The EPA announced that 70 applicants across 27 states, three Tribal Nations, and one territory have been tentatively selected to receive over $735 million to assist in the purchase of over 2,400 zero-emission vehicles through its first-ever Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program. EPA鈥檚 Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program will replace existing internal combustion engine heavy-duty vehicles with zero-emission vehicles, while also supporting the build out of clean vehicle infrastructure, as well as the training of workers to deploy these new zero-emission technologies. Together, the selected projects announced today will reduce harmful emissions from heavy-duty vehicles, support good-paying jobs, and improve air quality in communities across the country, particularly in those that have been overburdened by air pollution.
鈥淲e are accelerating American leadership in developing clean technologies that address the impacts of climate change,鈥� said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. 鈥淭ogether, the Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant projects announced today will slash air pollution and enhance the country鈥檚 infrastructure for cleaner transportation solutions, creating good-paying jobs along the way.鈥�
“To tackle the climate crisis, we have to slash pollution from every sector, including heavy-duty transportation,鈥� said John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy. 鈥淭oday鈥檚 awards from the EPA will create good-paying jobs, make our communities healthier, and protect our planet.”
Across the nation, over 3 million Class 6 and Class 7 vehicles are currently in use, spanning a wide variety of vehicle types and vocations. Many of these are older vehicles that emit higher levels of harmful pollutants like nitrogen oxides, fine particulate matter, and greenhouse gases than newer vehicles. This pollution is associated with respiratory and cardiovascular disease, among other serious health problems. Children, older adults, those with preexisting cardiopulmonary disease, and those of lower socioeconomic status are particularly vulnerable to these health impacts. Cleaning up pollution from heavy-duty vehicles helps protect the health of 72 million people living near truck freight routes in America.
EPA鈥檚 Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program will accelerate the adoption and deployment of eligible Class 6 and 7 zero-emission vehicles. Vehicles eligible for replacement include older vehicles powered by internal combustion engines that pre-date recent EPA emission standards.
Proposed replacement vehicles include battery-electric box trucks, cargo trucks, emergency vehicles, refuse/recycling haulers, school buses, shuttle buses, step vans, transit buses, utility vehicles, and other vocational vehicles, as well as a small number of hydrogen fuel cell transit buses. In addition, the Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program also funds zero-emission vehicle fueling infrastructure (e.g., electric vehicle charging stations), as well as workforce development and training. These investments support the implementation of the National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization and the National Zero-Emission Freight Corridor Strategy .
EPA currently anticipates finalizing awards in early calendar year 2025 once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied. Project implementation will occur over the next two to three years depending on the scope of each project.