Mass. projects get funds for diesel emissions

BOSTON – Two Massachusetts projects have been awarded more than a half-million dollars under a competitive national grant competition to reduce diesel emissions, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced.
Made under the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act, the grants totaled $556,650. The funding will assist CLF Ventures Inc., which is receiving $300,000 to repower the Spirit of Boston; and the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management, which has been awarded $256,650 to repower eight commercial lobster boats.
EPA said the two projects are located in Suffolk and Bristol Counties in Mass., both identified by the EPA as having high levels of emissions from diesel engines.
Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management is partnering with the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association to repower eight unregulated diesel marine engines with significantly cleaner EPA-certified, marine engines. The vessels benefiting from this grant have various home ports along the North Shore, Buzzards Bay and Cape Cod Bay.
The grant to CLF Ventures will provide partial funding to repower the Spirit of Boston, a harbor-cruise vessel operated out of Boston that provides services in and around the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. The project will replace four unregulated, diesel marine engines with cleaner EPA-certified, marine diesel engines.
These grants will cover up to 40 percent of the equipment and labor costs for each of the marine engine repowers. Once completed, they are expected to reduce nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and carbon dioxide emissions, in addition to conserving over 1,325 gallons of fuel annually, EPA said. •

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