Furthering its commitment to protect all New Jersey residents from the worsening impacts of climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector, the Murphy Administration is announcing an additional $6 million investment to offset the cost of electric trucks in vulnerable communities.
Leveraging proceeds from New Jersey’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), the additional $6.6 million investment will offset the cost of 16 new electric vehicles that include garbage trucks, dump trucks and ambulances.
“Governor Murphy’s persistence in bringing clean energy, a green economy and climate change reduction strategies to the Garden State will enable us to confront environmental challenges head on,” commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette said. “The range of vehicles to be purchased with this latest investment will also demonstrate a broad suite of successful electric vehicle applications in the northern, southern and central regions of New Jersey.”
The funding also includes an e-mobility project in Jersey City that will reduce vehicle miles traveled through an electric car sharing program.
To date, funding from the federal Volkswagen settlement and RGGI auction proceeds have enabled the purchase of 362 electric trucks and buses statewide. Electrifying the trucks that drive through these local communities every day will provide much-needed benefits to residents by reducing air pollutants.
New Jersey is also eligible to compete for new funding available from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that will further fund the electrification of vehicles in the state. Further, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is expected to soon announce a $1 billion competitive grant for electric and alternative fueled school buses. The U.S. Department of Transportation recently announced a $1 billion competitive grant for low and zero emission transit buses.