Louisiana may be more famous for étouffée than electric vehicles, but money from Volkswagen’s dirty diesel settlement will finance several measures to clean up the air in the Pelican (or Petroleum) State.

Louisiana received $19.8 million from the 2016 settlement. Around $12 million went to replace 351 diesel school buses (some with propane or CNG vehicles, but most with newer diesels). Another $7.3 million was awarded to the state’s Transportation and Agriculture departments to replace old diesel vehicles.

Finally, like a little leftover gumbo for ‘ti Jean, the state Department of Environmental Quality is dishing up $1.7 million to 26 local government agencies, universities and electric utilities to deploy 82 charging stations.

The new grants, which include money not spent in the earlier rounds of projects, are aimed at helping entities that have bought, or plan to buy EVs, and they are spread throughout the state.

Among the recipients are: the City of New Orleans, which will receive $95,000 to install five Level 2 chargers and one DC fast charger; Jefferson Parish, which is getting $106,000 for three Level 2 chargers and two fast chargers; the Baton Rouge Capital Area Transit System, which scored $30,000 to build a multiple-charger paratransit station; LSU, which nabbed $36,000 for three Level 2 chargers; and the Lafayette Utilities System, which will fire up one fast charger and four Level 2s for $83,000.

Source: NOLA.com