NGVAmerica is applauding the State of Colorado for its development of a draft Volkswagen settlement environmental mitigation plan that focuses on maximizing emission benefits for its citizens and significantly increasing the use of clean fuel technologies, such as natural gas vehicles.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment recently released a draft plan that outlines how the state intends to spend $68.7 million in settlement funds resulting from the Volkswagen “clean diesel” lawsuit.
“Colorado is to be commended for developing a smart plan and for being one of the first states to hold public workshops to solicit citizen input on how best to utilize VW settlement funds to improve air quality,” says Daniel Gage, NGVAmerica’s newly elected president. “Investing in commercially available natural gas vehicle technology is the most cost-effective way to fully maximize nitrogen-oxide reductions in both public and private fleets.”
According to NGVAmerica, Colorado’s draft plan targets a mix of different types of eligible projects with significant emphasis on replacing older, dirtier on-road trucks and buses with newer, cleaner vehicles. The group says the plan correctly focuses on the problem at hand, which is excess nitrogen-oxide emissions, and addresses emissions that affect public health through encouraging cost-effective solutions.
NGV advocates are particularly pleased to see that the plan provides a level playing field for all alternative fuels, NGVAmerica adds. The program also maximizes the chances for success by matching the VW funds with other available incentive funding and using existing funding mechanisms to limit administrative costs.
NGVAmerica encourages other states looking to develop environmental mitigation plans to take a close look at Colorado’s.
