New Jersey approves diesel retrofit funding
10 November 2005
New Jersey voters have approved a ballot question to provide funding for a state program to control emissions from in-use diesel vehicles. Nearly $160 million will be available over a period of ten years to retrofit diesel vehicles with emission controls.
On the November 8th Election Day, Ballot Question 2 asked to authorize a reallocation of 17% of environmental funds collected through the corporation business tax to the diesel emission program. The funding will be shifted from environmental site remediation projects.
In September, New Jersey adopted regulations to retrofit all school buses, garbage trucks, transit buses, publicly owned vehicles, and private buses contracted by the state with particulate filters and other emission controls. The bill also provides funds for other diesel emission reduction projects, and speeds up to 2007 the introduction of ultra low sulfur diesel fuel for off-road vehicles. In total, up to 31,000 diesel vehicles are planned to be retrofitted over ten years at an annual budget of $15.5 million.
Source: NJPIRG (press release)