CALSTART NewsNotes, January 24

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.