VALLEY WILL GET $25M TO FIGHT AIR POLLUTION FROM DIESEL ENGINES GOVERNOR OKS FUNDS TO HELP AREA MEET CLEAN AIR STANDARDS BY 2005. Mark Grossi THE FRESNO BEE San Joaquin Valley air pollution officials soon will have $25 million to help businesses, farmers and public agencies get rid of their old, smoke-belching diesel engines. The money is part of a $75 million appropriation signed by Gov. Davis this week for Central Valley air districts to reduce diesel emissions of nitrogen oxide, a component of smog. The Sacramento Valley will get $50 million, and the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air District will receive $25 million. The Environmental Protection Agency has classified both areas as being in "severe" nonattainment of federal ozone or smog standards. The San Joaquin Valley must reach attainment of the ozone standards by 2005 or face the loss of federal highway-building funds and higher costs for businesses. "If we're going to make attainment by 2005, we've got to get going right now," said Josett Merced Bello, spokeswoman for the air district. "This money will do a great deal for our programs." The money will become part of the district's heavy duty vehicle and equipment program, which helps replace older, polluting engines with cleaner-burning engines. Since 1997, the San Joaquin Valley district has provided about $12 million in grants to farms, trucking companies, and transit and school districts to purchase low-emission trucks and buses or replace engines in older vehicles. The Associated Press contributed to this report. THE FRESNO BEE Published Saturday, September 23, 2000 Section: LOCAL NEWS Page B2 All content © The Fresno Bee and may not be republished without permission. Send comments or questions to newslib@infi.net All archives are stored on a SAVE (tm) newspaper library system from MediaStream Inc., a Knight-Ridder Inc. company.