In a bid to cut emissions from central Ohio’s public diesel fleets, the US Environmental Protection Agency has awarded a $150,000 grant to the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission for taking up a cooperative project.
Local sources will be providing an additional $68,924 for the project — called the Mid-Ohio Public Diesel Fleet Initiative.
It is a partnership of the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, the Ohio Environmental Council, the city of Columbus, and the Central Ohio Transit Authority in an effort to demonstrate technologies relating to clean diesel and also strategies for reducing diesel emissions.
The grant is part of Midwest Clean Diesel Initiative (MCDI) of EPA Region 5.
To reduce emissions —
* The vehicles will be ‘retrofitted’ with diesel oxidation catalysts.
* They will also be provided with hydraulic heaters to keep engines warm in cold weather. * This would cut pollution generated from idling engines.
* The bio-diesel will be used as fuel.