Salem Area Mass Transit was stuck with around $6 million in expired tax credits. In the 2021 Oregon legislative session, the transit agency introduced a bill to convert the expired tax credits into Clean Fuels Program credits. The bill’s main provisions were inserted into an omnibus transportation bill and passage was anticipated. However, environmental groups objected and the provision was dropped. CFM worked with key lawmakers to develop an alternative plan to use American Rescue Plan funds to redeem all unsellable tax credits from Oregon transit agencies, which was approved in one of the session’s final bills. Salem will use the newly available funds to purchase zero-emission buses.
