The
National Clean Bus Network
July
2004 Clean Bus Update
Environmental
and Energy Study Institute Carol
Werner, Executive Director
Clean
Bus Highlights
TEA-21
Reauthorization and Appropriations Update
Struggling
to reauthorize TEA-21
(Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century),
the nation’s six-year transportation bill, members of the
House and Senate conference committee failed in their fifth
meeting Thursday, July 22, to come to a basic agreement on
total spending. Bill Thomas, Chairman of the House Ways and
Means Committee, on behalf of the House proposed the committee
accept $284 billion in guaranteed funding, responding to the
Senate’s proposal of $301 billion. House Republicans want
the spending total to be low enough for the President to sign
the bill into law. However, members of the Senate seek less of
a compromise with the President and hold out their hopes that
the final funding total will be closer to $318 billion, the
number already agreed to in the Senate back in February. Since
Thomas’ proposal produced no agreement, further progress to
produce a final bill will remain stalled. The conference
committee will return after Labor Day in September to continue
their discussions, although no meeting date has yet been set.
EESI is monitoring the reauthorization process to keep the
Clean Bus Network apprised of the status of programs in the
transportation bill that support clean bus deployment.
Meanwhile,
current transportation law was extended
by another two months, giving legislators until
September 30 to come to agreement on a final bill or pass a
long-term extension to carry discussions into the next
Congress (highway programs were extended until Sep 24).
The
House Appropriations
Committee also marked up the Transportation
Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2005. The bill cuts
spending for transit to $7.25 billion ($16 million less than
in FY04) but increases spending for roads and highways to
$34.63 billion ($1 billion greater than in FY04). Going
against common practice, the committee chose not to earmark
funds for bus and bus facility purchases, leaving $50 million
for the implementation of the Clean Fuels Formula Grant
Program intact. However, it is likely that during the
conference process the missing earmarks will make their way
into the bill and siphon away money once again from the Clean
Fuels Program. Money for this program goes to the purchase of
buses and bus facilities that use cleaner fuels and advanced
vehicle technologies.
Find
more about reauthorization and appropriations through the
American Public Transportation Association at http://www.apta.com/government_affairs/positions/washrep/2004july23.cfm
CARB
Sets Rules for Idling and Permits Sale
of Diesel Hybrid-Electrics
On
July 22 the California Air Resources Board (CARB) adopted new
idling reduction rules to limit diesel emissions
from heavy-duty vehicles. The rule requires heavy-duty diesel
trucks and buses operating in California to shut down their
engines after five minutes of “non-essential” idling and
it limits idling within 100 feet of residences. The penalty
for each violation will be $100. To complement these efforts,
CARB is establishing a public education program to teach
heavy-duty vehicle operators ways to use their vehicles more
efficiently. Regulators expect idling reduction from
heavy-duty vehicles to eliminate each year 166 tons of
particulate matter and save about 52 million gallons of diesel
fuel. The rule broadens an existing idling reduction rule put
in place in 2002 to limit emissions from school buses. The
board will consider next year a regulation to limit extended
overnight idling practiced commonly by long-haul truckers.
On
June 24, CARB modified its transit bus certification rules to
allow transit agencies to purchase model year 2004 to 2006
diesel hybrid-electric vehicles. No diesel hybrid-electric bus
currently meets the strict 0.5 g/bhp-hr MY 2004 standard for
nitrogen oxides (NOx) and therefore cannot legally be sold in
the state. At the request of transit agencies who want to take
advantage of this fuel efficient technology, CARB took action
to allow the sale of diesel hybrid-electrics certified at a
higher 1.8 g/bhp-hr NOx standard. Transit agencies wishing to
purchase these vehicles must agree to retrofit or repower
other vehicles (including the oldest and dirtiest) in their
fleet to offset the higher NOx emissions to ultimately meet
the 0.5g/bhp-hr standard. This change is significant because
it opens the door for fuel efficiency strategies as a way to
reduce bus emissions in the state.
An
update on CARB activities is available on their website at http://www.arb.ca.gov
House
of Representatives Slashes EPA’s Budget Request for its
Clean School Bus Program
The
House Appropriations Committee approved just $10 million for
the continued implementation of the Environmental Protection
Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus USA Program in fiscal year
2005 as part of this year’s EPA budget. The full House will
consider the EPA budget and will likely approve the funding
amount for the school bus program when it returns from recess
in early September. The Bush Administration had requested a
significant funding increase in the program for a total $65
million to meet requests nationwide for school bus retrofit
funds. Over two years EPA has successfully distributed a total
of $10 million, including 20 project grants in 2004 and 17
project grants in 2003. In the first year of the program EPA
received 120 grant applications for a combined request of $60
million. These grant funds support a share of project costs to
retrofit school buses with after-treatment devices and
alternative fuels designed to reduce diesel particulate
matter. Particulate matter has been linked to premature death,
lung cancer and other sever respiratory ailments.
More
information about the Clean School Bus USA Program is
available at http://www.epa.gov/cleanschoolbus/
GAO
Recommends Greater Resources & Review to Ease Transition
to Cleaner Diesel
In
an evaluation of implementation-to-date of new heavy-duty
vehicle emission standards, the Government Accounting Office
(GAO) issued a report in March of this year concluding that
the transition to cleaner engines could be tumultuous unless
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) takes additional
steps to help engine manufacturers and fleet operators adopt
cleaner diesel engines and fuel. The report finds that, on the
whole, engine manufacturers are confident they will have ready
the technology to meet EPA’s stricter nitrogen oxide and
particulate matter emission standards for Model Year 2007
vehicles, while diesel fuel providers who must supply ultra
low-sulfur (15 parts per million) diesel fuel across the
country by mid-2006 are less clear about whether they can meet
EPA’s deadline. After a review of the October 2002
transition to cleaner engine standards, the report cites a
concern that fleet operators unsure of the price and
reliability of cleaner 2007 engines may drive demand for
older, dirtier engines before cleaner engines become
available. This could create market instability and reduce
projected emissions benefits. The EPA has said that both
cleaner diesel fuel and cleaner engines will be ready
according to plan. EPA disagrees with the GAO that an
independent progress review panel is necessary to verify
implementation status. But both the GAO and EPA agree
that some form of financial incentives should be made
available to encourage engine manufacturers to meet new
emission standards on time and to encourage companies to
purchase them on schedule. Congress is responsible for
appropriating money for this purpose, but it is not clear
whether this recommendation will be adopted any time soon.
The
report is available online at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d04313.pdf
EPA
Accepting Nominations for Fifth Annual Environmental
Excellence Awards
The
Environmental Protection Agency is now accepting nominations
for the fifth annual Environmental Excellence Awards. Members
of the EPA and the Clean Air Act Advisory Committee judge and
select winners in five categories: (1) Clean Air Technology,
(2) Community development and redevelopment, (3) Education and
Outreach, (4) Regulatory and policy innovations, and (5)
Transportation Efficiency Innovations. Eligible entries
include programs, projects or technologies that either
directly or indirectly reduce emissions of criteria pollutants
or hazardous/toxic air pollutants; are innovative; serve as a
model; and result in positive outcomes that are continuing and
sustainable. Third-party representatives may also nominate an
individual to receive the Thomas Zosel Outstanding Individual
Achievement Award, created to recognize an individual for a
lifetime of achievement, leadership and commitment to cleaner
air. The due date for
applications is September
17, 2004.
Please submit hard copies. A ceremony will honor award winners
in Washington, DC in early spring.
For
more information, be sure to visit http://www.epa.gov/air/caaac/clean_award.html
Climate
Change will Adversely Impact African Americans, New Report
Finds
A
report recently released by the Congressional Black Caucus
Foundation, Inc., finds that while African Americans are less
responsible for greenhouse gas emissions, both historically
and at present, they will bear the disproportionate burden of
the health effects and economic impacts caused by future
climate change. The 144-page report finds that over 70 percent
of African Americans live in counties violating federal air
pollution standards and are more than three times as likely to
be hospitalized or killed by asthma compared to whites. Blacks
are also 50 percent more likely than non-blacks to be
uninsured. The damage of dirtier air, extreme weather events
and economic instability brought about by climate change will
likely hit African Americans the hardest, according to the
report. But policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions
through the deployment of renewable fuels and energy efficient
technologies, for example, may disproportionately benefit
African Americans through new job creation and lower energy
expenditures. Cleaning up the air will also benefit African
Americans living in inner cities. The report recommends the
reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through policies that
support energy efficiency, reduce fossil fuel consumption and
improve air quality to mitigate the negative impacts of
climate change on the African American community.
A
copy of the report is available online at http://www.cbcfinc.org/
Submit
Your Clean Bus Story!
EESI’s
National Clean Bus Project is eager to learn about your clean
bus fleet. If you are in the process of procurement or if you
already operate buses that produce fewer emissions and consume
less fuel than conventional diesel buses, let us know!
Provide (1) the name of your organization and primary contact
person; (2) type of bus engine, fuel, and other emission
control devices used; (3) number of buses; (4) funding
sources; (5) costs and benefits; (6) and lessons learned.
We’ll post this information on our website and include it in
future editions of the Clean Bus Update! Send this information
to Ray Minjares at rminjares@eesi.org
or call 202-662-1883. More information can be mailed to 122 C
St, NW Suite 630 Washington, DC 20001.
Events
August
5, 2004
Las Vegas, NV: Alternative Fuels: The Right Thing to
Do! http://www.lasvegascleancities.org/upcoming.html
The
Las Vegas Regional Clean Cities Coalition is hosting an
afternoon workshop for heavy-duty vehicle fleet operators to
introduce alternative fuels and the clean cities coalition, as
well as a number of fleet operators using alternative fuels in
the Las
Vegas region. Engine manufacturers, fuel providers and fleet
managers will be on hand to answer questions and vehicles will
be on display for viewing and driving. Registration forms and
an agenda are on the coalition website.
August
16-17, 2004
Palm Springs, CA: Hydrogen-Fueling the Clean Air Future
http://www.aqmd.gov/tao/new-events/hydrogen-conference.htm
The
South Coast Air Quality Management District is hosting a
two-day conference with business, technology, and policy
representatives to discuss the deployment and
commercialization of hydrogen in the transportation sector.
September
21-23, 2004
Orlando, FL: Electric
Drive Transportation Association Conference and EXPO
http://www.edtaconference.com
The
annual Electric Drive Transportation Association Conference
will present progress on worldwide hydrogen and fuel cell
demonstration projects, battery electric vehicles in niche
communities, and the growing passenger vehicle market for
electric drives. A number of excellent speakers will be in
attendance. Registration is possible through the conference
website.
The
Clean Bus Update is a monthly periodical providing an overview
of current program and policy activities related to the
deployment of low-polluting, energy-efficient buses in the United
States. Topics include technology developments, clean vehicle
deployment, energy consumption, the environment, government
policy, and public health. The National Clean Bus Network is
an informal coalition of public and private sector
organizations working to increase the use of cleaner bus
technologies and fuels. The National
Clean Bus Network is a free resource to all clean
bus stakeholders. Please feel free to email Ray
Minjares at rminjares@eesi.org with questions,
comments or suggestions. You may also visit our website at www.eesi.org.
