Some Funds Expected To Be Used To Expand TheState’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie recently announced that New Jersey will receive $72.2 million from a federal trust created by Volkswagen in response to the company’s decision to install cheating devices on millions of diesel vehicles, including thousands right here in New Jersey. These funds are in addition to a recent $69 million settlement reached with Volkswagen to resolve a stand-alone lawsuit brought against the manufacturer in New Jersey Superior Court.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) was designated as the lead agency to administer the use of the settlement funds, which will be used to pay for certain eligible projects to reduce harmful emissions from diesel engines and improve New Jersey’s air quality.
New Jersey is expected to use some of the funds to create a more robust electric vehicle infrastructure, one of the main priorities of ChargEVC, the diverse non-profit coalition that includes NJ CAR, utilities, consumer advocates, environmental and labor organizations, and technology companies.
The NJDEP will soon submit a Beneficiary Mitigation Plan to the federally-appointed trustee, that will lay out how the State intends to use the funds on various projects to reduce air pollution. Once the plan is approved by the trustee, funds will be released to support the projects identified in the plan.