November 27
Washington is a beneficiary of $112.7 million from one of the Volkswagen federal settlements led by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The settlement resolves violations of the federal Clean Air Act after VW installed illegal software that cheated emissions tests on many of its diesel vehicles. Under the settlement, money can be invested in projects that replace or repower eligible vehicles, vessels, and equipment with new less-polluting diesel engines, alternate fueled (compressed natural gas, propane, or hybrid), or all-electric engines and developing charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. Governor Jay Inslee designated Ecology to lead Washington’s efforts to manage the settlement funds.
Before requesting funds, states and tribes must submit mitigation plans to the trustee, Wilmington Trust. Ecology finalized Washington’s mitigation plan and submitted it to the trustee on Nov. 6, 2018. The mitigation plan is the result of an 18-month development process, which included extensive public outreach and opportunities for the public to comment. We will continue to work closely with a multi-agency steering committee to guide the plan’s implementation.