|
|
|
|
San Joaquin Valley to Receive More Than $88 Million in State Cap-and-Trade Funds
|
|
|
The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District (SJVAPCD) Governing Board at its Dec. 21 meeting voted to accept more than $88 million in funding from the state's cap-and-trade proceeds. The Valley is receiving $80 million – nearly a third of $250 million allocated by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to fund Carl Moyer projects and clean trucks that meet Prop 1B guidelines.
Another $8.4 million is for AB 617 implementation, which requires air monitoring at the community level in order to better protect those in areas most impacted by air pollution.
Even better news is that significantly more money will be heading to the San Joaquin Valley. (See graphic above from the presentation made to the SJVAPCD Board.) The Air District expects to receive millions more for dairy digesters, several programs targeting emissions reductions in agriculture, and greenhouse gas projects for food processors.
"It's the most we have ever seen, and perhaps the most we will ever get," President/CEO Roger Isom of the California Cotton Ginners & Growers Association said during public comments made at the meeting. He encouraged the Air District to move quickly to get the funding distributed. The state has set strict deadlines, mandated by law, requiring funds to be encumbered (under executed contract) by June 30, 2019, and liquidated (paid out) by June 30, 2021.
Biorem Energy President Mark Terry, who traveled from Idaho to attend the meeting, encouraged the Air District to examine existing funding criteria for heavy-duty trucks so that larger trucking companies would have more of an incentive to convert diesel trucks in their fleets to compressed natural gas (CNG). He suggested a trade-up component as well, where high-mileage trucks that may only be three to five years old would not need to be destroyed. SJVAPCD Air Pollution Control Officer Seyed Sadredin indicated they are working with CARB to allow a trade-up provision.
|
|
|
|
A DC fast charger opened recently at Kern Federal Credit Union, becoming the first level 3 charger in downtown Bakersfield. The Air District's Charge Up! program, which helped fund this project, recently was expanded to include workplace charging sites.
|
|
|
|
Charge Up! Expands to Workplace Sites; New EV Funds Target Fresno County
|
|
|
The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District's (SJVAPCD) Charge Up! program, which provides funding for EV charging equipment and infrastructure, is expanding to include workplace charging. The program previously required chargers to be open to the public for a minimum of 30 hours per week.
Charge Up! also will shift to a voucher-based system from a rebate program to increase program participation, efficiency and flexibility, resulting in an overall streamlining of the program. A new application will be available soon. To date, $1.3 million has been awarded by the Air District for 182 level 2 and level 3 EV chargers
A new state program debuted Dec. 20 in Fresno County, providing $4 million in new funding for EV charging and infrastructure projects. The Fresno County Incentive Project (FCIP) is the first incentive project to be launched under the California Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project (CALeVIP).
FCIP will provide rebates for the purchase and installation of eligible level 2 electric vehicle chargers to owners of commercial properties, apartments, condominiums, workplaces and public agencies in Fresno County. Rebate amounts are up to $4,000 for single-port EV charging stations and $7,000 for dual-port EV charging stations. FCIP funding may be combined with Charge Up!, which offers $5,000 per unit for single-port chargers and $6,000 per unit for dual-port chargers. Charge Up! also will fund up to $25,000 for DC fast chargers, with funding approved on a case-by-case basis.
CALeVIP is funded by the California Energy Commission (CEC) and implemented by the Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE), which also administers the state's Clean Vehicle Rebate Project (CVRP). CALeVIP currently is funded for more than $15 million, with the potential to receive up to $200 million.
“As the state transitions to cleaner transportation in order to meet clean air standards and climate goals, it’s important to increase access to the charging infrastructure that makes plug-in electric vehicles a more viable option for communities across California,” Energy Commissioner Janea A. Scott said in an article posted on CSE's website.
An application and guidelines are on the FCIP website. Read the entire CSE article for more information.
|
|
|
|
Two Proterra Catalyst buses will be added to Yosemite's shuttle fleet in late 2018, making it the first U.S. national park to permanently add battery-electric, zero-emission buses to its fleet.
|
|
|
|
Yosemite Becomes First U.S. National Park to Purchase Electric Buses
|
|
|
|
Yosemite National Park will add two Proterra Catalyst electric buses to its fleet, becoming the first U.S. national park to permanently add zero-emission, battery-electric buses to its shuttle fleet. The buses will begin service in late 2018 and will operate throughout the year, transporting up to 1,480 visitors per day.
One of the nation's most-visited national parks, Yosemite attracts more than five million visitors from around the world each year. Increased vehicle congestion has contributed to air pollution and noise problems in the park, and Yosemite relies heavily on its shuttle program to encourage visitors to park once and use a bus to circulate among lodges, waterfalls and trailheads. This free shuttle service travels approximately 436,000 miles with 3.8 million boardings annually.
In 2001, the park began replacing its diesel bus fleet with diesel-electric hybrid vehicles. The new Proterra Catalyst buses are expected annually to reduce 887,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions and save approximately $150,500 on maintenance and operating costs.
“Since its establishment in 1890, airborne pollutants have steadily degraded Yosemite’s resources," said Yosemite National Park Acting Superintendent Chip Jenkins. "Deploying Proterra’s battery-electric buses will help with this ongoing challenge and will greatly improve local air quality.”
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has committed to greening the federal fleet, including the national parks, by working with businesses to make cleaner, quieter transportation readily available and affordable to partner agencies. As a resullt, GSA's list of federal fleet acquisition options now includes the Proterra Catalyst.
“The Proterra team is especially proud to directly contribute to the preservation of Yosemite National Park.," said Proterra President and CEO Ryan Popple. "We are honored to partner with the National Park Service to provide clean, quiet transportation to the millions of visitors who love to visit our national parks.”
With its headquarters in Burlingame, Proterra also has offices in the Los Angeles area in the City of Industry and in Greenville, South Carolina. The company currently has more than 490 electric buses operating in 61 different municipal, university, airport and commercial transit agencies in 29 states.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
