(VENTURA, Calif. — Nov. 14, 2024) The Ventura County Air Pollution Control District is offering $1.5 million in grants for organizations to install and operate electric vehicle chargers along the Highway 126 corridor.

The 126 Corridor EV Chargers Incentive Program is designed to improve air quality in Santa Paula, Fillmore and Piru and support the transition to EVs by providing much-needed chargers along the heavily trafficked route.

On-road vehicles are a major source of Ventura County air pollution, especially near major roadways. The harmful pollutants they emit include nitrogen oxides, which react with sunlight to form ozone, and fine particulate matter. The county exceeds state and federal standards for ozone, or smog.

An average of up to 106,000 passenger cars and 67,000 heavy-duty trucks traveled along Highway 126 daily in 2022, according to Caltrans. This impacts the residents of Santa Paula, Fillmore and Piru, areas that are designated as low-income and disproportionately affected by air pollutants by the California Climate Investments program.

The grants are available to public and private entities located in Ventura County including government agencies, school districts, colleges, businesses and nonprofit organizations. Projects that provide public access to chargers will receive priority consideration.

Public entities and any plans that provide public access are eligible for grants covering up to 100% of costs. Private projects that do not provide public access can receive grants for up to 85% of costs. Requests for less than maximum grant amounts will receive priority, though.

The chargers must be available at cost to the public or the organization’s employees for at least the term of the grant, which can range from three to eight years. Longer grant terms will receive priority. The chargers must be level 2 or higher.

Eligible expenditures include charging equipment and the costs of building, installation, design, engineering, consulting and fees. Grants also can cover software, card readers, specialized tools and three years of operational costs not including regular maintenance. Projects that expand or enhance existing chargers to improve efficiency or safety also are eligible.

The district is funding the program with a portion of the $6-per-vehicle registration fee surcharges it receives from the California Department of Motor Vehicles. Since 1991, the district has used this money for cost-effective projects that reduce vehicle emissions as part of its mission to protect public health and agriculture in Ventura County from air pollution.

For additional details and applications, visit vcapcd.org/126-Corridor-EV.htm. For more information, contact Holly Galbreath at holly@vcapcd.org or 805-303-3666.

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Karin Grennan
Public Information Officer
Ventura County Air Pollution Control District