Mojave Desert Air Quality District outlines grants for cleaner vehicles, EV chargers and lawn-equipment exchanges

The Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District told the Needles City Council on Dec. 10 that it has multiple grant programs available to replace older polluting equipment and build zero-emission infrastructure in the region.

Mark Dimachon of the district, introduced to the council as part of a presentation announced for Jorge Camacho, said the district covers more than 20,000 square miles, operates five air-monitoring stations and runs several incentive programs aimed at reducing emissions from heavy-duty vehicles, agricultural equipment and small landscape tools. Dimachon said the district has funded local projects including 11 diesel school-bus replacements and electric vehicle-charging infrastructure for school districts in the region.

“These funded projects must provide enforceable, surplus, quantifiable and permanent emission reductions,” Dimachon said, outlining the types of equipment the district will fund and the competitive criteria for awards. He said the district makes one-on-one technical support available to applicants and maintains a ‘business-friendly’ approach to permitting and grants.

Dimachon gave dollar figures for recent funding rounds: roughly $4,000,000 in CARB-related funding for off-road equipment and infrastructure, about $3,000,000 allocated for agricultural equipment replacement, and over $4,000,000 in community-air-protection funds used, for example, to replace diesel school buses. He also described a popular lawn-and-garden-equipment exchange program that helped replace more than 1,600 gas-powered pieces of equipment in 2024.

The district’s application window, Dimachon said, opened in January and continued into February; he encouraged local school districts and public agencies to contact district staff and said the district will work with applicants to complete applications that are missing needed documentation. He added that some programs cover a large portion of equipment costs, reducing out-of-pocket expense for applicants.

The presentation included an offer to host a one-day event locally if there is sufficient interest in electric lawn equipment and provided contact information for follow-up. The district also highlighted partnerships with schools for its community programs and a low-cost PurpleAir sensor network that volunteers in the community can host to expand local monitoring.

Next steps: district staff left contact cards for local stakeholders and said they will accept applications during the announced filing window and assist applicants with incomplete submissions.

The district presentation was delivered to the council during the meeting’s presentations period; no formal council action was required.