New York to Invest $127.7 Million Volkswagen Settlement in Clean Vehicles

New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that New York will utilize the $127.7 million received from the 2016 Volkswagen settlement to significantly increase the number of electric vehicles and other clean vehicles in the state.

Covered vehicles include new buses, trucks, locomotives, ferries, tug boats, and cargo handling equipment, as well as the availability of electric vehicle charging equipment statewide.

At the Governor’s direction, the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) in concert with the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority, New York Power Authority, state Department of Transportation, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and others, developed Clean Transportation NY—New York’s plan to strategically invest settlement resources for maximum benefit.

The funds were secured through the Attorney General’s settlement with Volkswagen in close collaboration with DEC.  The state’s strategically leveraged investment of settlement funds is anticipated to result in at least $300 million of clean vehicles and infrastructure on New York’s roadways.

In October 2016, a federal judge approved a national settlement plan to address Volkswagen’s installation and use of devices in approximately 580,000 Volkswagen, Audi, and Porsche vehicles that circumvented federal emissions standards for NOx.

With the support of the Attorney General's Office, New York received $127.7 million as part of this legal settlement.  The state plans to use more than 60% of the funding to accelerate the adoption of electrified transportation by reducing the cost of electric buses and trucks, particularly transit buses, and providing funding for electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

Read more at New York to Invest $127.7 Million Volkswagen Settlement in Clean Vehicles