus Pilot Project FFY2004 Clean School Bus USA Grant" submitted November 5, 2004.Submitted: Grant description entitled "Georgia Diesel Engine Retrofit Grants" received Mar. 23, 2009.