Bill to expand electric vehicle rebate program for low-income Californians awaits Governor’s signature to become law
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – A bill to improve California's Clean Cars 4 All program by expanding its reach across the state and increasing rebates for those who drive the farthest and have older, higher-polluting vehicles is now just waiting for the Governor's signature to become law.
The bill expands the California Clean Cars 4 All program beyond participating local air districts and requires the state's air district to create and display the results from the potentially expanded program for the public including money allocated and expenditures by region.
Assemblymember Ting's Office stated the changes proposed in AB 2401 are intended to help lower-income drivers more than the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project which was permanently closed by the California Air Resources Board after the rebate program exhausted its funding.
"Clean car rebates have previously gone to drivers who typically don’t need the financial help, explained Assemblymember Ting who authored the bill. "Now is the time to turn our attention to working families who often live in areas with poor air quality and cannot afford to switch to a zero-emission vehicle. Investing in them will bring fairness and equity to the program, while also accelerating the environmental benefits for the state."
A study by UC Los Angeles found that only 15 percent of California's electric vehicle incentives went to households in disadvantaged communities.
Additionally, while cars built before 2004 may make up less than 20 percent of cars on the road today, they are responsible for over 70 percent of smog-forming nitrogen oxides a study from the Greenlining Institute and the Union of Concerned Scientists found last year.
"Today, low-income communities of color endure the worst rates of pollution, and at the same time tend to be more reliant on older gas-powered passenger vehicles due to the high costs of switching to EVs," said Román Partida-López, Senior Legal Counsel for Transportation Equity at The Greenlining Institute. "The Clean Cars for All program is a critical tool in California’s transition to cleaner transportation, but to be successful, it must prioritize those who face the highest barriers to switching to zero-emissions vehicles and suffer the most health consequences of vehicle pollution. The changes set forth in this bill puts us on a path towards cleaner air and environmental justice for Californians."
The Governor has until Sep. 30 to decide the fate of all the bills sent to his desk this month.
