Illinois Slates VW Settlement Dollars for EVs, Infrastructure
The State of Illinois is announcing the submittal of a revised Beneficiary Mitigation Plan (BMP) to the Volkswagen (VW) Settlement Trustee, focusing Illinois’ remaining share of $84.4 million on electric transportation and infrastructure, according to a report by WSIL-TV.
Illinois’ revised plan will replace old diesel engines with all-electric school buses, public transit, Class 4-8 local freight trucks, and light-duty charging infrastructure to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from mobile sources in areas of Illinois that are disproportionately impacted by the effects of climate change and air pollution.
Of the state’s remaining $84.4 million in VW funds, Illinois is targeting:
- Up to 32 percent, or approximately $27 million for all-electric public transit buses and public passenger/commuter locomotives;
- Up to 32 percent, or approximately $27 million for all-electric school buses;
- Up to 19 percent, or approximately $16 million for all-electric Class 4-8 local freight trucks (including municipal trucks, refuse trucks, dump trucks, concrete mixer trucks, delivery vehicles, and Class 8 port drayage trucks;
- Up to 15 percent, or approximately $12.7 million for light-duty electric charging infrastructure; and Up to 2 percent, or approximately $1.7 million for Illinois IEPA administrative costs.
The Volkswagen Settlement is the resolution of a U.S. Department of Justice investigation that found that Volkswagen violated the federal Clean Air Act by installing “defeat devices” in certain diesel vehicles to circumvent federal vehicle emissions standards.
Read the article here.
Source: WSIL-TV