The Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) is a federal appropriation from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) aimed at decreasing harmful diesel engine emissions. For almost 20 years, the EPA’s DERA program has supplied funding to the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to retrofit, repower, and replace older diesel vehicles and equipment with cleaner, more modern alternatives.
Utah has chosen DERA as one of nine Eligible Mitigation Action categories to receive funding from the VW Settlement, which provides additional support for these initiatives. Funding has been allocated to the following projects in this category:
| Awardee | Replacement Type | Award Amount | Number of Vehicles Awarded | Eligible Mitigation Action Category | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City School District | Diesel to electric | $700,357.05 | 4 replaced | School buses | June 2023 |
| Salt Lake City School District | Diesel to electric | $596,637.90 | 3 replaced | School buses | December 2023 |
| Weber Fire District | Diesel to diesel | $200,000.00 | 1 replaced | Fire truck | October 2024 |
| US Cold Storage | Diesel to electric | $129,645.63 | 1 replaced | Terminal tractor | January 2025 |