The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday it has allocated $2 million to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to replace up to 80 model year 2006 and older short-haul trucks that service Port Authority facilities with cleaner, newer model-year trucks by offering truckers up to 50 percent of the cost to scrap and replace each vehicle up to $25,000.

“The Truck Replacement program is another example of how we are successfully partnering with the private sector by helping support businesses even as we clean up the environment,” EPA Regional Administrator Pete Lopez said in a statement.

“Reducing air pollution from diesel engines has enormous health benefits that translates directly into fewer hospitalizations and less missed days of work and school. Replacing old dirty trucks with newer ones makes a significant difference in areas around Port Authority facilities,” he added.

The Diesel Emissions Reduction Act grant will foster the replacement of older trucks with 2013 and newer trucks and will reduce emissions of diesel particulate matter and other pollutants such as nitrogen oxides.

The EPA expects this grant to result in emission reductions of 49.5 tons of nitrogen oxides, 16.5 tons of carbon monoxide and 2.15 tons of fine particulates per year. These are short-haul trucks, commonly called drayage trucks, which frequently stop at the Port Authority’s marine terminals.