THE PROJECT

• Bring together a broad variety of stakeholders including environmental groups; trade associations; technology providers; public health representatives; and local, state and federal agencies to work more closely together in promoting the development and deployment of clean bus technologies.

• Facilitate information exchange among stakeholders to empower state and local initiatives, including information dissemination about clean bus technologies and best practices.

• Educate federal policy makers about the benefits of clean bus deployment and opportunities to support the implementation of such technologies.

• Secure funding that can be used for purchase or lease of clean buses and related infrastructure and maintenance, refueling and re-charging.

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute is working to expand the deployment of cleaner fuels and advanced vehicle technologies in bus transit fleets. Our goal is to strengthen support for local, regional, state and national" clean bus" initiatives that have identified the problems of conventional diesel engines used in transit buses, and are working to solve them.

Conventional diesel vehicles are egregious emitters of particulate matter and ozone precursors. They emit greenhouse gases, benzene, dioxins, formaldehyde, and other toxins. The State and Territorial Air Pollution Program Administrators and the Association of Local Air Pollution Control Officials have estimated, based on lifetime risk, that diesel exhaust is responsible for 125,000 cancer cases in the United States. High particulate matter from diesel emissions also is associated with an increase in the incidence and severity of childhood asthma.

There is significant opportunity to build a broad base of support for clean bus deployment due to growing public awareness of the problem of diesel emissions, state and local efforts to meet air quality standards, new federal standards for diesel fuel and heavy-duty vehicle emissions, and renewed national interest in reducing our dependency on foreign oil. Regulations, research and analysis, and the operation of clean buses are underway across the country, but no national program dedicated to the deployment of clean buses has been implemented. Public transit and school buses are an ideal place to begin such collaboration, as they are government owned, centrally fueled, concentrated in urban areas, and carry children (who are particularly vulnerable to pollution’s negative effects). There is tremendous potential to build a broad coalition of stakeholders to educate policy makers, federal, state and local agency officials, the media, and others regarding advanced vehicle technologies and the benefits of deploying clean operating buses.

EESI has formed a national clean bus network to promote communication and coordination between clean bus stakeholders and to showcase clean bus projects being carried out by state, local and regional transit authorities. In conjunction with this network, EESI (1) conducts outreach, education and advocacy on clean bus programs; (2) researches advanced clean bus and fuel technologies; (3) identifies clean bus program benefits and barriers; (4) recognizes program champions; (5) promotes information exchange between stakeholders; and (6) works to obtain federal support for the implementation of clean bus programs, such as in the reauthorization of the Transportation Equity Act of the 21^st Century (TEA-21). The coalition provides important communication opportunities between public and private sector stakeholders with the hope of facilitating a permanent transition in the public sector bus market.

EESI’s role is to facilitate communication among clean bus stakeholders and the media, help to develop a work plan for outreach and educational activities, and assist in the implementation of national clean bus campaign efforts. EESI’s expansive network of Congressional contacts, state and local government officials, combined with its project work on the Congestion Mitigation Air Quality Improvement Program, DOE’s Clean Cities programs, and biofuels helps us to accomplish this mission.