January 30, 2025
Washington, DC– The Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition (GWRCCC) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a National Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) grant totaling $689,772.

This grant will sustain the replacement of sixteen municipal on-road and nonroad utility vehicles with ten pristine vehicles equipped with Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology, which will significantly reduce harmful emissions and improve air quality in the Greater Washington region.

This award will sustain continued efforts by GWRCCC to support the Washington, DC Department of Public Works in replacing an aging fleet with low emissions vehicles equipped to operate on 100% biodiesel (B100), significantly reducing harmful emissions and improving air quality in the Greater Washington region. In total, ten additional new vehicles equipped with the Optimus Technologies Vector System will be fielded from this DERA support.

“This grant provides an essential opportunity to modernize the fleet of municipal vehicles in the Greater Washington area,” said Antoine Thompson, CEO of GWRCCC. “By replacing older, high-emission vehicles with newer, cleaner alternatives equipped with Selective Catalytic Reduction technology, we’re not only consolidating pollutants but also helping to create a sustainable transportation infrastructure for future generations.”

“GWRCCC is one of the leading Clean Cities Coalitions in the US helping municipalities achieve sustainability. Helping DC Public Works secure funding to add these new trucks continues DC’s investment in decarbonizing its heavy-duty fleet. These trucks add to an existing fleet of over 100 trucks that are already reducing carbon emissions with the Vector System and B100,” said Optimus Technologies CEO, Colin Huwyler.

For the last five years, DC Water has leveraged DERA grant funding to replace high-emission vehicles with new B100 vehicles. This transition has significantly reduced greenhouse gas emissions and improved air quality, benefiting the local community. “DC Water is committed to reducing our carbon footprint in the Nation’s Capital. By participating in opportunities like the DERA grant, we continue to hold our position at the forefront of environmental stewardship,” stated Nija Ali, DC Water’s Director of Fleet Management.

The grant distribution will occur over the next few months, with the new vehicles expected to be operational shortly.

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