The Valley Air District Governing Board took action last Thursday to approve over $12 million in additional funding to continue the District’s Tune In Tune Up Vehicle Repair program.
The District's Tune In Tune Up Vehicle Repair program is empowering Valley residents with an opportunity to effectively reduce emissions from their passenger vehicles, primarily through vehicle repairs. The program’s success in serving low-income residents is evident in high participation from disadvantaged communities. The Tune In Tune Up Repair program assists vehicle owners failing initial smog screenings. It provides them with a voucher worth up to $850 in emissions-related repairs, necessary smog checks, and diagnostics.
“Since 2005, tens of thousands of residents of disadvantaged communities have benefited from the proceedings of this program. Thanks to this program, vehicle emissions in the San Joaquin Valley are decreasing. Tune in Tune Up is a model of balancing efficiency and equity,” stated in California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment, San Joaquin Valley Region Report.
While meteorology, geography and topography play a key role in the Valley’s air pollution problems, motor vehicles are the largest source of emissions. Since the Valley Air District does not hold regulatory authority over tail pipe emissions, a robust grants and incentives program is among its many strategies to reduce air pollution and protect public health in the San Joaquin Valley. To attain stringent health-based federal air quality standards, the District offers a broad suite of incentive programs such as the Tune In Tune Up program aiming to reduce emissions from mobile sources.
Significant resources are needed to implement a successful incentive-based strategy and procure the necessary reductions in emissions. Furthermore, the Valley Air District has developed and implemented a robust and effective voluntary incentive program to identify the needs of the Valley and meet those needs with funding that helps generate significant emission reductions that would not otherwise occur.
The Valley Air District Governing Board also took action today to accept $30.4 million in state funding to support the District’ extremely popular and currently oversubscribed Drive Clean in the San Joaquin vehicle replacement program.
Valley residents interested in this program should visit Valley Air Repair homepage to access program guidelines and learn about upcoming Tune In Tune Up in-person events. For inquiries, please reach out to Air District staff at 559-230-5800.
