Despite significant improvements in air quality over the past two decades, the San Joaquin Valley’s unique topography and meteorology continue to make it difficult to meet federal air quality standards. Heavy-duty trucks and other mobile sources are the largest contributors to the valley’s pollution. While these mobile sources of pollution are regulated by the California Air Resources Board and the federal EPA, the local Valley Air District has a number of truck and infrastructure incentive programs to help the valley’s business and agricultural community transition to cleaner technologies.
Recently, the Valley Air District Board of Directors voted to accept over $1.2 million in additional federal funding under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s highly competitive Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA). The allocated funds will support the replacement of heavy-duty diesel trucks with zero-emission or nearly zero-emission trucks.
This additional funding brings the total grant amount to $4 million and will fund the replacement of older, high-polluting Class 7-8 trucks with new trucks equipped with zero- or near-zero-emission engines. With this additional funding, the total grant amount is expected to result in a reduction of more than 19 tons of NOx and PM.
This funding complements other Valley Air District incentive programs aimed at reducing emissions from mobile sources, including but not limited to:
Other classes of heavy goods vehicles;
yard truck;
Agricultural off-road vehicles;
forklift;
Off-road mobile equipment such as agricultural equipment, tractors, backhoe loaders, excavators, etc.;
Infrastructure for stations for charging electric batteries and for hydrogen refuelling heavy commercial vehicles;
Hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fully electric light passenger cars.
“Investments like these enable significant progress in addressing the unique air quality challenges the Valley faces by replacing heavy-duty diesel trucks with zero- or near-zero-emission trucks,” said Samir Sheikh, executive director and air pollution control officer for the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. “The Valley Air District is committed to finding local, state and federal funding to help our business and agricultural sectors transition to cleaner technologies.”
To date, the District’s Truck Replacement Incentive Program has successfully used over $318 million to replace over 6,300 Valley heavy-duty trucks with new, cleaner trucks. This effort has resulted in a reduction of over 30,500 tons of NOx and PM.
Interested heavy-duty truck owners can call the district at 559-230-5800 for assistance in applying or register now at www.valleyair.org/truckreplacement.
The Valley Air District covers eight counties, including San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare and the San Joaquin Valley airsheds of Kern. For more information about the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, visit www.valleyair.org or call 559-230-6000.
