Padilla, EPA Announce Nearly Half a Billion Dollars to Decarbonize Freight Sector and Improve Air Quality in Southern California

LOS ANGELES — Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) July 22 was joined by senior leadership from the Environmental Protection Agency or EPA, the California Air Resources Board or CARB and the South Coast Air Quality Management District or South Coast AQMD to announce nearly $500 million for South Coast AQMD, which will help decarbonize the transportation and freight sectors and improve air quality for Southern California residents. The funding comes as part of the EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grants or CPRG program and was made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act.

Padilla led EPA officials on a tour of freight transportation operators in the Inland Empire to experience firsthand the effects of air pollution in the region and discuss opportunities for continued collaboration to transition to a zero-emission transportation sector. The tour included a visit to WattEV in San Bernardino, the Inland Empire’s first heavy-duty truck charging depot.

“Today’s historic half a billion dollar investment marks a consequential step in curbing the harmful effects of toxic air pollution for current and future generations,” said Senator Padilla. “Southern California is the heart of our nation’s goods movement, and by making these crucial investments in zero emission infrastructure, we are one step closer to protecting our planet, decarbonizing the heavy-duty sector, and improving air quality for underserved communities who for too long have been left behind.”

This CPRG investment will slash emissions generated by goods movement near the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach or San Pedro Ports by incentivizing the development of zero-emission vehicle charging equipment, zero-emission freight vehicles, battery electric cargo equipment and electric switcher locomotives.

In total, EPA awarded 25 applicants a combined $4.3 billion through the CPRG program to implement community-driven solutions that tackle the climate crisis, reduce air pollution, advance environmental justice, and accelerate America’s clean energy transition. When combined, the proposed projects would reduce greenhouse gas pollution by as much as 971 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2050, roughly the emissions from 5 million average homes’ energy use each year for over 25 years.

Details: https://tinyurl.com/Climate-Crisis-Funding