$130 million provided Calif. bus owners; part of VW Environmental Mitigation Trust program

The below Oct. 21, 2019 news release is from the California VW Mitigation Trust.

Today [Oct. 21, 2019], the first Volkswagen (VW) Environmental Mitigation Trust funding program launched for projects throughout California. The Zero Emission Transit, School, and Shuttle Bus program provides $130 million to replace internal combustion engine transit, school, and shuttle buses with zero-emission vehicles and helps early adoption of new technologies in heavy-duty applications that reduce NOx, diesel particulate matter, and other harmful emissions affecting children, the elderly, and other priority populations.

California will provide funding to bus owners in two installments of $65 million each, available two years apart. The first installment provides up to $400,000 for a new zero-emission bus. California expects to fund about 425 Class 4 through 8 zero-emission buses. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District will administer the funding statewide with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) providing program and fiscal oversight.

A complete listing of program requirements for Zero-Emission Transit, School, and Shuttle Buses can be found at: http://vwbusmoney.valleyair.org/ or by calling program staff (toll-free)  at 1-833-BUS-MONEY.

The Zero-Emission Transit, School, and Shuttle Bus program is part of the VW Environmental Mitigation Trust, a nationwide program that provides $423 million for California to fully mitigate the excess nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions caused by VW’s use of illegal emissions testing defeat devices in VW diesel vehicles. California’s funding will support advanced technology vehicle and equipment deployments and accelerate the zero-emission transformation of the heavy-duty fleet. More than 50 percent of the total project funds are expected to benefit disadvantaged or low-income communities.

The remaining VW Mitigation Trust project categories will support the statewide replacement of on-road freight trucks, fork lifts, port cargo handling equipment, commercial marine vessels, and freight switcher locomotives, as well as the installation of light-duty zero-emission vehicle infrastructure. The following list details the project categories and the agencies assigned to administer the funds on behalf of CARB:

  • Combustion Freight & Marine Projects, administered statewide by South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD)
    • Low NOx Class 7-8 freight trucks (including waste haulers, dump trucks, and concrete mixers) or engine repowers
    • Tier 4 freight switcher locomotives or engine repowers
    • Tier 4 or hybrid ferry, tugboat, and towboat repowers
  • Zero Emission Class 8 Freight & Port Drayage Trucks, administered statewide by South Coast AQMD
  • Zero Emission Freight & Marine Projects, administered statewide by Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD)
    • Heavy-lift forklifts and port cargo handling equipment
    • Airport ground support equipment
    • Oceangoing vessel shore power
    • Ferry, tugboat, and towboat zero-emission repowers
  • Light-Duty Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure, administered statewide by BAAQMD

For more information on the VW Environmental Mitigation Trust or the remaining project categories, visit: https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/volkswagen-environmental-mitigation-trust-california.

Image above: David Rees, U.S. EPA, cataloged and held by U.S. National Archives and Records Admin.

Published by Alan Kandel