State Senate members in California have called for almost $1 billion worth of cap-and-trade generated funds to be allocated toward clean vehicle placement and diesel retrofit and replacement projects. The full article from Fleets & Fuels is here, but here are the quick hits you should know:
Programs being targeted for boosted funding include:
- California Clean Truck and Bus Program
- Carl Moyer Air Quality Standards Attainment Program
- Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Program
Positioning comments during the announcement included:
- The creation of high-paying clean energy jobs
- The need to eliminate “dirty diesel” trucks and buses
- The health benefits of decreased smog and pollution in California cities
According to an early program summary, the funds would go toward:
- Increasing Carl Moyer funding for vehicles that beat existing requirements, from $69 million to $350 million, which funds the retrofit or replacement of heavy-duty vehicle engines, off-road vehicles, locomotives, and portable or stationary agricultural engines, such as those used in agricultural water pumping.
- $350 million for the California Clean Truck, Bus, and Off-Road Vehicle and Equipment Technology Program, incentivizing the purchase of zero-emissions trucks, buses, and freight equipment.
- $150 million for “light-duty equity pilots,” especially EFMP Plus Up, which primarily serves disadvantaged communities, agricultural worker vanpools and car-sharing, promoting replacement of inefficient and ultra-polluting vehicles with hybrid or zero-emission alternatives.
- $20 million for zero-emission school buses.
Supporters of the plan include California Democratic Senators Richard Pan, Nancy Skinner, Ricardo Lara, Bob Wieckowski, and Steven Bradford.
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