Jun. 19—Trucks, cars and other motor vehicles are by far the largest source of air emissions in the valley.
Ironically, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, which monitors air quality, holds no regulatory authority over tailpipe emissions. That role is overseen at the federal level by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Still, the air district is not powerless when it comes to reducing the harmful gasses and particulates that result from the combustion of fossil fuels in the tractors, big rigs, pickups, cars and buses that crisscross the valley portion of Kern County every day.
The district has a wide range of strategies it uses to reduce emissions from mobile sources, but the Tune-In Tune-Up program is one of the most effective.
"The Valley Air District is proud of the success of the Tune-In Tune-Up program and its status as a model for other areas of the state to follow," said Jaime Holt, chief communications officer for the district.
"The program works to achieve significant emission reductions by providing support to some of our most vulnerable residents to repair their vehicle," she said. "Then those vehicles can pass a smog check and be driven legally."
The air district's governing board took action Thursday to approve more than $12 million in additional funding to continue the vehicle repair program, which Holt said has been active since 2011.
According to the district's Valley Air Repair homepage, the valley is home to a large number of older cars, many of which do not meet state emissions standards. Tune In Tune Up helps vehicle owners take voluntary action to improve air quality by subsidizing expensive smog repairs.
"Often this means residents worry less about daily transportation needs and more about other quality-of-life issues," Holt said. "The program also lowers vehicle emissions in some of the valley's most disadvantaged neighborhoods, which in turn improves air quality in those communities."
According to a news release from the San Joaquin Valley air district, the program has seen high participation in disadvantaged communities. Vehicle owners who fail initial smog screenings may be provided with a voucher worth up to $850 in emissions-related repairs, necessary smog checks, and diagnostics at qualified repair shops.
"Tens of thousands of residents of disadvantaged communities have benefited from the proceedings of this program," according to California's Fourth Climate Change Assessment, San Joaquin Valley Region Report.