The focus on these two priorities were based on recommendations from the Air Pollution Control Advisory Committee.
Data collected and analyzed by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, vehicle PM2.5 emissions contribute approximately 25 percent of all air pollution in Allegheny County.
To provide communities with resources to reduce vehicle PM2.5 emissions, the Air Quality program applied for a U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency Target Air Shed Grant but was not selected in this year’s round of funding. Understanding that communities, specifically in the Mon Valley, needed to move forward with fleet electrification projects to improve their air quality, the program made Clean Air Fund resources available to begin the process.
Eligible projects, for municipalities in the Mon Valley, must replace diesel-fueled vehicles with zero-emission equivalents, and/or acquire the necessary infrastructure to support a zero-emission fleet. The maximum award for an individual fleet electrification grant is $750,000. It is anticipated that multiple projects will be accepted.
The funding will also be used for support projects aimed at obtaining, planting and maintaining the tree population throughout Allegheny County. Proposed projects must prioritize areas with a lower percentage of tree canopy. Applicants, which may include both municipalities and community organizations, must provide both an in-depth cost-benefit analysis of adding trees to a specific area, as well as a maintenance plan for sustaining the project for a minimum of five years. Projects must be located on public land, located near pollution sources or in pollution corridors, and utilize tree species that are native, drought tolerant and provide maximum pollution reduction.
According to a study by the National Recreation and Park Association, trees and vegetation can help reduce air pollution both by directly removing pollutants and by reducing air temperatures. Annual pollution removal benefits by U.S. trees located in urban areas are estimated at about 75,000 tons, or 80 pounds per acre of tree cover.
Municipalities and community organizations interested in learning more about these two grant opportunities can find more information, as well as application materials on the Health Department’s Clean Air Fund webpage.
The Allegheny County’s Clean Air Fund, in part, supports activities and projects that:
- Improve air quality by reducing, eliminating or preventing air pollution
- Broaden understanding of air quality effects through health studies
- Educate the public on issues concerning air pollution
- Provide special purpose ambient air monitoring
- Complete any other project consistent with the provisions of Article XXI and the mission of the Board of Health
The funding will come from the Clean Air Fund, which is subsidized through penalties collected from air pollution emitters by the Air Quality Program’s enforcement efforts. No tax dollars will be utilized to fund either program.
Applications and all supporting materials are due by July 21, 2023, at 5 p.m.
