More than $7 million in state grants is available for Oregon fleet operators to replace older diesel trucks or install electric charging infrastructure. Salem-area businesses with medium- and heavy-duty diesel equipment are among those eligible.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality opened applications Tuesday, Sept. 8, for three grant programs. The largest, approximately $6 million in Diesel Emissions Mitigation Grants, covers replacing or retrofitting diesel vehicles from model years 1992 through 2009. That total draws from Volkswagen settlement funds and expected federal Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) money, according to the DEQ announcement. The deadline is firm: 5 p.m. PDT Wednesday, Oct. 21.

The program is open to Oregon businesses, local governments, Tribal Nations and individuals who own qualifying fleets. Construction firms running concrete mixers and dump trucks are specifically eligible. So are fleet owners required to add diesel particulate filters under DEQ's retrofit compliance rules.

Two smaller programs round out the funding. About $600,000 is available for Zero-Emission Fueling Infrastructure Grants, aimed at businesses and governments planning to install charging stations for medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicle fleets. Another roughly $500,000 goes toward Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Grants for public transit agencies buying zero-emission buses or building supporting fueling infrastructure. Both carry rolling deadlines and stay open until the money runs out.

"Fleet owners across the state continue to show strong interest in cleaner technologies," Rachel Sakata, DEQ's Air Quality Transportation Strategies Section Manager, said in the announcement. She said the grants help fleet owners shift to cleaner vehicles while cutting diesel pollution in Oregon communities.

Demand for DEQ's clean-vehicle incentives has been strong. A separate program, the ZERO Fleet Rebate Program, committed nearly all of its $17 million within eight months of launching in December 2025. It supported more than 150 zero-emission vehicle purchases statewide.

This is the only application window for these grants in 2026. Previous recipients may apply again.

Applicants submit diesel mitigation and infrastructure grant applications through the DEQ Grants web portal. Transit agencies apply separately through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality web page. Rhett Lawrence, an Air Quality program analyst, handles diesel mitigation questions. Tracie Weitzman, also an Air Quality program analyst, handles infrastructure grants. Gerik Kransky, a senior transportation policy advisor, handles transit grants. General inquiries go to [email protected].