CARB Holds Workshop on $135 Million to Agriculture

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) held a workshop in Fresno today to discuss the allocation of $135 million dedicated to reduce emissions from agricultural equipment including trucks, tractors, harvesters and pump engines.  $85 million will come from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) as per the Cap & Trade legislation passed this past year, $15 million will come from the Air Quality Improvement Fund (AQIF) and $35 million from the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Funds.  80% of the funds will be directed to the San Joaquin Valley due to their air quality concerns.  At the workshop, Association President/CEO Roger Isom commented “this is the single biggest funding allocation to help the agricultural industry, ever!  We need to make this process easy and get it in place as quickly as possible.  The San Joaquin Valley is staring down the barrel of a mandatory farm equipment replacement rule, and this funding is the only way to assist farmers!”  The funding proposal goes before the board in March.  The Association has been a leader on this issue and played a critical role in getting this unprecedented funding as part of the Cap & Trade discussion.