GRADE (Grants To Replace Aging Diesel Engines)

About the Program

Category: County Resiliency (Best in Category)

Year: 2009

Mecklenburg County Air Quality has developed the first local government incentive program to reduce air pollution from off-road construction equipment. Grants to Replace Aging Diesel Engines (GRADE) provides incentive funding to owners of off-road construction equipment such as loaders, graders, and bull dozers who are willing to replace their aging equipment with newer less pollution-heavy technology. In an area struggling to find local solutions to serious air quality problems, GRADE stands out as a voluntary strategy that is feasible, successful, and regional. Over the past two years, Mecklenburg County Air Quality has successfully raised over $800,000 to fund this clean-up effort in the seven county Charlotte region. Over half of that was directly provided by the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners. GRADE is unique in that it delivers the results of the very cost effective state-level programs in Texas and California at the local level. GRADE takes advantage of local relationships and is structured to be simple and easy to use. This ensures that the air quality improvements are immediate and that the local applicants will continue to take advantage of this opportunity. The air pollution reduced by GRADE so far is 43 tons.