Air Quality Funding Programs

This funding program provides grants to local government agencies and their partners to support transportation-related projects that support achievement of the region's air quality goals. Eligible projects fell into one of three categories:

1. Projects that provide real, permanent and quantifiable on-road emissions reductions for the reigon;
2. Air quality improvement plans; and
3. Public awareness and educational campaigns

On March 16, 2006, the SACOG Board approved recommended projects for funding awards. Five projects were awarded a total of $3.6 million. Projects from Sacramento, Yolo, Yuba, and Sutter Counties were eligible in this round of funding. Projects in El Dorado and Placer Counties use a separate selection and funding process due to an agreement between their respective county transportation agencies and SACOG.

The following list of awarded projects for the 2005-2007 funding cycle were recommended from a selection process comprised of two appointed review committees composed of professional staff and other stakeholders from the 4-county area. Applications were evaluated on how well they were expected to contribute to real and lasting improvements in air quality. For each of these projects, a PDF of the application is provided.

Yolo County Transportation District, Free Transit Fares, awarded $63,000.
Grant funds will be used to replace lost revenue during "free fare" days on Yolobus, a bus service serving Yolo County, Sacramento International Airport and downtown Sacramento. Fares are waived for riders during up to 30 summer "Spare the Air" days, when ozone pollution is expected to surpass healthy levels.
PDF

Yolo County Transportation District, Bus Replacement, awarded $1,112,000.
YCTD will use the funds to replace four 1993 buses with clean air buses.
PDF

Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District in partnership with the Sacramento Tree Foundation, Urban Forests Project, awarded $642,000.
This is a demonstration project to determine the effect trees have on the formation of ozone in the Sacramento ozone federal nonattainment area.

• Part 1
• Part 2

Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, State Implementation Plan Development, awarded $625,000.
This award will help the region's air districts develop a plan, due in 2007, that meets the new 8-hour federal ozone standards.
PDF

Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, Spare the Air Program, awarded $1,200,000.
With this award, the air districts will implement a regional public outreach program that asks motorists to curb their driving on Spare the Air days.
PDF