Volkswagen Committee Approves $9.8M in Grant Funding to Reduce Diesel Emissions Across Indiana

(INDIANAPOLIS) – The Indiana Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust Fund Committee (Committee) met on Tuesday, July 23, 2019, and approved the first round of funding from the National Volkswagen Mitigation Trust. This funding is the result of a Consent Decree between the U.S. Justice Department, the Volkswagen (VW) Corporation, and its subsidiaries addressing the installation and use of emission testing defeat devices in certain vehicles sold and operated in the U.S. from 2009 through 2016.

The 11-member Indiana Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust Fund Committee was created to disburse the $40.9 million in a trust fund established by Volkswagen as part of a court settlement. The committee met in Indianapolis July 23 to approve proposals for the first round of funding.

“The Committee worked together deliberately in evaluating and scoring each project,” said Committee Chair Beverly Gard. “We want to ensure that these funds will be used for transformative projects and achieve our goal of improving Indiana’s air quality.”

“The Committee’s first round of funding is a big step toward reducing diesel emissions in Indiana,” said IDEM Commissioner and Committee member Bruno Pigott. “These awards are going to improve the air quality for Hoosiers across the state.”

This was the first round of funding for onroad/nonroad projects and totaled more than $9.8 million. The funds will be used for clean air projects that will significantly reduce diesel emissions across Indiana. A total of 179 vehicles or equipment were funded in 23 counties. Funds were approved in four groups:

Electric School Buses

Four awards will support the purchase of one all-electric school bus for each applicant for a total funding amount of $1.26 million. The buses will be used in Bartholomew, Monroe, Carroll, and Hamilton counties.

Non-electric School Buses

Twelve awards will support the purchase of 18 clean diesel-powered and 60 propane-powered buses for a total funding amount of $1.99 million. The buses will be used in Elkhart, Dekalb, Lake, Marion, Clark, Johnson, LaPorte, Howard and LaGrange counties.

Onroad Vehicles

Fourteen awards will support the purchase of 47 clean diesel-powered, 31 compressed natural gas-powered, and 5 electric-powered vehicles for a total funding amount of $5.36 million. The vehicles will be used in Vanderburgh, Lake, Allen, Tippecanoe, St. Joseph, Porter, LaPorte, Madison, Hendricks, Jackson, and Delaware counties.

Nonroad Equipment

Four awards will support the purchase of four diesel-powered engines and 10 electric-powered pieces of equipment for a total funding amount of $1.23 million. Equipment will be used in Spencer, Hendricks, Marion, and Porter counties.

A full list of entities receiving funding can be found here

The solicitation process for Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) Option funding will begin in October 2019. DERA Option funding awards are planned for January 2020. Additional project solicitations include round two for onroad/nonroad in March 2020 and round one for electric infrastructure in May 2020.

For more information about the Indiana Volkswagen Mitigation Trust Program, please visit idem.IN.gov/vwtrust.  

About the Committee

The Indiana Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust Fund Committee (Committee) was formed under an executive order issued by Gov. Eric Holcomb on Oct. 4, 2017. The Committee will play a vital role in the disbursement of Indiana’s share of funds from the Environmental Mitigation Trust created as part of Volkswagen’s settlement of Clean Air Act violations regarding diesel emissions from its vehicles. Indiana will receive approximately $41 million under the terms of the consent decree.

About IDEM  

IDEM (idem.IN.gov) implements federal and state regulations regarding the environment. Through compliance assistance, incentive programs and educational outreach, the agency encourages and aids businesses and citizens to protect Hoosiers and the environment.