Comment Log Display

Jointly, CleanFleets.net & the California Compost Coalition (CCC)
advise hundreds of heavy duty diesel truck fleet owners in the
transportation and processing of organic materials (includes
greenwaste, food waste, wood chips and municipal solid waste).
Going into the 6/25/2015 CARB meeting, we are disappointed that
natural gas vehicles have been excluded from consideration in the
AQIP and GGRF clean truck funding plans.  We have shared the
following concerns with the CARB Board and staff since December
2014 and ask that financial incentives:
1.	The recently released Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction
Strategy (SLCP) Concept Paper contains multiple references to
enhanced organics management and natural gas transportation as key
strategies of interest to ARB. CleanFleets and CCC share this
interest toward 100 new or enhanced facilities (pp. 13, 20)
2.	As recognized by the SLCP and Fuels and Sustainable Freight
Strategy/Technology Assessment process , there are significant
environmental benefits associated with the short-term widespread
adoption of natural gas trucks (especially those operated on biogas
(aka “renewable natural gas”, or RNG) produced from organic waste
3.	RNG fuel is the only fuel currently that can support “Carbon
Negative” fleet operations
4.	SB1204 (Lara) provides guidance that GGRF funds should be
directed to existing techonologies, for heavy duty trucks, that can
positively impact environmental justice communities. RNG is the
only fuel type that can do that in the near term.
5.	The 2015-2016 Budget provides $200 million for low carbon
transportation. The Governor’s Budget May Revision includes an
additional $150 million for low carbon transportation and this new
opportunity for funding influences our larger coalition of
Biogas/Calif NGV Coalition/Clean Energy to request additional
discussion.
6.	 Our coalition convened a call on May 1, 2015 with MSCD Chief
Erik White, ARB grants staff and the Calif Energy Commission (CEC)
staff relating to RNG vehicle incentives from the GGRF. We were
informed that battery electric and fuel cells are the priority
7.	While we appreciate that CEC has a program, it does not
stimulate the widespread near-term heavy duty RNG truck goals that
our user group has. That’s why GGRF funds are needed from CARB.