Public Webinar for Florida's Diesel Emissions Mitigation Program

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (Department) Division of Air Resource Management announces two webinars to inform the public about the development of Florida’s State Beneficiary Mitigation Plan under the Volkswagen Diesel Emissions Environmental Mitigation Trust. These public informational webinars coincide with a 60-day period for all persons to complete an online public survey, the results of which the Department will use in developing Florida’s State Beneficiary Mitigation Plan.

The Department issues an open invitation to interested individuals to attend one of two public informational webinars on Florida’s Diesel Emission Mitigation Program. This program stems from the United States government’s settlement with Volkswagen resolving claims that it violated the Clean Air Act by selling diesel vehicles that violated the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s mobile source emission standards. Both webinars will consist of a presentation describing the mitigation planning process and an opportunity for question and answers. The webinar content will be identical to the content that Department representatives presented at five recent in-person public meetings held during the weeks of March 19 and March 26. All presentation materials used at the in-person meetings and webinars will be posted to the Department’s website in the coming weeks.

The Department respectfully requests that persons planning to attend either webinar submit an RSVP through the webinar links above, through links provided on the Department’s website, via e-mail to the Department at VWMitigation@floridadep.gov, or by contacting John Paul Fraites at (850) 717-9021.

The Department also reminds all interested individuals of the opportunity to complete a related online public survey: Diesel Emissions Mitigation Program Public Survey.  This survey opened on March 13, 2018, and will close on May 12, 2018. The Department will use responses obtained through this survey in developing Florida’s State Beneficiary Mitigation Plan. Individuals interested in submitting general comments on Florida’s approach to developing the State Beneficiary Mitigation Plan may also e-mail those comments to VWMitigation@floridadep.gov. At this time, the Department is focused exclusively on the development of Florida’s State Beneficiary Mitigation Plan.  The Department is not soliciting funding requests or proposals for any specific diesel emissions mitigation project.

For more information about Florida’s Diesel Emission Mitigation Program, please visit: https://floridadep.gov/air/air-director/content/volkswagen-settlement-f…

A copy of the agenda may be obtained by contacting Mr. John Paul Fraites at (850) 717-9021 or john.fraites@floridadep.gov.