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bus-act -- Advanced Clean Transit Workgroup Materials Available
Posted: 28 Jan 2016 18:36:38
The agenda and supporting documents for the first Advanced Clean Transit Workgroup are available now. The agenda and supporting documents for the first Advanced Clean Transit Workgroup (Workgroup) meeting have been posted at: http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/bus/actmeetings.htm. A copy of these materials was also emailed to active members. As a reminder, the first Workgroup meeting will take place tomorrow at the Cal/EPA Headquarters in Sacramento from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and is open to all interested parties. The meeting will be webcast and can be watched at: http://www.calepa.ca.gov/broadcast/?BDO=1 . During the webcast, questions and comments can be sent via email to sierrarm@calepa.ca.gov. The meeting will include a wide range of stakeholders such as technology providers, original equipment manufacturers, transit agencies, and other interested parties to discuss the current status of advanced technologies for reducing emissions from transit buses. The focus of the Workgroup will be to discuss solutions and barriers to implementing zero and near-zero emission technologies in existing transit fleets and how to leverage continued advancements in accelerating the market for advanced technologies in the heavy duty sector. If you have any questions regarding the Workgroup, please contact Yachun Chow, Manager, Zero Emission Truck and Bus Section, at yachun.chow@arb.ca.gov or at (916) 322-7450. Background Adopted in 2000, the Fleet Rule for Transit Agencies required reductions in diesel particulate matter and oxides of nitrogen emissions from urban buses and transit fleet vehicles, and zero emission bus purchases for transit agencies with 200 or more urban buses. Transit agencies that chose to follow the diesel path option were required to demonstrate zero-emission buses, with 15 percent of new buses purchased to be zero-emission beginning in 2008. For alternative path transit agencies, the 15 percent zero-emission bus purchase requirement was to begin in 2010. The rule was amended in 2006, to postpone the purchase requirement to 2011 for diesel path transit agencies, and 2012 for alternative path transit agencies, and to include an advanced demonstration from the diesel path transit agencies. At the July 2009 Board meeting, through Resolution 09-49, the Board directed the Executive Officer to delay the zero-emission bus purchase requirement due to technology readiness concerns, and to conduct a technology assessment on the readiness of zero emission bus technologies before reinstating purchase requirements. In January 2010, ARB issued an advisory (Mail-out #10-04) with the postponement of the purchase requirement for zero-emission buses. Staff recently presented the technology assessment results of fuel cell electric vehicles, battery electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, natural gas vehicles, and low NOx engines to the Board in November 2015 with the commercialization stage of each technology highlighted. Staff concluded that low-NOx engines will become commercially available soon and that zero emission buses are in the early commercialization phase and have similar performance and reliability as conventional buses. Therefore, staff is currently in the process of working with stakeholders to develop an Advanced Clean Transit proposal that will incorporate these advanced clean technologies while transitioning public transportation to zero emission technologies. California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.