# Good and Bad in Texas Plan to Spend Volkswagen Settlement Funds

- Link: https://greenlivingguy.com/2018/09/good-and-bad-in-texas-plan-to-spend-volkswagen-settlement-funds/
- Published: 2018-09-11T21:43:02-04:00
- Author: greenlivingguy

**_Opportunity for Electric Vehicles in Texas with Volkswagen_**

Statement of Adrian Shelley, Director, Public Citizen’s Texas Office

Firstly, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality released a draft plan (PDF).
It’s outlining how Texas will spend the $209 million in settlement funds. That’s
funds from the Volkswagen emissions scandal. In addition, it seems comments on the
plan are due on Oct. 8.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s plan for spending the Volkswagen
settlement funds is also and more importantly, a mixed bag. That’s to say, with 
both encouraging and confounding elements.
 ⌊Volkswagen toureg going electric Hope
so⌉

One of the best features of the plan is that Texas will offer grants for clean transportation
projects, including up to 60 percent of the cost of electric vehicles to replace
older government or privately owned vehicles. The plan also dedicates $31 million
to the zero emissions vehicle program, which will fund electric charging stations
and possibly hydrogen fuel cells. Electric vehicles are the future of clean transportation
in Texas and elsewhere.

But some of the most cost-effective projects were left out of the plan. Volkswagen
vehicles fitted with emissions-cheating devices spewed tons of illegal nitrogen 
oxide pollution into the air, which in turn forms ground level ozone. Although Texas
claims to prioritize funding for cost-effective reductions of nitrogen oxides, the
plan excludes funding for freight switchers, tugs and tow vessels, which are among
the most cost-effective projects available in terms of their ability to reduce air
pollution and protect public health.

Another problem is the plan’s lopsided funding for certain areas of the state, which
excludes Austin entirely. Austinites purchased more Volkswagens per capita than 
people in other Texas cities, so we believe Austin should receive funding.

In conclusion, Public Citizen urges the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
to remedy these defects in the draft plan. Finally, they are very pleased about 
the plan’s opportunities for electric vehicles. Most noteworthy and looking forward
to a clean transportation future in Texas.

Source: Public Citizen

[https://www.citizen.org/media/press-releases/good-and-bad-texas-plan-spend-volkswagen-settlement-funds-opportunity-electric](https://www.citizen.org/media/press-releases/good-and-bad-texas-plan-spend-volkswagen-settlement-funds-opportunity-electric)

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 greenlivingguy

 The Green Living Guy, Seth Leitman is an independent power producer, a green living
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