The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) recently approved $27 million in funding to replace higher polluting trucks with their zero-emission counterparts. The funding, which is part of the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust program, is the first installment from the $90 million available for the Zero-Emission Class 8 Freight and Port Drayage Trucks category.

The program will replace freight trucks, waste haulers, dump trucks, and concrete mixers with engine model years from 1992 to 2012 that are in compliance with all applicable regulations. Both private and public fleets are eligible, but they must be able to meet basic project requirements, including:

• Proof of ownership for at least one year.

• Operating the old and new vehicle at least 75% of the time within California.

• Existing vehicle must be scrapped.

• New vehicle must be a zero-emission vehicle.

• New vehicle must be certified or approved by the California Air Resources Board or eligible under the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project.

• Maximum funding will not exceed $200,000 per eligible replacement vehicle.

Eligible participants will be awarded funding on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications for the program will be accepted online only, beginning August 18, 2020.

SCAQMD will host an informational webinar on this funding opportunity on Wednesday, August 12, 2020, at 10 a.m. PDT.