Clean Cities Coachella Valley Region

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2012-02-27T22:00:00.001-08:00

Obama’s Budget FY 2013 Request Includes NGV Incentives

2012-02-24T14:39:00.002-08:00

Provide a Tax Credit for Medium & Heavy-Duty Alternative Fuel Vehicles (page 34). The credit is $20,000 for vehicles weighing more than 14,000 pounds but not more than 26,000 pounds and $40,000 for vehicles weighing more than 26,000 pounds. However, incentives for light-duty vehicles are not included.
Extend several expiring tax credits through FY 2013 (page 65 and Table 4) including six alternative fuel incentives: biodiesel, renewable diesel, alternative fuel, alternative fuel mixtures, cellulosic biofuel, alternative fuel vehicle refueling property, plug-in hybrid conversion.
Extend to 100 percent the first-year depreciation deduction for qualified property (pages 3-4). This provision was available at 100 percent during the period September 8, 2010 to December 31, 2011. It currently is available at 50 percent.
Request $26.5 million in funding for the Clean Cities program for FY 2013.

more...

"Natural gas contribution to sustainable transport"

2012-02-24T07:25:00.000-08:00

An opinion in GNV Magazine by Roberto Dobles, Former Minister of Environment, Energy and Telecommunications of Costa Rica.

A study published by the International Energy Agency (IEA), entitled "The Contribution of Natural Gas Vehicles to Sustainable Transport", discusses the enormous benefits (economic, social and environmental) of natural gas use in the transportation sector. It points out what many experts have said: the natural gas will have a key role in significantly reducing emissions to the environment with a very low cost and will be part of strategies to progressively decarbonise energy consumption and reduce pollution.

more...

LNG vs. CNG at Flying J/Pilot

2012-02-03T08:17:00.001-08:00

An informative presentation by Clean Energy on why they are installing LNG instead of CNG for the interstate network at the Flying J/Pilot stations (some will include CNG where warranted).

President Obama's Las Vegas Speech

2012-01-27T21:53:00.000-08:00

The full text of the President's address is available here.

Hydrogen-powered truck debuts in Long Beach

2012-01-27T19:10:00.000-08:00

It's called "Tyrano!" Zero emissions. 536 hp.

EDITORIAL: President’s State of the Union Spotlights Clean Fuels and Clean Energy

2012-01-27T18:56:00.000-08:00

Clean Cities Coachella Valley Region
Editorial
January 25, 2012

President’s State of the Union Spotlights Clean Fuels and Clean Energy

In his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama called for a national focus on developing a long-term energy plan for America. The Clean Cities Program has long advocated for a solution to our dependency on OPEC oil and to the harmful emissions caused by motor vehicles. We know we can’t solve our political problems or our air quality problems without focusing on transportation, which accounts for two-thirds of America’s oil use.

For the first time in a long time, it seems both parties agree that natural gas can provide a solution. A White House report on rebuilding our economy states that natural gas is the cleanest of the fossil fuels. We have massive amounts of natural gas reserves in the U.S. and we should immediately move to better utilize it.

We believe it’s time for the rest of the nation to follow the lead set by the Coachella Valley. In 1994, we had to move from the vague generalities of converting our bus fleet from diesel to an alternate fuel to the specifics of procuring natural gas vehicles and developing infrastructure. We also had to develop training materials so our mechanics and drivers could learn the properties of alternative fuels and how to handle them safely. Congress needs to get equally specific about a nationwide transition plan.

Since electricity is rarely produced from oil, creating more energy from natural gas, hydro, wind, solar and nuclear will not have a major impact on our dependence on OPEC oil. But finding a substitute for oil as a major transportation fuel will.

Now is the perfect time for this long-awaited action. We hope the President and the Congress will proceed with haste to provide the incentives for developing alternative fuels infrastructure and to large diesel users to convert to cleaner fuels.

Clean Cities Coachella Valley
Coordinators:

Suzanne Seivright (bio)
P.O. Box 1379
Palm Springs, CA 92263
Website

Richard Cromwell III (bio)
Richard Cromwell III and Associates
PO Box 1207
Desert Hot Springs, CA 92240
Website

President Obama Showcases NGV Project

2012-01-27T18:45:00.000-08:00

President Obama Showcases Natural Gas Vehicle Project Organized by GNA. President Obama spoke yesterday at the UPS Las Vegas South facility. UPS and the South Coast Air Quality Management District received over $14 million to provide "for three liquefied natural gas (LNG) fueling stations and the deployment of 150 heavy-duty natural gas trucks."

In the 2012 State of the Union address delivered to members of Congress just two days earlier, the President reinforced that "the development of natural gas will create jobs and power trucks and factories that are cleaner and cheaper, proving that we don't have to choose between our environment and our economy." His visit to the UPS facility underscores how natural gas transportation technologies, domestic energy, and a commitment to investing in U.S. infrastructure are key elements in the foundation of a successful economic recovery. This specific project has directly led to the creation of 117 American jobs and is eliminating 1.25 million gallons of petroleum use per year, replacing it with cleaner burning, domestically-produced natural gas.

Watch the C-Span video:

Non-Surprise For 2012

2012-01-27T18:34:00.000-08:00

Forbes has published an article entitled Five Non-Surprises For 2012. Number 5:

People will begin to realize that T. Boone Pickens was right about natural gas. The problem all too often is that someone is right about something but they’re simply too early. Apple was right about the Newton and mobile computing; it was just too early. AOL Time Warner was right about Internet delivery of media; it was just too early. Larry Ellison was right about cloud computing; he was just too early. Americans will recognize the economic, military, and political cost of being dependent on foreign oil. Given the abundance of natural gas in the United States and Canada, its low price relative to oil, and its lower emissions relative to oil, policymakers will begin to lay plans for a major energy infrastructure shift in the U.S.

T. Boone Pickens Statement on President Obama’s 2012 State of the Union Address

2012-01-27T18:28:00.000-08:00

From TheDailyPickens:

In his remarks in the State of the Union address, President Barack Obama again called for a national focus on developing a long-term energy plan for America. I agree we should use every available American resource. I applaud President Obama for highlighting natural gas and for calling on Congress to better promote its use.

The expanded use of natural gas in America — in power generation and transportation — has enormous bipartisan support in the Congress and in the states. It is time to move from vague generalities to specifics on how we make this transition happen. I am confident that President Obama, as well as all the candidates for President, will lay out detailed plans on how they intend to achieve it.

We cannot solve the OPEC dependency crisis without a focus on transportation. It is two-thirds of all oil use. Oil is not a major player in the production of electricity so creating more energy from natural gas, hydro, wind, solar or nuclear will not have a major impact on our dependence on OPEC for our oil. Finding a substitute for oil as a major transportation fuel will.

We have massive amounts of natural gas reserves in the United States and we should immediately move to better utilize it. As a White House report on rebuilding our economy states, natural gas is the cleanest of the fossil fuels.

America does not have a natural gas production problem — we are awash in natural gas. What we have is a demand problem and unless we bring both sides of the equation in balance, we will see this cleaner, cheaper, abundant, domestic resource exported in greater and greater quantities.

I hope the President and the Congress will call on American ingenuity and creativity to utilize all of our domestic resources. America is blessed with having the cheapest energy in the world right now. It is that cheap energy — including coal, oil and natural gas — that will not only fuel our factories, cars, and trucks, but will fuel the resurgence of manufacturing in America, while creating solid, well-paying, and permanent jobs.

CALSTART NewsNotes, January 24

2012-01-27T18:21:00.000-08:00

Sent: Tuesday, January 24, 2012 8:21 AM
Subject: CALSTART NewsNotes 1-24-2012

NEWSNOTES

January 19, 2012

Good Morning:

Experts close to the source report that Glee is a rerun tonight, so why not take in the State of the Union address? Capitol Hill sleuthers have discovered that the President will roll out his “Blueprint for an America Meant to Last” and Politico outlines the four pillars. Among them is homegrown and alternative energy sources produced by American workers. The Wall Street Journal teaser for non-subscribers adds to that formula a call for an increase in domestic oil and gas production.

The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Annual Energy Outlook 2012 echoes that an increase in oil, natural gas and renewable energy production, combined with efficiency improvements portends a decrease in reliance on oil imports. Today’s DOE announcement, according to Trucking Info, includes an increase in biofuel use and modest growth in transportation sector demand as variables contributing to greater reliance on domestic energy. U.S. oil dependence is the subject of “Congestion in America.” The report from Securing America’s Future Energy will be released today at 2 p.m. eastern time.

From the “A lie can travel halfway around the world while truth is putting on its shoes” department (thank you Mark Twain), it’s official that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has given the Chevrolet Volt an all clear related to the fire incident last summer. NHTSA concluded and the Los Angeles Times reports that the Volt poses no unusual or greater fire risk than a gasoline-powered vehicle. Plug-ins are safe and the Volt continues to be good to go.

Yesterday, California judge Lawrence O’Neill denied the California Air Resources Board (CARB) request to reverse an earlier decision and allow the state to continue implementing its Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) in 2012. Biofuels Digest summarizes the importance and offers links to a point/counter-point about the ramifications. It’s important for many reasons including the impact it may have on other states trying to do the same thing. California’s policy leadership in advanced fuels and vehicle technology is legendary as the San Francisco Chronicle points out in referring to the state pulling off a “clean-air triple play” in bringing Detroit and Washington, DC along to nearly double auto mileage standards in coming years. On Thursday in Los Angeles, CARB will lay out broad goals to meet the standards including considering an “Advanced Clean Car Program” that could result in 87% of the driving fleet being powered by hydrogen fuel cells or batteries by 2050.

California state agencies take policy planning seriously when it comes to energy sources and emissions reductions. CALSTART and the California Energy Commission invite stakeholders from around the country to join the CalHEAT Forum 2012 which takes place in under one month in Stockton, California. For stimulation California style, lend your voice to what the automotive market could look like by 2020 and make plans to join us in developing this important roadmap.

Until Thursday,

Kimberly

State of the Union Talking Points, Politico
http://politi.co/wQnR0l

Obama To Spotlight Energy, Wall Street Journal
http://on.wsj.com/zrVdZ6

DOE Projects Reduced Reliance on Foreign Oil, Trucking Info
http://bit.ly/yUrhsv

Congestion in America, Securing America’s Future Energy
http://bit.ly/iYcwun

Probe of Volt Fire Ends, Los Angeles Times
http://lat.ms/ylDydL

Judge Denies Petition to Implement CA LCFS, Biofuels Digest
http://bit.ly/An6IRt

California’s Clean Car Agenda, SF Chronicle
http://bit.ly/xZSqla

CalHEAT Forum 2012, CALSTART
http://bit.ly/ybOx5N

Kimberly Taylor

Director Member Services

CALSTART
14062 Denver West Parkway Suite 300
Lakewood, CO 80401-3188
Cell Phone: 626-622-6229 (Best way to reach me)
Office Phone: 720-274-9765
ktaylor@calstart.org

CALSTART-NTEA Green Truck Summit, March 5-8, 2012, Indianapolis, IN. Green fleet solutions found here. Learn. View. Drive.

The Safety Of Compressed Natural Gas

2012-01-19T10:50:00.000-08:00

"Stephe Yborra from NGV America navigates through the safety and realities of driving a natural gas vehicle."

Natural gas is lighter than air, so if there is a leak it floats up and away, rather than pooling around the leak as gasoline would.
CNG tanks are built stronger than standard gasoline tanks. Even if hit by rifle fire, they do not explode (but they will leak).
In a fire, safety valves will relieve pressure in the tank long before burst pressure is reached. The result may look like "a large Bunsen burner."
Explosions require fuel and oxygen, Mr. Yborra says. There is no air in the tank.
Performance of natural gas vehicles equals or exceeds that of gasoline-powered vehicles.

"Energy security and the role of natural gas"

2012-01-19T10:37:00.000-08:00

An opinion piece from the Energy Policy Information Center, a project of Securing America's Future Energy summarizes a couple of news articles:

The Wall Street Journal reports plummeting natural gas prices due to a glut. One solution is more natural gas-fired power plants (read the WSJ article here).
A Bloomberg article reports that Chrysler says they will begin selling natural gas-powered pickup trucks this year. (full Bloomberg article here).

Backbone Network for America's Natural Gas Highway

2012-01-18T18:12:00.000-08:00

"The route plan for the first phase of 150 new LNG fueling stations for America's Natural Gas Highway (ANGH) was unveiled by Clean Energy Fuels Corp., the leading provider of natural gas fuel for transportation in North America."

Scheduled for completion during 2012 and 2013, the 150 first-phase stations coincide with the expected arrival of new natural gas truck engines well suited for heavy-duty, over-the-road trucking. Engine manufacturers and original equipment truck manufacturers such as Cummins-Westport, Kenworth, Peterbilt, Navistar, Freightliner and Caterpillar are expected to have Class-8 trucks available in engine sizes allowing for varied road and driving requirements.

"We are moving quickly to build this important network in order to support the new trucks," said Andrew J. Littlefair, Clean Energy's President and CEO. "Already, Clean Energy has engaged over 100 shippers, private fleets and for-hire carriers that have shared their operations to qualify the economic opportunity of operating natural gas trucks, which has helped us, in turn, plan the first phase of the natural gas fueling highway."

We need to solve the problem in 2012

2012-01-03T22:38:00.000-08:00

In 2011, so far, we are still depending on OPEC for 43 percent of our imported oil. We're paying a high price for it. The national security risk is the same. We need to get on our own resources and pick domestic over OPEC.

App For First Responders

2011-12-29T07:06:00.000-08:00

The First Responders QRG app is designed to provide essential information about alternative fuel vehicles at the scene of an accident.

This first responder quick reference guide, developed by the National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium (NAFTC), is a tool for emergency personnel who need to access information about alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles at an accident scene. This app contains information on advanced technology vehicles such as hybrid, plug-in hybrid, battery, and fuel cell electric vehicles, as well as vehicles powered by alternative fuels such as biodiesel, ethanol, natural gas, propane, and hydrogen. You will find detailed, vehicle-specific information including identification mechanisms, disconnect procedures, and other special concerns. Although similar, each vehicle has distinct differences that make it unique, and first responders need to know and understand these differences. The NAFTC understands the hazards that alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles could pose to emergency personnel, and this app, along with our entire suite of First Responder Safety Training products, provides first responders with the information needed to safely respond to an accident involving one of these vehicles. This app can be used on both the iPhone and the iPad.

End of the Year Push Needed to Help Pass Bipartisan NAT GAS Act

2011-12-16T14:39:00.000-08:00

As most of you know, the Coachella Valley was the first community in the U.S. to have its transit agency convert overnight to 100% clean-burning natural gas buses. Diesel buses were parked forever the day the natural gas fleet rolled into operation.

From that humble start, a network of natural gas fueling stations was developed valley-wide. That enabled the deployment of a fleet of natural gas fueled paratransit vehicles. Next came the installation of a liquefied natural gas fueling station, which enabled the local trash hauler to convert its fleet to LNG. The dominos continued to fall until we boasted the densest concentration of natural gas fueling stations and alternative fueled vehicles per capita in the nation.

Well, a new report by the National Petroleum Council (NPC) has confirmed what we’ve long suspected: not only do we have an abundance of natural gas in the U.S., “we can meet ANY projected demand through [at least] 2035.” That means a quarter of a century from now, we’ll have as much clean burning natural gas available as we have today.

Please urge your member of Congress to support the bipartisan Natural Gas Act (HR1380 in the House and S1863 in the Senate). This bill has numerous benefits including:

Economic (jobs and taxes)
Environment (lower emissions)
National security (reduce OPEC imports)

Natural gas is the ideal fleet fuel. We know it works because we’ve been there, done that. Write them today!

Suzanne Seivright
Richard Cromwell III

Exxon Declares (natural) Gas King

2011-12-09T11:28:00.001-08:00

"Natural gas will replace coal as the leading fuel for generating electricity in the U.S. by 2025, when it will also become the world's No. 2 overall fuel source thanks to its abundance and a drive for cleaner-burning energy, according to the latest long-term outlook from Exxon Mobil Corp." This is a Wall Street Journal article that is available to their paid subscribers. Non-subscribers may be able to access it via Google News.

2011 Clean Cities Coordinator Regional Peer Exchange

2011-12-08T07:34:00.001-08:00

November 14-17, 2011, in Dallas, Texas. Conference Proceedings and Presentations.

Is The U.S. Logistics Market On The Cusp Of Converting To Natural Gas?

2011-11-24T06:52:00.001-08:00

That question is discussed in the Supply Chain Digest. The story starts at 4 min. 30 sec. in this video. They report on an interview with Andrew Littlefair on CNBC. Based on current prices, payback comes only about one year after conversion.

Senate NAT GAS Act - Menendez-Reid-Burr (S. 1863)

2011-11-20T19:32:00.001-08:00

UPDATE: This presentation has been altered with the Clean Cities Coordinator's name and coalition removed...Clean Cities is not meant to be a political platform but rather an educational body to help folks understand the issues surrounding getting off of foreign oil and addressing the issue of self reliance with the utilization of domestic alternative fuels. This presentation a was a good opportunity to help educate those interested on the NAT GAS ACT - this blog didn't want to lose that opportunity but understand the concerns of the original submitter. The Editor, 12/8/2011

First we present an email from Coordinator, the Clean Cities Coordinator for ________ ______. Following that is a response from Richard Kolodziej, President of NGVAmerica. And finally, a PDF comparing the House and Senate versions.

From: Coordinator
Sent: Saturday, November 19, 2011 3:19 AM
To: Clean Cities Coordinators
Subject: Re: Senate NAT GAS Act - Menendez-Reid-Burr (S. 1863)

I got an 'army' e-mail from Boone today that stated the senate bill was "fully-funded." In Washington, DC – where I reside – those words are almost always a lie, and usually a big one. So, I had to look:

The text of the bill is not available yet, so one needs to rely on wording from the NGVC, d.b.a. the re-branded NGVsforAmerica, per what John Mitton's provided above. All federal NGV-CNG legislation (and I mean ALL: ALL that has been drafted, ALL that has ever been discussed, ALL that has ever been introduced, ALL that has not passed, and ALL that has passed) has been drafted, and lobbied for, principally, by Richard R. Kolodziej, who has been president of ngvc/NGVA since 1993. So, R.K.'s press release on it is likely accurate.

Here's the crux of the 'new' language which gets at the 'fully-funded' claim (emphases added):

It includes an extension and expansion of income tax credits for the purchase of natural gas vehicles and the installation of natural gas fueling infrastructure, and a production tax credits for auto, truck and buses makers to manufacture natural gas vehicles. All these incentives would be in place for a five-year period.

However, S. 1863 is different from H.R. 1380 in two significant aspects. First, unlike the House bill that includes a 50 cent per gallon excise tax credit for each gallon of compressed or liquefied natural gas sold, S. 1863 includes no similar tax credit. Second, under S. 1863, the users of natural gas vehicles would pay back the federal Treasury for the cost of the incentives via a surcharge on the natural gas used in vehicles. The surcharge would ramp up by steps over a 10 year period, from zero in the first two years to 12.5 cents per gallon in the last two years.

And here are the several reasons why i) Boone's characterization is (yet again) likely to be ridiculous puffery, and ii) the surcharge is a real bad idea:

1.) The funding mechanism will require additional federal borrowing, for years and years. You may bet that the senate bill contains no credible estimates for when the "ramp[ing] up" surcharge revenue will catch up with the 'tax expenditure' cost*, which is the lost tax revenue from currently profit-making, taxable companies -- like Ford, GM, some truck OEMS, and gas utilities, to name a few.

As is typical with much federal legislation, the (tax) spending comes first, with greedy assurance -- and the promised tax revenue comes late, or often never at all.
________
* plus interest (and year-in-year-out geo-political costs) on the years of borrowings, please.

2.) The proposed funding mechanism transfers wealth
from
existing private CNG consumers who aim to keep their existing NGVs,
future private consumers who aim to buy used vehicles,
future private consumers without enough tax liability to benefit from the credits,
non-taxable (non-profitable) business CNG consumers, past and future.
to
the small set of profitable, taxable businesses which can access the credits, that have been sized to give most benefits to semi tractor buyers**,
future private consumers who have enough taxes due, after an AMT calc, to use credits (i.e., folks with healthy incomes, who, btw, are the last to struggle with the consumerist concerns that accompany making the NGV choice.)

Notice the function of penalizing the early-movers, and the less well-off, in favor of those who act only after the bill's an Act (are late to the game, IOWs) and the more well-off.
________
** Boone's Clean Energy reports that the cost premium for a NG tractor has dropped well below the max $64k credit amount mooted in the House 'Act.' Meaning: The market is moving much faster than Capitol Hill.

3.) The way to incentivize use of CNG for all citizens regardless their tax bracket or amount of disposable income -- as it should be for a widely-needed good such as motor fuel – is for the fully-taxed retail price of CNG to be as low as possible vs. fully-taxed gasoline/diesel. The senate bill takes 2 large steps backwards in this regard: no 'blender' credit (VETC), and an additional federal sales tax. Boo…
________
Note: VETC only exists due to the NGVA's (R.K.'s) coat-tail riding -- vis an alt. fuel 'fairness'/'level-playing-field' theory -- on the ethanol VEETC credit, When VEETC is stopped – and we should all hope it is soon – VETC will likely stop, too.

Some CNG advocates grasp at any pro-CNG-sounding legislation mainly as an exercise of hope, per the thought that it's likely all there is or ever will be. But that's a wholly insufficient way to think and proceed.

There are many equitable, responsible ways to incentivize CNG use that do not suffer from the re-distribution-of-wealth and federal-debt problems I've pointed out here, which should be fatal for S. 1863 (Call your senator! Use the link The PP's e-mail provides!). To ID a few:
public utility commissions across the land can command their LDCs to do similar – or even better -- things as Utah's PUC has had Questar to do over several decades. 'Better' things could include
not 'rate-basing' the LDC's CNG costs,
not allowing (at all) some (rich!) LDC OH costs,
doing good CNG pump price fixing (read tariff setting) versus the local city gate gas price, or,
alternatively, enjoining LDCs, and their affiliates, from the CNG business, totally, so entrepreneurs are not crowded out, or scared away. While they enjoin, they also need to force LDCs to supply any-'n'-every CNG retailer at industrial rates.
federal legislation could set a more advantageous spread between the excise taxes on gasoline and diesel versus CNG. Doing so would also require 'fixing' what some DoT officials think about re. 'their' budgeting and dedicated revenues, and who their target public includes.
state legislatures can do the same at the state level.
There are more, but this post is getting a little long.

To wit: The senate bill should not be supported by most CNG consumers and advocates. This is an issue we can carry to Capitol Hill when we make our annual visit. I would urge all of you to seek the support of your stakeholders in contacting their representatives, as outlined above.

Regards,
Coordinator
__ Clean Cities

From: Kolodziej, Rich [mailto:rkolodziej@ngvamerica.org]
Sent: Saturday, November 19, 2011 4:50 PM
To: Undisclosed recipients
Subject: Senate NAT GAS Act - Menendez-Reid-Burr-Chambliss (S. 1863)

Clean Cities Coordinators:

Earlier today, you received the email [above] from Coordinator of the ________ ______ Clean Cities detailing his view that the NAT GAS Act introduced in the Senate on Tuesday was flawed, and that Clean Cities Coalitions should oppose it. NGVAmerica strongly disagrees. In fact, NGVAmerica believes that enactment of this legislation is in the best interest of the NGV industry, consumers and fleets and America in general. Here's why.

I'll start with the assumption that all Clean Cities Coalitions believe that we need to reduce our dependence on foreign oil while simultaneously reducing urban pollution and greenhouse gases. Since a growing NGV market would help achieve those goals, I'll also assume that all Clean Cities Coalitions support a more rapid increase in the number of NGVs on America's roads. As Coordinator points out, the use of NGVs is increasing. The primary driver has been economics. Because of expanded production from our huge domestic natural gas resource base, natural gas availability is exceeding natural gas demand. As a result, natural gas prices are quite low, and are expected to stay low for decades. In fact, on a BTU basis, natural gas is about a third the price of petroleum. So, at the pump, natural gas is selling for $1.50 to $2.00 less per gasoline-gallon-equivalent than gasoline.

Unfortunately, NGVs cost more to buy than comparable gasoline and diesel vehicles. This greater first cost will come down as technology improves and as increased demand leads to more mass production and competition. But right now that greater first cost is significant. This, in turn, has been dampening demand for NGVs – especially for fleets and consumers that don't use a lot of fuel.

The Senate version of the NAT GAS Act (S. 1863) introduced on Tuesday would bring down the first cost of NGVs by offering income tax credits to buyers of NGVs for a five year period. To help payback the US Treasury for the cost of this incentive, the bill would also impose a surcharge on natural gas used in vehicles that ramps up over a 10 year period (no surcharge the first two years, 2.5 cents per gallon the next two years, 5 cents per gallon the following two years, 10 cents per gallon the following two years and then 12.5 cents per gallon the last two years, after which the surcharge would expire). Attached is a summary of the provisions of S. 1863 compared with the House version and current law.

Clearly, the NGV industry would prefer the House version (HR 1380), which does not impose any surcharge. However, given the mood about government spending programs in Congress and the country, NGVAmerica's Government Affairs Committee and Board of Directors believe that a bold approach such as S. 1863 has a much better chance of getting Congressional attention and approval. We also believe that even with the added cost of the surcharge, the incentives in S. 1863 will result accelerated demand for NGVs.

Let me now address some specific concerns raised in Coordinator's email:

Coordinator: "The funding mechanism will require additional federal borrowing, for years and years. You may bet that the senate bill contains no credible estimates for when the 'ramp[ing] up' surcharge revenue will catch up with the 'tax expenditure' cost* …

* plus interest (and year-in-year-out geo-political costs) on the years of borrowings, please."

Response: That is incorrect. The Congressional Joint Tax Committee has estimated that the cost of S.1863 would be $3.8 billion. The specific surcharges included in the bill were selected to recover this $3.8 billion. This amount does not include the millions of dollars that would be added to the Highway Trust Fund because of estimated increases in sale of LNG. The excise tax on LNG (which goes into the Highway Trust Fund) is actually greater than for diesel fuel on a diesel-gallon- equivalent (DGE) basis. The more LNG that displaces diesel fuel, the more excise tax goes into the Highway Trust Fund. As to geo-political cost, there is no geo-political cost greater than the $1+ billion America sends per day to foreign countries for imported oil. This increases our balance of trade deficit, distorts our foreign and military policy, destroys jobs here at home, etc. A growing NGV market in the US helps reduce this drain of America's wealth and increases economic development here (more NGVs sold, more natural gas produced and sold, more fueling infrastructure development, vehicle retrofits, etc.).

Coordinator: "The proposed funding mechanism transfers wealth from
existing private CNG consumers who aim to keep their existing NGVs,
future private consumers who aim to buy used vehicles,
future private consumers without enough tax liability to benefit from the credits,
non-taxable (non-profitable) business CNG consumers, past and future.
to
the small set of profitable, taxable businesses which can access the credits, that have been sized to give most benefits to semi tractor buyers**,
future private consumers who have enough taxes due, after an AMT calc, to use credits (i.e., folks with healthy incomes, who, btw, are the last to struggle with the consumerist concerns that accompany making the NGV choice.)

Notice the function of penalizing the early-movers, and the less well-off, in favor of those who act only after the bill's an Act (are late to the game, iows) and the more well-off."

Response: This incentive is not just directed at large truck fleets. All new vehicles purchased by consumers or businesses would receive the incentive. In fact, consumers and fleets that do not drive many miles per day would actually benefit more. Because NGVs cost more to buy but less to operate, the more miles driven per year, the faster the payback of that added first cost. As a result, NGVs are economic for many big rig fleets today but may not be economic for the average home owner or small fleet. With the purchase incentive, this would change for many consumers and small commercial customers. In addition, this bill (for the first time) would offer a tax credit for bi-fuel light-duty NGVs, something that consumers, not large fleets, mostly having been asking for. Further, the $4,000 manufacturer credit (also included in the bill) is mostly targeted at encouraging light-duty OEMs to expand the offering of NGVs for consumers. As to the incentive not being of value to non-tax paying entities, Coordinator is incorrect. S. 1863 includes language that allows the transferability of the tax credit in cases of non-tax payers (and also in the case of taxpayers who can't take the credit because of insufficient tax liability). Coordinator is correct that existing NGV owners that will not buy an NGV from 2012 through 2016 will not benefit directly. But the number of NGV owners in this category would be very small – as would any financial impact. Assuming an average consumer owns an NGV today and continues to own and use it through the entire 10 year period of the surcharge, the total surcharge paid would be only $300. These consumers would benefit indirectly as more fueling stations are built and more NGVs become available at lower costs as greater economies of scale are reached. Thus, they will benefit if they continue to operate their NGVs or trade them in for another NGV down the road. As to any inequity to buyers of used NGVs, if we are correct that the result of passage of S. 1863 will be a large increase in the number NGVs on the road, I would assume that the increased availability used vehicles would put some downward pressure on used NGV prices that would more than compensate for the total $300 surcharge.

Coordinator: "The way to incentivize use of CNG for all citizens regardless their tax bracket or amount of disposable income -- as it should be for a widely-needed good such as motor fuel – is for the fully-taxed retail price of CNG to be as low as possible vs. fully-taxed gasoline/diesel. The senate bill takes 2 large steps backwards in this regard: no 'blender' credit (VETC), and an additional federal sales tax. Boo…"

Response: We believe that the best way to incentivize the purchase and use of NGVs is not just to minimize the fuel cost but, rather, to minimize the economic payback time of the first cost. For most potential NGV buyers who don't use 15,000 or more GGEs of natural gas per year, lowering the first-cost of the vehicle is more valuable – even with the surcharge. As to the VETC, Coordinator is correct that, unlike the House version of the NAT GAS Act, S. 1863 does not include the 50 cent per gallon excise tax credit. This wasn't our choice. Obviously, we would much prefer that this credit were included. But, as Coordinator himself noted, politically, that was not possible. There is a groundswell in the Congress to get rid of all operating cost incentives, which the VETC is.

In summary, S. 1863 would greatly stimulate the manufacture, purchase and use of NGVs in America. NGVAmerica believes that, if this bill became law, many more OEMs – including light-duty OEMs that make and sell NGVs in other parts of the world – will enter the US market. The increased competition and mass production that would result would further bring down the first cost so that, once the incentive expires, robust growth in the NGV market will continue. All these new NGVs on the road, in turn, would accelerate the building of profitable natural gas refueling stations, which would make NGVs a more attractive option to even more consumers and businesses. In short, the Senate version of the NAT GAS Act would play a critical role in Clean Cities achieving its objective of reducing the use of foreign oil.

NGVAmerica urges all Clean Cities Coalitions to strongly endorse passage of S. 1863.

If you have any questions, please contact me.

Rich

Richard Kolodziej, President

NGVAmerica

400 N. Capitol St. NW

Washington, DC 20001

Phone: 202/824-7366

Fax: 202/824-9160

Email: rkolodziej@NGVAmerica.org

Website: www.ngvamerica.org

Here you will find a PDF that compares the House and Senate versions.

UPDATE 11/22/2011 - A reply from Coordinator:

From: Coordinator
Sent: Sunday, November 20, 2011 3:35 AM
To: Kolodziej, Rich
Subject: RE: Senate NAT GAS Act - Menendez-Reid-Burr-Chambliss (S. 1863)

Persuasive and well said. I will encourage the support of S.1863. I'm just so tired of seeing this bill cut back and morphed into what it has become, relative to where it started. My intent, although less than adequately explained, was to rally support id S.1830 and to avoid acceptance of this lesser offering, but as you point out... something is better than nothing. Thank you for the rebuttal and straitening out several of the points raised.

Coordinator
__ Clean Cities

NAT GAS Act of 2011

2011-11-16T12:16:00.001-08:00

"Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) and Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) introduced the NAT GAS Act of 2011 to encourage the use of domestic natural gas to fuel vehicles. The legislation is the Senate’s version of the H.R. 1380, which has broad bi-partisan support in the House with 181 co-sponsors."

T. Boone Pickens offered the following comment:

Nothing in America has such a thoroughly transformative economic potential as domestic natural gas. Simply by increasing the use of domestic natural gas in vehicles, we can get on our own resources, immediately create 400,000 good jobs, redirect billions of dollars of foreign oil money back into the hands of American businesses, and cut our dependence on OPEC by half.

SunLine Unveils 7th Generation Hydrogen Fueled Vehicle

2011-11-13T06:21:00.001-08:00

Coachella Valley's SunLine Transit Agency will unveil the 7th Generation Hydrogen Fueled Vehicle the "American Fuel Cell Bus" on Monday, November 14, 2011 at 10 AM at the Agency headquarters located at 32-505 Harry Oliver Trail, Thousand Palms, California.

The launch of this Made in America bus will lead directly to the commercialization of fuel cell technology and inevitable associated workforce development in the industry. With the launch, transit agencies across the country will now have the ability to purchase a 40-foot fuel cell bus that meets the FTA Buy America Requirements. This marks a significant milestone on hydrogen fuel cell technology development for the transportation industry.

(via CVEP)

CALSTART - Advanced Clean Vehicles: Working To Ensure Sustainability

2011-11-12T06:00:00.001-08:00

This workshop took place on September 27, 2011, in Diamond Bar, California. Rough Meeting Notes provided by CALSTART include a link to the video The Right To Breathe which was shown at the workshop.

Sponsors of "September 2011, CALSTART's Advanced Clean Vehicles: Working to Ensure Sustainability Workshop, hosted by the South Coast Air Quality Management District. A Powerpoint presentation.

"Meeting Environmental and Fuel Efficiency Goals" by John German of The International Council On Clean Transportation. A Powerpoint presentation.

Advanced Technology Light Duty Vehicles - Working to Ensure Customer Acceptance by John Boesel, President and CEO of Clean Transportation Technologies and Solutions. A Powerpoint presentation.

Audio recordings of the discussions:

1: Overview of Existing Policy Spurring - or Not Spurring - the Market

0:00:00	Intro - Susan Roméo, CALSTART Director of Marketing and Communications
0:01:52	Intro - John Boesel, President & CEO of CALSTART
0:02:56	Dr. Barry Wallerstein, South Coast Air Quality Management District
0:06:08	John Boesel
0:15:44	John German, Senior Fellow, International Council on Clean Transportation "Meeting Environmental and Fuel Efficiency Goals in an Era of Budget Cuts and Uncertainty"
0:57:26	Jack Broadbent, Panel Moderator - Chief Executive Officer/Air Pollution Control Officer, for the Bay Area Air Quality Management District
1:02:24	Panel: "Overview of Existing Policy Spurring - or Not Spurring - the Market"
	Panelists: 1:03:22 Dr. Barry Wallerstein 1:09:24 Anthony Eggert, Deputy Secretary for Energy Policy, CalEPA 1:13:05 Tom Cackette, Deputy Executive Officer, California Air Resources Board 1:18:06 Wendy James, Coalition Manager, California Clean Car Campaign [not introduced]
1:22:18	Panel Q & A

2: Purchasing Advanced Technology Vehicles: What Fleets Need to Lead the Way

0:00:00	[unidentified person speaking]
0:03:13	Anthony Orta, Asset Management Manager Fleet Services, Southern California Gas Company
0:06:27	Rick Teebay, Former Chief of Fleet Management, now Fleet and Transportation Specialist, Office of Sustainability, Los Angeles County Department of Public Works
0:09:26	Ken McKenney, Technical Support Fleet Operations, Verizon
0:14:45	Lee Broughton, Director of Corporate Sustainability, Enterprise Holdings
0:17:50	Panel Q & A

3: What OEMs Need to Continue the Investment in the Market and Extending, Improving, and Rethinking Incentive Programs for Light Duty Vehicles

0:00:00	[Unidentified speaker]
0:00:27	Chuck Parker, Publisher Automotive Digest
0:04:29	Dr. Jon Coleman, Sustainability and Technology Manager, Ford Fleet Operations
0:06:03	Steve Ellis, Manager, Fuel Cell Vehicle Marketing, Honda
0:08:12	Matt Sloustcher, Government Affairs Team, Coda Automotive
0:09:58	Geri Yoza, National Manager Advanced Technology, Toyota Motor Sales
0:11:01	David Barthmuss, Group Manager, Western Region & Environment, General Motors
0:12:20	Panel discussion begins: "What OEMs Need to Continue the Investment in the Market"
1:09:43	Introduction of panelists for "Extending, Improving, and Rethinking Incentive Programs for Light Duty Vehicles"
1:12:01	Samir Sheikh, Director, Strategies and Incentives, San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution and Control District
1:18:08	Tim Carmichael, President & CEO, CALSTART
1:21:08	Scott Keene, Environmental Attorney, Keene Law
1:26:27	Nichole Tyerman, American Lung Association in California
1:29:16	Dean Saito, Manager, Mobile Source Strategies, South Coast Air Quality Management District
1:32:43	Discussion begins

Vehicle Cost Calculator

2011-11-01T20:38:00.000-07:00

The U.S. Department of Energy provides this vehicle cost calculator which allows you to compare up to 8 vehicles.

This tool uses basic information about your driving habits to calculate total cost of ownership and emissions for makes and models of most vehicles, including alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles.

What Is Clean Cities?

2011-10-28T20:37:00.000-07:00

"Clean Cities is a government-industry partnership that reduces petroleum consumption in the transportation sector. Clean Cities contributes to the energy, environmental, and economic security of the United States by supporting local decisions to reduce our dependence on imported petroleum." (Click this link to read the full PDF)

Andrew Littlefair Testifies In Support of HR 1380

2011-10-28T04:14:00.000-07:00

(Video of the entire hearing is available here.)

Testimony of Mr. Andrew Littlefair President & CEO Clean Energy Fuels Before the Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures and the Subcommittee on Oversight House Committee on Ways & Means

September 22, 2011

Mr. Chairmen, Members of the Subcommittees. My name is Andrew Littlefair. 1 am the President and Chief Executive Officer of Clean Energy Fuels which is the largest provider of vehicular natural gas (both Compressed Natural Gas and Liquefied Natural Gas) and related services in North America. I am also the immediate past Chairman of the NGV America, a national trade association of over 120 companies involved in natural gas vehicles and related production, distribution and transmission.

I am here to speak in favor of HR 1380 – the NAT GAS Act, introduced on April 6 by Rep. John Sullivan. I am pleased that so many members of the Subcommittees have co-sponsored the legislation, including both Chairmen. I would like to focus on the advantages to our economy of jump-starting a natural gas vehicle industry in the United States. The change over from diesel to natural gas is going to happen over the next 10 to 15 years. What I am suggesting is, with this short-term boost, we can accelerate that to just five years and achieve our goal of energy security.

In addition, I will touch on job creation, revenue generation, national security implications, and environmental advantage of moving a significant number of vehicles from largely imported diesel to domestic natural gas. The benefits of natural gas are numerous, wide ranging, and vital to America's national interests. I believe that is why, as of today, HR. 1380 has 183 bipartisan co-sponsors. With what you have just gone through, having that many members from both sides and from all regions ofthe country coming together on a single piece of legislation is noteworthy in, and oi itseltf

Natural Gas is Abundant.

Natural gas is one ofthe most abundant natural resources in America. In the summer of 2009, the "Potential Gas Committee" under the auspices of the Colorado School of Mines released its groundbreaking report calculating the enormous amount of natural gas contained in the vast shale deposits in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and the Appalachian basin states. The Marcellus Shale, extending through Pennsylvania, West Virginia, southern New York and eastern Ohio, has received the lion's share of attention over the past year.

We in business and in government don't think strategically as often as we probably should. It is one thing for report after report to state we have a 100-year supply of natural gas, or a 150-year supply or a number that continues to grow with advances in drilling technology. It is something else for us to consider how best to deploy such a domestic natural resource – a resource with so many uses, which is already so widely distributed, and which can benefit all Americans by providing more jobs, a cleaner environment, a reduction in our trade deficit, and cheaper food and commodity prices.

Unlike battery and hydrogen technologies which are works in progress, natural gas is a proven vehicle fuel. There are some 13.2 million natural gas vehicles operating in the rest of the world. Globally, over 4,000 NGVS are being put on the road and eight new natural gas fueling stations are being opened every day. However ofthe 250 million cars and light trucks on America's highways only about 110,000 are NGVs.

The argument against moving from gasoline or diesel to natural gas as a principal transportation fuel has been a matter of infrastructure. If there are not enough fueling stations to support NGVS, then the public won't buy them. If the public won't buy NGVS then companies like Clean Energy Fuels won't build facilities to fuel them.

This "closed loop" thinking has stymied us for decades.

We can talk about the availability of natural gas refueling facilities, as opposed to gasoline stations, for passenger cars but the fact is as long as gasoline was so relatively cheap, there was no need for people to ask for natural gas vehicles (N GVS), there was no reason for the automobile manufacturers to build them, and no need for fueling stations to put in natural gas islands.

My focus today will be on medium and heavy-duty trucks which currently burn imported diesel. In the jargon of the Transportation Department these are Class 3 through Class 8 trucks – everything from express delivery and utility company vehicles all the way up to refuse and recycling trucks; and 18-Wheelers.

Even if we built a million passenger cars per year to run on natural gas, that would represent only four-tenths of one percent of the U.S. fleet.

However there are only about eight million class five through eight – heavy-duty – trucks in the U.S. These trucks range from refuse recycling trucks to over-the-road 18-wheelers and use upwards of 35 billion gallons of fuel annually. Helping the owners of these vehicles replace their diesel trucks with trucks running on CNG or LNG can have an immediate, measurable effect on our trade deficit, our environment, and on the profitability of these fleets.

Over-the-road trucks tend to run the same routes on a regular schedule. We have determined that the beginnings of a nationwide network is possible with only 150 natural gas stations at existing truck stops along Interstate highways can provide fuel coast-to-coast and border-to-border. Refuse recycling trucks, municipal buses, dump and cement trucks, and express delivery and`utility trucks all go home to "the barn" every night and so refueling them is a simple matter.

The private sector is doing its part. Recently my company announced an investment by Chesapeake Energy to help build 150 strategically located LNG truck stops. This process, too, can be greatly speeded up though common sense incentives in the bill.

All that is left is to help trucking companies in the short term defer the additional cost of buying vehicles which will run on natural gas. Because there has been a trickle of a market for heavy trucks running on natural gas, the costs of manufacturing them is far higher than the highly developed lines building diesel engines. H.R. l380 takes direct aim at the premium which keeps many truck owners and manufacturers from making the change to natural gas. The cost of a basic Class 8 truck – which includes regional tractors, drayage trucks, and refuse and recycling trucks – built to run on diesel is approximately $125,000. A similar truck manufactured to run on natural gas will cost between $35,000 and $40,000 more.

To demonstrate that the economies of scale I am suggesting will, in fact, work, we should note that just three years ago the incremental cost of a natural gas truck over a diesel was between $60,000 and $100,000. l believe that, by providing this modest tax credit for truckers to purchase NGVs that differential will quickly disappear as the benetits of natural gas as a transportation fuel become obvious to users.

In this era of debt limits and spending reductions we should keep in mind that the relatively low cost of H.R. 1380 and its strict time limit of not more than five years will yield many times the amount of the tax credits involved.

There are 360,000 trucking companies in the United States. 82 percent of these operate six trucks or less. One in ten over-the-road truck drivers are independent and most own their own rigs.

I recite these statistics, Mr. Chairman, to show that H.R. 1380 is not a hand-out to major corporations, grocery chains, and retailers. It is a way to give a hand-UP to small businesses from Maine to California by providing meaningful incentives to our transportation infrastructure.

These small businesses will retain a larger share of their earnings in the form of a tax credit to purchase natural gas trucks. That, plus the saving of $1.50 per gallon by running on natural gas instead of diesel, provide a significant life-cycle reduction in costs and will go a long way in helping to create additional demand for trucks and engines built in America.

As these companies ramp up to meet the expected demand, the per-unit cost will drop to the point where a tax credit is no longer necessary.

Yet the manufacturing facilities and the workers who build these new vehicles within them, designers, engineers, tool-and-dye makers, mechanics and after-market entities, will remain and will grow in a market sector which is crucial to the economic health of states throughout America. Studies have shown that moving America's heavy-duty truck fleet from diesel to natural gas will have the effect of providing over 400,000 direct and indirect new jobs over the next live years, further demonstrating the long-term benefits of this legislation.

The elements of the President's Jobs Bill – both the job creation and the pay-for sides of the equation – are on everyone's lips here this week. Proposals like the NAT GAS Act are not in competition WITH, but are complementary TO, whatever form of the jobs bill comes out of the Congress.

Every person we hire – every position we create – has to make sense for us, so it can help us make dollars. Yet, we believe that 400,000 number of new, permanent and good-paying jobs to be very conservative. These jobs will be created through an anticipated investment of up to $50 billion over that five year period.

As a national security issue all we need to do is to look at the scale of oil imports and the list of our major oil trading partners. Natural gas vehicles can play a significant role in displacing foreign oil.

In June, 2011 we imported 343 million barrels of oil at a cost of $39 billion. That is one million dollars per minute, every minute of every day. For the first half of this year we have imported 2.1 billion barrels of oil costing S227 billion; over a quarter of a trillion dollars. Not only is the scale of the amount of money we are shipping offshore sobering, but a look at the list of countries to which we are sending it is chilling: After Canada and Mexico, the next largest suppliers of oil to the United States are:
Saudi Arabia
Venezuela
Nigeria
Iraq
Columbia
Russia
Angola

This is a list of countries we should beware of supplying our national requirements for bubble gum, much less oil.

In April of this year, oil imports accounted for about 60 percent of our three-year high trade deficit of $50.2 billion.

Converting America's heavy truck fleet of about 8 million vehicles to Liquefied Natural Gas would save 2.5 million barrels of oil per day, meaning we could reduce our reliance on OPEC oil by half. At $100 per barrel that means $250 million per day stays in the United States to circulate through OUR economy, rather than being shipped off the governments of Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, or Nigeria.

Mr. Chairman I am in the business of promoting natural gas as a major component of America's transportation fuel future. lt is not the perfect fuel, and every fuel has benefits and drawbacks, but natural gas is the cleanest fuel on the American roads today.

Natural gas is abundant – As I noted eminent researchers from the Colorado School of Mines, Cambridge Energy Research Associates, IEA and MIT on down – have shown we have between a 100- and 150-year supply just in the United States.

Natural gas is available – it is the most widely distributed natural resource in the nation.

Natural gas is safe – it is used for cooking, heating, and hot water in over 70 million homes.

Natural gas is cleaner than gasoline or diesel. According to the California Air Resources Board NGVs produce between 20 and 30 percent fewer greenhouse gases than vehicles burning diesel or gasoline. Converting just one trash truck from diesel to natural gas is the equivalent of taking as many as 325 cars off the road in terms of pollution.

Natural gas is cheaper – it costs about 40% less than diesel on a gallon-equivalent basis. For an over-the-road truck burning about 20,000 gallons of fuel per year – that is a savings of up to $40,000 per year per truck. In an era where commodity prices are on the rise – and a substantial portion of that rise is shipping costs – lowering those shipping costs should be reason enough to jump-start the NGV industry in the United States.

Natural gas is working. This is an historic opportunity to pass and implement an achievable tax credit that will immediately have a positive and dramatic impact on our energy and national security and greatly reduce our reliance on OPEC. This can happen and can happen NOW.

Thank you for your time and attention. I would be happy to answer any questions.

Is CNG in Your Future?

2011-10-07T07:56:00.000-07:00

Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition
October 6, 2011

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is one of the alternative transportation fuels outlined in the 1992 Energy Policy Act that may help America reduce its dependence on foreign oil. Please read Bob Strickland's opinion piece below that appeared on TruckingInfo.com in September. It is a great overview of the benefits of CNG!

Is CNG in Your Future?

With the advent of hybrid cars, more and more people are rethinking American energy dependence and choosing alternative energy. While we still have a long way to go toward true energy independence, most of our gasoline and diesel vehicles could be replaced by vehicles fueled by compressed natural gas (CNG).

We need to find ways to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and use our own natural resources in order to ensure energy security for our country. The use of CNG in natural gas vehicles (NGVs) can play an important role in addressing these challenges.

Corporate America continues to look for ways to balance the social, economic and environmental needs of all stakeholders by rethinking the use of alternative energy in its fleets such as taxis, buses, and delivery vehicles.

Economic Benefits to NGV Fleets

Any business with a fleet of vehicles is a good candidate for natural gas vehicles - transit, garbage, laundry supply, and food and beverage trucks are common users of natural gas.

While there are upfront costs to buying or converting to a natural gas fleet, the fuel costs are considerably lower making them much more affordable over the long run. In the U.S., we are paying more than $3.60 per gallon for gasoline. The price of natural gas ranges from just over $1.00 to around $2.00 per equivalent gallon.

That's why AT&T, UPS, Verizon, Waste Management and others are switching to natural gas; they can save millions on fuel costs.

Reduced Maintenance Costs & Emissions

Gasoline and diesel engine lives are shortened because of the build-up of carbon. Natural gas engines, on the other hand, have virtually no carbon build-up, so ring wear is reduced and engine life is extended.

Tune-ups and oil changes for natural gas vehicles aren't needed as frequently because compressed natural gas burns so much cleaner than gasoline or diesel. Some fleet owners report service lives two to three years longer than gasoline or diesel vehicles.

According to Mitchell Pratt, chief operating officer, Clean Energy, their CNG-powered taxis measure near zero emissions at the tailpipe and will reduce greenhouse gases by almost 30 percent when compared to petroleum powered vehicles.

CNG Availability Regionally

At the end of 2010, there were nearly 1,000 natural gas stations in the U.S., and there are efforts underway to build more. There are five regional corridors where public and private entities are working hard to get stations built near intersections of major interstates and highways:
Texas Triangle - Dallas to San Antonio to Houston
Colorado Rockies Corridor - Colorado, Wyoming, Utah
Southeastern Corridor - Georgia, Florida, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Florida, Mississippi, Arkansas, Virginia
Eastern Corridor - Runs north of Virginia into the New England States
I-75 Corridor - Runs along I-75 from the northeastern U.S. down toward the southeastern states

In Alabama, the goal is to have as many as 12 public stations by the end of 2012. We're building natural gas stations primarily for Alagasco's fleet for now, but will be opening stations to the public as well. This means that if all the planned public stations are open for business, you could drive across Alabama from the Tennessee line all the way to the Florida coast in a natural gas vehicle.

Recently, California's first CNG-powered Ford Transit Connect taxis have gone into service in the greater Los Angeles area and, since 2001, the number of CNG filling stations in Orange County has tripled to about 30.

CNG & Natural Gas Vehicles Good for Economy

Americans spend about $1 billion dollars each day on foreign oil. In addition to taking advantage of the numerous benefits of running our vehicles on natural gas, keeping our dollars in the U.S. should also be a priority.

Certainly we will create additional jobs as we produce more NGVs and stations, but we can also reduce our trade deficit and benefit our economy significantly by reducing our foreign oil imports and using the money saved by keeping it here at home. As an example, the money we spend on oil imports in an average month, around $30 billion dollars, could be used to hire 443,000 teachers, fund highway repairs for eight years, or build 39,500 new elementary schools.

Since the beginning of the current economic recession, American citizens and corporations alike are seeking a more balanced and sustainable co-existence. We think natural gas will play a large role in our overall economic recovery and financial independence.

Bob Strickland
Manager of Clean Transportation
Alagasco

bstrickl@energen.com

Thank you for considering CNG in your mix of alternative transportation fuels to help us reduce our dependence on foreign oil, increase economic development (JOBS) and improve our air quality!

If you have questions regarding CNG or any alternative fuel or advanced technology vehicle please contact us.

Sincerely,
Mark

Mark Bentley
Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition
mark@alabamacleanfuels.org
205.402.2755

Andrew Littlefair's Testimony In Congress

2011-09-22T16:57:00.000-07:00

Read the PDF copy of Mr. Littlefair's testimony in support of H.R. 1380 to the Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures and the Subcommittee on Oversight, House Committee on Ways & Means, here. Mr. Littlefair is President and CEO of Clean Energy Fuels.

Converting America’s heavy truck fleet of about 8 million vehicles to Liquefied Natural Gas would save 2.5 million barrels of oil per day, meaning we could reduce our reliance on OPEC oil by half. At $100 per barrel that means $250 million per day stays in the United States to circulate through OUR economy, rather than being shipped off the governments of Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, or Nigeria.

Top 10 Resources For Reliable And Unbiased Information

2011-09-19T18:34:00.000-07:00

The following comes from Mark Bentley, Executive Director of Alabama Clean Fuesl Coalition.

Question of the Month: What are the top 10 resources for reliable and unbiased information about alternative fuels, advanced vehicles, and other petroleum reduction strategies?

Answer:

Alternative Fuels & Advanced Vehicles Data Center (AFDC): http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/

The AFDC is a comprehensive clearinghouse of data, publications, tools, and information related to alternative fuels, advanced vehicles, idle reduction, fuel economy, and other petroleum reduction strategies. The AFDC Tools page (http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/applications.html) is a one-stop-shop for links to tools, database searches, calculators, and interactive maps available through the AFDC, including the Alternative Fueling Station Locator, Vehicle Searches, Incentives and Laws Search, and Publications Search.
Clean Cities: http://www.cleancities.energy.gov/ The national Clean Cities website includes links to relevant news, events, and publications; program and coalition contacts; financial opportunities; and Coordinator Toolbox resources.
Fueleconomy.gov: http://www.fueleconomy.gov/

Fueleconomy.gov allows users to search for fuel economy information for light-duty vehicle models through the Find and Compare Cars tool. In addition, the website includes a search tool for cars that don't use gasoline, verified gas mileage tips, and the Your MPG fuel economy tracking tool.
U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)'s Alternatives to Traditional Transportation Fuels: http://www.eia.gov/renewable/alternative_transport_vehicles/index.cfm

EIA collects, analyzes, and disseminates information about energy production and use in the United States. On an annual basis EIA publishes their Alternatives to Traditional Transportation report, which summarizes data on the number of alternative fuel vehicles supplied and in use, and the amount of alternative fuel consumed. Please note that the data published is generally two-years delayed; 2010 data will be available in the spring of 2012. EIA also publishes data on conventional fuel prices and production, as well as other topics of interest.
DOE's Energy Policy Act (EPAct) Information

The following DOE websites provide information about EPAct regulatory activities:
- EPAct Transportation Regulatory Activities: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/vehiclesandfuels/epact/index.html
  
  This website provides information on vehicle and fuel use requirements for state government and alternative fuel provider fleets, as well as the EPAct definition of an "alternative fuel."
- Federal Fleet Management: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/program/fedfleet_management.html
  
  This website provides information about federal fleet requirements under EPAct and other regulations.
DOE National Laboratories

The DOE national labs perform research, implement programs, and publish documents related to alternative fuels and advanced vehicles. A full list of labs and technology centers is available on the DOE website: http://energy.gov/offices. The labs involved with Clean Cities include Argonne National Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory, National Energy Technology Laboratory, and National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Clean Cities Coalitions

Coalitions around the country are deploying alternative fuels and advanced vehicles, educating their stakeholders and the public, and engaging their communities. The coalition websites and coordinator contact information listed on DOE's Clean Cities website (http://www.afdc.energy.gov/cleancities/coalitions/coalition_locations.php) are great resources for information and case studies. You may also reach out to the coordinator listserv with specific questions.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): http://www.epa.gov/

EPA administers a number of different programs aimed at reducing vehicle emissions. For example, the EPA website features information on the following:
- Alternative Fuel Conversion Regulations (including an Excel spreadsheet of EPA-compliant conversion systems): http://epa.gov/otaq/consumer/fuels/altfuels/altfuels.htm
- Renewable Fuels Standard: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/fuels/renewablefuels/index.htm
- Aftermarket Retrofit Device Evaluation "511" Program: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/consumer/reports.htm
Other Federal Government Agencies

Several other federal government agencies implement programs and regulations related to alternative fuels and advanced vehicles. These agencies include the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; U.S. Department of Agriculture; and U.S. Internal Revenue Service. The AFDC Incentives & Laws database provides information and links for additional information about federal incentives, laws, regulations, and programs by agency at the following website: http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/laws/fed_summary/Agency.
State and Local Government Agencies

State and local government agencies are great resources for information about regulations and programs in your area. The National Association of State Energy Officials maintains a list of state and territory energy office websites and contacts (http://www.naseo.org/members/states/).

Likewise, the EPA posts a list of state and territorial environmental agency websites (http://www.epa.gov/epahome/state.htm).

In addition, many state agency contacts are listed on the AFDC State Incentives and Laws website (http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/laws/state).

Industry associations and nonprofit organizations can also provide useful information specific to certain fuel or technology types or issue areas. For example, NAFA Fleet Management Association (http://www.nafa.org/) and ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability (http://www.iclei.org/) can be helpful resources.

First Responder Safety Training

2011-08-25T14:00:00.000-07:00

U.S. spent $42.0 billion on foreign oil in July

2011-08-23T21:47:00.001-07:00

August 23, 2011. In his monthly update on the level of foreign oil imports in the U.S., energy expert T. Boone Pickens said that based on the latest figures from the Energy Information Administration, the U.S. imported 60 percent of its oil, or 359 million barrels in July 2011, sending approximately $42.0 billion, or $941,080.51 per minute, to foreign countries, including OPEC nations that ultimately threaten U.S. national security.

In issuing the report, Pickens praised Congressman Pat Tiberi (R-OH), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures, and Congressman Charles Boustany (R-LA), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight, for calling a joint hearing on the intersection of energy policy and tax policy. Scheduled for September, the hearing will specifically consider the NAT GAS Act (H.R. 1380) and the dual priorities of comprehensive tax reform and a sustainable energy policy.

The NAT GAS Act encourages the use of domestic natural gas to fuel heavy-duty vehicles, simultaneously improving our national security and strengthening our economy. The legislation currently has 183 bipartisan co-sponsors from across the country and since May the total number of co-sponsors has increased. Co-sponsors include Tea Party members from the Republican Study Committee; the Black Caucus; and, the Blue Dog Coalition. Additionally, President Barack Obama has declared his support for using natural gas to wean America off OPEC oil and secure our energy future.

Commenting on the July oil numbers, Pickens offered the following statement:

“Chairman Tiberi and Chairman Boustany deserve immense praise for holding this hearing and for considering this legislation, which is a concrete step towards ending these challenging economic times for America by creating jobs, reducing our dependence on foreign oil and improving our national security,” said Pickens. “The NAT GAS Act represents an immediate and achievable opportunity to get Americans back to work. In a time when unemployment continues to hover above nine percent, this bill would create 500,000 new American jobs.”

“Domestic natural gas is cheaper, cleaner, more abundant and can be used right now. The NAT GAS Act will help our economy and provide opportunities for Americans. Not only is this bill going to create jobs in the near term, it is going to save the country money.”

“When you spend nearly $1 million a minute on foreign oil, it is no wonder why we have a fiscal crisis. Continuing to rely on OPEC instead of using domestic natural gas is wrong.”

“I urge Congress to continue to press forward, work together in a bipartisan way and help us take control of our future by passing the NAT GAS Act.”

CEC Alt Fuel Website Available

2011-08-22T09:15:00.001-07:00

Recently, the California Energy Commission (CEC) has unveiled Drive, a new website providing information about the State's Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program.

"This landmark economic development program provides as much as $100 million annually in competitive grants and financial incentives to develop alternatives to fossil fuels," said Energy Commission Vice Chair James Boyd. "It leverages federal and private investment to create jobs here in California. Drive clearly lays out the many funding opportunities and serves as a clearinghouse of information from such varied sources as state and federal government agencies, utilities, and vehicle manufacturers."

The Drive website details a wide range of transportation projects -- from producing renewable fuels, to installing new fueling and charging stations for electric cars and other alternative fuel vehicles, to training the workforce that supports the ever-evolving transportation industry. "Drive" is located on the California Energy Commission's website at www.energy.ca.gov/drive

Production Of ADA Compliant CNG Vehicle To Begin

2011-08-18T13:25:00.000-07:00

"The Vehicle Production Group LLC announced the start of production for the 'First Mobility Vehicle,' MV-1, the first and only factory-built and assembled vehicle which meets or exceeds the vehicle guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act." You can get the vehicle with either a gasoline or CNG powertrain. Delivery to customers will begin before the end of September 2011. The vehicle will be assembled in Indiana. "The MV-1 features a 56-inch high by 36-inch wide side door opening for easy wheelchair or motorized scooter entry and exit via a wide deployable ramp with a 1200 pound capacity." The CNG system will have an estimated range of 290 miles.

More info here.

Technology Transition Corporation

2011-08-17T11:15:00.000-07:00

Technology Transition Corporation "provides advocacy and consulting services to the renewable and clean energy industries." Their website hosts four webinars currently:

Local Leaders Create Fuel Cell Success Stories: Spotlight on Leading Local Companies "Learn how companies like Coke, FedEx, Bridgestone and Sierra Nevada are using this technology, and how state and regional elected officials, permitting officials and other local leaders were involved."
The Top 5 Fuel Cell States: Why Local Policies Mean Green Growth "Learn what initiatives the top 5 states have in place, why this technology is a great choice for businesses, and what you can do to foster growth."
Where the Jobs Are: Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in Your Area "Governors and legislatures can create and implement attractive policies, to facilitate fuel cell installations and entice foreign and U.S. companies to your area."
Go Local: Maximizing Your Local Renewable Resources With Fuel Cells "Learn how municipalities are using digesters, solar, wind, and other local, renewable resources, in conjunction with fuel cells. Discover how to put these programs to work in your region."

National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium

2011-08-13T07:53:00.000-07:00

"(NAFTC), a pioneer and national leader in developing, managing, and promoting programs and activities that desire to cure America’s addiction to oil, lead to energy independence, and encourage the greater use of cleaner transportation."

Fuel Cell System Sets World Record

2011-08-13T07:49:00.000-07:00

A humble Oakland bus has been the vehicle for achieving this record.

UTC Power...today announced that one of its latest generation PureMotion® System Model 120 fuel cell powerplants for hybrid-electric transit buses has surpassed 10,000 operating hours in real-world service with its original cell stacks and no cell replacements. This powerplant is aboard an Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) bus operating in the Greater Oakland, Calif. area.

GreenRoad

2011-08-03T10:39:00.000-07:00

GreenRoad teaches drivers how to save fuel and drive more safely.

GreenRoad was founded with a clear mission: to make each and every driver safer and more fuel efficient. Our founders, true pioneers in understanding driving behavior, took on the challenge of creating breakthrough technology and programs that inform and engage drivers—from the novice to the professional.

The result is the easiest, most effective program for reducing driving risk and saving fuel.

"Facts About Natural Gas"

2011-08-02T21:30:00.000-07:00

Facts About Natural Gas is a website and a newsletter presented by Natural Gas Vehicle for America, which represents more than 100 companies.

Electric And Alternative Fuel Vehicle Exhibitor Information for October 21, 2011, Car Fair at Palm Springs Convention Center

2011-07-28T16:33:00.000-07:00

You are invited to participate in the 2011 City of Palm Springs and Clean Cities Coachella Valley Alternative and Electric Vehicle Fair. We would like to invite you to exhibit a vehicle or host an exhibit booth table at the Convention Center on October 21, 2011. The following Information gives you details regarding the October event.

NOTE: Layouts for the OCTOBER 21st Event will follow shortly. The attached application provides details about the show and set-up. We hope you will join us this year!

Information for VENDORS AND EXHIBITORS:

You may choose to Arrive at the Convention Center at 2 pm to set up
Last Call for Set Up is 2:30 pm to ensure your vehicle is present for the Public Car Show Open House
End of Show will be between 7:30 pm and 8 pm depending on traffic
Please bring collateral such as display, brochures and business cards
On Site sales are not allowed. HOWEVER Networking is strongly encouraged

Download a registration form here.

Below is a list of some of the Exhibitors we have on Record from Last Year's event!

California Electric Vehicle Association -	Leo and Margaret Galcher, table only?
Toyota USA	Greg Glander, Toyota Prius Plug-In
Enterprise Car Rental	Greg Tabak, Nissan Leaf
Honda	James Ochner, Insight CRZ Sport Hybrid and possibly Honda Clarity
AQMD	Todd Warden, Mini EV or Rav 4?
SCE	Tod Bartholomay, 1 Vehicle TBD
Handy Gadgets	J. Scott Wauben, Electric Scooter
Sun City Trikes	Bob Gibson, Electric Bike and Gofer
Exotic Car Service	Alan Jenkins, TBD
International Rectifier	John Lloyd, Antique Electric
Neighborhood Cars	David Hamilton, 1 -4 NEV's
Village Market Square	Ward Riggins, Table
Hot Purple Energy	David Herrlinger, 1 - 4 vehicles
Revenge of the Electric Car	Chris Pal, Porsche
CVAG	Possibly a Vehicle?
Boulder EV	Gerry Dameron, Table ?
MILES Electric	Curtis Schatz, Pick Up Truck? and Table
BMW	Diana Marlo, Vehicle? and Table
EVCA	Gabriel Rivera, Table Only
Burrtec	Valerie Ward, (CNG) Natural Gas Truck
PSDS	Chris Cunningham, CNG Truck? Table
Palm Desert	Missy Grisa, Alternative Fuel Vehicle
La Quinta	Oscar, Alternative Fuel Vehicle

If possible (If you have it on hand) please have visqueen to wrap on your vehicle tires to get on the esplanade at the Convention Center. The minimum thickness is 4 mill.

Please call me if you have any questions!

Cheers,

Michele Catherine Mician, MS, LEED GA

City of Palm Springs, Sustainability Manager
3200 Tahquitz Canyon Way
Palm Springs, CA 92264

760-323-8214 Phone 760-322-8360 Fax

www.yoursustainablecity.com

NATFC 1st Responder Overview

2011-07-25T20:28:00.001-07:00

2011-07-25T18:39:00.000-07:00

Clean Cities Coachella Valley Region

SAVE THE DATE!

Clean Cities Coachella Valley Region (C3VR), is hosting a FREE Workshop:

Funding Opportunities and Incentives for Alternative Fuel and Advanced Technology Vehicles

Palm Springs City Hall, 3200 East Tahquitz Canyon Way Palm Springs, California 92262

Wednesday July 27, 2011

Time: 9:00am – 1:00pm

Lunch: 1:00pm - 1:30pm

C3VR will assist you to identify available funding sources towards purchase of alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles and related fueling infrastructure.

Come meet with purchasers of AFV products and services!

RSVP today!

C3VR has proven to be instrumental in the Coachella Valley region by providing education and outreach activities related to alternative fuel/advanced technologies vehicles and infrastructure, fuel economy, and idle reduction. C3VR is a Department of Energy (DOE) sponsored program designed to reduce our nation’s petroleum consumption by advancing the use of alternative fuel vehicles.

RSVP: georgia.seivright@c3vr.org or call 909-754-8663.

Visit us on the web at www.C3VR.org.

PROMOTING ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGIES

Electric Vehicle Committee meeting follows: 1:30pm – 3:30pm

Utility companies, auto dealers, charging manufacturers, state agencies, community level supporters, and other interested organizations are invited to participate in a regional roll out plan and implementation of electric vehicles in the Coachella Valley region.

Pickens Looks Back On The Past 3 Years

2011-07-25T08:36:00.000-07:00

As the Pickens Plan celebrates its three year anniversary, we look back on all that the Army has accomplished in that time.

But we still need to get the final piece - the NAT GAS Act - over the finish line.

Please click here and email your Member of Congress and let's get this done!

Chesapeake Energy on Mad Money

2011-07-13T09:12:00.000-07:00

Chesapeake is investing $150 million in Clean Energy Fuels, with Andrew Littlefair, president and CEO of Clean Energy Fuels, and Mad Money host Jim Cramer.

Support for NAT GAS Act

2011-07-13T09:03:00.000-07:00

From the 4/11/2011 issue of CalNGV News:

Coalition Drums Up Bill Support

Letters to California representatives seek new sponsors for federal NAT GAS Act, thank current supporters

The Coalition has sent two letters to California’s House of Representatives delegation aimed at enhancing support for the federal New Alternative Transportation to Give Americans Solutions (NAT GAS) Act, one thanking co-sponsors for their leadership and another asking the remaining members to sign on.

The letter requesting additional sponsors says there is a “tremendous opportunity to displace petroleum with abundant, low-cost, domestic natural gas. Increasing our use of natural gas as a transportation fuel will help achieve multiple national goals, including energy security, clean air, economic security, and improving economic prosperity.

“Each year Americans spend tens of billions to import petroleum from other countries,” the letter continues. “This is simply not sustainable
and is absolutely not the best use of our money. Now is the time for Congress to act to incentivize the increased use of natural gas vehicles.”

The letter lists highlights of the legislation (see CalNGV News, 04.04.11), noting that the NAT GAS Act will:
Create or extend for five years tax credits for natural gas used as a vehicle fuel, NGV purchases, and the installation of NGV refueling facilities.
Expand and modify previous tax credits for alternative fuel vehicles and refueling facilities.
Exclude the natural gas vehicle and infrastructure credits from AMT provisions, and allow taxpayers to transfer them back to the manufacturer, seller, or lessee.
Provide a production tax credit to NGV manufacturers.
Clarify the definition of “advanced technology vehicle” to include dedicated, bifuel, and dual-fuel NGVs and to allow fleets covered by EPAct 1992 to receive EPAct credits for repowering and converting vehicles.
Direct the EPA to take steps to reduce the regulatory burden on conversion manufacturers, and the EPA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to fashion credits to reward NGV manufacturers for reducing petroleum use and greenhouse gas emissions.
Direct the Department of Energy to provide funding for RD&D to improve NGV performance and efficiency and to integrate natural gas engines into additional on-road vehicles.
The thank-you letter—to representatives Baca, Bilbray, Bono Mack, Calvert, Cardoza, Costa, Denham, Farr, Filner, Gallegly, Honda, Hunter, Issa, Lee, Lungren, Matsui, Richardson, Sanchez, Speier, and Thompson—recaps the reasons for supporting the legislation.See more on the NAT GAS Act at the NGVAmerica site.

Shale Gas Criticisms Rebutted

2011-07-07T18:00:00.000-07:00

From the July 4, 2011, issue of Fleets & Fuels, the publication of Fleets & Fuels: Biweekly Business Intelligence for Clean Transportation Professionals:

This Ain’t No Ponzi

Shale Gas Boosters Fire Back at New York Times After Articles Say Claims for Methane Overblown

The New York Times raised the ire of shale gas advocates as investigative pieces citing named and many unnamed sources, questioned the potential of shale gas as a large-scale contributor to a cleaner and more secure American energy mix.

An article by Ian Urbina cited e-mails and other documents indicating that in addition to environmental impacts, shale gas wells are not producing as has been hoped. Urbina reported that well informed, senior people have likened shale gas to a Ponzi scheme.

In a subsequent article, Urbina wrote, “One official says the shale industry may be ‘set up for failure.’ ‘It is quite likely that many of these companies will go bankrupt,’ a senior adviser to the Energy Information Administration administrator predicts. Several officials echo concerns raised during previous bubbles, in housing and in technology stocks, for example, that ended in a bust.” The articles concede that shale gas technology has evolved considerably since some of the doubts were expressed.

They prompted strong reaction.

“This particular NYT reporter has apparently sought out a few of the doubters to fashion together a negative view of the U.S. natural gas industry,” Aubrey McClendon, founder and CEO of Chesapeake Energy, says on a company Facebook page.

“This reporter’s claim of impending scarcity of natural gas supply contradicts the facts and the scientific extrapolation of those facts by the most sophisticated reservoir engineers and geoscientists in the world,”McClendon said. “It is also ludicrous to allege that shale gas wells are underperforming as we sit awash in natural gas, with natural gas prices less than half of what they averaged in 2008... CHK and other shale gas producers are routinely beating our production forecasts...

“This reality of generations’ worth of natural gas abundance is also supported by virtually every credible third-party expert.”

“The U.S. natural gas supply growth revolution,” McClendon said, “is changing the future of our nation for the better in multiple areas.”

Clean Cities Coachella Valley Region Co-Hosts First Responder Safety Training Train-the-Trainer Workshop

2011-07-07T17:44:00.000-07:00

The National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium reports on the two-day, train-the-trainer First Responder Safety Training workshop at the College of the Desert in Palm Desert in June 2011.

“Alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles are the future of transportation,” said NAFTC Executive Director Al Ebron. “These next generation vehicles will reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil and help keep our air clean. Because alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles are becoming more prevalent and will continue to increase in popularity, first responders must understand the differences between these cars and trucks and conventional, gasoline-powered vehicles. The First Responder Safety Training provides a proactive approach to keeping emergency personnel and the citizens they serve safe.”

“With the Clean Cities Learning Program, the NAFTC has been increasing availability and awareness of alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles while training Clean Cities coordinators, technicians, first responders and instructors,” Ebron added.

"The True Cost Of Gas"

2011-06-23T08:17:00.000-07:00

Via The Huffington Post "The Center for Investigative Reporting has put together this animated video detailing the hidden costs of fuel."

Chesapeake Energy

2011-06-15T11:33:00.000-07:00

Transcript:

about three weeks ago the new york times ran a big front page piece about the oil and gas boom here in america. and their quote of the day that day was from aubrey mcclendon, the great ceo of chesapeake energy. talking about all the new oil and gas discoveries here in the united states saying it's the one thing that we've seen in our adult lives that could take us away from imported oil. what if we had found three of the world's biggest oil fields in the last three years right here in the u.s., how transformative could that be for the u.s. economy? the quote took my breath away. but you know what? i don't think i could have said it better myself. we are awash in oil and gas in this country. and chesapeake is at the forefront. they're the single biggest driller in the country. i shouldn't say around the united states. around the world. they're not the biggest driller around the world. but they are the technology leader. chesapeake is the second holder of natural gas and they're moving up the ranks in petroleum. they're hiring like mad. hiring like mad. you hear that? even better, just yesterday chesapeake announced a 17% dividend boost. this is still mad money and the stock yields 2%. you don't raise your dividend like that unless you are confident about your company's prospects. trading $23.30. and i think there's still a lot of up side left in this one because we're producing more oil and gas in this country than anyone thought possible. and chesapeake is a major player and part of that story. we might be able to drill our way out of our addiction to foreign oil or imported oil from countries that aren't friendly to the united states' interests. this is a huge transformative story. we need more people to tell it until everyone realizes how far we've come. that's why i'm pleased to be talking to aubrey mcclendon. welcome back to mad money. good afternoon, jim. aubrey, is it a failure of imagination by the government, is it a failure to understand the technological breakthroughs that chesapeake has had, among others, or is there just some sort of bias against oil itself that's keeping us from rea about? i think it's a little bit of all of the above, jim. for most of our adult lives all we've heard is that america can't produce more oil and that we are beholden to foreign oil producers and will be forever. in fact, we're participating right now in the greatest wealth transfer in the history of the world. i think it's unnecessary because companies like chesapeake and a handful of other independent producers have reinvented the way you find oil and natural gas in the united states through fracing and redirectional drilling. our leaders and the president will start listening a bit more. everything is a balancing act in life. we know that there are some people who believe that fracing is a dirty work. we know there are some people who believe that we heard it all before about our energy policies. but what has changed in the last three years that make it so it's -- the balance is so tipped in favor of letting our energy companies do what they can do to help us? well, i think you have to start with what is it that we do. today chesapeake does drill more wells than anyone else. we are a world technology. our government first needs to recognize that right here in the u.s. be have the best energy technology in the world today. secondly, the government needs to recognize we have enormous resources here in the u.s. for most of the 20th century, of course, we led the world in oil production. while we can't do that any more, we still are the third largest oil producer in the world and can increase our production, i believe, by 2 to 3 to 4 million barrels a day in the next few years by taking advantage of this combination of knowledge that shale will produce oil when drilled horizontally and when using hydraulic fracturing. and the benefits of what we do so far outweigh whatever concerns some people have, that it's really not even a fair fight in my view. but i can expand on that in a minute, if you like. aubrey, what i would tell you is that there's a lot of people that want to put people to work any way possible, low skill job, put them on some payroll. you hire more people than just about anyone i've ever met this year. this takes a lot of people. but when you do go into an area, people get wealthy, people put their kids through school, people are able to retire on what they get. talk about not just the wealth transformation that can keep the money here but what has happened to people who have oil or have jobs from oil. well, let's first talk about natural gas. the price of natural gas down is down two-thirds from 2008. our company is providing to americans a $300 million per day stimulus to the economy by having natural gas prices be as low as they are today. that's been going on for the last two years. and in my opinion, it will go on for years to come. as a consequence of that, that will provide a foundation for an industrial renaissance in the u.s. i talk to john at u.s. steel, talkeded to other -- and d'amico. and all today, fertilizer and steel, all the people that run these companies understand that there's a new dynamic in the world and that american manufacturers have access to the lowest natural gas prices in the industrialized world. let's turn to oil. because until three or four years ago we didn't understand that we could go produce oil out of these ultratight reservoirs that we've known for basically the last six or seven years that we could produce from tight natural gas reservoirs. so what happens? our company has hired 2,000 people in the last 12 months average pay of over $75,000 per year. we'll hire another 2,000 this year, our industry will hire over 100,000. identify an industry in the united states that will add 100,000 jobs a more at $75,000 or more. there would be very few. plus we are creating wealth for land owners and creating new revenue streams for governments and we are reducinging the importation of oil into this country by finding more oil. and right now, remember, we are transferring something close to over a billion dollars a day to foreign countries some of which gets used against us in acts of terror. u.s. energy policy is sad and it's insane, but it does not need to be as ill advised as it has been. there is a new way forward, to use american energy resources in a way that we haven't dreamed possible in the last few years. aubrey, in the short time we have left, you raised the dividend. some people worry about your pay package. i worry about stocks going higher and returning capital to shareholders. that's what you're doing. how can you raise with this big exploration bust. we have plenty of resources to do so. and we'll continue to deliver to shareholders by the net asset value that occurs every kay here. then on a once a year basis we'll try to increase the annual dividend. we haven't done so since 2008. like a lot of companies we feel better about the world than we did in 2009 or 2010. jim, this country does have the ability to create a new energy path forward. more domestic oil production through unconventional resources and to convert our automobile and truck fleet to natural gas through cng and to use gas-to-liquids technology to do so as well. we'll be well on our way to reduction and the possible elimination of foreign oil imports. amazing story. aubrey mcclendon, thank you so much for coming on our show. thank you, jim. a great story, also a money making story. if i thought it wasn't a money making story, i'd keep it to myself. after the break, we'll try to

"Clean Cities program easing gas crunch"

2011-06-11T12:34:00.000-07:00

A Salt Lake City Tribune article:

Leveraging a Department of Energy grant, the Utah Clean Cities Coalition established a statewide program to provide idle-reduction training to every school bus driver in the state. After training 3,000 drivers in all 41 school districts, the state government passed a law integrating the idle-reduction workshop into the required school bus driver in-service training. With the average driver reducing idling by 21 minutes a day, the coalition estimates that the training saves more than 92,000 gallons of diesel fuel a year.

With support from a Clean Cities grant, Utah opened its first liquefied natural gas station in March. Located at the Flying J Travel Plaza, the station adds to the expanding LNG corridor between Utah and Nevada. Serving every type of vehicle, from light-duty to Class 8 and triple-trailer trucks, the gas station will increase the area’s access to cleaner, cost-saving fuels.

"Natural gas the next green hope"

2011-06-03T08:36:00.000-07:00

Gwyn Morgan, the retired founding CEO of Encana Corporation, shares his views on alternative fuels. There are significant problems with hydrogen, biofuels, and electric-powered vehicles.

But there is an alternative fuel that can make a difference, and it’s another hydrocarbon. Natural gas is powering many South Korean vehicles and the so-called Green Highways Project brings together South Korea, China, Thailand and 17 other Asia-Pacific countries in a massive strategy for natural-gas-powered vehicles.

In North America, four factors promise to make natural gas a viable alternative to oil-based fuels. First, revolutionary technology is unlocking enormous new supplies of shale gas. Second, unrest in North Africa and the Middle East has underlined U.S. oil-supply vulnerability. Third, there are clear environmental advantages to clean-burning natural gas (which emits 25 per cent less carbon dioxide than diesel). Fourth, there have been major advances in natural gas fuel technology.

FEMS Federal Fleet Infrastructure and Electric Vehicle Seminar

2011-06-03T08:25:00.000-07:00

Federal Fleet Infrastructure and Electric Vehicles provides insight into ways to accelerate infrastructure upgrades and partner with other entities to advance the use of electric vehicles in Federal fleets.

Training video.

Slide presentation [PDF].

T. Boone Pickens talks about subsidies

2011-05-27T11:50:00.000-07:00

From CNBC.

Survey shows American drivers could be interested in natural gas vehicles

2011-05-26T10:06:00.000-07:00

From USGasVehicles.com:

Survey respondents were asked how likely they would be to consider purchasing a number of fuel saving and alternate fuel powered vehicles. Given below is the share of drivers who are interested ("Very" or "Somewhat") for each alternative powertrain:
Natural gas powered car - 48%
Gas electric hybrid - 27%
Plug-in hybrid - 18%
Pure electric - 15%
Diesel - 9%
Smaller size vehicle - 16%

Compressed Natural Gas -- Going Green

2011-05-26T10:01:00.000-07:00

T. Boone Pickens at the opening of a University of Oklahoma CNG fueling station. He says California is 20 years ahead of Oklahoma in CNG fueling stations.

Natural gas better for economy, environment

2011-05-26T09:50:00.000-07:00

From an opinion piece by T. Boone Pickens in The Wichita Eagle.

The New Alternative Transportation to Give Americans Solutions Act (H.R. 1380) extends highly targeted tax incentives (not federal grants) to organizations that have heavy vehicles currently burning diesel. The NAT GAS Act would provide incentives for fleet owners to change from diesel-powered trucks to vehicles running on natural gas. The incentives would be limited to a specific amount and for a specific length of time — five years.

The legislation is designed to help jump-start a natural-gas vehicle industry in the United States, which would provide new jobs ranging from design engineers to toolmakers to manufacturers to those who maintain the vehicles.

The specific reason for this bill is not to pick one fuel over another. It is to pick the United States over OPEC.

Why switch heavy trucks to natural gas? First of all, it is one of the most abundant natural resources in the United States. Reports now show that we have a 100-year supply of natural gas, containing more energy than all the oil reserves in Saudi Arabia.

Natural gas is cheaper than oil. On a Btu-equivalent basis, natural gas costs about one-fifth as much as imported diesel.

It is cleaner; natural gas is about 30 percent cleaner than petroleum and produces no particulate emissions.

Natural gas works as a replacement fuel for heavy vehicles because neither batteries nor ethanol can produce enough horsepower to push them. Only diesel and natural gas can do that.

NGV Advocates Take Capital Hill

2011-04-19T20:12:00.000-07:00

Washington's Capitol Hill recently became the venue for a gathering of natural gas vehicle (NGV) advocates stressing the urgent need to pass the newly introduced "New Alternative Transportation to Give Americans Solutions" (NAT GAS) Act of 2011. The bill (H.R. 1380) would accelerate the use of natural gas fuel in the nation's transportation sector.

Joined at the event by over 20 members of Congress, Clean Energy co-founder and energy expert T. Boone Pickens urged his fellow Americans and Congressional leaders "to look to America's clean, abundant and affordable natural gas reserves as the key to our energy future."

The event displayed more than a dozen natural gas-powered vehicles—ranging from passenger cars to 18-wheelers—provided by numerous companies, organizations, and manufacturers. On display were NGVs from: AT&T; Ryder System, Inc.; the Vehicle Production Group, Inc.; BAF Technologies; IMPCO Automotive; Westport; General Motors Corp.; Washington Gas; Kenworth; Dillon Transport; Navistar; and others. The scope of vehicles demonstrated the application of NGVs across a broad range of industry sectors.

Richard Kolodziej, president of NGVAmerica, noted that last year natural gas vehicles displaced more than 350 million gallons of petroleum in the United States. "More and more manufacturers are providing natural gas vehicles because their customers are asking for them," said Mr. Kolodziej. "When you have companies such as AT&T and Ryder, whose vehicles are on display here today, and many others, you know that these vehicles are proven and reliable. And, most importantly to fleets, their fuel costs are much lower. This is good for jobs, for the environment and for the country."

President Obama on the Green Fleet Initiative

2011-04-07T17:40:00.000-07:00

The transcript:

Remarks by the President on the Clean Fleet Partnership in Landover, Maryland

Landover UPS Facility
Landover, Maryland

April 1, 2011
12:33 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Hello, everybody. Thank you so much. Everybody, please have a seat.

I am thrilled to be here, proud to be joined here today by two of our outstanding Cabinet Secretaries, Steven Chu and Ray LaHood. Where are Steven Chu and Ray? There they are over there. We're here today for a simple reason: Ray wasn't home when they tried to deliver a package yesterday -- (laughter) -- so we thought we'd just grab it and be on our way. (Laughter.) I've been working them too hard.

In addition to Steve and Ray, we also have the Attorney General of Maryland, Doug Gansler, is here. (Applause.) And we've got one of the finest senators in the United States Senate, from Maryland, Ben Cardin is in the house. (Applause.)

We actually didn't come here for -- to grab a package. We're actually here to announce an exciting new partnership between the federal government and some of America's leading companies –- a partnership that will help reduce our dependence on oil, that will protect our planet, and will spur economic growth.

I gave a speech about this earlier this week, and I laid out a blueprint that will put America on a path toward a clean energy future. I know a lot of folks have been feeling the pinch of higher gas prices lately, whether you're filling up your tank or you're running a business like UPS. And usually it's times like these when everybody starts saying we should do something about our dependence on oil. And when prices go back down, we forget about it and we move on until the next crisis hits.

The point I made earlier this week is that we can't keep on doing that. That's not how we should conduct our energy policy in this country. We can't go from shock to trance, rushing the proposed action when gas prices rise and then hitting the snooze button when they go back down. We've got to have a steady, sustained, smart strategy. And at a time when we're addressing instability overseas, we know this is a national security issue, and it's a huge economic issue.

Nearly two years after one of the worst recessions in our history -- certainly the worst one in our lifetimes -- our economy is showing signs of real strength. Today we learned that we added 230,000 private sector jobs last month. (Applause.) That's good news. That means more packages. (Laughter.) Right? (Applause.) That makes 1.8 million private sector jobs created in the last 13 months. And the unemployment rate has now fallen a full point in the last four months. And the last time that happened was during the recovery in 1984, where we saw such a significant drop in the unemployment rate.

Now, despite that good news, everybody here knows we've got a lot of more work to do. There are still millions of Americans out there that are looking for a job that pays the bills. I know there's a lot going on in the world right now, and so the news has been captured by the images of the Middle East and what's happening, the tragedy to our friends in Japan.

And I'm focused on those issues, but you should know that keeping the economy going and making sure jobs are available is the first thing I think about when I wake up the morning; it's the last thing I think about when I go to bed each night. And I will not be satisfied until every American who wants a good job can find one and every American gets a shot at the American Dream. That's what we're focused on. That's what we're fighting for. (Applause.)

So although we got good news today, we have to keep the momentum going. And making the transition to a clean energy economy will help us do that in two very important ways. First, it reduces the chance that our families, our businesses, and our economy will be held hostage to the whims of the oil market -- will be held hostage to something that happens on the other side of the world. Second, investments in clean energy have the potential to create an untold number of new jobs and new industries right here in the United States.

So for all these reasons, I set a new goal for America: When I was first elected to this office, America imported 11 million barrels of oil a day -- 11 million barrels. [By a little more than] A decade from now, I want us to have cut that by one-third. That is achievable, it is necessary, it's good for our future, and we are going to get it done. I'm confident we can get it done. (Applause.)

Now, to meet that goal, we're going to need to pursue a broad range of policies -- new incentives for natural gas fleets, new research on advanced biofuels. And my hope is, is that members of both parties -- Republicans and Democrats -- will support these kinds of proposals. This shouldn't be a partisan issue. This is an American issue -- making sure that we've got energy security and energy independence.

But one of the best ways to reduce our dependence on oil is by making our cars and trucks more energy efficient, because transportation accounts for more than 70 percent of America's oil consumption. And by the way, using energy-efficient cars and trucks can also make economic sense because transportation is one of the biggest costs for many businesses and certainly for many families. So energy-efficient cars and trucks won't just cut our dependence on oil -- it can save us money day to day.

If we're serious about making the transition from gas-guzzlers to hybrids, then we've got to show automakers and truck manufacturers that there's a real market for these incentives. They're not going to build them if they don't think anybody's going to buy them. We need to show them that if they manufacture fuel-efficient cars and trucks, people will buy them. We need to put our money where our mouth is.

And I'm proud to say that one group that's actually leading by example on this is the federal government. Right now, the government's fleet includes more than 600,000 vehicles, which means that we have the largest fleet in America. And that means we've got a lot of purchasing power. So what we're doing is we're using it to boost clean energy technologies. We've already doubled the number of federal cars and trucks that are hybrids, and I'm directing our departments and our agencies to make sure 100 percent of the vehicles they buy are fuel-efficient or clean energy cars and trucks by 2015. Not 50 percent, not 75 percent -- 100 percent of our vehicles.

So the government can lead by example. That creates a market. That means they're manufacturing more of it. That means that unit cost may go down, which makes it cheaper for businesses and consumers.

But if we're going to upgrade all of America's fleets, then our businesses are going to need to step up, as well. And that's why I am very proud of what companies like UPS, FedEx, AT&T, Verizon, and PepsiCo are doing. Along with Secretaries Chu and LaHood, I just had a chance to see some of these fuel-efficient cars and trucks that they're adding to their fleets, including hybrids and all-electric vehicles manufactured right here in the United States of America by Ford and GM -- right here in the U.S. of A. (Applause.) And as owners of some of our nation's largest private fleets, these companies are leading the way when it comes to building clean fleets, and we need to make sure all our businesses are following their example.

So that's why we're launching a National Clean Fleets Partnership. If you're a business that needs to transport goods, then I'm challenging you to replace your old fleet with a clean energy fleet that's not only good for your bottom line, but good for our economy, good for our country, good for our planet. And if you accept this challenge and you join our Clean Fleets Partnership, we're going to make a number of tools available –- from technical assistance to cutting-edge research and development –- that will help you make the transition to a clean energy fleet. And Chu and LaHood will also come and wash your car or truck. (Laughter.) Wasn't that part of the deal? Absolutely. (Laughter.) A little Armor All -- it's going to look good. (Laughter.)

Just to give you a sense of the kind of difference this partnership can make, every single year millions of commercial vehicles travel America's roads and highways, burning nearly 4 billion gallons of fuel along the way -- 4 billion gallons. With this partnership, we'll help make sure those vehicles are energy-efficient so we can cut the amount of pollution they pump into the air, cut the amount of gasoline they need to fill a tank, cut the amounts of oil America imports from abroad.

Now, this Clean Fleets Partnership is just part of a broader effort that we've been making over the last couple years to promote fuel-efficient vehicles and build a clean energy economy. Last year, after going about 30 years without raising fuel-efficiency standards, we finally put in place a national fuel-efficiency standard for cars and trucks. And as a result, our cars will get better gas mileage, and ultimately they're expected to save 1.8 billion barrels of oil. Our consumers will save money from fewer trips to the pump. Our automakers will build more innovative cars and trucks. And later this year, as we finalize the first-ever fuel standards for heavy-duty trucks, we'll announce the next round of fuel standards for cars that builds on what we've done.

Now, beyond raising fuel standards for our cars and trucks, we're also working to build the next generation of vehicles. I mean, it was wonderful seeing some of these trucks and cars that were back here, and I was getting the input from folks about how we can advance the technologies. Soon after I took office, we set a goal of having 1 million electric vehicles on our roads by 2015, which would make the United States the first country in the world to reach that milestone. And to help meet that goal, we need a $7,500 tax rebate that's available directly at the dealership for those who want to buy electric vehicles. And we should launch a new program to reward communities that make it as easy as possible for families and businesses to use electric vehicles.

And one of the things that I heard repeatedly, and some of the folks who are already driving some of these cars will tell you that -- or these trucks -- will tell you, and that is making sure that we've got stations, charging stations, if we're talking about electric vehicles; making sure that we've got fueling stations if we're talking about natural gas conversion. That's critical. And we don't have the distribution platforms right now. That's something that we've really got to work on.

Meanwhile, we're also investing in the advanced batteries that can power these electric vehicles -- investments that are already making a difference. You know, a couple of years ago, America produced less than 2 percent of the world's advanced batteries. These are the batteries that go into these hybrids and these electric cars. We produce less than 2 percent of them. Over the last few years, we've made investments in a homegrown American advanced battery industry. And partly because of the investments that we've made, we're going to be able to produce 40 percent of the world's advanced batteries. So we've helped jumpstart a big new industry right here in the United States of America, and that's a smart investment. (Applause.)

So that's the kind of partnership between business and government that's always made our economy strong, and I think there's a lesson in that. It's not the role of government to be the engine of innovation and prosperity in America. That's the job of entrepreneurs and executives and the outstanding workers of the companies that are represented here. You're the ones who are really making innovation happen. But government does have the ability to spark innovation, to support the research, the scientific discovery, that has always led to breakthroughs and new products. And it's in our national interest to make these investments.

For example, we were just talking about some of these trucks -- there is still work to be done to make the fueling faster, to bring down the price. And all of those things require some innovation and some new technologies so that in the end it's not only as cheap to run a truck like this, or purchase a truck like this, but it's cheaper than a traditional engine. There's going to be more work to do on this, and historically individual companies may not be able to make all those investments on their own. Government has to make those investments.

Now, this is tougher to do in light of the deficit that I inherited when I took office. We're all concerned about our debt. We're all concerned about our deficit. And that's why I've proposed some deep cuts in spending so we can live within our means and focus the -- on the investments that are most likely to help grow our economy and create jobs -– investments in education, investments in our infrastructure, investments in research and development, investments in clean energy technologies of the kind that I've talked about today. We've got to make those investments; otherwise we're going to fall behind other countries. China is making those investments. Germany is making those investments. South Korea is making those investments. We can't afford to fall behind.

So the key issue here is how do we pay for all this at a time when we've also got to shrink the deficit. Well, that means we've got to make some tough choices. We got to stop spending on things that we don't need to spend on things that we do. And right now, there's a debate about all this going on in Washington as Congress puts together a budget for this year, and then we're going to have to put together a budget for next year.

So far, after a few weeks of negotiations between Democrats, Republicans, and my team at the White House, it appears that we're getting close to an agreement between the leaders of both parties on how much spending we should cut. There are still details and differences to work out. And what I've said is, neither Democrats or Republicans should get 100 percent of what they want. They're going to have to compromise. They're going to have to figure this out.

Both sides are close, though, and we know that a compromise is within reach. And we also know that we can't afford not to have Congress work out these budgets and make sure that we're investing in the right things. If these budget negotiations break down, we could end up having to shut down the government, just at a time when the economy is starting to recover.

That could jeopardize the economic recovery. It has an impact on everybody's bottom line. UPS, I know, delivers a lot of packages to the U.S. government. You don't need a shutdown right now. Every business here could be impacted. We can't allow that to happen.

So given the encouraging news we received today on jobs, it would be the height of irresponsibility to halt our economic momentum because of the same old Washington politics. That's not what we need. (Applause.)

The American people, they don't want us to go to our respective corners and then just have the same battles we've been having for decades now. It can't be "my way or the highway." They want their leaders to come together. And right now, I believe we have a real opportunity to do just that, in the same way that we did back in December when we cut taxes for the American people in a bipartisan way.

So it's time to agree on a budget that makes us live within our means while still investing in our future. That's how these businesses operate and that's why they're successful. Businesses have gone through tough times during this recession and had to make some cutbacks on things that weren't needed. But that made those companies stronger. The same can be true for America as a whole. That's how we're going to keep our economy growing. That's how we're going to put our people back to work. That's how we're going to keep the American Dream alive for the next generation.

And so I just want to say to all of you, thank you for all the extraordinary work you've done. Thank you for your help. We've got to get busy. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America. Thank you. (Applause.)

Obama pushes incentives and funds to buy natural gas vehicles

2011-04-06T06:43:00.000-07:00

From US Gasvehicles.com

April 1, 2011. President Barack Obama's call for more funds for natural gas exploration and incentives to buy vehicles that run on compressed natural gas (CNG) may finally spur Congress to act.

"The potential for natural gas is enormous," Obama said at a speech on energy policy at Georgetown University Wednesday.

A measure that would have dedicated $4 billion to boost the sale and development of natural gas vehicles stalled in Congress last year after the Senate failed to break a filibuster to approve the bill.

But Obama noted that natural gas still has strong support in Congress.

"Last year, more than 150 members of Congress from both sides of the aisle produced legislation providing incentives to use clean-burning natural gas (CNG) in our vehicles instead of oil. And that's a big deal. Getting 150 members of Congress to agree on anything is a big deal," he said.

He urged Congress to "keep at it, pass a bill that helps us achieve the goal of extracting natural gas in a safe, environmentally sound way."

Pickens Encouraged By President Obama’s Call For A More Secure American Energy Future

2011-03-30T14:23:00.000-07:00

PICKENS ENCOURAGED BY PRESIDENT OBAMA'S CALL FOR A MORE SECURE AMERICAN ENERGY FUTURE

Dallas, TX - March 30, 2010 - T. Boone Pickens today released the following statement in response to remarks by President Obama at Georgetown University, where he outlined his plan for America's energy security:

"Today the President articulated the national security and economic threats associated with our escalating dependence on foreign oil. With the increasing price of gasoline, natural gas is an important domestic fuel at our disposal that can replace foreign oil to power heavy-duty fleet vehicles. Converting heavy-duty trucks and high-fuel use commercial fleet vehicles to natural gas can reduce our OPEC dependence now while we wait for technology to power the vehicles of tomorrow. It is clear President Obama is committed to weaning America off Middle Eastern oil, securing our own energy future and recognizes the role natural gas can play as a domestic transportation fuel. Recent unrest in the Middle East underscores the need to take action now and I'm encouraged by the President's promise to secure America's energy future and national security by reducing our dependence on OPEC oil."

The Pickens Plan to encourage more heavy duty fleet vehicles to run on domestic resources is included in the NAT GAS Act, which is being prepared for introduction next week in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman John Sullivan (R-OK), Congressman Dan Boren (D-OK), Congressman John Larson (D-CT) and Congressman Kevin Brady (R-TX). The pending legislation enjoys broad bipartisan support.

Goods Movement Workshop for Fleet Owners and Operators - March 24, 2011 [Draft]

2011-03-30T13:51:00.000-07:00

Agenda
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Goods Movement Workshop for Fleet Owners and Operators
Green Zone, 75181 Mediterranean Ave., Palm Desert CA

Registration

Welcome
9:00 - 9:15

Clean Energy
Shaunt Hartounian
Business Development Manager, Ports and Regional Trucking
Topic: Available heavy-duty altemative fuelladvanced technology trucks;
Infrastructures update; why natural gas; how do we make it work.
9:15 - 9:40

Cummins Westport
Charlie Ker
Topic: LNG Engines
9:40 - 10:00

California Air Resource Board (CARB)
Brandon Rose
Topic: California Air Resources Board (CARB) regulations for bus and trucks
10:00 - 11:00

Break
11:00 - 11:15

College of the Desert
Douglas H. Redman, MSIDT
Instructor, Automotive Technology/Advanced Transportation
School of Business, Technology and Workforce Education
Topic: College of the Desert altemative fuel/advanced technology engine technical training
11:15 - 11:35

South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD)
Mei Wang
Topic: SCAQMD heavy-duty truck funding incentives
11:35 - 12:00

Clean Cities Coachella Valley Region
Suzanne Seivright
Clean Cities Co-Coordinator
Topic: Clean Cities and resources
12:00 - 12:30

Lunch
12:30 - 1:00

Clean Cities Coachella Valley Region
Richard Cromwell
Clean Cities Co-Coordinator
Topic: Historic overview of electric vehicles
1:00 - 1:30

Clean Cities Coachella Valley Region
Suzanne Seivright
Clean Cities Co-Coordinator
Topic: Clean Cities Electric Vehicles overview
1:30 - 1:50

Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc.
Greg Glander
Government Sales & Advanced Technology
Vehicles Manager
-Prius PHV on display
Topic:
1:50 - 2:00

Open forum to discuss technical and logistical challenges related to procuring fleets with alternative fuel-advanced technology trucks with key govemment personnel.
2:00 - 2:30

Audio recording.

Goods Movement Workshop Executive Briefing Natural Gas Vehicle Market March 2011 - Shaunt Hartounian [PDF].

Goods Movement Workshop - Cummins Westport - Charlie Ker [PDF].

California Air Resources Board - Advancing the Choice - Brandon Rose (Powerpoint)

Proposition 1B-Goods Movement Program On-Road Heavy Duty Trucks (Powerpoint)

US DOE Clean Cities Coalition Update - Suzanne Seivright (Powerpoint)

Toyota Advanced Technology & Sustainable Mobility - Greg Glander (Powerpoint)

Brochure - Workshop for Fleet Owners and Operators [PDF].

Voucher Incentive Program (Powerpoint)

How does unrest in the Middle East make you feel?

2011-03-30T09:29:00.000-07:00

Coachella Valley - one and all.....please take a moment and fill out Boone’s survey. Thank you.

Pickens Plan Note To The Army

Army:

Boone recently gave us an update on the level of foreign oil imports in the United States. Based on the latest figures from the Federal Reserve Economic Database, the U.S. imported 55% of its oil in February, sending approximately $31.3 billion - or $777,064 per minute - to foreign countries.

As Boone said: "With no end in sight to the unrest in the Middle East, this spending spree is not going away."

Boone wants to hear what you think. If you haven't yet responded to his survey, please click here to fill it out and let us know what you think about the current U.S. energy policy and what should be done to make us less vulnerable to instability abroad.

www.pickensplan.com/survey

-Team Pickens

Clean Cities TRS Question of the Month: Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) Program

2011-03-22T09:01:00.000-07:00

Dear Coordinators,

Welcome to the March installment of the Clean Cities Technical Response Service (TRS) Question of the Month.

Question of the Month: What is the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) program? How is funding for the program distributed? Are alternative fuel and advanced vehicle projects eligible for funding through CMAQ?

Answer: CMAQ is jointly administered by two agencies of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) - Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) – with an overarching goal of reducing congestion and improving air quality through surface transportation improvement projects. The program was authorized by the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991, and it has been reauthorized under subsequent transportation legislation. CMAQ funds transportation projects that contribute to attainment or maintenance of the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). For more information about the NAAQS program, visit the EPA website (www.epa.gov/airquality/cleanair.html).

Funding Appropriation, Apportionment, and Allocation
Funding for the CMAQ program is appropriated on an annual basis by Congress and subsequently apportioned to the states by FHWA. The level of funding provided to each state is based on a formula that takes into account the population of each county that is in a nonattainment or maintenance area and the severity of the air quality problem in the associated area. Regardless of whether a state has any nonattainment or maintenance areas, each state is guaranteed a minimum apportionment of 0.5% of the year's total program funding, which can be used anywhere in the state.

Once funding is provided to each state, it is up to the state DOTs, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), and transit agencies to allocate it to eligible projects and programs (see Eligible Activities below). The state may use their CMAQ funds in any ozone, carbon monoxide, or particulate matter nonattainment or maintenance area to support initiatives that reduce transportation-related emissions. Funding does not need to be allocated in the same way it is apportioned and the U.S. DOT does not have a role in this allocation process. State agencies are encouraged to consult affected MPOs; determine state, regional, and local priorities; and develop CMAQ project selection processes. The selection process varies by state, but generally provides an opportunity for state and/or local agencies to present eligible projects and demonstrate how they would use the funding to meet the overall goals of the CMAQ program. States must submit annual reports to FHWA outlining the program investments and trends and, in most of the program’s 19 years, have been required to share a portion of the cost of projects.

Eligible Activities
The following activities are generally eligible for funding under CMAQ:
Acquiring alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) to be used in transit applications;
Supporting the emissions-reducing element of publicly-owned non-transit AFVs;
Subsidizing the incremental cost of purchasing privately-owned AFVs;
Converting fleet vehicles to operate using alternative fuels;
Establishing publicly-owned alternative fueling stations and other infrastructure necessary to fuel AFVs in areas where publicly-owned fueling stations are not in place or are not reasonably accessible;
Converting a private fueling station to support alternative fuels through a public-private partnership agreement;
Purchasing alternative fuels (only permitted in Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio);
Purchasing idle reduction equipment; and
Providing assistance to diesel equipment and vehicle owners and operators regarding the purchase and installation of diesel retrofits.

The CMAQ program defines alternative fuels as those identified by the Energy Policy Act of 1992. In addition, hybrid electric vehicles that meet the emissions and energy efficiency requirements of the program are eligible. Both passenger vehicles and heavy-duty vehicles are eligible for funding. Additional information about eligible projects can be found in the CMAQ program guidance document (www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/air_quality/cmaq/policy_and_guidance/cmaq08gm.cfm).

Additional Questions?
For general information about CMAQ, including annual state apportionments and reports, visit the CMAQ program website (www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/air_quality/cmaq/).

For specific information about funding and projects at the individual state level, please reference the CMAQ State Transportation Contacts website (www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/air_quality/cmaq/reference/brochure/brochure12.cfm) and the FHWA Field Office website (www.fhwa.dot.gov/field.html).

As always, please contact the TRS with other questions, or if you have suggestions for additional resources or a future Question of the Month.

Clean Cities Technical Response Service Team
technicalresponse@icfi.com
800-254-6735

Enough Is Enough

2011-03-18T12:31:00.001-07:00

From the desk of T. Boone Pickens

Army:
I was driving home from the office the other day and saw that gasoline is closing in on $4 again - it refocused the issue for me: Here we go again. And it made me mad.

Enough is enough.

A lot has changed since July 2008 - a new president, a new Congress, an economic meltdown and ongoing recovery. A lot hasn't - $4 gasoline, instability in the Middle East, 100,000s of our troops miles away from home. And our dependence on OPEC oil? Unchanged. As is the $1 billion we spend every day on imported oil.

Are you frustrated? I am - nearly three years later and no action in Washington. And here we are again.

The President in August 2008 said in 10 years we'd be off oil from the Middle East - that was nearly three years ago. Why didn't we act faster? Smarter?

You've heard me talk about the issues and the dangers of our reliance on OPEC oil - now I want to hear from you. Congress may not be listening to you, but I am. And I'll carry your voice to Washington.

Please click on the following link to take my survey: www.pickensplan.com/survey

I want your frank and honest opinion, because I'm taking your voice and your message to Washington.

Enough is enough.

- Boone

Clean Cities Coachella Valley Region

2011-03-14T08:49:00.000-07:00

Clean Cities Coachella Valley Region (C3VR) leads a local geographically-based coalition composed of local fleets, fuel providers, and policymakers that focus on two united goals: petroleum and greenhouse gas reduction. C3VR's jurisdictional boundaries include the County of Riverside, Cities of Cathedral City, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, Indian Wells, Indio, La Quinta, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, and surrounding desert communities.

California Action Plan for Transportation Energy Security

2011-03-06T07:47:00.000-08:00

February 2011 was an important month in California for spotlighting the need to reduce petroleum dependence and increase the use of alternate fuels. The actions are long overdue as California is now 10 times more dependent on imported oil than it was in the early 1990s!

On February 16, the CalSTEP Partners, a diverse group of national security leaders and CEOs including President Reagan’s Secretary of State George Schulz, released a report, The California Action Plan 2.0 for Transportation Energy Security, noting California would benefit if it took a leadership role in reducing its dependence. Two bills, AB 371 and AB 638, introduced on February 14 and February 16, respectively, stipulate that all alternative fuel vehicles available for sale in California are to be listed on the Statewide Commodity Contracts list, and to maximize targets set in the previously adopted California Strategy to Reduce Petroleum Dependence.

Transit Natural Gas Coalition website launched

2011-02-21T12:56:00.000-08:00

The Transit Natural Gas Coalition was established to share resources and expertise for the benefit of transit agencies, manufacturers, suppliers and industry experts to help advance natural gas as a fuel of choice for mass transit. The benefits of a natural gas bus fleet are numerous. It is less expensive than diesel, the maintenance is cleaner and more predictable, the engines are reliable, and it improves bus operations efficiency.

Also, there are

Natural Gas for Transportation - It’s cleaner, cheaper and domestic!

In January we spent the most we’ve spent on oil imports since 2008

2011-02-11T14:17:00.000-08:00

From the desk of T. Boone Pickens:

Army!

I spent the better part of this week in Washington, DC meeting with leaders of both parties in both the House and the Senate. I was very encouraged by the level of understanding of the Pickens Plan and the continued support from many. It was a great trip. Check out my video message here:

As we've seen over the past three weeks, events over which we have no control can have an alarming impact on our economy and our national security by potentially disrupting the enormous daily oil imports we continue to rely on.

The oil import numbers for January we just announced show that we imported 366 million barrels of petroleum-62 percent of our needs-at an average price of $89.17 per barrel.

That means we spent $32.6 billion on our oil addiction in January. In fact, January was the most expensive month since September 2008, when the economic downturn began.

This problem is not going away. The recent turmoil in Egypt and growing concerns about more crises in the Middle East are showing us just how volatile oil prices can be. Importing 62 percent of our oil underscores our vulnerability and exposes us to risks in price spikes and supply instability. I think we'll see gas prices hit $4 a gallon by this summer.

Also, this past week the Tampa Tribune published a glowing editorial endorsing the Pickens Plan. We're still working hard and still spreading the word-and I know you are, too.

Thanks for everything you're doing. Together we're going to make a safer, cleaner, more prosperous America.

-- Boone

First Responders Safety Training

2011-02-11T12:47:00.000-08:00

Alternative fuels have already displaced 2.4 billion gallons of petroleum. All signs point to an even wider implementation of clean fueled vehicles in the near future. To ensure First Responders around the country are prepared, the U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities Learning Program has produced curricula and training materials on Biofuels and Biofuel Vehicles, Gaseous Fuels and Gaseous Fuel Vehicles, Hydrogen and Hydrogen-Powered Vehicles, and Electric Drive Vehicles. Through this program, First Responders will learn about key fuel properties and characteristics (including fuel tanks and delivery systems, safety considerations, and flammability levels), vehicle components, vehicle identification and first responder standard operating procedures.

Click here for an extensive overview of the Clean Cities Learning Program along with details on the various modules of the First Responder Training curricula.

Jim Ferguson On Rooftop Solar & Feed-In-Tariff

2011-02-05T10:32:00.000-08:00

The Public Record article about Jim Ferguson speaking to CVEP in January 2011.

Jim Ferguson, attorney, former mayor and councilman of Palm Desert, explained his passion for roof top solar and a feed-in-tariff (FIT). A key proponent of the popular state AB 811 city program to help fund rooftop solar and energy efficient upgrades, Ferguson is poised to take on Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac ad anyone else who wants to stand in the way of putting solar on rooftops across the United States.

Response to ProPublica

2011-02-03T06:01:00.000-08:00

Key documents referenced in the following message:

From: Kolodziej, Rich
Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2011 5:30 PM
Subject: ProPublica Response

In case you missed it, in an article posted on their website titled "Climate Benefits of Natural Gas May Be Overstated," a writer for ProPublica, an investigative journalism organization, concludes that the greenhouse gas impacts of natural gas production and use are far worse than estimates from any other previous studies. Despite being riddled with flaws, the study has gotten a lot of media attention – including a mention in a New York Times [blog entry] yesterday.

To aid you in responding to inquiries about that study, [there] are three documents. The first is the ProPublica article (which you can also find at www.propublica.org/article/clearing-the-air-on-propublicas-drilling-pollution-story. The second is a statement by EPA [below]. The ProPublica article relied heavily on EPA analyses. EPA basically said that they didn't do an analysis; ProPublica simply did their own analysis based on some preliminary data EPA had gathered. The third document is a rebuttal of the ProPublica article done by Energyindepth – an organization funded primarily by producer associations. It pokes lots of holes in ProPublica's article.

We are working on collecting input from these and other sources and preparing a dispassionate fact sheet. We hope to have that done shortly, and will send that to you. In the meantime, please used the information in the attached documents in responding to inquiries.

Rich

---------------------------------------------------

Richard Kolodziej, President
NGVAmerica
400 N. Capitol St. NW
Washington, DC 20001

Phone: 202/824-7366
Fax: 202/824-9160

Email: rkolodziej@NGVAmerica.org
Website: www.ngvamerica.org

EPA releases statement on ProPublica piece

EPA has not conducted an analysis of coal versus natural gas, and there is no new report. The information referred to in the [ProPublica] article was developed based on information from a Technical Support Document, however, which was developed as support for the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program. The reporter used that data and did his own calculations to arrive at the figures used in the article.

The [Technical Support] document [referred to] above does not estimate emissions from the gas industry and the emissions estimates in the [ProPublica] article were not developed by EPA. EPA has not reviewed the analysis described in the article in detail, but we have not seen any indication that the benefits of natural gas have been called into question. Available data demonstrate that switching from another fossil fuel to natural gas reduces emissions of carbon pollution and other harmful pollutants that threaten Americans' health.

Erin Birgfeld
Director of Communications
Climate Change Division
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Finally, consider this opinion by Andrew Revkin:

The climate issue? Natural gas, when extracted and burned without leakage, produces about half the carbon dioxide per unit of energy produced compared to coal. But when the gas escapes to the atmosphere, it exerts a potent heat-trapping influence because the main constituent in natural gas is methane, which is the second most important human-generated greenhouse gas, not far behind carbon dioxide.

Pickens: Middle East Unrest

2011-02-01T12:47:00.000-08:00

Pickens Plan - Note to the Army

Army:

T. Boone Pickens' long-standing warnings that our addiction to OPEC oil is a national security issue has attracted new attention as the unrest in Tunisia and Egypt threaten to spread to the oil producing nations of Nigeria, Angola and Algeria.

In the National Journal, reporter Amy Harder quoted Boone as saying:

"Nothing has happened that I've seen that has cut down on the availability of oil," oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens told National Journal Daily on Monday. "But the uncertainty has obviously crept into the market."

So, Harder asks, "what's got the oil traders all worked up?"

"They think it could go to the ultimate conclusion and that is that Saudi Arabia could be overthrown," Pickens said. "And that's the largest supply of oil in the world." Saudi Arabia shipped 367 million barrels of oil to the United States in 2009.

Harder points out that to reduce America's exposure to unrest in unstable countries and regions, "the transportation sector needs to be weaned off oil, increasing public transportation, shifting to electric vehicles, and, if Pickens had his way, natural gas engines for large trucks."

Also on Tuesday morning, reporter Darren Goode from the "Morning Energy Report" of Politico.com talked to Boone:

WHAT EGYPT MEANS TO T. BOONE - Pickens thinks the situation in Egypt could get worse - a lot worse - for crude oil and gas prices and that reinforces his message to wean ourselves off of foreign oil imports. "We've already said that something like this was likely to happen and it has," Pickens told POLITICO's Darren Goode yesterday. "If it's not now, that civil unrest will happen again."

He said the problem is not so much what happens in Egypt but whether civil unrest expands to more prominent Middle Eastern oil nations. "You're seeing a dry run of sorts with unrest in countries like Tunisia and Egypt that are not big on the oil market," he said. "And you better watch close because the next one may be Algeria or Libya or, God forbid, Saudi Arabia." "And if that happens," he said, "you're really going to have a mess on your hands."

- Team Pickens

T. Boone Pickens On The Daily Show, January 27, 2011

2011-01-28T14:55:00.000-08:00

In this complete [22:21], unedited interview, T. Boone Pickens wants to get America off of foreign oil with the Pickens Plan.

You can see his 2008 appearance on The Daily Show here.

Getting off of Foreign oil isn't easy

2011-01-27T09:30:00.000-08:00

Time magazine article: "Energy: Should the Military Be Going Green? RAND Isn't So Sure."
· Here's the PDF of the RAND Corporation report.
"Alternative fuels for transport" in a press release from the European Commission.
Transport has been the sector most resilient to efforts to reduce CO2 emissions due to its strong dependence on fossil energy sources and its steady growth despite the considerable efficiency gains that have already been made. Emissions can be reduced by improving energy efficiency, transport efficiency, and effective transport demand management. But the ultimate solution to decarbonising transport is the substitution of fossil fuels by CO2-lean energy supply to transport.

Further information: Report of the European Expert Group on Future Transport Fuels

Anything American—as long as it's American

2011-01-27T08:52:00.000-08:00

Folks Mr. Pickens talks diversity - as long as it's American - this "win-win" talk underscores our focus on getting off of foreign oil by all working together....with all the tools we're getting through the Department of Energy we should really make a difference in 2011! rc3

From the desk of T. Boone Pickens

Army:

I hope you watched President Obama give the State of the Union Address last night. I went on CNBC's Squawk Box and then MSNBC's Morning Joe this morning to give some of my thoughts on the energy section of the speech, and I'd like to share them with you now. I hope the attention he gave to America's energy crisis will help kick-start bipartisan action.

I agree with the President's goal of moving toward battery-powered vehicles and other technologies but we need to get more options into the mix. The reality is that today a battery has limitations-it won't move an 18-wheeler, for example. So on a barrel-for-barrel replacement for foreign oil and diesel, only natural gas can can step in now and have an immediate impact starting today, not years down the road. The value of using our abundant natural gas as an alternative to foreign oil is simple-if we had all 8 million 18-wheelers on natural gas, we would cut OPEC imports in half. These natural gas trucks would be 30 percent cleaner, and fuel would be a dollar per gallon cheaper-it's that simple.

I noted that Abu Dhabi recently announced that they are moving toward natural gas as a transportation fuel. Why are they doing that? It's a smart business decision for them: natural gas is cheaper. They can use cheaper natural gas in their vehicles and sell the expensive oil to the United States.

We need immediate action. One way President Obama can get things moving is to issue an executive order requiring all federal vehicles purchased in the future to run on American resources-natural gas, ethanol, electricity, or other domestic options. Anything American-as long as it's American.

I'm excited about what I heard and optimistic about the future. I think we're headed down the right track by recognizing that we need to get on our resources to solve our energy crisis-that means using everything, including renewables like solar and wind, along with nuclear, natural gas and other American resources.

But we need to quit buying oil from the enemy starting today. I appreciate what Joe Scarborough said to me this morning: "I will tell you this right now though. I would like that $2 billion a week to invest in what you're talking about, Boone, and that is transforming our economy and breaking our dependence on foreign oil from OPEC."

I know we get get this done by working together.

Boone

PS I hope you'll watch me on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart tomorrow [Thursday, January 27, 2011] night-as you know, I've been on before and it's always a great experience.

IRS Guidance for 50¢ per GGE rebate

2011-01-27T08:36:00.000-08:00

Good news. Now SoCalGas customers can apply for the 50¢ per GGE [Gasoline Gallon Equivalent] rebate for all of 2010 and 2011. Follow the attached special guidance for the 2010 year [below]. Remember to find the total CCF sum near the end of the SoCalGas bill, multiply by 100 to get cubic feet and then divide by 121 cubic feet (CF) per gasoline gallon equivalent. The result is the number of gallons which can be claimed on IRS Form 8849 schedule 3. Do not try to convert therms to gallons. Questions? Call me.

Steve Anthony

Southern California Gas Co.
Sr. NGV Account Executive
Work 213 244 3583
Cell 213 248 1692

IRS Issues Guidance for 2010 Fuel Credits for CNG and LNG

On Friday, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued a notice with instructions on how to make a claim for CNG or LNG that was used or sold in 2010. Notice 2011-10, "Biodiesel and Alternative Fuels; Claims for 2010; Excise Tax," has not yet been published in the Internal Revenue Bulletin (IRB) but was posted on the IRS website (see below). As we previously reported in our newsletter, the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 (Act) (PL 111-312, § 701), extends the CNG and LNG fuel credits for 2011 and also made them retroactive for 2010. The Act requires that the IRS issue guidance concerning one-time claims to be made for 2010 fuel use or sales. Notice 2011-10 satisfies the Congressional mandate.

The IRS guidance indicates that claimants should use Form 8849, Schedule 3. Claimants who have not yet filed their quarterly 720 Excise Tax Form for the last quarter of 2010 should not claim the excise offset on that form or seek to claim payment on that form. The IRS apparently wants all section 6426 and 6427 claims relating to the use or sale of CNG and LNG in 2010 to be made using Form 8849, Schedule 3. As always, only those claimants who previously have registered with the IRS using Form 637 may make claims for payment. Claims must be submitted no later than August 1, 2011 and can be filed immediately. Only one claim should be made for 2010 fuel use or sales. The IRS must make payments on claims within 60 days of their being filed, or pay interest on late payments. All claims submitted prior to February 2, 2011 will be treated as having been made on February 2 for purposes of determining whether the IRS has timely paid a claim.

The IRS guidance also indicates that any persons who filed "protective" or anticipatory claims relating to CNG or LNG must refile these claims using Forms 8849, Schedule 3.
For more information, contact Jeff Clarke 202.824.7364, or
jclarke@NGVAmerica.org.

To view Notice 2011-10, click here: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-11-10.pdf.

T. Boone Pickens Returning To The Daily Show

2011-01-25T11:54:00.000-08:00

Mr. Pickens starts this year's push for an Energy Plan with a flurry of television appearances! Please see the details listed below. Hope you'll be able to tune in. As a strong supporter of our Clean Cities Program (...see his Holiday video to us on a previous post) we should try and keep up with his activities in pushing to get us off foreign oil and focusing our transportation energy needs on domestic fuels.

Pickens Plan: Note To The Army

Army:

We are excited about a number of media appearances T. Boone Pickens will be making this week, many of them timed to provide commentary on President Obama's State of the Union remarks tonight [January 25, 2011].

First, Boone will appear tomorrow [January 26, 2011] morning around 7 am ET on the popular CNBC morning program, Squawk Box.

Following that, and while in Washington, DC, Boone will also be a guest at approximately 8:15 am ET on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program.

On Thursday night [January 27, 2011], Boone is an invited guest on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Please check your local listings to determine what time that airs in your marketplace. His last appearance on this show was a real crowd pleaser, so you won't want to miss this one!

The November 2008 program:

Remember that you can always follow Boone on Twitter @boonepickens, and the media appearances outlined above could always be changed due to late breaking news.

- Team Pickens

P.S. Visit http://wh.gov/sotu to submit questions about President Obama's energy plan for America. Questions will be answered by the President himself, as well as senior White House officials, during various Q&A sessions this week.

Many Shades of Green

2011-01-24T06:33:00.000-08:00

Click here for the second edition of Many Shades Of Green by Next 10.

This second edition of Many Shades of Green: Regional Distribution and Trends in California's Green Economy, tracks employment and business growth related to products and services that improve efficiencies in the consumption of all natural resources and reduce negative environmental impacts. The results presented here offer new evidence that Californians are forward-thinking people, creators of cutting-edge technology and nimble prospectors adept at finding new opportunity in a changing context. Based on this research, we can conclude that California's green economy has continued to grow in the current downturn, and opportunities are growing across the state's eleven economic regions.

Top findings include:
Employment in the Core Green Economy has expanded 56 percent since 1995, while total state employment grew by just 18 percent. In the most recent observable 12-month period (January 2008 to 2009), green employment increased by three percent while growth in total employment was less than one percent.
Recent employment growth has been exceptionally strong in Energy Generation, Energy Storage and Clean Transportation.
California's green economy is diverse with strong employment shares in manufacturing. Manufacturing employment represents 26 percent of all green employment but only 11 percent of California's total employment.

CVEP - Renewable Energy Roundtable - Distributed Generation, Feed-in Tariff and AB 811

2011-01-23T10:07:00.000-08:00

Jim Ferguson
Click here for the audio recording of Jim Ferguson speaking at the CVEP Renewable Energy Roundtable.

Mr. Ferguson is a leading national and California State authority on distributive generation having testified on numerous occasions before Congressional and California State legislaive committees on national and state energy policies. He authored California's landmark Assembly Bill 811, the progenitor of nationwide Property Assessed Clean Energy Financing (PACE) legislation currently adopted in 23 states. Has been on the Palm Desert City Council and has been the City's Mayor. For more information he can be contacted:

Jim C. Ferguson, Esq.

73101 Highway 111, Suite 1
Palm Desert, California 92260
(760) 776-8233 phone (760) 776-8255 fax
info@govlaw.com
www.govlaw.com

"Time to Tap the Bounty of U.S. Natural Gas"

2011-01-17T18:07:00.000-08:00

An article in the New York Times:

Natural gas may be America’s most ignored blessing. With resources now equivalent to Iran’s oil reserves, domestic shale gas offers a chance to meaningfully reduce the country’s dependence on foreign oil, cut the deficit and even reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Read the full article here.

T. Boone Pickens

2011-01-10T17:11:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year...and with the new year comes on-going support for what Clean Cities is doing. To lead off our 2011 Clean Cities Coachella Valley Region - Information Exchange Mr. Pickens sent us this video thanking the Clean Cities program for all the work we’re doing to get the United State off foreign oil.

You can follow Mr. Pickens on his ongoing efforts by checking out his Twitter pages - Twitter.com/boonepickens or at Twitter.com/pickensplan You can also keep up by viewing his website www.pickensplan.com

Please feel free to share this with your stakeholders - we’re all in this together...2011 is the year we’ll get an Energy Plan for the United States with our ongoing efforts.

Light Bulb Finder App

2011-01-05T12:06:00.000-08:00

In the coming year, take advantage of new technology to help residents save energy. Available as a free download on iPhone and Android mobile phones, the Light Bulb Finder app makes it easy for households to switch from incandescent to energy-efficient light bulbs with the right fit, style and light quality.

As users walk through their homes entering basic information on their smartphones about current light bulbs and fixtures, they receive on-the-spot recommendations for energy-efficient equivalents. The app displays bulb images, prices, savings, and environmental impact. Users can create their own shopping lists and buy energy-efficient bulbs directly through the app or at local stores.

Light Bulb Finder is also a useful tool for home energy auditors and community outreach organizations to engage residents and create personalized recommendations for individual households.

Visit www.lightbulbfinder.net for more information and to download the marketing toolkit for your organization (see “resources” page). Watch the demo video, "How many apps does it take to change a light bulb?" at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3r7byk9ZR1Q

Please contact me for information on how the app can be customized to promote local energy efficiency programs, CFL rebate offers, and retailer discounts. Customized solutions include zip-code level reporting on aggregate energy savings and greenhouse gas emission reductions. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Andrea Nylund

Eco Hatchery, LLC
Tel: 310.474.0574
www.ecohatchery.com
www.lightbulbfinder.net

A bi-partisan effort...to have no energy plan

2010-12-24T13:54:00.000-08:00

From the PickensPlan

CNG Tax Benefits in New Law

2010-12-21T09:04:00.000-08:00

Email received from Steve Anthony, Senior NGV Account Executive at Southern California Gas Co.

From: Anthony, Steven C.
Sent: Monday, December 20, 2010 2:42 PM
Subject: CNG Tax Benefits in New Law

CNG Customers,

See the attached notice [below] from NGV America, the natural gas industry trade association, regarding the 50 cents per GGE rebate being retroactive for 2010 and extended out through the end of 2011. Congress has directed the IRS to develop guidance for submitting the rebate request for all of 2010, so you may wish to wait until this guidance is available. The legislation allows a 6 month window to submit the request for 2010.

In addition, a few tax-paying customers are eligible for very favorable tax treatment for new trucks and CNG stations.

If you have never applied for the 50 cents per GGE rebate registration number, I urge you to do so immediately on IRS Form 637. You must obtain a registration number prior to applying for the 50 cents per GGE rebate.

Steve Anthony
Southern California Gas Co.
Sr. NGV Account Executive

The notice from NGV America:

Tax Credits Extended

Friday, December 16, 2010, the President signed into law H.R. 4853, the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010. Earlier in the week, the Senate passed the bill by a vote of 81 to 19 and the House of Representatives passed the bill 277-148. This tax bill was the result of negotiations between President Obama and Republicans, and will extend the 2001 and 2003 income tax cuts for all families for two years and unemployment benefits for one year. Among these and other major provisions, the bill includes some major provisions that are very beneficial to the NGV industry:

The fuel credit was extended. The bill extends until December 31, 2011 the $0.50 fuel credit for CNG and LNG when used as a transportation fuel. As expected, the extension is made retroactive back to January 1, 2010. The $0.50 tax credit for CNG and LNG had expired at the end of 2009. The tax bill includes special instructions directing the Treasury Department to develop procedures allowing for a one-time claim for any fuel used or sold in 2010.

The fueling station (infrastructure) credit was extended. The bill extends for one year the tax credit for natural gas fueling infrastructure. The extension is for 30 percent of the cost of qualified equipment up to a maximum of $30,000 and $1,000 for non-business property (i.e., home refueling). The tax credit is 30 percent and not 50 percent because Congress extended the tax credit as originally enacted in 2005 -- not according to the increased level enacted as part of the 2009 TARP legislation. The bill also allows for 100 percent expensing of the infrastructure costs, and it is our understanding that the tax credit may be taken along with a 100 percent expensing. This means that a taxpayer could claim up to a $30,000 tax credit for new natural gas fueling infrastructure and then expense the remaining cost (cost of station less tax credit amount of $30,000) all in the first year. The 100 percent expensing provision is good for equipment placed in service after September 8, 2010.

The vehicle credit was NOT extended. Despite repeated and substantial efforts by many of you with Congress, the income tax credit for the purchase of NGVs was not extended. However, there is some good news relating to tax treatment of new NGVs. The bill allows taxpayers to expense 100 percent of the cost of new capital expenditures. This means that businesses purchasing NGVs will be able to write-off the full cost of buying such vehicles in the first year instead of depreciating them over five or more years. The expensing provision does not help tax-exempt entities or private consumers who purchase NGVs (unless they can depreciate them). The 100 percent depreciation provision also applies to equipment placed in service after September 8, 2010.

Clean Cities Technical Response Service Question of the Month

2010-12-20T13:47:00.000-08:00

The December installment of the Clean Cities Technical Response Service (TRS) Question of the Month.

Question of the Month: What information will be included on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fuel economy label for new and upcoming all-electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs)?

Answer: Nissan and General Motors recently released the EPA fuel economy ratings for their new advanced vehicle models, the Nissan LEAF EV and Chevrolet Volt extended range electric vehicle (EREV*). These announcements were made while EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) are finalizing regulations that would change the information currently included on fuel economy labels for all vehicles, including EVs and PHEVs.

Proposed Advanced Vehicle Fuel Economy Ratings and Labels
On September 23, 2010, EPA and NHTSA released a proposed rule to change the fuel economy labels that appear on the windows of new vehicles for sale. The goal of this new label is to provide consumers with simple, straightforward comparisons across all vehicle types. The proposed rule includes additional information that would be available for advanced vehicles, including:

Driving Range: The label would identify how many miles EVs and PHEVs can drive before needing to recharge and/or refuel.
Different Modes: For vehicles that can operate using more than one fuel or technology (e.g., all-electric and gasoline only modes for PHEVs), the label would provide fuel economy information for each distinct operating mode.
Energy Consumption: For EVs, the label would show energy use in kilowatt-hours (kWh) per 100 miles, as well as miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe). For PHEVs, the label would show only MPGe for all-electric mode. The MPGe rating is an important metric for comparing advanced vehicles to conventional vehicle models that are rated in miles per gallon (mpg). In the proposed rule, EPA and NHSTA included the following calculation to compare electricity as it is conventionally measured on a utility bill to gallons of gasoline: 33.7 kWh = 1 MPGe.

The final rule is scheduled to be released by the end of January 2011, and the proposed changes to fuel economy labels will likely take effect starting with Model Year (MY) 2012 vehicles. However, for those advanced vehicles that will be introduced to the market prior to MY 2012, EPA is working with individual manufacturers on a case-by-case basis to develop interim labels under EPA's current regulations that can be used prior to MY 2012 and that are consistent with the proposed labels for advanced vehicles (see Nissan LEAF and Chevrolet Volt announcement information below). For more information on the EPA and NHSTA rulemaking, please visit this EPA Web site.

Recent Announcements
The information included in the recent Nissan and General Motors announcements related to fuel economy for their advanced vehicle models follows very closely with the proposed fuel economy label changes outlined above. Most notably, the all-electric fuel economy for these vehicles is measured in MPGe, based on the assumption that 33.7 kWh of electricity is equivalent to one gallon of gasoline.

According to Nissan, EPA estimates that the 2011 LEAF has a combined city/highway fuel economy of 99 MPGe, or 106 MPGe city and 92 MPGe highway. For more information on the Nissan announcement, including a picture of the actual label, please see this Web site.

As described above, according to General Motors, EPA split the 2011 Chevrolet Volt PHEV fuel economy values into separate ratings, one representing the vehicle's fuel economy while it is operating in all-electric mode (93 MPGe) and one representing the fuel economy in gas only mode (37 mpg). For more information on the General Motors announcement, including a picture of the actual label, please see this Web site.

Though EPA has yet to formally announce these ratings, Oak Ridge National Laboratory expects the LEAF and Volt ratings to be available on the fueleconomy.gov Web site soon. Additional advanced vehicle fuel economy ratings will also be posted to fueleconomy.gov as they become available.

As always, please contact the TRS with other questions, or if you have suggestions for additional resources or a future Question of the Month.

Happy Holidays!

Clean Cities Technical Response Service Team
technicalresponse@icfi.com
800-254-6735

* Please note that for this Question of the Month, we have included EREVs, such as the Volt, in the definition of PHEVs. For more information on this distinction, please reference the Alternative Fuels & Advanced Vehicles Data Center.

Where Does Natural Gas Come From?

2010-12-20T11:40:00.000-08:00

Animation showing where natural gas comes from. (via Clean Energy Fuels)

NGVi Classes Coming to California

2010-12-20T11:38:00.000-08:00

Please see the forwarded information about the technical training offered by Natural Gas Vehicle Institute.
The training will take place February 8-10, 2011 in Downey, CA.

Driver & Mechanic Safety Training for CNG Powered Vehicles
This course covers information about key factors vital to insuring safe natural gas vehicle (NGV) fleet operation. The training will deliver all the information necessary to insure that the NGV fleet is driven, fueled and maintained to meet or exceed current safety standards.

CNG Fueling Stations: A Project Manager's Guide
This course provides comprehensive training for project managers on the most up-to-date methods and practices for sizing, designing, specifying, permitting and constructing a CNG fueling station.

Driver, Technician & Fuel Handler Safety Training for LNG Powered Vehicles
This course is devoted to training drivers, technicians and fuel handlers on safe driving, fueling and operating practices of today's liquefied natural gas (LNG) vehicles. It delivers all the information necessary to insure that your fleet powered by LNG is driven, fueled and maintained in a facility to meet or exceed current safety standards.

For more information about enrollment and classes in general please contact Kristy Maston at 800-510-6484 or kmaston@ngvi.com

Clean Cities Coachella Valley Region - Goods Movement - Workshop: Implementing Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) In Heavy-Duty Vehicles

2010-12-20T11:29:00.000-08:00

Audio recording of this workshop (2hr 8min)

LNG Tanker In South Boston, early 1980s

2010-12-20T09:00:00.001-08:00

Photo by Ron's Log

FERC Natural Gas 101

2010-12-20T08:56:00.000-08:00

We attended the FERC Natural Gas 101 in San Diego last week. The course was presented by EUCI (Electric Utility Consultant, Inc.). The presenters were Richard Lorenzo, Attorney At Law, and Jay Matson, Attorney At Law - both the firm Loeb & Loeb L.L.P. out of Washington, DC. Their profiles are at the back of the presentation .

The idea here is to share with you the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's regulation of the Natural Gas Industry. Oddly enough you'll find they have no stand on natural gas as a transportation fuel...another opportunity for Clean Cities.

First you'll find the recording of the entire meeting - next in the four-page introduction you'll find the agenda...by following the agenda you can estimate where on the tape that portion of the program may be, thus being able to focus in on areas of interest. The recording follows the presentation materials. Plus you can listen in on the interaction of the other attendee and myself with the education team's responses. All in all, very interesting and eye opening. rc3

The audio recording of the meeting - about 6½ hours.

The four-page introduction (590 KB PDF).

The PDF version of FERC Natural Gas 101 (81.3 MB, 220 pages).

The agenda:

FERC's Role in the Natural Gas Industry

Where Does Natural Gas Come from?
- The origin of natural gas
- Exploration and extraction
- Production and Processing
- Gathering, transportation, and distribution
History of the US Natural Gas Industry
- Early attempts at regulation
- The origin and evolution of the Natural Gas Act
- Price deregulation at the wellhead
- The "take or pay" problem
- The genesis of deregulation
A Brief Overview of FERC's Responsibilities
- Who and what FERC regulates
- "First sales"
FERC's Jurisdictional Limitations
- Hinshaw pipelines
- The gathering exemption
- The primary function test
Regulation of Gas Transportation
- NGA Section 7
- Deregulation and open access
- Order Nos. 436, 500, 636, and 637
Storage of Natural Gas
- Types and locations of storage facilities
- Certification
- Order No. 678
- Reporting and posting requirements
Pipeline Rates
- The "filed rate" doctrine
- Setting initial rates
- NGA Sections 4 and 5
- Calculating rates, including return on equity and capital structure
- Market-based and negotiated rates
- Incentive rates
- Time-differentiated and peak/off-peak rates
FERC Procedure
- FERC's organizational structure
- Types of filings/cases
- A "typical" litigated case
- Settlements
- Rehearings and appeals
Natural Gas Markets
- Reporting standards
- Code of conduct
- Order Nos. 644, 670, 673, and 677
- Enforcement
Standards of Conduct
- Order Nos. 497, 2004, and 717
- Key definitions
- Fundamental requirements
Liquefied Natural Gas
- History
- Consumption, production, and importation
- Regulatory issues
- Operational issues
- Rates
- Challenges to development
Future Challenges
- Cap and trade
- Carbon capture and sequestration
- Carbon dioxide pipeline regulation
- Pending legislation

T. Boone Pickens says United States continues to pay for both sides of the war

2010-12-14T15:43:00.001-08:00

December 14, 2010. In his monthly update on the level of foreign oil imports in the U.S., energy expert T. Boone Pickens said that based on the latest figures from the Federal Reserve Economic Database, the U.S. imported 57 percent of its oil, or 327 million barrels in November 2010, sending approximately USD 28 billion to foreign countries.

"With even more evidence that money spent on foreign oil is funding terrorism, it's never been clearer that we're paying for both sides of the war," said Pickens. "Recently reported State Department cables show oil revenue in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates are the single biggest source of funding for terrorist groups like Al Qaeda. This is a critical national security issue.

"The U.S. Energy Information Administration just announced that OPEC oil revenues are expected to hit $750 billion this year, which is a 32 percent increase. And in 2011, we'll see USD 100 oil. We simply cannot keep putting our country at risk by spending billions of dollars every month on foreign oil.

"If you're going to solve the foreign oil crisis you must focus on transportation – using our own abundant natural gas resources to fuel heavy-duty trucks can immediately reduce our dependence on OPEC oil; improving our national security while strengthening our economy. It's time for the American people to call their elected officials and tell them to act."

The Pickens Plan to encourage more heavy-duty fleet vehicles to run on domestic resources has been included in several pieces of legislation introduced in the House and Senate.

Impact of the Midterm Election on Energy Policy Webinar, December 16

2010-12-06T16:37:00.000-08:00

Impact of Midterm Election on Energy Policy

December 16, 2010 :: 2:30 PM Eastern Time

Overview

Presenters will discuss key victories and losses, recently announced committee assignments, and the election's impact on energy policy at the federal level. Additionally, presenters will give insight into the energy debate at the state level and how that may impact energy development.

PDF Brochure | Pricing and Registration

Topics Include

What happened: the final tally, how those in power got there,
lame duck session recap
Who the new players are: key names and states
Outlook for 112th Congress: House committee assignment and chair
update
Potential renewable energy and energy efficiency legislation: RPS, extension of tax credits and new tax credits, continuation of the DOE loan guarantee program , energy efficiency , climate change
Impact to traditional generation sources: air quality issues, FERC, nuclear
Environmental topics: key players in new House (leadership and committees), Congressional oversight of EPA, forthcoming EPA regulations, Yucca Mountain and Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
State politics and energy: impact on projects in pipeline, legislative attitudes, leadership review

Full Agenda

Instructed By

Bonnie A. Suchman, Of Counsel, Troutman Sanders
David M. Konisky, Assistant Professor, Georgetown Public Policy Institute
Glen Andersen, Energy Policy Analyst, National Conference of State Legislatures
Meghan McLaughlin, Grassroots and PAC Specialist, American Public Power
Association

Instructor Bio

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"Thirty-nine percent of car shoppers are considering a hybrid or electric vehicle for their next new-car purchase"

2010-12-03T10:12:00.000-08:00

While the biggest bang for the environmental buck is for fleets to convert to alternate fuels, we’re always interested in the public’s response to the topic, too. So we were particularly pleased to see that when Consumer Reports recently interviewed 1700 people to see whether they would purchase a vehicle powered by something cleaner than gasoline, one-third responded affirmatively. They expressed interest in hybrid and flex-fuel vehicles, followed by natural gas, propane, hydrogen fuel cell and biodiesel. Click here for full details.

Smog Eating Tile

2010-11-29T21:12:00.000-08:00

More information is available on the Boral Roofing website.

A Citizen's Guide To Lobbying

2010-11-23T11:14:00.001-08:00

PDF guide to how to influence your elected representatives.

DOE Question Of The Month - New Fuels & Technologies

2010-11-23T08:16:00.000-08:00

Question of the Month - November 2010

QUESTION: Where can I find information about new fuels and technologies in the research, development, and initial deployment phases?

ANSWER: Like commercialized alternative fuels and advanced technologies, new fuels and technologies in development can provide benefits such as reduced petroleum consumption, improved vehicle performance, and reduced emissions. However, it is often difficult to find reliable information about these emerging fuels and technologies. Below we have included relevant resources that can provide valuable information to you and your stakeholders.

Fuels

The Alternative Fuels & Advanced Vehicles Data Center (AFDC) Emerging Fuels web site highlights several fuels that are in the early development stages. Currently, the site highlights

New information and fuel categories are continually being added to that site.

Please note that some developing/emerging fuels are not considered "alternative fuels" according to the Energy Policy Act of 1992. While fuels that do not meet these criteria may be valuable alternatives to petroleum-based fuels, they may not be eligible for certain incentives and regulatory programs. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has the authority to designate additional alternative fuels through a petition and rulemaking process. For example, DOE currently maintains an open docket on a rulemaking to designate FTD. Go here for more information on the petition process.

Also, remember that U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations require that each manufacturer or importer of gasoline, diesel, or a fuel additive register the product through the Fuels and Fuel Additives Program prior to its commercial introduction. Additional information about this program and listings of registered fuels and fuel additives are available on the EPA web site.

Technologies

The AFDC Vehicles web site highlights vehicle technologies that are designed to reduce petroleum consumption. For example, the AFDC Idle Reduction web site contains information on commercialized and emerging technologies related to vehicle idle reduction.

In addition, the EPA also administers two separate programs to evaluate retrofit vehicle technologies, one for light-duty vehicle retrofits (Gas Saving and Aftermarket Retrofit Device Evaluation Program) and one for heavy-duty diesel vehicle retrofits (Diesel Retrofit Technology Verification Program). Additional information about these programs and listings of verified technologies are available on the EPA web site.

Other Information Sources

Academia and industry, as well as federal, state, and local government agencies, are always conducting new research on emerging fuels and technologies. In particular, DOE national laboratories are at the forefront of this work. Examples of their research can be found at the following national laboratory web sites:

You may also reference research published in peer-reviewed or other industry publications for unbiased information on new petroleum reduction strategies. Scientific search engines, such as Science Direct, are a great place to start.

The TRS stays up-to-date on new technologies and fuels and is available to answer specific fuel- and technology-related questions. You may also contact the TRS with other questions, or if you have suggestions for additional resources or a future Question of the Month.

Do you have a question that needs an answer? Contact:

Clean Cities Technical Response Service Team technicalresponse@icfi.com
800-254-6735

NGV Co-op Announcement

2010-11-23T07:24:00.000-08:00

Information from Southern California Gas:

A new service is available. Check out the Natural Gas Vehicle Cooperative website at www.ngvcoop.org. This site has all of the available light and medium duty natural gas vehicles listed.

The Natural Gas Vehicle Cooperative seeks to ease the purchase process for natural gas vehicles. The specifications for these vehicles were sent out to the Ford, Chevrolet and Honda dealerships in California. A competitive bid process was held. The vehicle prices and the dealerships are listed on the website. All of the vehicles use CARB certified conversion kits.

The NGV Co-op website.

PDF list of NGV for sale.

U.S. Dept of Energy Technical Assistance Program Webinar about RETScreen

2010-11-17T16:39:00.000-08:00

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Technical Assistance Program (TAP) for state and local officials, this Webinar discussed RETScreen, which is a leading online software tool that can help state and local officials quickly conduct feasibility analyses for clean energy projects. This software is relatively easy to use and is free of charge. It can therefore significantly reduce the expense associated with identifying and assessing potential energy projects.

The costs of conducting pre-feasibility and feasibility studies are significant for many state and local government officials and, as a result, can represent a substantial barrier to the deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. Lowering these cost barriers allows RETScreen users to better compete in the clean technology marketplace.

The presentation as a PDF.

Audio recording of the conference.

Hi and Welcome!

2010-11-12T08:11:00.001-08:00

Hi and welcome to The Clean Cities Coachella Valley Region Information Exchange. This blog helps stakeholders of the Coachella Clean City Region keep current with what's happening in the alternative fuels world. It's a rapidly changing world and there is a lot going on!

As we attend meetings and find information that might help you with your decision making process, we'll post the digital recordings and PowerPoint presentations. Plus from time to time, we'll add other items of interest. We hope this information is helpful and we look forward to your comments. Thanks.

300 Years Of Fossil-Fueled Addiction In 5 Minutes

2010-11-11T22:35:00.000-08:00

Via the Post Carbon Institute.

Registration
Welcome	9:00 - 9:15
Clean Energy Shaunt Hartounian Business Development Manager, Ports and Regional Trucking Topic: Available heavy-duty altemative fuelladvanced technology trucks; Infrastructures update; why natural gas; how do we make it work.	9:15 - 9:40
Cummins Westport Charlie Ker Topic: LNG Engines	9:40 - 10:00
California Air Resource Board (CARB) Brandon Rose Topic: California Air Resources Board (CARB) regulations for bus and trucks	10:00 - 11:00
Break	11:00 - 11:15
College of the Desert Douglas H. Redman, MSIDT Instructor, Automotive Technology/Advanced Transportation School of Business, Technology and Workforce Education Topic: College of the Desert altemative fuel/advanced technology engine technical training	11:15 - 11:35
South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) Mei Wang Topic: SCAQMD heavy-duty truck funding incentives	11:35 - 12:00
Clean Cities Coachella Valley Region Suzanne Seivright Clean Cities Co-Coordinator Topic: Clean Cities and resources	12:00 - 12:30
Lunch	12:30 - 1:00
Clean Cities Coachella Valley Region Richard Cromwell Clean Cities Co-Coordinator Topic: Historic overview of electric vehicles	1:00 - 1:30
Clean Cities Coachella Valley Region Suzanne Seivright Clean Cities Co-Coordinator Topic: Clean Cities Electric Vehicles overview	1:30 - 1:50
Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. Greg Glander Government Sales & Advanced Technology Vehicles Manager -Prius PHV on display Topic:	1:50 - 2:00
Open forum to discuss technical and logistical challenges related to procuring fleets with alternative fuel-advanced technology trucks with key govemment personnel.	2:00 - 2:30