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      Clean Air Currents    
November 2000

Project Clean Air Strategic Planning Session Identifies Organizational Strengths and Weaknesses

Air District employees and representatives of our corporate sponsors joined with Project Clean Air Board Members, past committee chairmen, and individuals from the community with insight into key air quality issues to begin work on a strategic plan for the agency.

The working group spent almost five hours earlier this month focused on strengthening the organization.

Among the results:

v A revised Mission Statement;

v Strengths and Weaknesses Identified;

v Opportunities and Challenges Identified;

v Three priority Goals Set; and

v Objectives identified toward achieving the first three goals.

Our old Mission Statement appears on this newsletter near our return address. The revision simply shortens the Mission Statement. Although one suggestion was ‘Clean the Air,’ the final accepted version reads:

Project Clean Air’s mission is to improve air quality through education and collective action.

A few subcommittees were identified to flesh out several action items. The Board of Directors will continue to work on the plan at its next meeting.

“As we approach our tenth year anniversary, it’s healthy for us to reinvent Project Clean Air and to reintroduce ourselves to the community,” noted Executive Director Linda Urata. “A lot of credit goes to the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce’s VISION 2020 process. VISION 2020 has given Project Clean Air an amazing opportunity to hear about air quality from the community.”

Board President Laura Dennison commented, “Through VISION 2020, the community has expressed that poor air quality stands out as their number one concern in Bakersfield. We need to invite the community to help Project Clean Air improve air quality. The community needs to support Project Clean Air with both time and money. Collectively, individuals and businesses can make a difference.”

As the Board and the subcommittees move forward, they will identify specific projects and a marketing strategy.

Noted Urata, “We still have a long way to go before we’ll have clean air to breathe each day. This session gave our agency an affirmation from the working group. The Luncheon on November 16^th will move us another step forward. These are very exciting times for achieving our goals.”

Valley Air District Stakeholders Forum

Addresses Non-Attainment Status

In early October, stakeholders met in offices of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District in Modesto, Fresno, and Bakersfield by video teleconferencing.

Stakeholders included staff of the SJVAPCD, California Air Resources Board, permitted businesses, environmental and health agencies, and the public at large.

Our valley communities must meet air quality standards as early as November 2003.

The Air District presented its planning and rule development efforts, recent air quality modeling, and led a discussion on cost effectiveness thresholds for future air pollution control measures.

Regarding the modeling efforts, one stakeholder asked how accurate the computer models are, if we missed our 1999 attainment deadline. The air district demonstrated that the model is able to accurately predict the air pollution episodes that have occurred, when we input the proper data. Therefore, District staff has concluded that our 1990 emissions inventory data were off by as much as 10%, and that the Smog Check program has not met its emission reduction goals.

Another Stakeholders meeting will be convened in a few months.

Program Reports

Membership Is Smog Clouding Your Vision? All members are invited to the Annual Luncheon and Alternate Fuel Vehicle Ride and Drive from Noon to 1:30pm on November 16^th at the Stockdale Country Club in Bakersfield. See the invitation flier in this newsletter. There will not be a second mailing!

Thank you to the individuals who made donations in memory of Juanita Bennett. Project Clean Air and the Bennett family appreciate your thoughtful gesture.

Each month, PCA Board President Laura Dennison and/or Linda Urata (Laura’s alternate) attend the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District’s Citizens’ Advisory Committee as the Kern County Environmental Representative. That means we represent you! Keep us informed on your opinions regarding the air district’s programs.

Public Education Get ready for CSUB Basketball! The Project Clean Air Fanpool will jump into action, thanking fans who share a ride to home games at Bakersfield Centennial Gardens. Volunteers are welcome and get in to see the games for FREE! Check out the enclosed flier for the game schedule. Call 661-833-5740 today.

On November 1^st, Linda Urata will talk about Project Clean Air with the Shafter Kiwanis organization.

Kern Auto Recycle East (KARE) In October we purchased 2 more vehicles, bringing the total purchased to 21. Look for our billboard advertising beginning November 1st and running through December.

Archive 2000

October 2000

Crush A Bus; Clean The Air!

On September 26^th, Project Clean Air (PCA) crushed a 1979 Rivera Transit Bus. The bus was operated the past four years in the Los Angeles area transporting special needs individuals to work or appointments. The bus service transported 8-12 passengers Monday through Friday, six hours each day. According to the transit operator, PCA removed the bus from service about two years ahead of schedule.

Rivera Transit now operates a fleet of 40 diesel-fueled buses and 9 compressed natural gas (CNG) fueled buses. The annual mileage on both the retired and new vehicle stands at about 62,400 miles. The approximate net emissions reduced from this project are 138 pounds each of PM10 and Hydrocarbons; 1,264 pounds of Carbon Monoxide (CO); and 4,976 pounds of Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx).

"In the San Joaquin Valley, especially in Kern County, we’ve been ahead of the crowd in converting our transit fleets to cleaner burning fuels," stated PCA Executive Director

Linda Urata. "Locally, the GET-A-Lift fleet operates 13 vehicles all on CNG. These buses travel about 40,000 miles annually."

Usually, PCA works to educate the public about the positive aspects of riding a bus – taking cars off of our congested roads, saving money, and helping improve our air quality. So, why crush a bus? "We want to dramatically draw attention to the fact that many of these horrible old vehicles still remain on the road," explained Urata. About 9 percent of California’s 24,000 school buses were built before 1977, when federal safety and emissions rules kicked in.

The week of September 18^th, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) held workshops to ask citizens how it should spend $50 million earmarked for cleaner school buses. CARB expects to allocate the money in December. Millions of dollars for reducing vehicle emissions will also be made available in the next few months by the California Energy Commission, the Carl Moyer program, and the Department of Energy State Energy Program grants, just to name a few programs.

Says Urata, "Now’s the time for light duty and heavy duty fleet operators to cash-in on these clean air programs that will directly improve our health.

Program Reports

Membership Welcome to our newest member, Nuevo Energy!

Seventy people participated in the Family Barbecue at Silver Creek Park in Southwest Bakersfield on September 14^th. We had wonderful weather, good fun, fun games, and great tunes! Let’s do it again! A special thank you to our volunteers, board members, and staff.

Everyone enjoyed the chips donated by Frito Lay and getting a hug from the Hometown Buffet Bee!

STEP 2, the Hometown Buffet, and the Bakersfield Condors donated prizes. Thank you Rod Ledesma, Lenora Cleaves, and Matthew Riley! Congratulations to our winners!

Twenty-one epicureans turned out for our Wine Tasting event that took place at Caf� Med on September 16^th! Board Members did a wonderful job coordinating the event. Kern County Supervisor, Barbara Patrick underwrote the event’s expenses (and then some). We greatly appreciate her generosity.

Public Education Project Clean Air provided the Bakersfield Californian with contacts and information for an article on Agricultural Burning that ran on 9/15/00. KERN 1410am and El Popular reported the bus crushing event that took place on 9/26/00.

Work continues on VISION 2020. Several Project Clean Air Board Directors, members, and our Executive Director participate weekly on committees.

Get ready for CSUB Basketball! The Project Clean Air Fanpool will jump into action, thanking fans who share a ride to home games at Bakersfield Centennial Gardens. Volunteers are welcome and get in to see the games for FREE! Check out the enclosed flier for the game schedule. Call 661-833-5740 today.

Kern Auto Recycle East (KARE) In September we purchased 4 more vehicles, bringing the total purchased to 19. We will place two billboards in eastern Kern County for two months to advertise the program, and to encourage vehicle maintenance.

Clean Cities A general membership meeting of the San Joaquin Valley Clean Cities Coalition was held on September 7^th, in Fresno at the Valley Air District. Fresno County Supervisor Judith Case was on hand with her Honda Insight. The local Toyota dealership also showed off the Prius. Both vehicles feature hybrid gasoline/electric fueling systems. Everyone enjoyed road-testing the vehicles.

Project Clean Air co-sponsors the Kern County Forum 2000 Livable Communities Summit, "Drawing a Line in the Sand". The event will be held on October 27^th, from 7:30am to 1:30pm at the Doubletree Hotel in Bakersfield. Registration forms are available at Project Clean Air, or by calling 661-322-2872. Linda Urata (Clean Cities Coordinator), Bob Riding (Clean Cities Technical Liason), and Doug Snyder (Clean Cities Member) will serve on a panel devoted to Clean Cities and Air Quality!

Project Clean Air in partnership with Gladstein and Associates is planning a Fleet Operators’ Workshop on December 12^th at the Edison in Tulare. The workshop will be similar to our "Roadsigns 99" event held last year, and to workshops put on by Gladstein throughout Southern California. PG&E and the Valley Air District have already signed on as sponsors and participate in planning the event.

News Briefs and Workshop Notices

If you have any questions regarding these news briefs, feel free to stop by our office for a complete copy of the news story or report mentioned.

California Air Resources Board Upholds the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate

CARB voted unanimously to keep the program and its requirement of 4% Zero-Emission Vehicles in 2003. Governor Davis received over 75,000 pieces of mail on this issue.

The Board directed staff to come up with proposals to fine-tune the program. Another public workshop will be held in October. The Board will consider a final draft of proposed changes in January 2001.

California AB2061 will provide $3,000 in incentives for 3 years to help buy down the cost differential between a gasoline car and an Electric Vehicle (EV). A program in Vacaville has brought down the lease costs from $550 per month to $200 per month. There are 75 people on an EV waiting list in that community of 88,000 inhabitants.

Other inducements for consumers to lease EVs include High Occupancy Vehicle lane access on freeways, the convenience of charging your battery at home, and tax credits.

New Website Helps Retire Pollution Credits

UtilityGuide developed the "I Want Clean Air" site at www.IwantCleanAir.com . For every visitor to the site, UtilityGuide donates money to the Clean Air Conservancy (CAC). The CAC uses the money to purchase and retire sulfur dioxide emission credits.

The Planning Conservation League will hold combination California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)/General Plan workshops for citizen activists in October and November in Carlsbad, Claremont, and Sacramento, California. The five-hour workshop costs $45. Workshop topics include: What is a General Plan and how is it written?; Opportunities for public participation in the General Plan Process; Tips on reviewing a complex environmental impact report; and more.

CARB to Allow Manufacturers More Time to Comply with Antiperspirant Regulations The California Air Resources Board will hold a public hearing to consider adoption of proposed amendments to the regulation for reducing volatile organic compound emissions from antiperspirants and deodorants manufactured prior to January 1999. The rule change will result in reduced economic impact on consumers and an increase in 1.3 tons per day in VOC emissions statewide in the year 2010. The workshop is scheduled for 9:30 am on October 26, 2000 in Santa Barbara.

Pesticide Information Available on the Web at www.pesticideinfo.org.

U.S. Supreme Court to Hear Clean Air Act Case on November 7, 2000 In 1997, the Environmental Protection Agency changed how the health standard for ozone would be measured (8 hour standard versus a 1 hour standard) and set a standard for particulate matter. The American Trucking Association and U.S. Chamber of Commerce (et al) filed suit against the EPA. A U.S. Court of Appeals sided with industries’ argument that EPA did not carry out the intent of Congress regarding the clean air act and sided with EPA’s argument that public health should be their sole consideration. Both sides appealed and both appeals will be heard in November.

August 2000

“Here Come the Cows!” or “Here Comes the Judge!”?

After a two-year odyssey, on July 25^th, George and James Borba were granted two conditional use permits by the Kern County Board of Supervisors for constructing and operating two of the largest dairies in the State of California.

The Borbas will develop 5,300 acres west of Bakersfield at Taft Highway and Buena Vista Road, devoting 682 acres for two dairies that (in about ten years) 28,600 cows would call home. The remaining acreage will be used to grow corn, alfalfa, wheat, oats, sudan, some row crops such as carrots, and perhaps some cotton.

Many individuals are celebrating the influx of jobs to the area, the potential for related businesses to locate in Kern County, the preservation of the county’s agricultural heritage, and expressing that the Borba’s seem like nice, community-minded people who will make good neighbors.

Several others remain strongly opposed to the Borba’s proposal. Conceding the Borba’s neighborliness, it’s the cows and crops moving in next door raising issues. Many residents are concerned about the impact on our air quality and water quality, the dairies’ proximity to schools, churches, parks, and homes. This includes the McAllister Ranch development planned for two miles north of the proposed dairy. Flies and foul odors top the list of concerns of nearby neighbors.

One community group, the Kern County Neighbors for Quality Air, Water, and Growth have begun gathering signatures for a referendum to disallow the Board of Supervisor’s certification of the Environmental Impact Report. Another group, Parents United for a Healthy Environment, is considering a lawsuit.

There are those who wish that the Supervisors had waited for the results of the task force that they appointed earlier this year, the Dairy Technical Advisory Committee. This committee should have several policy recommendations regarding new dairy permits in Kern County by the end of September.

The Supervisors made several amendments to the conditional use permit (CUP) during the Wednesday night hearing.

County Staff modified language regarding the water wells, requiring a setback of 500 feet between the wells and the waste treatment ponds. They also added three monitoring wells and a lycemeter for each dairy. The monitoring reports will be sent to the Regional Water Board office in Fresno.

At the request of McAlister Ranch Water District, they added McAlister Ranch and the FAN project to the water quality report recipient list.

At the request of Supervisor Steve Perez, a windbreak of trees became part of the CUP. Project Clean Air brought this mitigating measure to the attention of the County Planning Commission and the Bakersfield City Council. The Natural Resources Conservation Service notes that trees have been shown to physically obstruct dust movement and to reduce downwind odors.

At the request of the Borba’s, language will be added to the CUP to include treatment of the wastewater ponds with aerobic digester technology. Rain for Rent has provided Project Clean Air with technical documents regarding their aerobic digester system that we will forward to the Borba family.

Once the dairies are operational, any complaints regarding odors, flies, water quality and the like will be directed to the Kern County Planning Department, as they are responsible for monitoring the CUP.

The Kern County Board of Supervisors stipulated that to receive the conditional use permits, the Borbas must file an approved indemnification agreement with the Planning Department by August 18, 2000. The County must also receive and approve a development agreement within 180 days, assuring that the conditions of approval for dairy number one will be implemented.

Program Reports

Membership Welcome to our newest member, Vivienne Lee. Thank you!

- Some fun activities have been planned for September, so mark your calendar and invite your friends! In the works are a Family Barbecue at a Bakersfield Park on September 14th, and a Wine Tasting event at Caf� Med on the 16th. Check out the fliers in this newsletter.

Public Education - Don’t miss the Children’s Day to Explore the Arts and Sciences on Saturday, August 5^th from 9am to Noon at Franklin Elementary, 2400 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield. Two or three volunteers are needed for the Kern County Museum Fun Day on Wednesday, August 9^th, from 9am to 1pm. Please call Maria Arias at 833-5740.

We thank our West High School Student Interns Jay Josan and Sitha Kung. Jay and Sitha served as our Public Education Assistants. They finished out their internship at the July 20^th Downtown Business Association Street Faire.

In July, Project Clean Air staff participated in:
              - The Tehachapi Wind Fair
              - Fairfax School and three YMCA Day Camps (reaching                   160 children),
              - Bakersfield Downtown Business Association Street                   Faire.

Clean Cities - On July 20^th, several members of the San Joaquin Valley Clean Cities Coalition met at Bakersfield College to discuss Alternative Fuels Training & Education'An RFP has been issued for the City of Tulare’s alternate fuel station project. The next SJVCCC Executive Committee Meeting will be held on August 17^th, 1:30 pm, in Fresno at the Valley Air District. The Department of Energy has produced a PSA for coalitions to distribute to local media.

Kern Auto Recycle East (KARE) So far, we have mailed out 20 applications, and scheduled appointments to purchase 5 cars. Information was distributed at the Tehachapi Wind Fair. We displayed a science fair board featuring one student’s “Sock Test” experiment. The student placed clean, white socks over the tailpipes of a variety of cars. The dirty socks from older vehicles really tell the story! Children and adults stopped by our Wind Fair booth to learn more about cleaning our air by reducing vehicle emissions. The Mojave Desert News ran a story on the KARE program and plans to run a follow-up story with pictures of a vehicle getting crushed in Ridgecrest. On July 15^th, KUZZ radio ran an interview with Linda Urata regarding the Bureau of Automotive Repair’s Consumer Assistance Program.

(Not Just) For Commuters Only

SunLine Transit Receives High Marks from CHP Fleet Inspection

When the California Highway patrol recently issued its annual maintenance and safety report cards, SunLine Transit Agency received the highest grades possible announced George Earl, SunLine’s director of maintenance. SunLine Transit Agency operates out of Thousand Palms, California in Riverside County.

Required each year by state law, SunLine’s 46 vehicle, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) powered bus fleet is inspected by the CHP, as well as its fleet of CNG SunDial vans, electric trolleys and SunLink commuter rigs. All vehicles passed the scrupulous inspection. “We’re very proud of our excellent maintenance and safety history,” said Earl. “Well trained coach operators and mechanics are the keys to the successful maintenance department at SunLine.”

Compared to other transit agencies, SunLine has one of the highest averages in miles traveled between road service maintenance calls. The transit industry average is about 4,000 miles between calls, yet SunLine is regularly beyond 29,000 miles. Because of its proficiency, SunLine is under contract by other organizations such as the Foundation for the Retarded and Angel View to perform the maintenance work on their CNG powered passenger-transporting coaches.

To evaluate the effectiveness of the maintenance efforts, the CHP inspectors do actual mechanical check-overs, review all maintenance records for each vehicle, and inspect the drivers’ records to ensure that all required licenses and endorsements are renewed in advance of their expiration. SunLine performs a safety inspection every 14 days that includes the brakes, steering, suspension, lights, batteries, and tire pressure. SunLine also has a strict preventative maintenance schedule it follows on up to 134 separate items at specific mileage intervals.

Due to SunLine’s experience with new technologies and the quality of their entire operation, the agency serves as the nation’s largest testing site for Cummins Engine company. In July, the progressive agency will begin road testing a pre-commercial hydrogen powered fuel cell bus for XCELLSIS. For more information regarding SunLine, please call 760-343-3456.

Vision 2020
Our Future... Our Responsibility

Greater Bakersfield VISION 2020 has begun its final phase of work. Seven task forces have been put together to complete a strategic plan for reaching the goals set by the community in the visioning phase. Several Project Clean Air members and sponsors will participate on VISION 2020’s seven task forces. They look forward to working with the community to create a better Bakersfield!

Recent Studies Show Smog Causes Costly Damage to Human Health, Plants
Robinson Shaw (ENN, 6/27/00) reports that ground level ozone pollution, also know as smog, is eating away at agriculture all over the world. Worse yet, new research in Europe reveals the damage to crops isn’t always visible.

Ground-level ozone interferes with a plant’s ability to produce and store food, so that growth, reproduction, and overall health are compromised. Plants exposed to ozone are more susceptible to disease, pests, and environmental stresses.

Research was conducted by Tom Lyons, a researcher in the air pollution lab of the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science at the University of Newcastle in the United Kingdom. In one experiment, plots of winter wheat were exposed to high levels of ozone. The number of grains per ear declined while the number of infertile florets increased, resulting in a 13 percent yield reduction.

There are options to help lessen ozone’s insidious effects, according to Lyons. They include resistant crop varieties, chemicals specially developed to protect crops from ozone, conventional breeding programs, and transgenic technology to develop more ozone resistant plants.

In other news, Brian McAndrew, Environmental Reporter for the Toronto Star reports on The Illness Costs of Air Pollution released by the Ontario Medical Association.

According to association president Dr. Albert Schumacher, smog will cost the Ontario economy and health-care system more than $1 billion this year. The report revealed that smog across the province this year will cause:

1,920 deaths

9,800 hospital admissions

13,000 emergency room visits

47 million lost workdays.

“This could be prevented if we had clean air,” Dr. Schumacher declared.

The health-care costs will amount to nearly $630 million, with the economic losses from worker sick days amounting to $566 million, the study estimated.

More than 80,000 pieces of information were used to create a computer database for the study. The results have been considered as conservative, since the only pollutants considered were ozone and particulate matter, and visits to doctors’ offices were excluded.

June 2000

Program Reports

Public Education To date, 43 children have registered for Superkids Asthma Camp held by the American Lung Association, Kern County Chapter (ALA). The resident camp runs June 19-24 and is free for the children, ages 10-13. Campers will learn to manage their asthma. Project Clean Air staff will help coordinate the Environmental Education component. The ALA will also offer a summer Day Camp. Call 327-1601 for more information on both camps.

The Blue Sky Partners booth at the Downtown Bakersfield Street Faire drew hundreds of visitors on May 18^th. And why not? We had two alternate fuel vehicles on display and gift certificates to give away, courtesy of Jim Burke Lincoln Mercury! Air quality information was also distributed at the Faire.

Come visit Project Clean Air at the next Downtown Bakersfield Street Faire on Thursday, June 15^th from 6:30pm to 9:30pm.

The Charles H. Castle School (Bakersfield) Third Grade Team presented the We Care About the Air Up There program to 132 students in May. Thanks to our program sponsor, Bank of America for funding five of the six classrooms! Thanks also to Conni Brunni for helping us secure the grant.

In June, Project Clean Air staff and JTPA students will participate in the State Farm Safety Fair, & Kern County Museum Fun Day. Staff members will also attend courses on Website design and Email management.

Clean Cities The Coalition has secured $124,000 to distribute to local agencies as $2,000 grants for Alternate Fuel Vehicles. The first year's allotment will be only $10,000. More details on how to apply will appear next month. The Coalition held a press conference on May 23^rd promoting Alternate Fuel Vehicles (AFVs), and asking the Fresno City Council to direct their Transit Agency to purchase AFV buses. In session that same day, the City Council recommended that Fresno Area Express (FAX) take the clean fuels route. b In June, steps will be taken to renew our Clean Cities Memorandum of Understanding with the Federal Department of Energy.

Central Valley Air Quality Studies Get Underway

The Central California Ozone Study and the California Regional Particulate Matter Study get underway in early June.

The study partnership between government agencies, local air quality boards, and California’s business and agriculture community is responsible for the nation’s most comprehensive evaluation of particulate matter and ozone, leading to effective, science-based improvements in air quality.

According to a Fact Sheet put out about the studies, "To assure continued air quality improvement, new clean air attainment plans will be developed. These plans require a sound scientific foundation to be efficient and cost-effective. The California Regional PM10/PM2.5 Air Quality Study and the Central California Ozone Study address gaps in current air pollution science. Both studies are managed by a public/private policy committee that includes government agencies, local air districts, industry and agriculture. There is much to be done and the solutions will not be easy, but air quality agencies and the regulated community have established a track record of cooperation and accomplishment. The collaborative effort to carry out these studies helps ensure a common understanding of Central California’s air pollution problem and its solutions."

Alternate Fuel Vehicle Goals Announced

at Clean Cities Conference

Dan Reicher, Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, announced several new goals in early May, at the Sixth National Clean Cities Conference in San Diego.

Clean Cities Coalitions throughout the United States have been asked to meet these goals over the next ten years:

1 million Alternate Fuel Vehicles (AFVs) on US roads by the year 2010;

the equivalent in Alternate Fuels of 1 billion gallons gasoline by the year 2010;

75% of Clean Cities Coalitions must be self-supporting by the year 2005.

To meet these goals, requires a National Growth rate in the Alt Fuel Vehicle Market of 10.5% per year. Each coalition is asked to increase at a rate of 14.5% per year.

For the San Joaquin Valley Clean Cities Coalition, the number comes to 1,569 AFVs on the road by the year 2010.

To help the coalitions meet these goals, the Department of Energy hopes to provide up to $1 billion per year in funding.

To achieve self-sufficiency, National Clean Cities Director, Shelley Launey recommended that each coalition carve out two to three niche markets.

Airports have become a popular niche market, especially in the larger cities.

Alternate Fuel Infrastructure can serve many types of fleets in an airport setting. On the ground service side there are tugs and tows, tractors, fueling and food service vehicles; on the landside there are taxis, limousines, shuttle vans and buses, rental cars, and city-owned fleets.

Conference attendees heard from Tim Ahern, Vice President of Safety, Security, and the Environment for American Airlines. He spoke of American Airlines’ success with electric vehicles at the Dallas airport.

Project Clean Air Executive Director, Linda Urata spoke with Mr. Ahern about investing in infrastructure for smaller airports that serve American Eagle. Mr. Ahern assured her that his company would be supportive of efforts for American Eagle service vehicles to move to clean fuels.

Additionally, the US Government is making funding programs available for airports, similar to the Congestion Mitigation for Air Quality (CMAQ) programs for local transportation and roads. Clean Cities Coalitions were encouraged to make these niche markets work for them by providing a pool of potential paid memberships and grant management opportunities.

From educational programs for school children to computer software programs that help calculate emissions reductions produced by switching to AFVs, the conference offered more than any one novice or veteran Clean Cities Coordinator could take in. This newsletter will feature several press releases from a variety of auto manufacturers.

SUVs: Meet FutureTruck

The growing customer demand for light-duty trucks, including pickups, sport utility vehicles and vans, poses new rewards and challenges. In response to this demand, vehicle manufacturers are providing light duty trucks that offer high levels of comfort and refinement, along with improved functionality. As a result, light duty trucks now comprise over 50% of vehicle sales. This sales shift has changed the nature of the market and the industry.

The success of these and other vehicles in providing mobility and utility to the customer has created some serious challenges from a societal perspective. Customers, industry and government are concerned about greenhouse gases, depletion of non-renewable oil resources, and an increasing dependence on imported oil. The challenge that we all face is to develop alternative propulsion systems and fuels that demonstrate increased energy efficiency and reduced greenhouse gas emissions while producing near-zero tail-pipe emissions and continuing to meet ever-increasing customer expectations.

FutureTruck 2000 is a competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the General Motors Corporation (GM). Based on formal design proposals, student teams from 15 of North America’s top engineering schools were selected to participate. Each team is presented with a unique and challenging assignment: convert a conventional, full-size sport utility vehicle (SUV) into a low emission, high efficiency vehicle without sacrificing performance, utility and safety. To meet that goal, students will apply cutting-edge automotive technologies, such as fuel cells and advanced propulsion systems, space age materials, and alternative fuels such as ethanol and hydrogen.

The DOE provides organizational and promotional support as well as technical and financial assistance for the competition. In addition, DOE plans to purchase two fuel cell stacks for use in the 2000 and 2001 competitions. Two teams will work to adapt this technology to their vehicles. To get all of the teams started, GM donated an all-new model year 2000 Chevrolet Suburban and $10,000 in seed money to each team. GM is providing engineering mentors, technical judges, and facilities for the competition. Additionally, GM is providing $40,000 in prize money.

A high school outreach program has been created that exposes younger students to advanced automotive technologies and fosters interest in science and engineering careers at an earlier age. FutureTruck teams are working with high schools in their areas to share information about their competition design. In addition to campus and high school visits, FutureTruck teams will be able to share information with all of the high school partners through a dedicated web site.

FutureTruck 2000 competition events will be held June 8-15, 2000, at the General Motors Desert Proving Ground in Mesa, Arizona. Industry and government engineers will measure exhaust emissions, greenhouse gas impact (fuel economy), range, acceleration, braking, handling, trailer towing, cargo capacity, and driveability. The vehicles will also be judged on design, manufacturability, cost, and consumer acceptability. Awards will be given in over 25 categories, and winners will share over $60,000 in prize money awarded to the schools for use in future engineering education programs.

The DOE will sponsor this program in partnership with GM in 2000 and 2001 and in partnership with Ford Motor Company in 2002 and 2003.

You can see the Oral Presentations live on the web at www.futuretruck.org on June 12, 2000 from 10:30 am to 7:30pm Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). Bill Nye will host the Awards Ceremony on June 15, 2000 from 10 pm to Midnight (EDT).

Turbo-Hybrid Bus

ISE Research Corporation (ISER) announced that it has delivered it first microturbine-driven hybrid-electric bus to the City of Los Angeles. The bus was entered into regular operational service in Hollywood during the month of May.

The main source of power for the ThunderVolt^TM"Turbo-Hybrid Bus" is a pair of 30-kilowatt microturbines provided by Capstone Turbine Corp. The ThunderVolt ^TM hybrid-electric drive system developed by ISER combines the microturbine power generation source with electric drive motors and a set of batteries. The batteries provide surge power for acceleration and hill-climbing, and recapture energy during braking. These features improve vehicle performance and energy efficiency, and enable the use of the microturbines, which are smaller than conventional engines.

A key feature of the Turbo-Hybrid Bus is that the microturbines generate electrical power much more cleanly than conventional internal combustion engines. The microturbines in the Los Angeles Turbo-Hybrid Bus run on propane, which is stored in conventional propane tanks supplied by Mutual Propane. The microturbine-propane combination, reduces emissions of nitrogen oxide to about nine parts per million, making the ISER vehicle one of the world's cleanest burning transit buses. ISER's Turbo-Hybrid buses can also be equipped to run on other fuels.

The Turbo-Hybrid Bus uses a body supplied by ElDorado national, and is the first bus of this size to use microturbines. ISER will deliver three additional Turbo-Hybrid Buses to Los Angeles this spring. The second Turbo-Hybrid bus in this series was exhibited at the National Clean Cities Conference in San Diego. In 1999, ISER delivered four hybrid-electric buses using conventional engines to Los Angeles, which have accumulated more than 35,000 total miles of revenue service to date. The ISER hybrid-electric drive system can be installed into virtually any bus model, as well as trucks and other vehicles.

The Los Angeles Department of Transportation, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee, and Federal Transit Administration funded the Los Angeles hybrid bus program. ISER is one of the world's leaders in integrating hybrid-electric drive systems into heavy-duty vehicles. For more information on ISE Research and its high-performance, environmentally friendly vehicle products, visit the company's website at www.iseresearch.com.

Caterpillar Offers Dual-Fuel Engines

Caterpillar now offers Dual-Fuel engines in the widest horsepower range of any engine manufacturer. The low NOx CARB certified clean burning engines are available in three different Caterpillar models converted to use Dual-Fuel technology. Horsepower (Hp) ranges from 190 Hp to 410Hp.

There are over 800 Dual-Fuel engines in service around the world in 8 countries and three continents. Dual-Fuel equipped Caterpillar engines are primarily used in on-highway trucks in all applications as well as public works vehicles and buses.

Dual-Fuel engines use technology developed jointly by Power Systems Associates, Caterpillar, and Clean Air Partners.

Propane Industry Offers Fleet Managers Federal Funding Opportunity

The Propane Vehicle Council (PVC) and the Propane Education & Research Council (the Council) announced its program to provide match funding to fleet managers for the purchase of propane vehicles and/or refueling infrastructure. $1.3 to $1.5 billion is available through the U.S. Department of Transportation's Congestion Mitigation & Air Quality (CMAQ) Program - appropriated for air quality improvement projects. The propane industry will provide an additional $200,000 in matching funds for the CMAQ Program.

The Propane CMAQ Program was established to identify and promote the air quality benefits of propane, expand awareness of propane as an alternative transportation fuel, and demonstrate the many benefits of propane vehicles.

More than 350,000 vehicles fueled by propane are on the nation's roads, mostly in fleets. And these days those fleets are seeing real cost savings from propane use.

The Propane Education & Research Council is dedicated to promoting the safe use of propane gas as a preferred energy source through consumer education, safety and research projects.

For more information about the grant process, visit the Council's website at

www.propanegas.com/vehicle.

Tomorrow's Cars Help The Environment and Use Less Gas

Ever wonder what type of car you'll drive when you get your driver's license in a few years? How about when you attend college, begin your career or start a family? Rest assured, today's middle-school students will be driving vehicles radically different from the cars currently driven by their parents and older siblings. Cars in the not-too-distant future will combine new technologies in order to be more efficient and environmentally friendly.

Why? Consider that cars built in 1970 and driven 100,000 miles produced more than 1,900 lbs. of pollutants. A car built today and driven 100,000 on the other hand, produces less than 60 lbs. of pollutants. While these advancements are wonderful, General Motors would like to build cars that produce no pollutants at all. GM is working to meet and exceed mandates by the Environmental Protection Agency to protect our air and other natural resources.

GM's environmental concerns and recognition that the earth's supply of oil is getting more expensive and more difficult to locate caused it to research new technologies that have resulted in cars that are cleaner and less dependent on oil. These technologies include electric vehicles (EVs), alternative fuels (AFVs) and cars called hybrids, which are cars that combine different types of technologies.

GM recognized the need for cleaner and less fuel-reliant vehicles back in the 1970s when it developed the first catalytic converter. The catalytic converter fits in a car's exhaust system and uses platinum to burn poisonous gases produced by engines before they are released from the tailpipe into the atmosphere. Since the introduction of the catalytic converter, the gases produced by car engines--gases known as automotive emissions--have been reduced by 97%.

In 1996, GM was the first auto company to market a car that relied on advanced battery technology and an electric drive system. Called the EV1, GM's electric vehicle produced no automotive emissions at all. Since 1996, GM has made the EV1 even better--able to drive longer distances and maintain better speeds.

Recently, GM introduced two concept hybrid cars, the Precept and Triax. A concept car is what the automotive industry calls cars that aren’t meant to be sold to the public, but show the latest technology and styles that might appear on cars in the future. The Precept and Triax are hybrid cars, which means that they combine different technologies for different uses. For example, a hybrid car may use a traditional gasoline-powered engine for long, expressway driving but may automatically switch to an electric system for local stop-and-go driving.

You may ask, "Why aren't the Precept and Triax available for us to buy today?" The answer is simple: Because the technology to produce these cars is still too expensive to build and sell to the public. But GM is working on it, because they recognize the importance of making environmentally safe and fuel-efficient vehicles, but also recognize that the people who buy their cars want them to be affordable, safe and comfortable. It's also important to car buyers for them to be able to refuel and repair their cars conveniently.

Another reason you may not see these cars sold in the very near future is because it may take a while before the public accepts the new technology these types of cars represent. Consider this: Although the automobile was introduced more than a century ago, it still took another 55 years before it was accepted. And it took 26 years for television to enter into the daily lives of 25% of the population. Where would we be without either today?

But GM feels that people are more willing today to accept new technologies. For example, look at the music and video recording industry. In the 1970s, 33-rpm long-playing vinyl record albums began to outsell 45-rpm vinyl single records. Ten years later, audio cassette tapes outsold record albums; and 10 years later, compact discs virtually replaced cassette tapes. Similarly, videotapes for home-use only became popular and affordable less than 20 years ago. Today, videotapes are quickly being replaced by DVDs.

That is another reason why GM feels that, by the time today's sixth, seventh and eighth graders graduate from college, these former students will accept new technologies more quickly than their parents and older siblings. In the not-too-distant future, technologies seen in vehicles like the Triax and Precept will be a reality. And GM promises to build and sell this new generation of cars to a new generation of car lovers.

Nissan Sentra CA

The Cleanest Gasoline Powered Car in the World!

The "CA" in Nissan’s revolutionary new Sentra CA stands for "Clean Air".

The Sentra CA qualifies for the California Air Resources Board (CARB) partial Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) credits. It is the only gasoline-powered car certified to the CARB Zero Evaporative Emissions standard. Essentially, this means that a Sentra CA is cleaner while in motion than any other gasoline-powered car that sits parked. Parked cars emit air-damaging components into the atmosphere through evaporation. The Sentra CA does not. In addition, the Sentra CA has been certified by CARB as meeting its strict Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV) tailpipe emission standards.

Mark Perry, of Nissan North America says, "We’re looking at electric vehicles, hybrid gasoline/electric vehicles, fuel-cell powered vehicles and other technologies that could be used in the future. But the Sentra CA is a gasoline-powered vehicle that emits virtually no harmful gases into the air."

"This shows that modern technology can move even gasoline-powered vehicles toward our ultimate goal of a zero-emission vehicle fleet," said CARB Chairman Dr. Alan Lloyd.

The SULEV standard was adopted by CARB in November, 1998 as part of the Low Emission Vehicle II rules that set emission standards for passenger cars and light trucks from 2004 through 2010.

The SULEV is a voluntary tailpipe standard for motor vehicle manufacturers that is one-eighth of the ULEV standard, formerly the tightest standard for internal combustion engines. A SULEV is more than 99 percent cleaner than uncontrolled models.

The Sentra CA works in its cleanest state using low-sulfur fuel. Since 1996, regulations have required the reduction of the amount of sulfur in gasoline for sale in California. Catalytic converters, which reduce tailpipe emissions, are inhibited by sulfur, a common agent in fuels. Cleaner-burning gasoline enables catalytic converters to work more effectively and further reduce tailpipe emissions. According to CARB, cleaner-burning gasoline reduces smog-forming emissions from motor vehicles by 15 percent and reduces cancer risk from exposure to motor vehicle toxins by about 40 percent. SULEVs require low-sulfur fuel.

In addition to low-sulfur fuel, a number of key technologies combine to make the Sentra CA possible: double-wall exhaust manifolds, a new combustion control sensor, quicker catalyst warm-up (three 3-way catalysts are utilized in the emissions system), new hydrocarbon trap catalysts, a non-return fuel system and use of a special electronically controlled swirl control valve the reduces hydrocarbon emission in cold and warm start situations.

The radiators of all Sentra CAs are coated with Engelhard Corp.’s PremAir�. As ozone-laden air passes over the radiator, the PremAir coating converts ozone molecules into oxygen. In effect, the air the Sentra CA leaves in its wake is cleaner than the air in front of the vehicle, depending on air conditions. This technology was displayed at a Project Clean Air Truck Expo at Mesa Marin Raceway in 1997.

The Sentra CA has adopted CARB’s optional 150,000-mile durability and warranty standards on emission control parts.

The Sentra CA is priced at $14,799 – just $500 more than a Sentra GXE. It has a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder DOHC engine that delivers 122 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 122 ft.-lbs. of torque at 2,400 rpm. EPA fuel economy estimates are 26/33 mpg City/Highway with the Sentra CA’s standard 4-speed automatic transmission.

Standard Sentra CA features include air conditioning, power windows, door locks and mirrors, remote keyless entry, a four-speaker audio system with a CD player, 15-inch alloy wheels and supplemental driver and front passenger air bags.