Clean-air advocates wind up with $72 million, had hoped total amount would go to fighting greenhouse-gas emissions

Tom Johnson reports for NJ Spotlight:

Roughly half of the $141 million the state will receive from settlements with Volkswagen involving air-pollution violations and cheating on emissions tests will go into the general fund instead of clean-car initiatives.

The state Department of Environmental Protection told lawmakers $69 million from the auto manufacturer resulting from a settlement reached with the attorney general’s office has been directed to the state budget.

Clean-energy advocates had hoped the money, along with $72 million from a separate settlement involving the auto manufacturer and the federal Environmental Protection Agency, would go to funding a series of programs to reduce air pollution from vehicles.

But the DEP, in answering questions from the Office of Legislative Services, indicated yesterday the money from the settlement with New Jersey is being diverted to the general fund.

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