Oregon is greening its heavy vehicles with grants to help shift away from diesel. Today marks the start of the application period for Oregon's Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) 2025 Clean Trucks and Infrastructure program. Owners of medium- and heavy-duty diesel fleets are invited to apply for funding to cut transportation emissions significantly statewide. Oregon businesses, organizations, local governments, and individuals aiming to swap their older diesel engines, vehicles, or equipment with cleaner, zero-emission alternatives are the prime candidates for these grants.
According to the Department of Environmental Quality, around $9 million is allocated for Diesel Emissions Mitigation Grants and Federal Diesel Emissions Reduction Funding to replace older diesel vehicles with newer, zero-emission technologies or retrofit exhaust controls. Another $4.8 million is specifically set aside for the Oregon DEQ Clean Trucks Grant Program, aiming to scrap and replace diesel vehicles with new, emission-free options. To further bolster this shift, approximately $3 million in grants are up for grabs to develop medium- and heavy-duty vehicle charging infrastructures.
The DEQ is also preparing to unveil the Zero-Emissions Rebates for Oregon Fleets program, also known as the ZERO Fleet Program, boasting about $17 million to assist in the purchase of new zero-emission trucks. This extends the state's commitment to over $34 million to combat pollution from older, dirtier diesel engines. "This significant investment will support that transition, reduce harmful air pollution and help protect the health of communities across the state," said Rachel Sakata, Oregon DEQ's Air Quality Transportation Strategies Section Manager, per the Department of Environmental Quality.
