Work Group Meeting to Implement Fiscal Year 2021-22 Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Project (CORE), February 17, 2022

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On Tuesday, February 17, 2022 the California Air Resources Board (CARB) hosted a Workgroup Meeting for the Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Project (CORE). The workgroup reviewed the Board-approved Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-22 Funding Plan for Clean Transportation Incentives (Funding Plan). Each year, staff conducts additional public process following Board approval of the Funding Plan to define new mechanisms and criteria for the FY while completing annual updates to the Implementation Manual. This workgroup will discuss various topics, such as lessons learned and potential Implementation Manual updates, equipment categories, dealer/manufacturer participation, and other outstanding CORE topics.  CARB staff will take this opportunity to engage with stakeholders with a question-and-answer session.

Background

California Climate Investments Low Carbon Transportation Funding

The Low Carbon Transportation program is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment, particularly in disadvantaged communities. CARB’s Low Carbon Transportation Program is designed to accelerate the transition to low carbon freight and passenger transportation with a priority on providing health and economic benefits to California’s most disadvantaged communities. These investments support the State’s climate change strategy pillars of a 50 percent reduction in petroleum use in vehicles by 2030 and reducing short lived climate pollutants and the Governor’s goal to deploy 5 million zero- emissions vehicles (ZEVs) by 2030. These investments also reduce ozone precursor emissions and toxic diesel particulate emissions, supporting the State’s goals in these areas.

Since 2013, the Legislature has appropriated a total of over $2.7 billion to CARB for Low Carbon Transportation projects. These funds are being used to fund zero-emission and plug-in hybrid passenger vehicles through CVRP; light-duty vehicle equity projects to increase access to clean transportation in disadvantaged communities and for lower‑income Californians; deployment incentives for clean trucks and buses; and advanced technology demonstration projects for freight trucks and off-road equipment.

Annual Funding Plan

The annual funding plan is each year’s blueprint for expending Low Carbon Transportation and AQIP funds appropriated to CARB in the State budget. The FY 2021-22 Funding Plan covered a total of $1.5 billion in clean transportation appropriated to CARB in the Budget Act of 2021 as amended by SB 129 (Skinner, Chapter 69, Statutes of 2021) and SB 170 (Skinner, Chapter 240, Statutes of 2021).

The FY 2021-2022 Funding Plan for Clean Transportation Incentives allocates $194.95 million to CORE to build upon a program that will bring about greater adoption of cleaner, commercially available off-road technologies by providing a streamlined way for fleets ready to purchase specific zero-emission equipment to receive funding. The modifications approved by the Board include an expansion into equipment types beyond freight, including, but not limited to, construction, agriculture, and material handling. In addition, the creation of set asides for small business or sole proprietors to purchase small off-road equipment, including but not limited to, leaf blowers and lawnmowers for professional landscape services.

Air Pollution Control Fund investments have traditionally funded multiple technologies, overcoming deployment barriers, reducing production costs, promoting consumer acceptance, and accelerating technology transfer to other sectors. This program is designed to achieve both immediate emission reductions and, as emphasized in Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-79-20, support the transformation of California’s equipment fleet to one that is zero-emitting where feasible. In designing these investments, CARB strives to maximize the benefits for disadvantaged communities, low-income communities, and low-income households.

For more information about the FY 2021-22 Funding Plan, please visit the Funding Plan website.

The CORE Program is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy and improving public health and the environment, particularly in disadvantaged communities.

Contact

If you have questions or comments regarding this work group, please contact [email protected].

If you require a special accommodation or need this document in an alternate format (i.e. Braille, large print) or another language, please contact [email protected] as soon as possible. TTY/TDD/Speech to Speech users may dial 711 for the California Relay Service.