PA Volkswagen Settlement to fund new air pollution reduction program

Gov. Tom Wolf announced Thursday the launch of new grant and rebate programs to reduce air pollution and improve air quality throughout Pennsylvania funded by a $118 million settlement with the Volkswagen Group of America.

The money given to the commonwealth reflects Pennsylvania’s share of a national settlement against the Volkswagen Group of America for allegations of cheating on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency emissions tests.

“Clean air is the cornerstone of a clean, healthy environment,” Wolf said. “When Volkswagen cheated on its emissions equipment, it undermined that cornerstone. Today, through our new Driving PA Forward initiative, we will begin to remedy that by driving the transition towards advanced zero-emission and low-emission vehicles and accelerating the build-out of infrastructure necessary to support the next generation of transportation options.”

The Driving PA Forward initiative is aimed specifically at reducing nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by as much as 27,700 tons through the accelerated replacement of older diesel engines with cleaner technologies. Diesel engine emissions like those put out by trucks, buses, forklifts, and other transportation equipment are responsible for more than 25 percent of NOx emissions in Pennsylvania. Diesel emissions also contain fine particulate matter, which can lead to or worsen several health problems, such as asthma, heart and lung disease, and emphysema.

“We encourage businesses to switch to cleaner alternatives and be the driving force behind cleaner air in the commonwealth,” Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Patrick McDonnell said. “Driving PA Forward will provide grants and rebates to upgrade and replace vehicles with cleaner alternatives, particularly in areas of the commonwealth with the poorest air quality. This isn’t just school buses and tractor-trailers; projects to replace or upgrade tugboats, forklifts, delivery trucks, and many more vehicles and equipment will be eligible for funding.”

The eight grant and rebate programs launched will be available over the next five years and will be rolled out throughout 2018. As much as $39 million will be available for disbursement in the first year.