The State of California Wednesday announced it is awarding $23.6 million to the South Coast Air Quality Management District for a statewide “zero-emission” demonstration project to clean up dirty trucks servicing ports and rail yards along busy freight corridors.

The funds, from the California Climate Investments program, will be used to reduce smog-forming pollutants, greenhouse gases, petroleum usage and toxic pollution in neighborhoods near busy trade hubs, according to the California Air Resources Board.

“The SCAQMD is teaming up with air districts in the Bay Area, Sacramento, San Diego and San Joaquin Valley to deploy 43 zero-emission battery electric and plug-in hybrid drayage trucks to serve major California port areas,” the air resources board said in a statement.

“Freight transport in California is a major economic engine for the state — but also accounts for about half of toxic diesel particulate matter, 45 percent of the emissions … that form ozone and fine particulate matter in the atmosphere, and 6 percent of all (greenhouse gases) emissions in California,” the statement said.

“The grant award is part of a larger statewide investment in low-carbon transportation projects that are vital to meet California’s ambitious goals to reduce emissions, improve air quality, deploy zero-emission vehicles and reduce petroleum dependency by accelerating the development and use of advanced vehicle technologies,” the statement said.

—City News Service

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