Tugboats. Street sweepers. Freight switchers. Ambulances. Box trucks. All of these vehicles typically run on diesel engines that produce harmful exhaust. But there is cleaner technology available, and a new, $25 million grant program from the Washington Department of Ecology aims to put more of those clean vehicles to work.

Ecology Director Casey Sixkiller says this is a unique moment for both businesses and nonprofits to shape diesel reduction efforts in Washington.

“Diesel exhaust continues to pose significant public health risks in Washington, especially for communities located near industrial operations,” Sixkiller said. “This new program will reduce harmful diesel emissions by helping operators transition their fleets and equipment to cleaner and zero emission technologies."

Funded by a settlement with Volkswagen over diesel pollution, these “Rails, Keels, and Wheels” grants are open to all businesses, non-profits, and operators of large vehicles in Washington. The Ecology grants will help fleet owners, local governments, and individual owner-operators make the switch. A full list of requirements can be found on the VW enforcement action grants webpage, but if you operate a large vehicle made before 2009, there’s a strong chance that you could qualify for a replacement through this program.

Pete Siefer manages diesel pollution reduction efforts at Ecology. The agency is investing more than $140 million from the Volkswagen settlement to cut toxic emissions across the state.

“Since 2018, this settlement has funded projects that will eliminate hundreds of thousands of tons of pollution,” says Siefer. “Reducing diesel emissions protects our health, and this program has spurred innovation and investment in areas where, historically, pollution reduction has been really difficult.”

Past clean transportation grants have helped Washington school districts switch from diesel to electric school buses, allowed huge cargo ships to plug into shore power and shut off their engines while in port, and supported the City of Redmond in purchasing the state’s first electric fire truck.

Targeting the big diesel engines used in commercial and industrial applications can lead to a big payoff in improving air quality, Siefer said.

Consider the impact that an old freight switcher locomotive, like you might see in a rail yard, has on a community: Just one diesel freight switcher can emit as much particle pollution as 1,300 semi-trucks idling their engines around the clock.

While the exact totals won’t be available until the awards are announced, Ecology estimates the “Rails, Keels, and Wheels” grants will prevent thousands of tons of air pollution from entering the atmosphere and our lungs.

For more information about this grant, read the grant guidelines.