A.V. WILL GET STATE ALLOCATIONS.

Byline: Jim Skeen Staff Writer

LANCASTER - Each of the Antelope Valley's two air pollution control districts will receive $450,000 from the state to help private companies and government agencies buy cleaner heavy-duty vehicles.

The Antelope Valley Air Pollution Control District, which covers the Los Angeles County portion of the Antelope Valley, and the East Kern Air Pollution Control District will receive the funding under a state program aimed at cutting ozone pollutants.

The money will come from a $50 million fund allocated by the state Environmental Protection Agency's Air Resources Board.

The ARB released its tentative allocation plan Friday.

The program is intended to encourage companies and public entities to buy cleaner-burning equipment by subsidizing some of the purchase cost. For example, if a company were to face a choice between buying a $100,000 heavy-duty truck that met minimum state standards for oxides of nitrogen emissions or a $125,000 truck that burned 25 percent to 30 percent cleaner, the program would pay for the $25,000 difference.

Generally, the program applies to vehicles over 14,000 pounds.

Last year, the Antelope Valley Air Pollution Control District used its funding allocation for cleaner-burning trash-hauling trucks. Waste Management of Antelope Valley received $205,000 to go toward the purchase of five alternative-fuel trash trucks and the city of Lancaster received $21,000 for one truck.

The AVAPCD allocates the funding on a first-come, first-served basis. If the district become inundated with requests, it will go to a competitive bidding process, a district spokeswoman said.

In California, more than 525,000 diesel trucks drive through the state while an additional 680,000 heavy-duty vehicles are used in construction and agriculture. Those vehicles account for about 40 percent of the emissions from mobile sources.

State officials say the program is cost-effective, reducing pollutants by $5,000 to $12,000 a ton.