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Yolo-Solano AQMD Awards More Than $300,000 For Local Clean Air Projects
The Yolo-Solano AQMD Board of Directors, a body of local elected officials from the cities and counties within the district, voted to award $244,000 for five projects in Solano County and $77,200 for seven projects in Yolo County. The Clean Air Funds program run by Yolo-Solano AQMD distributes money collected through vehicle registration fees and Solano County property tax to public agencies, private businesses and non-profit organizations who propose projects focused on reducing air pollution within the district. This year, the projects selected ranged from heavy-duty equipment replacement to after-school education programs. A full list of approved grants can be found below.. For more information on the Clean Air Funds program or any of the funded projects, please contact Tom Hall at thall@ysaqmd.org or (530) 757-3657. *** Project ProfilesProject: New Clean Diesel Tractor for Davis With Yolo-Solano AQMD’s grant award, the City of Davis’ Public Works Department will be able to replace a tractor five years before mandated by state law, providing an estimated 448 pounds per year of emissions reductions. *** Project: Replacing a Heavy-Duty Truck in Yolo County The Yolo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District will replace a 1985 heavy-duty truck thanks to a grant from the Yolo-Solano AQMD. The new truck will allow the district to reduce its emissions substantially. *** Project: Diesel Truck Retrofit for Yolo County Yolo-Solano AQMD’s grant will allow the County’s Department of Agriculture to purchase and install a diesel emission filter on its weights and measures truck. The filter will substantially reduce the truck’s emission of ozone-creating pollutants by bringing it up to the best available control technology for diesel. *** Project: Electric Vehicle for Winters City Staff With the grant from the Yolo-Solano AQMD, the City of Winters will replace a low-speed electric vehicle with a model that will expand staff’s ability to make short trips in a clean, no-emissions way. Expanding the use of EVs at the city level will also save in fuel costs and help promote electric vehicles in Winters. *** Project: Helping Area Students Find ‘King Carbon’ The Cool Davis Foundation received $1,850 from the Yolo-Solano AQMD to produce four showings of “The Search for King Carbon,” a play on climate change and greenhouse gases developed by Davis-based Nature’s Theater. The showings will be held for elementary school students in Woodland, Winters, West Sacramento and Esparto. *** Project: Supporting the Yolo County Climate Compact This Yolo-Solano AQMD grant will help the Yolo County Climate Compact, a collaborative effort between cities, the County, U.C. Davis and special districts, continue its work to develop Climate Action Plans and climate awareness throughout the county. *** Project: After-School Programs on Air Pollution in Winters and Vacaville With funding from the Yolo-Solano AQMD, Breathe California of Sacramento-Emigrant Trails will continue its successful “024u” after-school programs focused on air pollution education at Waggoner Elementary School and Shirley Rominger Middle School in Winters, as well as begin a program at a school in Vacaville. *** Project: Clean Motor Grader for Solano County Yolo-Solano AQMD’s grant will allow Solano County’s Department of Resource Management to replace its 20-year-old motor grader with the best available control technology four years ahead of schedule, significantly improving the County’s fleet fuel efficiency and reducing pollutant emissions. *** Project: Mower Replacement in Dixon The City of Dixon will replace a diesel wide-area mower with a much cleaner model thanks to Yolo-Solano AQMD’s grant, reducing the amount of ozone precursors being emitted into our air. *** Project: Clean Diesel Utility Vehicle for Rio Vista Yolo-Solano AQMD funds will allow the City of Rio Vista to replace a 1981 converted fire rescue truck with a low-emission, clean diesel utility vehicle to be used in the Public Works Department. *** Project: Section of the Vacaville-Dixon Bikeway Yolo-Solano AQMD awarded $75,000 to the Solano County Department of Resource Management to fund the construction of a 1-mile segment of the final phase of the Vacaville-Dixon Bikeway. Hawkins Road between Pitt School Road and Clark Road will be widened by eight feet to accommodate Class 2 bike lanes and provide a safe alternate commuting option for residents.
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JUNE 13, 2012 -- The Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District (AQMD) has approved more than $300,000 in grants to fund 12 projects expected to lower air pollution emissions significantly, improve alternative transportation options and build public awareness of air quality issues.