The Volkswagen diesel-motor-vehicle-cheating scandal is still making the news circuit. And, it seems like the controversy surrounding such isn’t going to evaporate anytime soon. The issue will no doubt garner attention and interest until all matters related to such are, once and for all, totally resolved.
Regarding one recent related development in California, there is good news and, being that this is the case, this particular development bears repeating.
It has to do with excess emissions released from VW diesel motor vehicles that employed so-called “defeat-device” software, the associated harm to the atmosphere and public health such has caused and as it has to do with how said excess emissions will be mitigated and what will be the compensatory relief and where that relief will be implemented.
As it relates, the California Environmental Protection Agency Air Resources Board (or CARB, for short) released just five days ago on May 25, 2018 its “CARB approves plan to mitigate harm from Volkswagen defeat devices: Heavy-duty vehicle & equipment sectors will see significant investment in clean technology” press statement.
In the release CARB conveyed: “The California Air Resources Board (CARB) today approved a plan to mitigate statewide harm from more than 10,000 tons of smog-causing pollutants released here due to Volkswagen’s (VW) use of illegal ‘defeat devices’ in diesel passenger cars. The National VW Environmental Trust provides California with $423 million for this purpose.”
Meanwhile, on this the CARB Chair was quite frank. “‘This is a landmark moment in the saga of Volkswagen’s environmental violations,’ said CARB Chair Mary D. Nichols. ‘Over the next 10 years this plan will put in place not only tools to clean up VW’s excess emissions, but also to help achieve further reductions of smog-forming pollution for decades to come.’”
“The mitigation plan approved by CARB will invest primarily in zero emission replacements for heavy duty trucks, buses and equipment. There is also money to reduce emissions at freight facilities, marine projects and light-duty vehicle charging,” CARB in the release in question continued.
Plan specifics
Direct mitigating-plan provisions include:
- “$130 million for zero emission shuttle buses, school buses and transit projects
- “$90 million for zero emission heavy duty freight and drayage trucks
- “$70 million for zero emission port equipment and marine projects
- “$60 million for combustion port equipment and marine projects
- “$10 million for light duty vehicle infrastructure
- “$63 million in reserve”
Moreover, the CARB relates: “Senate Bill 92, passed last year, also requires that a minimum 35 percent of the mitigation investment benefit disadvantaged communities. As designed, the plan approved today invests about 50 percent of the available funds in those communities.”
More on this matter will be reported on as information becomes available.
For additional information see: “What navigating the VW diesel vehicle recall road ahead may look like” and “Settlement reached: In U.S. VW to pay $14.7B: A big deal for California,” here and here.
Image above: Dana60Cummins
This post was last revised on Dec. 16, 2020 @ 7:16 a.m. Pacific Standard Time.
Published by Alan Kandel
Great incentives for companies to invest in clean energy and clean air.