Sander Kushen, sander.kushen@sierraclub.org
LOS ANGELES – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) was awarded $499,997,415 in funding as part of the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program implementation awards. The funding is intended to “decarbonize transportation and goods movement in Los Angeles and Long Beach” by providing incentives for electric charging equipment, increasing zero-emission freight vehicles and converting diesel locomotives.
The EPA selected 25 total applications from state, local, and regional entities on the frontlines of fighting climate pollution, with the SCAQMD receiving the largest award. Southern California's notoriously dirty air is some of the most polluted in the country.
A full list of recipients of CPRG implementation grants can be found here.
In response, Yassi Kavezade, Sierra Club Clean Transportation for All Senior Campaign Advisor, released the following statement:
This historic $500 million investment in zero-emission freight infrastructure is a lifeline for Southern California. With Los Angeles and the Inland Empire suffering from the nation's most polluted air, this funding is crucial for protecting the health of the 17 million residents in the South Coast Air Basin. We're committed to ensuring these dollars translate into cleaner air, green jobs and environmental justice for our most impacted communities.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.