Driving PA Forward awards $9.5M to improve air quality, reduce diesel emissions

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Pennsylvania recently awarded eight projects $9.5 million through Driving PA Forward to reduce diesel emissions, improve air quality, and promote clean transportation technologies.

The Fast Charging and Hydrogen Fueling Grant Program awarded five programs $899,447. The program expands the availability of electric vehicle charging and accelerates the adoption of battery electric, plug-in hybrid electric, and hydrogen fuel cell light-duty vehicles.

The Marine and Rail Freight Movers Grant Program awarded three projects $8.7 million. The program improves air quality by reducing oxides of nitrogen emissions produced by equipment such as freight switcher locomotives, ferries, and tugboats.

Both programs are part of the Driving PA Forward program, with funding coming from the Environmental Mitigation Trust Fund that resulted from a settlement with Volkswagen. The program’s goal is to permanently reduce lifetime emissions by as much as 27,700 tons.

“Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is key to addressing climate change and to reaching our commonwealth’s Climate Action Plan goals,” Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said. “Supporting projects that reduce emissions and pollution is a step in the right direction to ensure a better quality of life for our communities and the environment.”

Grant recipients are located in Allegheny, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Mercer, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties.