ZELE Voucher Program | Nov 2023
www.valleyair.org/ZELE
ZELE VOUCHER PROGRAM GUIDELINES
The Zero-Emission Landscaping Equipment Voucher Program (ZELE) provides incentives for the replacement of existing gas- or diesel-powered landscape maintenance equipment with new electric landscape maintenance equipment. To receive a voucher, an applicant must submit a complete application packet as described in the steps of the Program Process section. Please DO NOT purchase or dispose of any eligible equipment until you have received an approved voucher from the District for your project.
ELIGIBLE ENTITIES
• Business Entities: Landscape businesses providing service to residential neighborhoods, business locations and other communities, or businesses and non-profit organizations that provide commercial scale landscape maintenance in-house.
Equipment used on an applicant’s personal residential property does not constitute commercial scale landscape maintenance. • Public Agencies: Cities, special districts, municipalities, school districts, etc., that provide commercial scale landscape maintenance in-house. Any sectarian or denominational school, or any school not under the exclusive control of the officers of the public schools are not eligible.
ELIGIBLE ENTITIES MUST
• Be located within the geographic area of the San Joaquin Valley Air Basin, which includes the following counties: San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare, and the San Joaquin Valley portion of Kern. • Conduct 100% of its landscape maintenance operations within the geographic area of the San Joaquin Valley Air Basin. • Currently use gas- or diesel-powered professional landscape maintenance equipment in daily operations. • For the past two years prior to submitting an application, have owned and operated the old gas- or diesel-powered equipment listed on their application within the geographic area of the San Joaquin Valley Air Basin.
ELIGIBLE EQUIPMENT FUNDING
Funding levels are identified in the table below grouped by equipment type, and include the cost of additional batteries and chargers. Applicants that are not small businesses or public agencies must pay a minimum 15% cost share for eligible costs.
Maximum funding amounts may be reduced for these applicants to ensure the 15% cost share requirement is met. Enhanced funding levels are available for public schools located within the selected AB 617 Communities of Shafter, South-Central Fresno, and Stockton. These public schools can receive 100% of the purchase price of up to 2 batteries and 1 charger per piece of new all- electric equipment purchased. Please visit community.valleyair.org to see if you qualify.
EQUIPMENT TYPE MAXIMUM AMOUNT PER EQUIPMENT
Edgers, String Trimmers, Hedge Trimmers,
Chainsaws, Pole Saws and Brushcutters Up to $700
Leaf Blowers and Vacuums Up to $1,400
Walk-behind Mowers Up to $1,500
Ride-on/Stand-ride Mowers Up to $15,000
Additional Batteries and Chargers
(for public schools in selected AB 617 Communities
of Shafter, South Central Fresno, and Stockton only)
100% of purchase price for up to two (2) batteries
and one (1) charger per piece of equipment purchased
Applicants that are not small businesses or public agencies must pay a minimum 15% cost share of eligible costs.
Maximum funding amount may be reduced to ensure 15% cost share requirement is met. * Additional batteries and chargers acquired as part of the new equipment purchase may be included in the total eligible costs.
ZELE Voucher Program | Nov 2023
www.valleyair.org/ZELE
ZELE VOUCHER PROGRAM GUIDELINES
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
• Funding for this program is not a rebate. The applicant must not purchase any new equipment prior to obtaining an approved voucher from the District or their project may be deemed ineligible.
Applicants are encouraged to wait to dispose of any old equipment until receiving an approved voucher.
• All applications will be considered for funding on a first-come, first-serve basis, and if deemed eligible, will be funded in the order received until program funds are exhausted.
• Submittal of an application does not guarantee funding. Eligibility of the application is determined at the sole discretion of the District. Applications that do not meet the intent and/or eligibility of the program will be deemed ineligible.
• Multiple applications may be submitted throughout the year by the same applicant.
• All additional co-funding sources and discounts applied to the new electric equipment purchase must be disclosed at time of application.
• The District reserves the right to recoup any funding provided to the applicant and/or pursue any other legal actions deemed appropriate if, by the District‘s determination, the applicant did not provide accurate information, and/or fails to meet the intent or requirements of the program.
• Small businesses and public agencies do not need to meet the 15% cost share requirement. The following definitions will be applied to applicants to determine their eligibility:
» Small business means an independently owned and
operated business that is not dominant in its field of
operation, the principal office of which is located in
California, the officers of which are domiciled in California, and which, together with affiliates, has 100 or fewer
employees, and average annual gross receipts of ten million dollars ($10,000,000) or less over the previous three years, or is a manufacturer, as defined in subdivision (c), with 100 or fewer employees. Commencing January 1, 2019,
the average annual gross receipts threshold shall be fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000). (Gov. Code § 14837(d)(1)(A)) » Public agency means but is not limited to State of
California, metropolitan, county, city, district, multi-county special district (e.g. water district), public school district, public university, public college, public authority, public agency, public corporation, another state government, the federal government, or any other subdivision or agency of a state government or the federal government. (CARB CARL
Moyer Guidelines)
NEW ELIGIBLE ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT MUST BE INELIGIBLE EQUIPMENT • Same type of equipment as the old. Replacement of old equipment is required to be like-for-like and one-for-one (i.e., one old gas edger for one new electric edger, etc.).
» Additional batteries and chargers acquired as part of the new equipment purchase may be included in the total eligible costs. • Purchased from a manufacturer-authorized retailer or dealer. • Electric, battery-powered.
• New, not previously owned or used. Reconditioned and
refurbished equipment are considered used and are not eligible for purchase.
• Purchased with a power head.
» Attachments without a power head are ineligible, and manual equipment without an engine are not eligible.
» Combo kits with one power head and multiple attachments, or bundles/packages that include two or more pieces of
equipment, will be considered as one piece of equipment. • Equipment not listed on the funding table are ineligible to be replaced.
• Old equipment that has not been owned and operated for the past two years by the applicant.
• New electric equipment, battery or charger purchases made prior to the voucher execution date are ineligible for reimbursment. • Corded-electric equipment cannot be purchased as new
replacement equipment.
• Purchase of a battery and/or a charger cannot be purchased without equipment.
• Equipment used on an applicant’s personal residential property.
For information about the District’s Residential Rebate Program visit www.valleyair.org/CGYM.
• These types of equipment are not eligible to be replaced:
» Manual equipment without an engine.
» Tractors used to pull landscape maintenance equipment. » Tow-behind landscape maintenance equipment.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
ZELE Voucher Program | Nov 2023
www.valleyair.org/ZELE
The Zero-Emission Landscaping Equipment Voucher Program is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy and improving public health and the environment particularly in disadvantaged communities.
ZELE VOUCHER PROGRAM GUIDELINES
STEP 1: Submit a completed application along with the
following supporting documentation:
1. Completed first page of IRS Form W-9
www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-9
2. One of the following documents depending on applicant type:
Business Entities: Verification that the business is currently in operation and has been for the two years prior to application submittal. Acceptable documentation includes, but is not limited to the following:
» Copy of a valid business license, covering the past 24 months from the date of application submittal; or
» C-27-Landscape Contractors License Number; or
» Identification number assigned to a business entity by the California Secretary of State at the time of registration » Documentation of an approved Clean Off-Road Equipment (CORE) program application for professional landscape
equipment (voucher or approval letter).
» The District maintains the discretion to accept or request other documentation to demonstrate applicant as a
commercial landscape maintenance provider and meets the intent of the program.
Public Agencies: Resolution from the applicant’s governing body (i.e., City Council or County Board of Supervisors). In lieu of a resolution, applicant can submit a formal letter/ documentation from the agency which identifies the individual and/or title that can submit an application and enter into an agreement with the District. This letter/documentation must be signed by a duly authorized official within the agency that has the authority to make financial decisions. The individual/ title identified on the resolution or letter/documentation must match the signing authority listed on the application.
STEP 2: Receive a Voucher and Claim for Payment Form from the District
1. The District will review submitted applications and supporting documentation for eligibility. If approved:
» A ZELE Voucher will be issued. The voucher will identify the equipment to be purchased and the eligible funding.
» A Claim for Payment Form will be provided and must be completed and signed by the applicant to be reimbursed for eligible funding.
STEP 3: Purchase your new electric equipment and destroy your old equipment
1. Purchase the new equipment identified on the voucher within the execution and expiration dates. Additional batteries and chargers acquired as part of the new equipment purchase may be included in the total eligible costs.
2. Obtain a Destruction Verification Form (DVF) from a
participating dismantling facility:
» Within 30 calendar days from the date of purchase of
the new equipment, take your old gas- or diesel-powered equipment to a participating dismantling facility.
» For a list of participating dismantling facilities visit valleyair.org/ZELE.
» Contact the dismantling facility to verify its requirements for submittal of old equipment (i.e., fluids drained, etc.) prior to taking it to the facility.
» Verify that the dismantling facility has completed and signed the DVF. The DVF is proof that you have properly submitted your old equipment for permanent destruction.
STEP 4: Submit a Claim for Payment Packet for
reimbursement within 30 days from the purchase date of the new equipment:
1. Signed and completed Claim for Payment Form.
2. Signed Voucher.
3. Signed and completed DVF obtained from participating dismantling facility.
4. Copy of the sales invoice or receipt for the new electric equipment, batteries and chargers purchased.
STEP 5: Own and operate your new equipment
Own and operate the new electric equipment for a minimum of 36 months from the date of purchase.
PROGRAM PROCESS