The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has awarded three grants totaling US$25 million to provide clean transportation solutions for disadvantaged and low-income communities in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Oakland.
The grants come from the Sustainable Transportation Equity Project (STEP), a pilot program launched by CARB in 2020 to improve transportation equity. The latest funding supports implementation of additional clean transportation projects in low-income and disadvantaged communities, or those overburdened by pollution. Each project was chosen from competitive proposals received during CARB’s fiscal year 2019-20 STEP solicitation. Recipients include partnerships between a lead applicant; co-applicants such as public, private, or nonprofit organizations; and community partners.
“This pioneering project is boosting transportation equity in communities that historically have faced higher levels of pollution,” said CARB Chair Liane Randolph. “STEP grants, paid for by cap-and-trade dollars, will help people get where they need to go — be it the doctor’s office or daycare — without using a personal vehicle. And Governor Newsom’s 2022 budget invests additional funding for more innovative projects like this one. That funding will provide options for clean mobility and transportation in low-income and disadvantaged communities by helping drivers scrap old clunkers and replace them with clean cars, providing financial help to buy electric cars, and making EV carsharing available.”
STEP aims to increase transportation equity in disadvantaged and low-income communities by funding clean transportation solutions that are determined by community residents and that work best for each individual community. Projects funded include a new shuttle service, electric carshare and bikeshare services, public transit and shared mobility subsidies, urban forestry, pedestrian improvements, active transportation education and outreach events, and workforce development activities. All projects incorporate community engagement during all phases of project planning, development, and implementation.
Awardees are Los Angeles Department of Transportation (US$6,765,527.62); San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (US$10,569,100.00); and Oakland Department of Transportation (US$8,074,895.15).
