The
National Clean Bus Network
May
2004 Clean Bus Update
Environmental
and Energy Study Institute Carol
Werner, Executive Director
Clean
Bus Highlights
- Senate
Breaks Stalemate; Names Conferees to Move TEA-21
Reauthorization Forward
- Comparison
and Analysis of Clean Bus-Related Provisions
- EPA
Voluntary Retrofit Program Grant Solicitation: DUE July
2, 2004
- ACTION
ALERT: California
Proposal Causing Roadblocks to Biodiesel
- More
Clean Buses on the Road, According to APTA
- Submit
Your Clean Bus Story!
- Clean
Bus Network Loses Major Funder – Seeks Your Help!
Senate
Breaks Stalemate; Names Conferees to Move TEA-21
Reauthorization Forward
After
a setback of more than a month, the Senate took a crucial step
May 20 to name 21 conferees to the House-Senate conference
that will reconcile the reauthorization bills passed by both
chambers. Time is running short for Congress to send a
reauthorization bill to the President before the expiration of
the current TEA-21 extension on June 30. With controversial
issues like total funding and state allocations yet to be
decided, it is likely that Congress will pass a fourth TEA-21
extension to prevent a shutdown of vital transportation
programs. An extension could go until July 23 when Congress
will recess for this year’s electoral conventions, or
possibly until the end of the next fiscal year (Sep.
30, 2005).
The
Senate Conferees are:
Mitch
McConnell (R-KY)
Tom Daschle (D-SD)
Trent
Lott (R-MS)
Harry Reid (D-NV)
James
Inhofe (R-OK)
James Jeffords (I-VT)
Christopher
Bond (R-MO)
Bob Graham (D-FL)
John
Warner (R-VA)
Joseph Lieberman (D-CT)
George
Voinovich (R-OH)
Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
Charles
Grassley (R-IA)
Max Baucus (D-MT)
Orrin
Hatch (R-UT)
Kent Conrad (D-ND)
Don
Nickles (R-OK)
Ernest Hollings (D-SC)
John
McCain (R-AZ)
Paul Sarbanes (D-MD)
Richard
Shelby (R-AL)
Comparison
and Analysis of Clean Bus-Related Provisions
EESI
is making available to the Clean Bus Network a Comparison
of Clean Bus-Related Provisions in each of the
House and Senate reauthorization bills as the House-Senate
conference committee moves to consider them. CLICK
HERE to access the PDF version or visit the EESI website
at www.eesi.org.
EPA
Voluntary Diesel Retrofit Program Grant Solicitation: DUE JULY
2, 2004
The
Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Voluntary Diesel
Retrofit Program is now accepting applications for funds to
assist projects that demonstrate the innovative usage of EPA
verified pollution control equipment to reduce emissions from
diesel fleets that affect sensitive populations more
susceptible to the effects of diesel exhaust (i.e., children,
the elderly and the chronically ill). Agencies that may
submit applications include state, local, multi-state, tribal
and non-profit organizations. EPA will award 10 to 15
cooperative agreements ranging from $100,000 to $150,000 from
a total available amount of $1.5 million. Notifications to
apply (optional) are due by May
28, 2004. Complete applications must be submitted by July 2,
2004.
The
full announcement is available online at www.epa.gov/air/pdfs/04-08.pdf
ACTION
ALERT: California
Proposal Causing Roadblocks to Biodiesel
The
California Air Resources Board has proposed a rule that, if
enacted, could increase the use of petroleum, force violations
of the federal Energy Policy Act of 1992 and cause vehicle
fleets using biodiesel to switch back to diesel fuel. The
draft rule, Diesel
Particulate Matter Control Measure for On-Road Diesel-Fueled
Fleet Vehicles Owned and Operated by Public Agencies and
Utilities, will phase-in the use of “Best
Available Control Technology (BACT)” to reduce diesel
particulate matter (PM) from fleets owned and operated by
public agencies. The proposed rule excludes the use of
biodiesel by (1) leaving out biodiesel in the definition of
“alternative fuels,” (2) providing no exemption for
engines using biodiesel to establish a warranty for use with
the fuel, (3) restricting the use of B20 with retrofit devices
and working slowly to establish warranties for these product
combinations, and (4) providing an alternative compliance
option for federal fleets using biodiesel to meet federal
EPACT requirements. CARB is accepting written comments on the
draft rule through June
10, 2004.
View
EESI’s ACTION ALERT online at http://www.eesi.org/publications/CARB_Alert.PDF
More
information on the draft rule and the address to direct
written comments is available at http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/publicfleets/publicfleets.htm
More
Clean Buses on the Road, According to APTA
In
a survey of about 300 bus systems nationwide, the American
Public Transportation Association (APTA) found that about 13.3
percent of buses are powered by alternative sources of energy,
up from 11.8 percent last year. The information made available
in the 2004 edition of
APTA’s Public
Transportation Fact Book reveals that conventional
diesel fuel still powers the large majority of buses (more
than 86.6 percent), but is losing ground to alternative fuels
like natural gas, propane and hybrid-electric engines. At the
end of 2003, natural gas in various forms (compressed,
liquefied and blended) powered 12.3 percent of buses, up from
11 percent last year and still the largest alternative power
source for buses by far. Electric, hybrid-electric, propane,
hydrogen, biodiesel and other fuels powered only 0.7 percent
of the nation’s buses, up only marginally from 0.6 percent
last year. There were 2,264 bus transit agencies in operation
during fiscal year 2002 operating a total of 76,190 active
buses and consuming about 559 million gallons of fossil fuels.
Transit passengers used buses to take 5.8 billion trips in
2002, equal to about 61 percent of all public transit trips,
making bus transit the most utilized mode of public transit in
the nation.
Bus
transportation is an effective way to combat energy
consumption, air pollution and climate change. Americans
dedicate nearly 43 percent of their energy consumption to
transportation. Public transportation offers an effective
strategy for reducing energy use because it uses about one
half of the fuel consumed by cars, and about a third of that
used by sport utility vehicles and light trucks. This makes
public transit investment critical. More information is
available online at www.apta.com
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.
Clean
Bus Network Loses Major Funder - Seeks Your Help
EESI
recently learned that the primary grant that supports the
activities of the Clean Bus Network will not be renewed. This
leaves a significant gap in funding that we need to fill in
order to continue our work and services, which we are
committed to do. EESI has been an important source of
clean bus information through fact sheets, public briefings,
and communication with clean bus stakeholders that need our
help the most. We are currently pursuing any and all funding
options, including a transition to a fee-based clean bus
network and a subscription-based clean bus newsletter. We
welcome any feedback you may have on funding opportunities,
and will be contacting some of you to discuss this further. Please
tell us what you find valuable about the network and how we
can continue to serve you. You may forward any opinions, ideas
and suggestions to Ray Minjares at rminjares@eesi.org
In
the meantime, EESI is accepting contributions to support the
on-going work of the Clean Bus Network. EESI Associates
contribute $1,000 minimum, but any
size contribution will help. All contributions are tax
deductible. EESI’s tax ID number is 52-1268030.
Please
complete the following form and email, fax or mail it to Ray
Minjares. Thank you for your help to continue this vital
work.
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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.
