The Utah Division of Air Quality offers grants to oil and gas producers in the Uinta Basin to voluntarily reduce emissions to address winter ozone pollution caused by oil and gas operations. The Division also uses funds from oil and gas settlements to support special projects that improve air quality in the Uinta Basin.
Marginal Conventional Well Closure Grant
Funding amount
$2.7 million to reduce methane emissions from marginal (low-producing) oil and gas wells in the Uinta Basin.
When will the program start?
The program is in development and planned to open in 2025 and run through 2028.
What wells are eligible?
Well owner/operators in Uintah and Duchesne counties.
Thief Hatch Replacement Grant Program (part of Utah’s CPRG Implementation Grant)
Funding amount
$3.3 million to reduce methane emissions by replacing older/faulty thief hatches with improved versions at oil/gas facilities in the Uinta Basin.
When will the program start?
The program is in development and planned to open in 2025 and run through 2029.
Who can apply?
Oil and gas facilities in the Uinta Basin (Uintah or Duchesne counties).
Discovery Trail Project – Completed
Funding amount
- Total Project Amount: $455,290
- DAQ contribution: $230,000
- Other contributions: $225,290
Project details
The Vernal City Discovery Trail project addressed safety and environmental concerns at Discovery Elementary School by constructing a paved trail and sidewalk. This new route enables students and families to walk or bike to school, reducing vehicle trips and improving air quality and community health. By connecting neighborhoods to Discovery Elementary, the trail eliminates the need for vehicles to make unnecessary trips, reducing idling and improving the local air quality.
Project impact
- Provides 0.51 miles of trail and 770 feet of sidewalk for a safer, more sustainable transportation option to students and families in Vernal
- Offers an accessible walking and biking route to Discovery Elementary School
- Reduces the need for vehicular transportation, alleviating traffic congestion and minimizing emissions from idling cars
- Eliminated 40-50 vehicle trips per day
- Used by approximately 100 students who represent 14% to 17% of the school population
Uintah School District Electric School Buses – Completed
Funding amount
- Total Project Cost: $5,448,000
- DAQ contribution: $957,000 for electric buses and $541,000 for charging infrastructure
- EPA contribution: $3,750,000 for electric buses and $200,000 for charging infrastructure
Project details
The Uintah School District obtained funding from the EPA Clean School Bus program, and through a partnership with DAQ, received additional funding from oil and gas settlement funds. The combined funds replaced ten diesel school buses with electric and provided for the necessary electrical upgrades and charging infrastructure for the electric buses, including five DC fast chargers and five Level II chargers.
Project impact
- Reduced 3,683 tons of emissions
- Saved 325,945 gallons of diesel fuel
- Provided healthier air for students, staff, and the broader community
Contact
- Marginal Conventional Well Grant
- Thief Hatch Grant
- Kristina Raner