Project Clean Air Repair
Region
Leech Lake Nation and Minneapolis, Minn.Timeline
2017 - presentAudience
Funders and partnersTopics
Through Project Clean Air Repair (or Project CAR), Environmental Initiative creates partnerships with car repair shops to reduce emissions from older passenger vehicles. Project CAR reimburses garages for identifying and fixing vehicle exhaust systems in cars of lower-income residents.
Currently, it is estimated that 25% of passenger vehicles cause 90% of vehicle air pollution. Older cars often have outdated or broken emission controls and exhaust equipment. By partnering with garages to repair broken emissions systems, Environmental Initiative is cleaning up some of the highest polluting cars on the road while reducing barriers to reliable transportation.
Partner garages provide low- or no-cost repairs to emission control systems. This allows car owners to reduce their car’s emissions and prioritize paying for other repairs necessary for the safety and drivability of their car.
Recent accomplishments

250
Cars repaired since 2017.

5
Participating partner garages.

10
Tons of emission reductions achieved.
Our partnership with The Lift Garage
Learn more about our partnership with The Lift Garage and how Project CAR works.

“The amount of exhaust leaking from my car was very toxic to me, as well as to the environment and likely contributed to my health problems, which meant I was unable to work. This repair will greatly improve my health and hopefully I will be able to recover and get back to work.”
Clean Air Blogs
Steps must be taken to reduce disparities in air pollution exposure
Air quality experts share insights on the unequal burdens of pollution on people of color and offer solutions to positively impact communities carrying the heaviest burdens.
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Cars for Neighbors completes 100 repairs through Project CAR
Did you know in Minnesota it is estimated that 25% of cars, trucks, and other passenger vehicles cause 90% of vehicle pollution? Environmental Initiative has been working with local car repair programs and shops to fix outdated or broken emission…
Our Experts
Rural and urban communities experience high air pollution from mobile sources such as cars. Expand Project CAR by talking to our experts today about offering financial support for this important clean air effort.

