For 35 years, the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District has been helping residents and business owners replace old equipment with newer, more environmentally friendly versions through its Clean Air Grants.
“It’s been interesting to see how the technology has evolved over time and how the options have grown for cleaner engines, and also the interest in wanting to transition to cleaner technologies I’m sure has grown overtime,” said Lyz Bantilan, the Air Pollution Control District’s public information officer.
Through a variety of state funding programs, the Air Pollution Control District (APCD) has been able to distribute dollars to applicants willing to take on a project that would transition to cleaner energy, she said. Since the grant’s beginning, the APCD has given more than $50 million and it’s opening its grant again this year with about $2.5 million available.
“It’s obviously great for air quality. It makes a tremendous local impact on our air quality and a great opportunity to replace older equipment with a newer, cleaner version and have the cost covered by this program,” Bantilan said.
Individuals, businesses, and nonprofits can apply to replace on-road heavy duty vehicles like trucks, buses, solid waste collection vehicles, and emergency vehicles; or off-road equipment like tractors, forklifts, loaders and dozers, and excavators, and marine vessels. The APCD Clean Air grant will also fund alternative fueling infrastructure like electric vehicle charging stations, she said. Successful projects will be eligible to receive a grant between $10,000 and $250,000.
Applications will be open until Sept. 1 and the applications are no longer first come, first served. Instead, the APCD will prioritize projects based in low-income or disadvantaged areas defined by a map provided by the state, Bantilan added.
“This is an opportunity for the interested entities to make that transition to newer, cleaner equipment and get part of the cost covered,” Bantilan said. “We’ve heard from previous [participants] that these projects are good for their business. It helps them evolve, it helps them embrace new technology. It’s not burdensome to participate in this.”
Each grant agreement is associated with a project life, which is typically three years but could be as long as 10 years depending on the circumstances, she said.
“Grant recipients submit annual reports during the term of their project life, as well as being subject to a random audit inspection during that time,” Bantilan said in an email. “Once the project life is done and the terms of the grant agreement have been met, the grant recipient is free of any further obligations to APCD.”
Along with its Clean Air Grants, APCD is launching a new program that asks landscaping businesses, public agencies, and public schools to participate in its Landscape Equipment Electrification Fund program, she said. This opportunity allows entities to replace old landscaping equipment with electric equipment. Funds will be available until funding is exhausted. Individual homeowners can’t apply.
“Starting in January 2024, new gasoline-powered landscaping equipment will no longer be available for retail purchase,” Bantilan said, citing the state Air Resources Board’s new regulations.
Eligible organizations can receive up to $700 for chainsaws, trimmers, edgers, and brushcutters; $1,400 for leaf blowers and vacuums; $1,500 for walk-behind mowers; and $15,000 for ride-on lawn mowers.
“As part of the program, a like-for-like piece of gasoline or diesel landscape equipment must be scrapped for a piece of electric equipment purchased,” Bantilan said. “This program presents a great opportunity for landscaping businesses to start transitioning to and becoming familiar with electric landscaping equipment before 2024 and to have part of the costs covered by this program.”
Highlight:
• The Santa Maria Block Grants Advisory Committee is hosting an interactive workshop on July 31 for members of the public and city staff to discuss general unmet needs in the community—like housing and services for seniors and the unhoused, and transportation. In addition, community members can provide feedback on past performance under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. This workshop marks the start of the public participation process to develop priorities for the Annual Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2024-25, which begins July 1, 2024. The Action Plan is required of local governments that apply directly for federal funds under certain housing and community development programs, such as the CDBG program. The meeting will start at 5:30 p.m. and take place at Shepard Hall in the Santa Maria Public Library—421 S. McClelland St. Results of this workshop will be presented to the City Council during its Aug. 15 meeting. Direct questions or translation service requests to (805) 925-0951, Ext. 2118. If translation services are required, reach out before noon on July 27.
Reach Staff Writer Taylor O’Connor at toconnor@santamariasun.com .
This article appears in Jul 27 – Aug 6, 2023.