Montana announced funding on October 29 to replace locomotive engines and reduce emissions.

$ 800,000 is available for the State Department of Environmental Quality project, including federal diesel emission reduction law and Montana’s share in an agreement with Volkswagen. The money would go to shunting locomotives used in marshalling yards, according to DEQ’s Neal Ullman, which would mean a huge reduction in emissions for the people who live and work nearby.

“By reducing these emissions in a tiny space, the people in this area benefit,” said Ullman.

Each replacement would translate into an estimated 10-ton reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions per year, Ullman said. NOx gases can contribute to asthma and other respiratory diseases, according to DEQ.

The project would provide up to 40% of the funding for each replacement, with a total of up to two engine replacements. The new engines would be more efficient, said Ullman, and need to run in Montana for their useful life. The project requires that the old engines be scrapped or recycled.

According to the Associated Press, Volkswagen admitted it installed software to create the appearance that its cars meet NOx emissions standards. Montana’s share in a subsequent deal with the automaker is approximately $ 12.6 million, according to DEQ.

This part also funds a program to replace diesel vehicles such as buses and dump trucks, while another round of funding from the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act is helping to replace older diesel school buses.

Engine replacement requests are due Jan. 14, 2022, and Ullman said the state will likely publicly announce the awards in late spring or early summer of next year once they are completed.