Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced another step in the state’s effort to modernize public transit, provide accessible electric vehicle infrastructure and reduce harmful air pollutants caused by diesel emissions.
Coordination amongst state agencies and private and public sector partners will be critical to the success of meeting the objectives of the state’s recently submitted Beneficiary Mitigation Plan. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has published three Requests for Information (RFIs) for the three project types outlined in the plan.
“My administration is committed to making smart investments to help improve our state’s air quality long-term,” said Governor DeSantis. “This funding will allow us to focus on projects that will reduce harmful emissions, help modernize school and transit bus fleets, and provide access to charging stations in our state as electric vehicle usage continues to increase.”
The Beneficiary Mitigation Plan will be funded by the national Volkswagen Settlement, of which Florida was allotted over $166 million to improve air quality. While Florida is home to some of the best air quality in the nation, this funding will allow for significant investment to reduce diesel emissions and expand the infrastructure for electric vehicles. Florida’s Beneficiary Mitigation Plan outlines how the State intends to spend the full $166 million awarded to the state under this settlement.
Florida’s plan focuses on:
- School, transit and shuttle buses (70%)
- EV Charging Stations (15%)
- Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) “Option” (15%)
“The Department has worked diligently to develop a plan that meets the needs of our state, the priorities of Governor DeSantis and public comments that were received during the draft plan development process,” said DEP Secretary Noah Valenstein. “We look forward to working with local governments and other partners to expand Florida’s electric vehicle infrastructure.”
For more information on the three RFIs please visit DEP’s webpage at http://floridadep.gov/Volkswagen. The response period for the RFIs will be 30 days.
