Volume 2: EPA Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) Tribal Grants Program

Abstract

This report, part of the Policy Pathways to a Low Carbon Fishing Fleet series, explores the role of the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act’s (DERA) tribal and territory grants program in advancing emissions reduction efforts on commercial fishing vessels in tribal communities. Administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), DERA provides funding for diesel engine replacements and retrofits that improve air quality. The tribal and territory grants program offers dedicated funding for projects led by tribal and territorial governments, supporting cleaner operations for commercial fishing and other diesel-powered activities within these communities.

Tribes have successfully utilized DERA funding for fishing engine upgrades, with seven tribes implementing projects that collectively repowered or replaced at least 131 engines across 120 fishing vessels between 2011 and 2021 (the latest year for which data are publicly available). Through desk research and a case study focused on the Quinault Indian Nation, this report highlights challenges and best practices, including leveraging community networks for streamlined grant applications and addressing seasonal constraints on project execution. Potential recommendations stemming from this data include expanding fundable technology options, increasing flexibility in project timelines, and improving outreach, education, and technical support to optimize program effectiveness for tribal fishermen.

While the DERA tribal and territory grants program was designed with the goal of mitigating the impacts of particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and other air pollutants on human health, it offers a template that can be modified or replicated as a basis for programs that reduce emissions of planet-warming greenhouse gas pollutants like carbon dioxide (CO2). This report is a starting point for fishermen and partners in government and beyond to collaboratively design incentive programs that support a transition to a low carbon fishing fleet.