Volkswagen Updated: October 2017
States will soon have access to a windfall of funds from the Volkswagen settlement. As you know, earlier this year, Wilmington Trust was appointed as the trustee to oversee the administration of the Volkswagen Settlement funds. The trustee effective date was established on October 2. Now, each state has 60 days from that date to determine and choose a beneficiary. Things have been set in motion.
Who will be named your state’s beneficiary? The beneficiary is the state-level government entity responsible for developing and awarding its state’s funds. The state beneficiaries will have previous experience managing air quality and transportation grant programs and will be responsible for reporting to the trustee on the use of funds. They may be state energy offices, environmental protection departments, etc.
Do you know the potential funding for your state? Each state will receive a set amount of funding based on the number of affected vehicles sold in the state. State amounts vary from $8 million to $400 million. A state-by-state listing can be found at ROUSHcleantech.com/volkswagen-settlement/.
Once your state’s beneficiary is selected, they produce a draft plan for how the funds will be allocated. After the state files their mitigation plan, it must be made public for 30 days to open up for comment on the proposed program. Then, the state’s plan will be sent to the trustee for approval.
Now what? It’s time to make your voice heard. Keep an eye out for any public comment periods that your state is offering and respond quickly. Make sure that you attend or listen in on public comment events and, even better, get on the agenda to present at them. Reach out to current school district customers to get them involved and encourage them to present at these hearings, also. The more voices for propane autogas, the stronger the message!
Leave no stone unturned to get propane school buses included in your state’s mitigation plan.
If you have any questions about the Volkswagen settlement or the Environmental Mitigation Trust, please contact Chelsea Jenkins at Chelsea.Jenkins@roush.com. Or visit ROUSHcleantech.com/volkswagen-settlement for more information.
