Comment Log Display

COMMENTS ON AB 32 PROPOSED SCOPING PLAN,
SUBMITTED BY SIERRA CLUB CALIFORNIA, November 19, 2008

2. California Light-Duty Vehicle GHG Standards (p. 38)

• Sierra Club supports implementation of the Pavley “Clean Cars”
standards, which continue to call for reduction of global warming
pollution from personal vehicles. While the Pavley standards will
help us to meet 2020 requirements for greenhouse gas reductions,
California needs more improvements in vehicle technology before
2020 in order to meet our 2050 goals. The state should immediately
begin a dramatic shift toward plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and
battery electric vehicles to begin the ramp-up needed to meet 2050
greenhouse gas reduction goals. This should be stated specifically
in the Plan to make sure it is implemented.

•  The state should immediately create a Battery Electric Vehicle
Partnership with industry to speed the electrification of its
light-duty vehicle fleet.

•  The minimum goal of 7,500 Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEVs)
currently required by the Zero Emission Vehicle Program in
2012-2014 is grossly inadequate. CARB should establish a goal of
hundreds of thousands of ZEVs in that timeframe, and recommend
increased funding for immediate development of plug-in hybrid
vehicles and infrastructure for all plug-in vehicles.

•  CARB should create a program and incentives to encourage
conversion of the 100,000 hybrids now in use to plug-in hybrids,
and mandate all appropriate state fleet vehicles be plug-in or
zero-emission vehicles.

•  CARB's Plan to reduce tailpipe emissions from cars and trucks
recommends that the state evaluate and possibly implement a
"feebates" program, a system of one-time rebates and surcharges on
new passenger cars and light trucks based on the amount of global
warming pollution they emit.  Sierra Club supports a feebates
program that could supplement California's tailpipe standards.
According to a University of Michigan study, implementing a clean
car discount program would deliver an additional 21 percent
reduction in global warming pollution beyond the tailpipe
standards.

Important:  Sierra Club supports adoption of a “feebate” system in
addition to the Pavley regulations, not just as a back-up to the
Pavley regulations. 

A feebate program would make cleaner cars more affordable for
everyone. Cleaner cars cost less to operate, so people would save
money on gas. Automakers would have an added incentive to produce
cleaner vehicles.