SCDES Awards Four Diesel Emissions Reduction Grants

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov.2, 2026 

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) has awarded four grants through its State Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) program to help replace older diesel-powered vehicles and equipment with cleaner alternatives. 

Funded through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the grants support projects that reduce diesel emissions through engine replacements, exhaust retrofits and equipment upgrades. Diesel engines emit pollutants that can harm human health and the environment. Eligible applicants include local governments, private businesses, nonprofit organizations and colleges and universities. Depending on the project, SCDES can fund 25% to 100% of eligible project costs. 

“We look forward to partnering with several companies throughout South Carolina on these State DERA grants. Their projects are innovative and will benefit the communities in which they’re located,” said Rhonda Thompson, chief of SCDES’s Bureau of Air Quality. “SCDES continues to award DERA grant funds targeted at reducing the emissions from aging diesel engines and equipment while at the same time supporting local businesses and entities in their environmental efforts.” 

The four grant recipients are: 

• City of West Columbia (Lexington County): $80,439 to replace a 2006 garbage collection truck with a 2026 truck equipped with an EPA-certified engine. 

• Palmetto Propane, Fuels and Ice (Lexington County): $97,100 to replace a 2008 Class 7 diesel truck and a 2007 Class 8 diesel truck with two new trucks that primarily use propane. 

• JC Wilkie Construction LLC (Lexington County): $44,000 to replace a 2001 trencher equipped with a Tier 0 engine with a new trencher equipped with a Tier 4 engine. 

• Waste Industries LLC, doing business as GFL Environmental (Horry County): $115,000 to replace a 2005 garbage collection truck with a 2027 truck fueled by compressed natural gas. 

SCDES has been awarded an additional allocation from the EPA for the State DERA program. Once the funding is received, the agency plans to issue another request for proposals early next year. 

Learn more about grant opportunities and previously funded projects on the SCDES DERA webpage. For questions about the program, email the Emissions Inventory Section at dera@des.sc.gov.