SMS Mill services, a steel scrap processor based in South Coatesville, is part of the larger initiative to bring cleaner air to the Delaware Valley. This is thanks to a $1.2 million grant from Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The money will replace three of SMS Mill’s diesel material handlers with electric handlers, writes Seth Kaplan for CBS Philadelphia. 

The funds come from a settlement with Volkswagen after the car manufacturer admitted to cheating on emissions tests.  

The grant targets areas in the Delaware Valley where residents are more at risk of health problems due to pollution. The “Electrifying Truck Fleets for Cleaner Air in Our Communities” program — which is part of the larger initiative “Driving PA Forward” — aims to provide cleaner engine technology for trucks and electric charging stations across the state.  

“There’s a chicken-and-egg problem where nobody builds the charging infrastructure until the vehicles get sold, and then people don’t want to buy the vehicles until the charging infrastructure is in place,” said Rob Altenburg, senior director of climate and energy for PennFuture. 

The grant isn’t the only avenue towards clean air in the Keystone State. Pennsylvania encourages consumers to buy electric vehicles through allowing them to receive up to $3,000 in rebates.  

Learn more about Pennsylvania’s initiative toward cleaner air in CBS Philadelphia.