Available Funding
The following list of resources, grants, funding, and incentives support alternative fuel and advanced transportation technology.
Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE)
CARE is a U.S. EPA grant program that offers an innovative way for a community to organize and take action to reduce toxic pollution in its local environment. Through CARE, community created partnerships implement solutions to reduce releases of toxic pollutants and minimize people’s exposure to them. By providing financial and technical assistance, EPA helps CARE communities get on the path to a renewed environment. http://www.epa.gov/care/
EPA Smartgrowth Building Blocks Technical Assistance Available
Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities provides quick, targeted technical assistance to selected local and/or tribal governments interested in improving economic and environmental sustainability, using 9 tools that have demonstrated results and widespread application. Technical assistance will be delivered by EPA staff and by four nonprofit organizations with extensive expertise in sustainable communities. These organizations—Forterra, Global Green USA, Project for Public Spaces, and Smart Growth America—have received grants from EPA to offer assistance using tools they have chosen. Several of the 9 tools, listed below could be used to address transportation-related issues (*):
Planning Bikeshare Programs*
Supporting Equitable Development
Neighborhood Planning for Healthy Aging
Parking Audit*
Creating a Green Streets Strategy*
Using Smart Growth to Produce Fiscal and Economic Health*
Green Building Toolkit*
Sustainable Strategies for Small Cities and Rural Areas
Land Use Strategies to Protect Water Quality*
Deadline: October 26, 2012. EPA expects to select communities by early December 2012 and provide all technical assistance by May 2013. See the Building Blocks website for more details.
Incentives for Alternative Fuel and Advanced Technology Vehicles
Consumers can earn a federal tax credit of up to $7,500 for purchase of electric vehicles. See the Tax Incentives Assistance Project or American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy sites for further information.
Complete details and information on these incentives can be found on the Alternative Fuel and Advanced Technology Vehicle Consumer Incentive Fact Sheet.
Mobile Source Emission Reduction Grants
Pending funding-availability, annual solicitations are accepted for N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Division of Air Quality’s Mobile Source Emissions Reduction (MSERG) Grant. The purpose of the MSERG is to achieve actual reductions from on- and off- road mobile source related emissions in North Carolina and to assist the State in maintaining the National Air Quality Standards for primarily ozone and carbon monoxide.
Annual application period is Oct 1-Dec 31. Awards are announced in March of the following year.
More information and application available at DENR’s DAQ website.
Propoane/Autogas for Lawn Maintenance
When looking at petroleum displacement for your fleet, don’t forget about the mowers!Propane/autogas is a great fit for lawn maintenance equipment. Propane Education and Research Council is offering $1,000 to qualified buyers of a new [program eligible] propane mower for a limited time only. http://www.autogasusa.org/MIP/
North Carolina Green Business Fund
The North Carolina Green Business Fund is a grant award program authorized by the N.C. General Assembly. Under this program, grant awards may be made to North Carolina organizations in support of competitively assessed projects focused on the following three priority areas: 1) Development of the biofuels industry in the State. Grants made in this category may target projects that maximize the development, production, distribution, retail infrastructure, and consumer purchase of biofuels and workforce development in these areas. 2) Development of the green building industry in the State, and 3) Attraction and leverage of private sector investments and entrepreneurial growth in environmentally conscious clean technology and renewable energy products and businesses. http://www.ncscitech.com/gbf/.
Southeast Diesel Collaborative – EPA Diesel Program
In conjunction with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Southeast Diesel Collaborative offers funding assistance for projects to reduce diesel emissions from diesel powered vehicles in EPA Region 4 states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and/or Tennessee. This includes both on-road and off-road applications.For updates on SEDC funding look here.
State Energy Program (SEP) Special Projects
Provides funding for AFVs, AFV refueling infrastructure, anti-idling and other transportation related projects. For more information about the program and past recipients of the grants visit DOE’s State Enegy Program’s website. Those interested in applying for these grants should contact the Clean Transportation Program at the North Carolina Solar Center or contact your local Clean Cities Program, of which North Carolina has the Triangle Clean Cities Coalition, the Centralina (Charlotte Area) Clean Fuels Coalition, and the Land of Sky Clean Vehicles Coalition.
U.S. DOE listing of Incentives and Laws Concerning Alternative Fuels
The DOE’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Office website provides the latest developments and news for alternative fuels along with a listing of incentives and laws that apply to the technology. Check on Federal Incentives and Laws and North Carolina Incentives and Laws to find a complete up-to-date listing.