DEQ has formed a rulemaking advisory committee with the following goals:
- Help clarify and interpret the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Grants in HB 2007
- Make recommendation on basic program design
- Consider eligibility and project selection criteria
- Think about project solicitation processes and timing
- Advise on what should go into rule versus program guidance
Policy guidance from Oregon Revised Statute, Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust, and the federal Diesel Emissions Reduction Act will directly inform program rules. Rules may not conflict with this guidance.
Oregon's diesel emission reduction grant program is restricted by the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Settlement Agreement and the Environmental Protection Agency’s Diesel Emission Reduction Act requirements. This detailed comparison of both programs provides a sense of the maximum reimbursement amounts allowed for specific diesel owners, project types, and equipment types. Oregon’s grant program must comply with these requirements and will likely provide additional guidance based on the administrative rulemaking process and Environmental Quality Commission action.
DEQ expects this rulemaking to include 3-5 committee meetings over a 6-8 month period beginning in early 2020 and ending with EQC action in the fall of 2020.