The National Clean Bus Network

June 2004 Clean Bus Update

Environmental and Energy Study Institute     Carol Werner, Executive Director

Clean Bus Highlights

• Gov. Schwarzenegger Proposes Permanent Funding to Reduce California Diesel Emissions
• 3,000 Diesel-Related Deaths This Year in California, According to UCS Report
• In Major Shift, Washington, DC Chooses Hybrid-Electric Over Natural Gas
• U.S. Supreme Court Weighs In on Regulation of Diesel Emissions
• TEA-21 Reauthorization Bill in Conference; Congress Passes Fourth Extension
• Michigan Encouraging Biodiesel Use Among Transit Agencies
• EPA Implements New Ozone Rules; Finalizes Rules for Off-Road Diesel Vehicles
• 55 Percent of Americans Breathing Unhealthy Air, According to American Lung Association
• Submit Your Clean Bus Story!

Schwarzenegger Proposes Permanent Funding to Reduce California Diesel Emissions

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger released a proposal June 15 to establish permanent funding for the state’s highly successful diesel emissions reduction program, known as the Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program. State bond money that will soon run out has until now provided $154 million to the program since its inception in 1998 to provide grants for the repower, replacement and retrofit of diesel-powered vehicles. The Governor’s proposal would secure $61 million annually through a $6 increase in vehicle registration fees for owners of vehicles six years old or less. Since 1998 the Carl Moyer Program has converted almost 5000 diesel vehicles to use cleaner fuels or retrofit devices. Other states including Texas have modeled their diesel reduction initiatives after the Carl Moyer Program.

View the Governor’s press release by clicking here

3,000 Diesel-Related Deaths this year in California, According to UCS Report

The Union of Concerned Scientists estimates in a new report, Sick of Soot, that almost 3,000 Californians will die prematurely this year from exposure to diesel exhaust. As a cause of death in 2004, diesel exhaust will be more lethal than homicides (est. 2,300 deaths). The report also estimates that diesel exhaust will cause 2,700 cases of chronic bronchitis and 4,400 hospital visits for heart and lung-related illnesses every year. The estimated costs of treating these health effects will reach $21.5 billion each year. The Diesel Risk Reduction Plan adopted by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) in 2000 would reduce diesel particulate matter 75 percent by 2010 and 85 percent by 2020, but significant hurdles from industry have limited implementation of the plan, leaving 85 percent of diesel emissions sources still unregulated. The report calls for full implementation of the plan, as well as permanent funding for the Carl Moyer Incentive Program and the Lower Emission School Bus Program to provide funds for in-use diesel vehicles, including school buses, to switch to cleaner-burning fuels and engines. The report also calls on Congress and the EPA to focus more on reducing diesel emissions by extending regulations to ships and trains, implementing a voluntary retrofit program and an inspection & maintenance program, and performing research into real-world emissions and ultrafine particles.

For a copy of the report, visit http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_vehicles/trucks_and_buses/page.cfm?pageID=1429

In Major Shift, Washington, DC Chooses Hybrid-Electric Over Natural Gas

The Washington Metro Board of Directors voted June 18 to suspend further purchase of natural gas-powered buses in favor of diesel and diesel hybrid-electric buses. This decision abandons the policy adopted by the board in 2000 to procure only natural gas-powered buses. Metro Board Chairman Robert Smith led the purchasing shift against the wishes of board members Chris Zimmerman and Jim Graham who fought for and developed the clean bus initiative in 2000. Originally scheduled to purchase 200 natural gas-powered buses and retrofit a garage to service them for a total cost of $86 million, the board in a compromise opted instead to pay $82 million to purchase 117 advanced diesel buses and 100 hybrid-electric buses. Board members in favor of this decision argued that with less money this procurement helps meet ridership growth and retire older, more polluting buses while supporting the promising new hybrid bus technology. Those against the decision questioned the maturity of the hybrid-electric technology and the impact of switching back to image-worn diesel.

Read Washington Post coverage online at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50637-2004Jun17.html (subscription required)

U.S. Supreme Court Weighs In on Regulation of Diesel Emissions

On April 28 the Supreme Court invalidated in part a set of 2-year old regulations that required private operators of diesel-powered fleets in Southern California to purchase the cleanest available engines to reduce diesel emissions. The Engine Manufacturers Association on behalf of diesel engine manufacturers brought the lawsuit against the South Coast Air Quality Management District arguing that the regulations in effect set an emission standard that under the Clean Air Act is a power relegated only to the California Air Resources Board or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Writing for the 8-1 majority Justice Antonin Scalia agreed, saying that though the regulations set a purchasing requirement and not an emission standard, the purchasing requirement “…is as much an ‘attempt to enforce’ a ‘standard’.” The ruling sends the case back to the 9^th District Court of Appeals to make a final decision. While natural gas-powered vehicles under this rule dominated new vehicle purchases, this decision will now permit private companies to broaden their fuel options. South Coast spokesman Barry Wallerstein insists that the ruling applies to privately operated fleets only, and therefore, the air quality agency will move forward with purchasing rules for public fleets, though this effort may also confront legal obstacles.

View a public advisory submitted by the SCAQMD in response to the Supreme Court Decision at http://www.aqmd.gov/tao/FleetRules/advisory01.pdf

On June 7 the Supreme Court also ruled in a unanimous decision that the President can permit the flow of Mexican trucks and buses into the United States without restriction from US environmental laws. In 2002 the President lifted a 20-year ban on Mexican vehicle travel after an arbitration panel found that the United States was failing to fulfill its obligations under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). But environmentalists, trade groups, labor unions, consumer advocates and nine states brought a suit against the Administration in response to the President’s order, arguing that the U.S. Department of Transportation must conduct an environmental impact assessment. Environmentalists argue that the Mexican vehicle fleet will increase air pollution because it has a higher proportion of vehicles built before 1993 when stringent regulations on heavy-duty engines came into effect. The Supreme Court unanimously disagreed with the plaintiffs, stating that the President has the sole power to order cross-border operations under the international agreement and “did not need to consider the environmental effects arising from the entry.”  While federal authorities argue that the Mexican fleet is modern, state and local government officials worry that unregulated Mexican fleets will make it more difficult for them to meet federal clean air standards.

View the article in the Washington Post online at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23391-2004Jun7.html (subscription required)

TEA-21 Reauthorization Bill in Committee; Congress Passes Fourth Extension

After a delay in the Senate to name conferees, the House-Senate Conference finally met in a public session June 9 to make opening remarks and begin negotiations to reconcile the House- and Senate-passed reauthorization bills. In their second public meeting on June 23, the conference committee approved 42 non-controversial policy provisions. However, an agreement on total funding is still the major obstacle for conferees. Senate members of the committee proposed to accept $318 billion as the bill’s funding figure. House members will indicate at the committee’s next meeting on July 7 whether they will accept this total. The President’s advisors have already threatened to recommend a veto of this spending figure. The House and Senate on June 23 also approved a one-month extension of TEA-21, making this the bill’s fourth extension. The current expiration date is now July 31, 2004.

A list of approved provisions to be included in the final bill is online at http://www.house.gov/transportation/highway/06-23-04recom.pdf

Michigan Encouraging Biodiesel Use Among Transit Agencies

The Michigan State Energy Office is offering funds to pay for the incremental cost of biodiesel (B20) used in Michigan County Road Commissions and public transit agencies. The project aim is to demonstrate the use and benefits of biodiesel as a way to reduce dependence on imported oil and improve air quality. Biodiesel is made from vegetable oils, waste oils and animal fats and (usually) blended with regular diesel fuel to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and harmful pollutants. Since biodiesel is also produced domestically, its use helps to displace imported petroleum fuels. Michigan County Road Commissions and public transit agencies in the state are eligible to receive reimbursement of up to 75 percent of the incremental cost of using biodiesel fuel in their daily operations. This project aims to increase public awareness of biodiesel while accelerating market demand and strengthening the biodiesel infrastructure in Michigan. Transit agencies are good candidates to promote biodiesel because their diesel emissions are the target of air quality regulators. 

A copy of the Request for Proposal (RFP) is available by contacting Dulcey Simpkins at 517-214-6223 or dsimpk@michigan.gov

EPA Implements New Ozone Rules; Finalizes Rules for Off-Road Diesel Vehicles

On April 15, 2004 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designated 474 counties (partially or entirely) in non-attainment of the nation’s new 8-hour standard for ozone. This replaces the 1-hour standard for ozone established by the EPA in 1979. The Clean Air Act requires that the 31 states with designated ozone non-attainment areas must prepare and submit a plan to EPA that describes specific programs to reduce emissions from major sources of NOx precursors like cars, trucks, buses, power plants and industrial facilities. The federal government through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) provides funding to states to help them implement these plans. Any project, including clean bus deployment and demonstration, is eligible for CMAQ funding if it contributes to help meet the ozone attainment standards. CMAQ is the largest source of funding nationwide for clean bus deployment and demonstration projects.

Information on the new designations is available online at http://www.epa.gov/ozonedesignations

Also on May 11, EPA Administrator Michael Leavitt announced a final rule to reduce by 99 percent the sulfur content of diesel fuel used in farming and construction equipment. By requiring cleaner engines, the rule, according to EPA, will reduce emissions from these sources by 90 percent, saving an estimated 12,000 lives, one million lost work days, 15,000 heart attacks and 6,000 asthma-related visits to the emergency room. The smallest engines used in off-road equipment will need to meet cleaner standards beginning in 2008. The rule also requires off-road diesel fuel to meet the standards of on-road diesel fuel by 2010. EPA also announced it will pursue a similar rule to limit diesel emissions from trains and marine vessels.

Information on EPA’s diesel emission reduction activities is at http://www.epa.gov/diesel

55 Percent of Americans Breathing Unhealthy Air, According to American Lung Association

According to this year’s American Lung Association report State of the Air: 2004, 159 million Americans (equal to 55 percent of the US population) live in counties that exceed health standards for ground-level ozone or particulate matter,. Ozone causes shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing and inflammation of the lungs. Particulate matter is linked to premature death, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and asthma attacks. The report finds that ozone affects more Americans than particulate matter. Nearly 136 million Americans ( 47 percent of the US population) live in counties with unhealthful ozone concentrations while 81 million Americans (28 percent of the US population) suffer from unhealthful short and long-term levels of particulate matter. Among communities sensitive to high levels of air pollution, 29 million children and 15.7 million seniors are living in areas with unhealthful levels of ozone. At the same time, 16.7 million Americans suffering from heart disease and 17.9 million children susceptible to asthma attacks live in areas with unhealthful levels of particulate matter.

To access a summary of the report, visit the ALA website at http://lungaction.org/reports/stateoftheair2004.html

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.

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.