CARB approves $483 million funding plan for clean transportation

26 October 2018

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved a $483 million plan to fund clean car rebates, zero-emission transit and school buses, clean trucks, and other clean transportation and mobility pilot projects.

The Fiscal Year 2018-19 Funding Plan for Clean Transportation Incentives, largely funded with cap-and-trade proceeds, is part of California’s strategy for improving air quality and reducing GHG emissions in the transportation sector, the state’s largest source of air pollution and climate-changing gases. Of the $483 million total, $455 million comes from the cap-and-trade program; the remainder—$28 million—is from the Air Quality Improvement Program. The funding plan prioritizes investments in disadvantaged and low-income communities.

Highlights of the FY 2018-19 Plan include:

• $200 million for the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project (CVRP), including increased rebates for low-income consumers. (CVRP promotes clean-vehicle adoption by offering rebates for the purchase or lease of new, eligible zero-emission vehicles, including electric, plug-in hybrid electric and fuel cell vehicles.)
• $75 million for Transportation Equity Projects, including the Enhanced Fleet Modernization Plus-Up/Clean Cars 4 All Program (incentives for lower-income drivers to scrap and replace older, high-polluting cars with zero- or near-zero-emission cars), Financing Assistance for Lower-Income Consumers, Clean Mobility Options, Agricultural Worker Vanpools, Rural School Bus Pilot Project, and the new Clean Mobility in Schools Project.
• $180 million for Clean Truck & Bus Vouchers (HVIP and Low NOx Engine Incentives) and the Zero- and Near-Zero Emission Freight Facilities Project.
• $28.6 million for Air Quality Improvement Program or AQIP-funded heavy-duty vehicle investments, including the Truck Loan Assistance Program and new Diesel Particulate Filter Retrofit Replacements.

Source: CARB