SACRAMENTO - The Air Resources Board is hosting five workshops to discuss the competitively ranked list of eligible projects to be funded by the first installment of $221 million out of the $1 billion dollars from voter-approved Proposition 1B. ARB encourages public input on the distribution of the monies among a variety of projects within each trade corridor. The public workshops are scheduled as follows:

Monday, April 28
1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District
1990 East Gettysburg Avenue, Fresno, CA 93726

Tuesday, April 29
1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
San Diego Co. Administration Building Room 310
1600 Pacific Highway, San Diego, CA 92101

Tuesday, April 29
6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Long Beach Civic Center, Council Chambers
333 West Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90802

Wednesday, April 30
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
West Oakland Senior Center, 2nd Floor
1724 Adeline Street, Oakland, CA 94607

Friday, May 2
1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
CalEPA Headquarters, Sierra Hearing Room
1001 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95812

ARB staff is recommending the distribution of $221 million among California's four trade corridors based on the funding targets adopted by the Board. This results in $122 million for the Los Angeles/Inland Empire; $55 million for the Central Valley; $31 million for the Bay Area; and $13 million for the San Diego/Border region. At the workshops, ARB staff will discuss preliminary recommendations for how the funds should be distributed among the eligible projects within each corridor.

The preliminary staff recommendations would result in a total of:

• $198.4 million to upgrade over 8,200 trucks with cleaner equipment and engines
• $16.5 million for 18 new locomotives
• $2.5 million for shore electric power for cargo ships docking at the Port of San Diego
• $4.3 million for 17 freight-related harbor craft

These projects are estimated to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 26,900 tons and particulate matter by 1,800 tons. These recommendations implement the program objectives and the Board's priorities by focusing funding on projects that quickly reduce emissions and achieve benefits throughout the state, with 94 percent of the total directed to cleaner trucks and locomotives traveling within multiple corridors.

Following the public workshops, ARB will release a staff report and present it to the Board at a public hearing on May 22, 2008 in Fresno to officially make the awards to eligible local agencies and projects. Earlier this year, the ARB released funding for $25 million in early grants to five air districts to upgrade 1,000 trucks and install shore-based electrical power at two ship berths.

For more information, please visit www.arb.ca.gov/gmbond.

The Air Resources Board is a department of the California Environmental Protection Agency. ARB's mission is to promote and protect public health, welfare, and ecological resources through effective reduction of air pollutants while recognizing and considering effects on the economy. The ARB oversees all air pollution control efforts in California to attain and maintain health based air quality standards.

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