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MARAD to award up to $1.5M for projects for emission reductions from marine vessels
Green Car Congress, 9 May 2012

The US Maritime Administration’ Office of Environment is soliciting (DTMA-91-R-2012-0019) proposals for up to $1.5 million in funding for projects that demonstrate criteria pollutant emissions or carbon emissions reductions from marine vessels through repowering, re-engining or installation of other pollution reduction technologies, or the use of alternative fuel/energy.

Over the past several years, the Maritime Administration (MARAD) has been partnering with other government agencies, industry, and academia on efforts to reduce vessel and port air emissions and greenhouse gases as well as support the use of alternative fuels and energy sources. Several MARAD efforts are underway to address emissions reductions, specifically through development of planning and modeling tools and in-situ testing of alternative fuels.

The total amount of funding under the new RFP will be $1,500,000; MARAD anticipates making thee awards. MARAD is seeking to provide cost-share funding through cooperative agreements for US-flagged vessels that operate on inland or coastal waterways. Eligible applicants include vessel owners, operators, or sponsors.
Awardees must demonstrate a reduction of emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), particulate matter (PM), or carbon through an approved emissions testing scheme. Data collected under the cooperative agreement, including that related to costs, emissions, and fuel consumption must be made available to MARAD and can be used publicly. Shore side equipment upgrade or shore power projects are not eligible for funding.

MARAD will use the results and data to support further air emissions reduction research and demonstration projects and to demonstrate the public benefit of future incentives to improve vessel related environmental stewardship.

Projects that will be funded under the RFP include engine repowers, retrofits, the use of alternative fuels, or the use of alternative technologies such as hybrid engines and other emissions reduction technologies. MARAD will not fund more than 75% of the total cost of the project.

Be a champion for cleaner air and improve the environment by creating a “no idle” policy at your school.

The Mid-Atlantic Diesel Collaborative (MDC), in cooperation with the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 3 Office, developed this toolkit to educate school teachers and their students (5th-6th grade levels) on the importance of reducing school bus idling and air pollution caused by motor vehicles.   The toolkit is designed with a culmination project where the students put what they learned into practice and develop an idle-reduction campaign at their own school. Therefore, education of the importance of reducing idling is not only limited to the students, but is transferred to school and transportation officials, the students’ families and beyond.

Overall objectives for Toolkit users:

• Raise air quality awareness,
• Understand and educate self, students, and others on the benefits of reducing idling,
  
• Utilize students as a means for developing and implementing an idle-reduction campaign at school,
  
• Educate and encourage transportation officials to spread the word of idle-reduction.