In action on Aug. 15, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District Governing Board unanimously approved the addition of $10 million in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funding to help replace older, high polluting agricultural trucks and tractors with much cleaner equipment for Valley farmers and businesses.

The District was awarded the EPA funding after submitting four proposals in the highly competitive 2018 Targeted Air Shed Grant Program, which issues only $40 million nationwide. The District will receive $5 million to replace 26 older heavy-duty diesel yard trucks, with zero-emission trucks and $5 million to replace 131 Tier 1 and Tier 2 tractors with new, cleaner Tier 4 tractors. The project will reduce 1,350 tons of nitrogen oxide, volatile organic compounds and particulate matter pollution, combined.

“While the San Joaquin Valley is already subject to the most stringent air quality regulations in the nation, innovative grant programs that assist in deploying the latest clean air technologies play a vital role in addressing the Valley’s air quality challenges. These programs are particularly critical with respect to mobile sources that fall outside of the District’s regulatory authority,” said Samir Sheikh, the District’s Executive Director and Air Pollution Control Officer.

The Valley Air District will administer the funds within the guidelines of its already existing and highly successful Agricultural Tractor Program, which has replaced 5,300 tractors and Truck Replacement Program, which has replaced 2,400 heavy-duty trucks in the San Joaquin Valley to date.

Interested agricultural equipment operators in the San Joaquin Valley can learn more about this funding and other available grants by visiting www.valleyair.org/grantsor by calling program staff at 559-230-5800.