Officials with the Valley Air District took action Feb. 18 to accept over $36.5 million in new California Energy Commission (CEC) and California Air Resources Board (CARB) funding to deploy 100 zero-emission battery electric Class 8 trucks and install supporting fast-charging infrastructure in the Valley.
“Emissions from mobile sources and in particular heavy-duty trucks continue to be a significant challenge to the Valley’s air quality,” stated Robert Rickman, Valley Air District Governing Board Member and San Joaquin County Supervisor. “With these funds and matching investments by the Albertsons Companies and other local partners, we are bringing innovative zero-emission truck technology to the Valley and assisting this important sector of the economy in transitioning to cleaner equipment.”
The Valley Air District covers eight counties including San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare and San Joaquin Valley air basin portions of Kern. For additional information about the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, visit www.valleyair.org.
Air District officials have prioritized the deployment of new and innovative clean air technologies with a particular focus on mobile sources, which are the largest source of ozone and PM2.5 forming NOx and toxic diesel particulate matter emissions in the Valley, and are primarily under state and federal jurisdiction. Consistent with this priority and demonstrated success in competing for state and federal funding, on Feb. 16, 2021, the Valley Air District submitted the two proposals to the California Energy Commission (CEC) and California Air Resources Board (CARB) in response to the highly competitive CEC/CARB co-funded Zero-Emission Drayage Truck and Infrastructure Pilot Project solicitation.
“The San Joaquin Valley will only be able to meet its clean air goals through strong and continued investment in clean air technologies such as these,” said Samir Sheikh, Executive Director/Air Pollution Control Officer, “We appreciate the State’s recognition of our region’s innovation in these cutting edge projects that will benefit all Valley communities.”
The Valley Air District was recently notified by CARB and CEC that the following proposals were each selected for full funding under the solicitation. These public/private projects involve multiple partners, including the Valley Air District, local businesses, technology providers, community-based organizations, workforce development organizations, and others.
Deploy 50 zero-emission, battery electric Class 8 Volvo electric trucks and install supporting fast-charging infrastructure at a large distribution center operated by Albertsons in Tracy, California. The project will be fully deployed by mid-2023.
Grant Amount $23,422,298; Partner Match $28,874,289; Total Project Cost $52,296,587.
Deploy 50 zero-emission battery electric Class 8 Tesla Semi trucks, install supporting fast-charging infrastructure and a battery energy storage solution at the Pepsi Beverages Company located within the AB 617 community of South-Central Fresno. The project will be fully deployed by mid-2023.
Grant Amount $13,150,710; Partner Match $13,153,000; Total Project Cost $26,303,710.
The goals of these projects are to reduce GHG, criteria pollutant and toxic air contaminant emissions in and around freight facilities, along truck routes and, with regard to the Pepsi project, in the AB 617 disproportionately pollution burdened South Central Fresno Community. In addition, the project will provide economic, environmental, and public health benefits.
This program is funded with a combination of CARB Low Carbon Transportation (Cap and Trade) Funding and CEC Clean Transportation Program funds. CEC’s and CARB’s goal under the Zero-Emission Drayage Truck and Infrastructure Pilot Project solicitation is to support large-scale deployments of on-road, zero-emission Class 8 drayage and regional haul trucks as well as the necessary zero-emission vehicle charging infrastructure needed for service operation.
