Volkswagen’s dirty deeds are helping the Evergreen state transition to cleaner buses.
A legal settlement over emissions-cheating devices on the German carmaker’s diesel vehicles will help pay for new buses for in more than 80 Washington school districts, plus 19 public transit fleets in Washington. The money is paying for seven buses in the Mukilteo, Snohomish and Stanwood-Camano school districts. Everett Transit is getting money for an all-electric bus.
“Our goal for the Volkswagen settlement is to jump-start clean transportation in our state,” said Maia Bellon, the state Ecology director, in a release. “We’re excited to start putting this funding to work, and you can expect big things in the months ahead.”
In 2015, Volkswagen admitted to the Environmental Protection Agency that the company installed fraudulent emissions software on cars and SUVs equipped with 2- and 3-liter diesel engines. The emission-cheating devices violated the federal and state Clean Air Acts. Golfs, Jettas and Beetles were among the affected models, starting in 2009. So were some VW SUVs, Audis and Porsche Cayennes.
As a result, illegal levels of harmful nitrogen oxides were released into the state’s atmosphere, according to state environmental officials.
Washington was part of a multi-state negotiation. The Evergreen state received $28.4 million for the more than 22,000 affected vehicles registered here.
The payout provides $22 million for electric and low-emission buses.
The Department of Ecology, which oversees the settlement funds, awarded $9.4 million to local Washington transit agencies for 19 electric buses. Everett Transit was among them. The approximately $500,000 available for each bus is intended to cover the difference between a standard diesel model and a zero-emission electric version, according to state officials.
In addition, the state is distributing $12 million to 83 school districts for 336 low-emission school buses. The Mukilteo School District is in line for three, Snohomish and Stanwood-Camano two apiece. The Northshore School District, which spans King and Snohomish counties, is to receive eight. The $35,000 available for each school bus should cover the costs of clean-diesel technology or for upgrading to a clean propane engine.
Together, the bus grants are expected to cut emissions of nitrogen oxides by 125 tons and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 2,900 tons, state Ecology officials estimate. Washington’s remaining money from the VW settlement is earmarked for state agencies to buy more electric vehicles and for cleaner diesel trucks at public ports.
The Legislature directed how the state settlement should be awarded. The Department of Ecology worked with a steering committee, the Legislature and the public to identify projects.
Madison Miller of the Bothell-Kenmore Reporter contributed to this story.
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