BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) – More than 20 government agencies, universities and utilities in Louisiana will soon receive more than $ 1.7 million worth of electric vehicle charging points.

The Department of Environmental Quality gives grants to 26 facilities for 82 charging stations using funds from the state’s share of US $ 19.8 million. The money comes from a nearly $ 3 billion settlement between the U.S. Department of Justice and Volkswagen over violations of the Clean Air Act, The Times-Picayune / The New Orleans Advocate reported.

Volkswagen sold around 590,000 vehicles fitted with devices that counteracted their air pollution control functions, leading to increased nitrogen oxide emissions.

Nearly $ 12 million of Louisiana’s stake in the 2016 settlement was set aside to replace 351 diesel buses owned by 16 school boards. The new engines will reduce nitrogen oxide emissions and other pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, volatile organic compounds and particulate matter.

Another $ 7.3 million was given to the State Department of Transportation and Development and the Department of Agriculture to replace old diesel equipment and vehicles.

The new grants aim to support businesses that are either planning to purchase or have already purchased electric vehicles by providing them with three different charging points:

– A level 2 light electric vehicle station that provides 240-cycle power that can charge vehicle batteries for several hours.

– A DC fast charger that can charge a vehicle in just 30 minutes.

– A paratransit charging station designed for the simultaneous maintenance of several vehicles.

Schools receiving the chargers include Xavier University, LSU, Southeastern Louisiana University, Southern University, Centenary, Sowela Technical Community College, Nicholls State, and LSU in Shreveport. The cities of New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Westlake, New Iberia, Bossier City, Minden, Natchitoches, Ruston and Pineville also benefit from the scholarships.