The Governing Board of the South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) has nationwide funding of 26 million trucks, shunting locomotives, ferries, tugs and tugs under the Volkswagen (VW) Environmental Mitigation Trust program. The VW Environmental Mitigation Trust program is set to fund projects in California that will fully reduce excess nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from vehicles covered by the VW statewide agreement.

This is the second nationwide call for this funding category under the VW Environmental Mitigation Trust program. The tender will allocate up to $ 26 million on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible projects to deliver older, in-use vehicles and equipment with the cleanest commercially available certified internal combustion engine or hybrid technologies repower or replace, including:

• Replacing or upgrading Class 7 and 8 trucks (including refuse trucks, dump trucks and concrete mixers) with low-NOx engines;

• Replace freight shunting locomotives or upgrade locomotives to Tier 4; and

• Upgrade of ferries, tugs or tugs to Tier 4 or Hybrid with Tier 4 equivalent NOx emissions.

New vehicles, equipment, and engines funded by the program must be in service in California for at least three years. Existing vehicles, equipment, or engines that are being replaced or upgraded must be scrapped. South Coast AQMD will administer the funding nationwide, with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) providing program and tax oversight. Applications will be accepted online at http://www.aqmd.gov/vw/ starting June 22, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. PST.

The VW Environmental Mitigation Trust is a nationwide program giving California 423 million. California funding is designed to accelerate the replacement of older, more polluting engines across the state, including but not limited to areas disproportionately exposed to air pollution like freight corridors, ports and train stations. At least 50 percent of the funds from this category should benefit disadvantaged or low-income communities.

Four other project categories are described below as part of the VW Environmental Mitigation Trust program in California and the regional air quality agencies that administer funds nationwide on behalf of CARB:

• Zero emission transit, school and shuttle bus projects managed by the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District.

• Class 8 zero emission freight and port wagons managed by South Coast AQMD.

• Zero emissions cargo and marine projects managed by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD).

• Infrastructure for light emission-free vehicles (charging stations and hydrogen filling stations), managed by BAAQMD.

For more information about the VW Environmental Mitigation Trust, the project categories or more details on the eligibility requirements for the incineration cargo and ship projects category, please visit http://www.aqmd.gov/vw/.