The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a report to Congress this week detailing the health, environmental and economic benefits of the Agency's Diesel Emission Reduction Program. The program, funded at $50 million last year, allowed EPA to fund the purchase or retrofitting of 14,000 diesel-powered vehicles and pieces of equipment.聽 A copy of the report is available .
According to EPA's report, , the resulting benefits from the program include:
- Reducing 46,000 tons of nitrogen oxide, a key contributor to elevated smog levels, and 2,200 tons of particulate matter over the lifetime of diesel vehicles;
- Conserving 3.2.million gallons of fuel annually under the SmartWay Clean Diesel Finance Program, which saves operators $8 million annually; and
- Generating public health benefits between $500 million to $1.4 billion.