The Department of Environmental Services is accepting applications to reimburse schools, businesses, local and state government agencies and departments, and others for eligible diesel emissions reduction projects.

Proposals for the New Hampshire Clean Diesel Grant Program are due by 4 p.m. on Jan. 24, with half a million in federal funds available. Awardees can expect to be notified by the end of February. The department plans to have a second round of applications due in mid-May, unless there aren’t enough remaining funds. 

The $500,000 comes from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act. Federal and state governments have sought to curb diesel emissions because of the effects they can have on human health and the environment. 

While modern diesel engines have become cleaner, “millions of older, dirtier engines are still in use” because of their long lifespans, according to the EPA. Diesel exhaust can lead to asthma and other respiratory issues and worsen heart problems and lung disease, according to the EPA. 

The emissions also contribute to the production of acid rain, ground-level ozone pollution, and the greenhouse gas effect that drives climate change. In 2021, transportation was responsible for almost half of greenhouse gas emissions in New Hampshire, according to the state’s Priority Climate Action Plan.

Different projects offer different reimbursement rates. “For example, a project replacing a diesel vehicle with an electric vehicle can be reimbursed for up to 45% of the project cost,” according to the state’s program webpage; “a project replacing an old diesel vehicle with a newer, cleaner diesel vehicle can be reimbursed for up to 25% of the project cost.”

More information about the program can be found on the department’s website.