SEAFOOD.COM NEWS [seafoodnews.com] — November 21, 2013 –The EPA has announced that the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM), has been awarded $256,650 to repower eight commercial lobster boats. The award was made under a competitive national grant competition designed to reduce diesel emissions.
According to the EPA, diesel engines contribute significantly to air pollution from the fine particles in diesel exhaust.
The Northeast has some of the highest asthma rates in the nation, including a childhood asthma rate above 10 percent in all six New England states.
For their grant, NESCAUM has partnered with the Massachusetts Lobstermen's Association to repower eight unregulated diesel marine engines with significantly cleaner EPA Tier-3 and Tier-4 certified marine engines. The vessels benefiting from this grant have various home ports along the North Shore, Buzzards Bay and Cape Cod Bay.
"Since 2008, NESCAUM has successfully managed six DERA-funded projects in New England that have reduced emissions from diesel-powered locomotives, marine vessels, and construction equipment. We are excited to collaborate with the Massachusetts Lobstermen's Association on this initiative to further our organization's commitment to assist the Northeast States in meeting air quality goals and protecting public health," said Arthur Marin, Executive Director of NESCAUM.
These grants will cover up to 40 percent of the equipment and labor costs for each of the marine engine repowers.
These grants are part of nearly $20 million in grant funds being awarded by EPA nationwide for clean diesel projects in 2013.
This story originally appeared on Seafood.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.