The
National Clean Bus Network
September
2004 Clean Bus Update
Environmental
and Energy Study Institute Carol
Werner, Executive Director
Clean
Bus Highlights
Federal
Transportation Policy Update
TEA-21
Reauthorization
The
House and Senate Conference Committee to reauthorize TEA-21
(Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century),
the nation’s surface transportation bill, failed to agree
in time to a $299 billion compromise 6-year funding package
and, as a result, have agreed to extend TEA-21 for the sixth
time. This new extension gives lawmakers an
additional eight months until May 31, 2005 to produce a
final bill. Originally set to expire Sep 30, 2003, members
have repeatedly extended TEA-21 to prevent the shutdown of
federal transportation services in the absence of a
reauthorization bill, but these extensions have failed to
induce members to come to quick agreement. Fundamental
disagreements between the White House and Republican leaders
on spending levels have deadlocked negotiations. While some
members suggest they will return after the election to
finish the bill in a lame duck session, it is more likely
that both the House and Senate will restart the legislative
process with new bill language, new committee markups and
new votes next year. The extension authorizes transportation
funds at two-thirds the levels passed by the House
Appropriations Committee for fiscal year 2005 transportation
spending. It does not include project earmarks that House
members hoped for. The Senate approved the extension by
unanimous consent.
FY
2005 Appropriations
Before
extending TEA-21 a sixth time, the House and Senate moved
ahead with Fiscal Year 2005 transportation appropriations.
On Sep 22, the full House debated a bill that would provide
$34.6 billion for highway spending and $7.25 billion for
transit, leaving transit spending about equal to the amount
appropriated last year and boosting highway spending by $1
billion over last year’s levels. The floor debate caused
big headaches for sponsors of the bill. Republicans in the
House opposed to passing a bill in the absence of a TEA-21
reauthorization bill successfully used a point of order to
strip from the appropriations bill about 80 percent of its
provisions, according to one estimate. In light of these
extractions, the bill passed 397-12 on the promise from
House leaders that the bill would receive substantial
revision in conference committee. Meanwhile, the Senate
expects a full vote on its FY 2005 appropriations measure
soon. The Senate bill (S.2806) would provide $35.8 billion
for highways and $7.8 billion for transit, well over the
funding levels approved by the House and requested by the
Bush Administration. The White House requested $33.6 billion
for highways and $7.3 billion for transit. Congressional
leaders have said they will return after the Nov 2 election
to complete remaining appropriations bills in a lame duck
session. Only 1 of 13 appropriations bills have been passed
at this point. The other bills are under a continuing
resolution until Nov 20th.
An
update on FY 2005 appropriations bills is at http://thomas.loc.gov/home/approp/app05.html
Public
Workshop in California
Over Revised Public Fleet Rule
On
Friday, Oct 8th, staff of the California Air
Resources Board is holding a public workshop to discuss a
new draft of the proposed rule to limit emissions from
public and utility fleets in the state. The rule would
achieve reductions by requiring these fleets to retrofit
their vehicles with “Best Available Control Technology”
or “BACT.” New filters and engines are continuously
added to the list of BACT, but biodiesel is not recognized
in California as an alternative fuel, therefore
this rule may require public fleets using it to switch back
to using conventional diesel. This workshop will
permit affected parties and the general public to provide
comment.
The
workshop is at 10am PST. You can view the discussion online
and participate by phone. Visit http://www.arb.ca.gov/app/calendar/cal_wbcst.php
Comments
Requested for Clean Fuel Fleet Rule Waiver Petition
The
California Air Resources Board is now accepting written
comment on the request from the South Coast Air Quality
Management District (SCAQMD) to submit its clean fuel fleet
rules for waiver under section 209(b) of the Clean Air Act.
These fleet rules first established in 2000 set alternative
fuel vehicle purchasing requirements for public and
commercial fleets operating in Southern California. South
Coast is the nation’s most polluted air district and these
rules were designed to severely limit vehicle emissions. Yet
this Spring, the Supreme Court ruled in a suit brought by
the Engine Manufacturers Association that the rules are
“in effect” an emission standard, governable only by
federal law. In response, the SCAQMD has requested that the
State of California on its behalf request a waiver under the
Clean Air Act permitting the implementation of the rules.
Under the Clean Air Act, the EPA administrator can provide a
waiver only to the State of California. At its request,
California can implement regulations generally under the
jurisdiction of federal law when these regulations either
meet or exceed the protective standard for public health and
welfare set by federal law.
You
may find more information on CARB’s website at http://www.arb.ca.gov
Bus
Rapid Transit Case Studies Available Online
The
Transportation Research Board has made available case
studies of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems in North America.
Bus Rapid Transit is essentially a faster form of bus
service that relies upon fewer stops and faster speeds to
improve the movement of passengers. In 2003, Congress looked
at BRT as a mechanism to improve the delivery of public
transit service and, subsequently, created a new program in
federal law called the Small Starts Program that will focus
on systems like Bus Rapid Transit. The implementation of the
Small Starts Program is stalled until Congress reauthorizes
TEA-21, the nation’s 6-year surface transportation bill.
Copies
of the report are free and online in Adobe Format. You can
access Volume One at http://gulliver.trb.org/publications/tcrp/tcrp_rpt_90v1.pdf
Volume
Two is available at http://gulliver.trb.org/publications/tcrp/tcrp_rpt_90v2.pdf
Hickam
Air Force Base Provides Hydrogen Fuel Cell Testing Ground
Honolulu’s
Hickam Air Force Base is home to Hawaii’s first hydrogen
fuel cell vehicle. The 30 foot, 24 passenger flight
crew shuttle bus is the product of a joint project
underwritten by the Air Force and the State of Hawaii.
The Hawaii Center for Advanced Transportation Technologies (HCATT)
is managing and developing the technology for the project
with Enova Systems and the Hydrogenics Corporation.
The
bus features a battery-dominant series hybrid fuel cell
system that utilizes regenerative braking technology to
generate electricity that is then stored in on-board
batteries. The 20 kilowatt fuel cell is designed
mainly to charge the batteries and extend driving range.
The bus is able to remain in full operation 6-7 hours
between charging, more than double that of the average
battery-electric bus.
A
6-12 month evaluation will be conducted by the National
Renewable Energy Laboratory and will focus on recording the
experience of the fuel cell and hydrogen infrastructure
technologies to show the progress of these technologies, and
to provide insight into the type and amount of work
necessary to make these technologies viable.
Detailed
information on the project is available at http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy04osti/36412.pdf
Report
Finds High Level of Interest in Biodiesel Among State
Transportation Agencies
A
report based on a survey conducted by South Dakota’s
Department of Transportation (presented in July at this
year’s annual International Meeting of the American
Society of Agricultural Engineers and the Canadian Society
of the same name) indicated that a high level of interest in
biodiesel exists among state departments of transportation.
The survey found that 31 of the 48 respondent states had
actively used, tested, or considered a biodiesel blend for
use in their fleets, and 9 states mandated the use, testing,
or study of biodiesel. Of the states that had
considered but decided not to utilize biodiesel, additional
cost and questions regarding cold weather performance of the
blended fuel were cited most often as deterrents to
biodiesel use. Methods of use, study, storage, and
blending varied widely among states; however, nearly 80%
reported favoring a B20 (20% biodiesel, 80% petroleum)
blend. Of states reporting volumes and prices, the
weighted-average price differential was $0.0925/gallon above
petroleum diesel.
Visit
the ASAE website at http://www.asae.org/
EPA
Particulate Matter Research Report Released; New Rules
Underway
The
EPA released its report, “Particulate Matter (PM) Research
Program: Five Years of Progress,” summarizing the
accomplishments of its PM Research Program. The report is a
key component of a federal effort to define PM health
effects. Most significantly, the report finds “that
scientists have quantitatively established that exposure to
ambient PM is associated with morbidity and mortality.”
Based on its findings, EPA will issue a series of
regulations to prevent tens of thousands of premature
deaths, reduce cardiovascular and respiratory
hospitalizations, and save an estimated $100 billion/year in
related costs.
This
year EPA has been actively targeting diesel PM emissions. In
May, it announced the Clean Air Nonroad Diesel Rule, which
targets construction, agricultural, mining, and other
industrial vehicles primarily operating off-road. The
rule will reduce emissions of these vehicles by over 90%,
through graduated engine standards beginning in 2008 and a
graduated reduction of sulfur content in diesel.
Current nonroad diesel contains 3000 parts per million of
sulfur. By 2007 this will decrease to the current
transportation industry standard of 500 ppm, and by 2010 it
will fall even further to 15 ppm, the new standard for
on-road ultra low sulfur diesel. EPA also intends to
finalize the proposed Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) by
the end of the year. CAIR will focus on reducing the
emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrous oxides in upwind
states that contribute significantly to fine particulate and
ozone pollution in downwind states. Finally, EPA
will make final fine particulate matter (PM2.5)
nonattainment designations in November.
After adoption of the standards, states and local
governments will have 3 years to meet the standards.
The
report is available online at:
http://www.epa.gov/pmresearch/pm_research_accomplishments/pdf/pm_research_program_five_years_of_progress.pdf
All
of EPA’s diesel-related activities can be found online at http://www.epa.gov/diesel
Study
Finds Air Pollution Stunts Lung Growth in Children
A
study released in the September 9th edition of
the New England Journal of Medicine provides definitive
evidence that smog limits the development of healthy lungs
in children, documenting that smog does more than just
exacerbate existing lung conditions. The study,
conducted by a team of University of Southern California
researchers, tracked lung development in nearly 1,800
students living in the Southern California region from 4th
grade until high school graduation. A key finding of
the study reveals that lung development is slower in
children living in highly polluted communities, while lung
function improves appreciably when children move to
less-polluted communities. The study also found that
living in areas of high air pollution increases by five-fold
the chances that a child will develop weak lungs.
Researchers described reductions in breathing ability
“clinically significant” for those children living in
highly polluted communities.
Nearly
12 million children in the United States already suffer from
asthma. Pollution, especially from diesel vehicles, can
aggravate asthma in children, while some studies are
beginning to show that diesel pollution can actually cause
the onset of asthma. Targeting vehicle emissions is a key
factor in improving the health and welfare of children
nationwide.
A
summary of the report is available online at http://www.scpcs.ucla.edu/news/CHSPolicyBrief.pdf
Port
Traffic Emissions a Likely Cause of Cancer in Los
Angeles County
A
new study shows that diesel emissions correlate with the
incidence of cancer in major freight corridors. University
of Southern California epidemiologist Dr. Thomas M. Mack
recently concluded a review of 27 years of cancer reports in
Los Angeles County. Mack found a number of cancer
pockets, notably in areas around the 405, 605, 105, and 710
freeways in southern Los Angeles County. The pockets
were likely the result of heavy diesel pollution by the
Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, and the trucks
servicing them along the 710 freeway. Diesel
emissions, especially particulate matter, are believed to be
carcinogenic, but thus far researchers have had difficulty
ascertaining the effects of each of the component emissions
of diesel, and other fossil-fuels.
The
ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and their accompanying
ship, train, and truck traffic are the largest air polluters
in Los Angeles and are coming under increasing scrutiny.
Recently the Port of Long Beach announced plans to expand
Pier J by 115 acres. With recent revelations about air
pollution and its health effects, Long Beach residents have
been outspoken in an effort to persuade the Long Beach City
Council to reject the planned expansion. California
Assemblyman Alan Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) authored the Clean
Ports Bill (AB 2042), which would freeze port emissions at
current levels, regardless of the degree of throughput
increase. Although the bill passed the California
state legislature, Governor Swarzennegger vetoed it.
A
summary of Mack’s review, Cancers
in the Urban Environment, is at http://www-apps.niehs.nih.gov/centers/public/hilites/ctr-782.htm
A
report by the Natural Resources Defense Council details
cost-effective port pollution tools, at http://www.nrdc.org/air/pollution/ports/contents.asp
The
Clean Ports Bill: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/asm/ab_2001-2050/ab_2042_bill_20040825_enrolled.html
Bus
Rapid Transit Debate in Los
Angeles Reaches Tipping Point
On
Sep 28th, the Los Angeles City Council
unanimously approved to make portions of the Wilshire
Corridor Bus Rapid Transit Demonstration Project permanent,
conduct further study of portions of the remaining corridor,
and work with neighboring cities to expand the demonstration
project. Los Angeles is the scene of a progressive
demonstration and deployment of Bus Rapid Transit, a
high-speed bus service made popular in Europe and South
America for its efficiency and cost-effectiveness. However,
a heated debate involving the Metropolitan Transportation
Authority (MTA), the Los Angeles Department of
Transportation (LADOT), and the Automobile Club of Southern
California recently brought attention to the challenges
deploying this new service. The debate centers around a
mile-long stretch of Bus Rapid Transit lanes on Wilshire
Boulevard in West LA. The outcome of the debate could be an
important indicator for the future of transportation in Los
Angeles. The bus lanes opened 6 months ago, and the
current point of contention is whether to permanently
implement the lanes, or to continue the experiment only in
the near-term. Mayor James Hahn and County Supervisor Zev
Yaroslavsky – both key members of MTA – tout the time
savings accrued by transit riders on Wilshire routes during
peak traffic periods. Others, notably LADOT and the
Automobile Club of Southern California, as well as local
business owners, decry the lanes. Commuters have
claimed that the ‘bus only’ lanes unnecessarily add to
the congestion in car-dominant LA. Local business
owners claim lost revenue as the lanes have virtually
eliminated on-street parking. A recent study by the Texas
Transportation Institute reveals that the Los Angeles region
has the worst traffic congestion in the country. The
Metropolitan Transportation Authority is moving ahead to
expand BRT demonstration projects throughout the region to
improve transportation flow and increase public acceptance
of public transportation to reduce emissions and congestion
problems.
For
more information on the Wilshire project please visit:
http://www.mta.net/trans_planning/cpd/midcity/wilshire_brt/images/executive_summary1-28.pdf
Congressional
Research Service Links TEA-21 Reauthorization and
Environmental Policies
The
Congressional Research Service (CRS) has made publicly
available its final report for Congress detailing key
environmental issues associated with the reauthorization of
TEA-21 (Transportation Equity Act for the 21st
Century). The report, Highway
and Transit Program Reauthorization: An Analysis of
Environmental Protection Issues includes a
comprehensive accounting of provisions for clean fuel buses,
including background on the Clean Fuels Formula Grant
Program, other Federal Transit Administration funding
sources for clean fuel buses and infrastructure, and a
summary of key policy issues, including critics’ arguments
against dedicated clean fuel bus funding. This is an
important resource for policy makers and others who wish to
familiarize themselves with the key environmental protection
issues of transportation spending.
The
analysis is available online at http://www.ncseonline.org/NLE/CRSreports/04Jun/RL32057.pdf
In
addition, CRS recently published Environmental
Provisions in Surface Transportation Reauthorization
Legislation: SAFETEA (S. 1072) and TEA-LU (H.R. 3550),
an analysis of environmental provisions in the House and
Senate passed TEA-21 reauthorization bills. This is an
important, non-partisan resource for policymakers and the
general public alike to better understand the environmental
provisions that lawmakers ultimately included in these
bills.
For
a copy of the report, visit http://www.ncseonline.org/NLE/CRSreports/04Sep/RL32454.pdf
Toyota
Providing $20 Million for School Bus Diesel Retrofits
Toyota
Motor Corporation will provide $20 million for 3,000 school
bus retrofits as a result of a settlement agreement recently
reached with the Department of Justice. The US Government
came to an agreement with Toyota after threatening
prosecution for a major violation of the Clean Air Act. All
school districts will be eligible to apply for a retrofit
grant through this settlement, but school districts located
in non-attainment areas for air quality will receive
priority. Toyota sent notification of funding availability
to all school districts at the end of September. A
subsequent 45-day application period applies for all school
districts to submit “Expression of Interest” forms.
Through a lottery process, Toyota will then select a limited
number of applicants to whom they will distribute full
applications. Award winners will receive notification in
early March, 2005.
Although
this large source of funding will contribute much to
reducing diesel emissions, some in the Clean Bus Network
have expressed dismay that this opportunity ostensibly
excludes a wide range of diesel emission reduction
strategies by focusing exclusively on deployment of
ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel and particulate traps.
According to one Clean Cities coordinator, use of these
funds cannot be applied to “alternative fuels” that can
provide the added benefits of reducing petroleum consumption
and greenhouse gas emissions. Please send comments to info@cleanbusesforkids.com
or by phone at 703-934-3040. You can copy your comments to
EESI at rminjares@eesi.org.
For
more information, and for an “Expression of Interest”
form, visit http://www.cleanbusesforkids.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 if we haven’t heard your story! 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 EESI 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. If there are issues we are missing and you
think we should cover, please let us know.
Special
Note: Ray Minjares will
be leaving EESI October 8th and will no longer be
the contact for Clean Bus Issues. Until the position is
filled, please continue to send questions or comments to rminjares@eesi.org
as this will be monitored. If you with to speak to someone,
please contact Carol Werner, Executive Director, at
202-662-1881, or Thomas Ashley at 202-662-1893. You may also
visit our website at www.eesi.org.
