Program to retire old, polluting cars gets infusion of cap and trade money

A popular program that helps low-income Southland residents replace their clunkers with newer, more efficient cars is getting a new infusion of cash -- which is good news for the 1,500 people on the waiting list.

This week, state lawmakers hashed out a long-awaited deal to spend $900 million in proceeds from the auction of carbon credits on environmental programs. Replace Your Ride, which is run by the South Coast Air Quality Management District, is getting $14 million, enough to continue the program through 2017. The program started a year ago but was so popular it ran out of money after 800 cars.

How do I know if I'm eligible for Replace Your Ride?

You have to live in the South Coast Air Quality Management District's area: Orange County and the urban portions of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

You also can't make very much money (check here for detailed financial guidelines) -- less than $46,680 as an individual and $62,920 for a household of two.

Your car also has to be gas or diesel powered and exceed emissions standards. It also it has to be drivable, since the goal of this program is to get polluting cars off the road.

What kind of car can I get?

You can either get a hybrid or a gasoline-powered vehicle. If you get a gas-powered vehicle, it has to be eight-years old or newer and meet minimum fuel economy standards, although higher-income people do not qualify for incentives to buy these vehicles.

If you live in certain areas, you may quality for additional incentives to get a hybrid or electric vehicle. These financial incentives are larger and available to a wider range of income levels.

What do I do if I'm already on the waiting list?

SCAQMD says it's beginning to contact people on the waiting list, a process that will accelerate once it receives money from the state. You don't need to do anything, but if you want to get off the list you can call 1-855-483-5107.