The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will provide $135 million to 13 projects in California to help the state wean off fossil fuels and phase out big rigs that run on diesel.
The funds will be given to the state transportation department, cities, school districts, and others to buy 455 zero-emission vehicles to replace diesel-powered trucks, school buses, and other large vehicles.
The money is planned to be delivered in early 2025. EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman said in a statement that the funds will help to reduce air pollution, improve the health of nearby communities, and advance the campaign to tackle climate change.
After that, California and local agencies will have two to three years to deploy the grants for zero-emission trucks.
According to the EPA, the transportation sector contributes the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions annually in the US. In particular, medium and heavy-duty trucks have been contributing nearly a quarter of that emission.
The California Air Resources Board pointed out that despite heavy-duty vehicles only making up 3% of vehicles running on the roads in California, they make more than half of nitrogen oxides and fine-particle diesel pollution.
That’s because these trucks have diesel engines, which are more powerful but also produce more pollution than gasoline engines. In addition, these trucks also usually travel many more miles than passenger vehicles.
According to officials, the investment is part of an EPA program that awards a total of $735 million to 70 projects across the US that are paid by the 2022 climate law approved by the congressional Democrats.
The law is officially known as the Inflation Reduction Act, including nearly $400 billion in spending and tax credits used to speed up the expansion of clean energy such as solar and wind power, as well as, to accelerate the US’ transition away from the oil, coal, and natural gas that are largely reasons for the climate change.
California passed new rules in recent years to phase out fossil fuel-powered cars, trucks, trains, and lawn equipment in its efforts to remove fossil fuels in the state. The state’s mandate, approved by the Air Resources Board last year, is also the world’s first rule to ban new diesel trucks and requires a switch to zero-emission vehicles, powered by electricity or hydrogen.