Kansas receives $4 million to reduce diesel emissions

The United States Environmental Protection Agency has awarded a $4 million grant to the state of Kansas to support the reduction of diesel emissions.

In a state known by outsiders as a place one drives through to get somewhere else, Kansas knows about diesel. The large agricultural industry that can be found in Kansas also adds to the growing need to put a check on diesel emissions.

According to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), the EPA has awarded $4 million to the state provided under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program.

“In addition to the creation of much-needed jobs and the improvement in air quality, these clean diesel projects will have a positive impact on the health of Kansans,” Roderick L. Bremby, Secretary of KDHE, said in a statement. “Reducing diesel emissions will mean fewer premature deaths, asthma attacks and other respiratory ailments.”

All four corners of the state will receive funding, according to KDHE:

• Kansas City’s Burlington Northern Sante Fe will work with KDHE to replace three 1970 locomotive switch engines with three diesel generator style locomotives, achieving a pollutant reduction of 85 percent
• Wichita’s Sherwood Construction, Bergkamp Construction and Cornejo & Sons to improve or replace 21 pieces of construction equipment
• Westar Energy and the Kansas Department of Transportation to install retrofits with diesel oxidation catalysts (DOC) and automatic engine shutdown/startup systems in eastern Kansas
• Sunflower Electric and Western Cooperative in western Kansas will replace equipment engines and replace old utility trucks

Through the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) State Grant Program, the EPA’s Blue Skyways initiative, among other programs, KDHE has received grant money in the amount of nearly $8 million dollars in the last few months.