The California Air Resources Board (ARB) announced the opening off the application period for the competitive Volkswagen Mitigation Trust Combustion Freight and Marine Project funding.

This solicitation is open to eligible owners of in-use freight trucks, switcher locomotives, ferries, tugboats and towboats throughout California.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District is administering $60 million statewide in two equal installments of $30 million each for projects that will repower or replace older internal combustion vehicles, equipment and engines with the cleanest commercially available internal combustion or hybrid technologies certified by CARB.

Background. The Combustion Freight and Marine program is part of the VW Environmental Mitigation Trust, a nationwide program that provides $423 million for California to fully mitigate the excess nitrogen oxide (NO_x) emissions caused by VW’s use of illegal emissions testing defeat devices in VW diesel vehicles.

California’s funding will support advanced technology vehicle and equipment deployments and accelerate the zero‑emission transformation of the heavy‑duty fleet. More than 50% of the total project funds are expected to benefit disadvantaged or low-income communities.