Cleaner trucks, cleaner air: Air District receives grant to benefit Central Valley

FRESNO, Calif. ( KSEE/KGPE ) – Cleaner air is in store for the Central Valley after the Valley Air District Governing Board took action to accept over $1.2 million in federal funding to replace heavy-duty trucks, the Air Pollution Control District announced Friday.

According to the Valley Air District, heavy-duty trucks and other mobile sources are the largest contributors to the Valley’s pollution challenges.

Due to the surrounding mountains and subsequent bowl-like recession that is the Valley, dirty air is trapped. The San Joaquin Valley’s unique topography combined with the fact that the Valley is prone to atmospheric inversion layers (which also work to trap air) makes it difficult to meet federal air quality standards.

The air district says the additional funding brings the total grant amount to $4 million and will fund the replacement of older, high-polluting class 7-8 diesel trucks (big rigs) with new trucks equipped with zero or near-zero emission engine technology.

The district says the total grant is expected to result in the reduction of more than 19 tons of harmful NOx (nitrogen oxides) and PM (particulate matter).

According to the district, their Truck Replacement Incentive Program has so far replaced more than 6,300 Valley-based heavy-duty trucks with new, cleaner trucks, resulting in a reduction of more than 30,500 tons of NOx and PM.

“Investments such as these, allow significant progress to be made in addressing the unique challenges the Valley faces in air quality,” Samir Sheikh, Executive Director and Air Pollution Control Officer of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District said.  “The Valley Air District is committed to finding local, state and federal funds to assist our business and agriculture sectors in their transition to cleaner technologies.”

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