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Tennessee to land $45.7 million from VW settlement

FILE - In this Sept. 30, 2015, file photo, a 2013 Volkswagen Passat with a diesel engine is evaluated at the emissions test lab in El Monte, Calif. Real world pollution from diesel trucks, buses and cars globally is more than 50 percent higher than what government lab testing says it should be. And that translates to an extra 38,000 deaths worldwide from soot and smog, a new study say. (AP Photo/Nick Ut, File)
FILE - In this Sept. 30, 2015, file photo, a 2013 Volkswagen Passat with a diesel engine is evaluated at the emissions test lab in El Monte, Calif. Real world pollution from diesel trucks, buses and cars globally is more than 50 percent higher than what government lab testing says it should be. And that translates to an extra 38,000 deaths worldwide from soot and smog, a new study say. (AP Photo/Nick Ut, File) FILE - In this Sept. 30, 2015, file photo, a 2013 Volkswagen Passat with a diesel engine is evaluated at the emissions test lab in El Monte, Calif. Real world pollution from diesel trucks, buses and cars globally is more than 50 percent higher than what government lab testing says it should be. And that translates to an extra 38,000 deaths worldwide from soot and smog, a new study say. (AP Photo/Nick Ut, File)

By Mike Pare 3 min read

VW settlement

Below are 10 areas in which states may spend money from the diesel emissions settlement to reduce pollution:› Class 8 local freight trucks and port drayage trucks› Class 4-8 school buses or shuttle or transit buses› Freight switchers› Ferries/tugs› Ocean-going vessels shore power› Class 4-7 local freight trucks› Airport ground support equipment› Forklifts and port cargo handling equipment› Light-duty zero-mission vehicle supply equipment› Diesel Emission Reduction Act option

Tennessee is expected to garner about $45.7 million from the national Volkswagen diesel emissions settlement, and the state is taking suggestions on how to spend it.

Ten categories on which the funds may be spent are part of the $2.9 billion settlement. These include reducing pollution of heavy duty diesel sources such as large trucks near population centers or replacing older city transit buses with new electric-powered vehicles.

Eric Ward, a Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation spokesman, said TDEC will determine which projects receive funding. It will look at such factors as projected emissions reduction benefits and availability of other funding for the proposed project, he said.

A public input meeting was held in Nashville last month. Another in Knoxville is set for today at 10:30 a.m. at the University of Tennessee Ag Extension office, 1801 Downtown West Blvd. Another is slated this month in Memphis, he said.