By Katie White
The County of San Diego is inviting businesses, nonprofits and government organizations that currently use high-polluting heavy-duty equipment to apply for a share of $28.5 million in grant funding for greener vehicles, machinery and equipment.
Supervisors Nathan Fletcher and Greg Cox, whose districts cover many of the local communities most affected by air pollution, announced the Clean Air for All campaign at a press conference Wednesday. They were joined by officials from the California Air Resources Board, who presented the County with a check, as well as the County’s Air Pollution Control District (APCD), which will administer the grants.
The grants, which come from the California Air Resources Board and the California Department of Motor Vehicles, will allow qualifying applicants to replace existing machines and equipment that emit toxic air contaminants with new low- or zero-polluting versions. Eligible projects include heavy-duty trucks, agricultural and off-road construction equipment, boat engines, energy-efficient fueling-infrastructure equipment, and buses and air filtration systems used in K-12 schools.
While grant funding is available for eligible projects across the County, nearly $19 million of the funds are earmarked to address air pollution threats in communities near ports, rail yards, warehouses, industries and freeways under Assembly Bill 617. That includes the area designated as San Diego’s Portside Environmental Justice Neighborhoods community, comprised of Barrio Logan, Logan Heights, Sherman Heights and parts of National City.
To qualify for grant funding, the projects must achieve emissions reductions ahead of regulatory requirements. Applicants should not buy the new equipment before it has been approved for grant funding. Once the high-polluting equipment is replaced, the grant recipients are required to permanently scrap their retired equipment.
APCD is scheduled to hold a community forum Aug. 27 where businesses and organizations can learn details about applying for the grants.
Air District Forum
- 4 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 27, San Diego Continuing Education – César E. Chávez Campus, 1901 Main St, San Diego, 92113
To learn more about the grants or to apply, visit the APCD’s Clean Air for All website. For more information about the District, AB 617 and other issues, visit the APCD website.