EPA AWARDS $135 MILLION TO CALIFORNIA TO PHASE OUT BIG DIESEL TRUCKS

The Environmental Protection Agency is awarding $135 million in grants to fund 13 projects in California to help the state wean off fossil fuels and phase out big rigs that run on diesel.

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The money will go to the state transportation department, cities and school districts, among others, to purchase 455 zero-emission vehicles to replace diesel-powered trucks, school buses and other large vehicles. It is part an EPA program that provides a total of $735 million to 70 projects across the country, officials announced.

The grants are paid for by the 2022 climate law approved by congressional Democrats. The law, officially known as the Inflation Reduction Act, includes nearly $400 billion in spending and tax credits to accelerate the expansion of clean energy such as wind and solar power, speeding the nation’s transition away from the oil, coal and natural gas that largely cause climate change.