International:
New York governor announces $20M in funds to boost clean truck adoption
Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that more than $20 million is available for a diesel truck and bus replacement program that will help improve air quality, reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change and promote investment in cleaner fuel technologies, among other benefits.
A combination of more than $9 million from the state’s $127.7 million portion of the federal Volkswagen settlement and the New York State Department of Transportation’s allocation of approximately $11 million in federal funds will provide new funding for the New York Truck Voucher Incentive Program to permanently remove older, polluting diesel trucks from New York’s roadways and replace them with new, cleaner trucks, including Class 4-8 CNG trucks. Funding will also be available for replacing buses in certain geographic areas.
The voucher amounts will depend on the vehicle technology (CNG, LPG, hybrid, electrics) and weight (Class 4-8 trucks). Natural gas vehicles will receive between $30,000 and $60,000, which will represent a 90% of the incremental cost.
“New York continues to lead the nation in implementing effective policies that prevent the harmful effects of air pollution and climate change by moving away from the dirty fossil fuels of the past to cleaner energy sources of the future,” Governor Cuomo said. “With this investment from the Volkswagen settlement funds and federal money to support cleaner transportation options, we are removing vehicles that significantly contribute harmful emissions, allowing New York to make great progress toward achieving our goals for a healthier environment and stronger clean energy economy.”
This renewal of the Truck Voucher Incentive Program represents the first use of Volkswagen settlement funding in New York State.