On Saturday, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed AB 8 – a major piece of legislation that supports clean transportation initiatives in the state with more than $2 billion in funding. Brown also signed SB 359, which provides a $30 million loan for California's zero-emission car and truck incentive programs.
The California Legislature passed AB 8 in mid-September. With the governor's signature, a number of incentive programs that were already in effect have been extended through 2023.
For instance, AB 8 includes an extension of AB 118, which had been in effect since 2007. AB 118 green-lighted three important initiatives – the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program (ARFVTP), the Air Quality Improvement Program (AQIP) and the Enhanced Fleet Modernization Program (EFMP) – that have bolstered alternative fuel vehicle deployments and led to several new natural gas refueling stations and other alt-fuel infrastructure.
AB 8 also contained an extension of the state's Carl Moyer and AB 923 programs, which provide incentives for fleets to retire old diesel-powered engines and replace them with new technologies.
SB 359 provides funding to help small fleets finance upgrades to their vehicles, as well as supports low-income residents' efforts to transition away from higher-polluting vehicles. These zero-emission car and truck incentive programs are aimed mainly at electric passenger vehicles, as well as electric and hybrid-electric trucks and buses.
