App For First Responders

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

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

"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

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?

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)

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
  1. not 'rate-basing' the LDC's CNG costs,
  2. not allowing (at all) some (rich!) LDC OH costs,
  3. doing good CNG pump price fixing (read tariff setting) versus the local city gate gas price, or,
  4. 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

"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

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

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

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?

"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

(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:

1. Saudi Arabia
2. Venezuela
3. Nigeria
4. Iraq
5. Columbia
6. Russia
7. 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?

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:

1. Texas Triangle - Dallas to San Antonio to Houston
2. Colorado Rockies Corridor - Colorado, Wyoming, Utah
3. Southeastern Corridor - Georgia, Florida, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Florida, Mississippi, Arkansas, Virginia
4. Eastern Corridor - Runs north of Virginia into the New England States
5. 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

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

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:

1. 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.
   
   
2. 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.
   
   
3. 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.
   
   
4. 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.
   
   
5. 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.
     
     
6. 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.
   
   
7. 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.
   
   
8. 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
   
   
9. 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.
   
   
10. 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

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

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

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

"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

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

"(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

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

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"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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"

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

Chesapeake Energy

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"

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.

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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

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

 

From CNBC.

Survey shows American drivers could be interested in natural gas vehicles

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

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.