In 2009, DEP received an EPA DERA State Clean Diesel Grant for $250,000 to create the Florida Clean School Bus Program.

DEP selected ten rural county school districts in the Panhandle to install diesel oxidation catalysts (DOCs) on 200 of their older diesel powered school buses. The counties included in this program are: Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Liberty, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington. This project was successfully completed in July 2009.

In 2010 DEP invested an additional $1 million dollars to expand the Florida Clean School Bus Program [PDF - 160kb] using, granted to the state by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) State Clean Diesel Grant Program.

DEP focused on two regions of the state which included Bay and Okaloosa counties in the Panhandle and Hernando, Manatee, Pasco, Polk, Desoto, Sarasota, Charlotte, Citrus and Dixie Counties in Southwest region of the state. This project has an anticipated completion date of June 2011.

Clean Diesel Rebate Program

In March 2009, DEP implemented a Clean Diesel Rebate Program [PDF - 750kb] to encourage owners of heavy duty vehicles registered in the state to purchase alternative power units (APU's). An application process was put in place to provide a $1,500 rebate for the purchase and installation of each unit. DEP issued approximately 55 APU rebates during its first year of the program. The funds were provided through the EPA DERA State Clean Diesel Grant and DEP hopes to extend the program contingent upon any additional DERA grant funding.

Truck Stop Electrification Projects

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Florida Department of Transportation (DOT) and JR Enterprises entered into a public private partnership to fund the installation of 20 Truck Stop Electrification (TSE) units each at the Florida's Turnpike Okahumpka service plaza ( Milepost 299) and Canoe Creek service plaza (Milepost 229). The projects were funded in part by a $480,000 grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) State Clean Diesel Grant Program and a $160,000 investment by JR Enterprises, the private partner for this grant project.

Green Port Projects

In 2010, through an EPA DERA State Clean Diesel Grant , DEP awarded $750,000 to Broward County's Port Everglades to partner in a Diesel Emissions Reduction Port Project [PDF - 179kb]. With Broward County's contribution of $510,000 the total funding for the project is $1,260,000. Funds will allow the port to retrofit, repower, upgrade or replace diesel equipment to reduce emissions. Reducing diesel emissions at ports is a national priority to protect human health and the environment.