Yeah, it's kinda interesting the article on SF busses being forced to go to CNG or some other alterna-petrol proposal, due to CARB emmision guidelines. Good that the Fleet manager was fighting back for Diesel, although absolutely NO mention was made of B100 or even B20 for that matter. It just shocks me how little the Muni planners (and fleet managers) know about such things. It would be a great opportunity for someone to do a Broker type of thing for them for B100, thus they wouldn't have to get rid of their capital cost that already has been realized on the present busses.
If someone doesn't do it, I might just call up Graham N. and broker it myself .... ;-) Sheesh!!! James Slayden On Fri, 13 Dec 2002, murdoch wrote: > Some in the biofuel groups and elsewhere may look askance at the CARB > instituting such seeming common-sense measures for slightly decreasing > emissions and improving air quality near school-children, but then > seeming to fail to implement biofuel and other clean-air technologies. > > I'm not sure if CARB has made any headway in researching benefits of > using biofuels as against dino fuels in school busses. Remember that > not only is CARB limited to emissions debates (NOT mileage debates) > but they weaken or even destroy their entire footing sometimes when > they venture into mileage and other areas (I think there's recently > been a lawsuit from the enviro-hostile Federal government against some > of the CARB-related activities or rulings because of their alleged > straying from clean-air-related concerns.) > > Anyway, I'd love to see CARB evaluate some pilot school-bus biofuel > programs (such as I think SSPC was running?) for some very specific > measureable changes in school bus emissions and perhaps for some > changes in overall community emissions if they were able to attach > numbers to the benefits (or damages or harms) of reprocessing waste > grease rather than allowing it to be thrown away and > emit-gosh-knows-what from its resting hole (if I understand correctly > what happens to some of it?). > > Two more strategizing notes: > > Since so much of the school system is publicly owned, > (governmentally-owned-and-run), this means IMO that an agency like > CARB has a much more clear-cut legitimate ability to mandate, > incontrovertibly, how the fleet of busses serving those public schools > should be run. They are part of ownership, part of the management > team. I am not a fan of government-involvement in the education > business, but this is one instance where the issue plays in favor of > some progress, IMO. > > Second, busses, in particular, seem to be focus points for some of the > alternative fuel efforts at advanced research. You hear about this or > that pilot program by this or that manufacture, major and minor, to > research super-advanced batteries, fuel cells, hybrids including > ultracaps, etc., in busses. > > EFCX, for example where their semi-battery-fuel-cell (whatever the > hell it is) technology I think has done some bus work (with GE?) and > Maxwell was going on about GM putting some ultracaps in busses or > large trucks for a sort of initial effort. So, although I'm very much > in favor of a simple straightforward gaining of knowledge and > promulgation of a 100%-biodiesel-in-busses concept, biofuel advocates > may wish to be aware of the compatibilities with other alt-fuel > efforts. > > MM > > On Thu, 12 Dec 2002 14:09:11 -0800, Gennet Paauwe <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: > > Please find the following California Air Resources Board news release > on > today's approval of an air toxic control measure for idling school > buses. > > You may view it at: http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr121202.htm > > Thanks, > Gennet Paauwe > Office of Communications > California Air Reosurces Board > > ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > > > California Environmental Protection Agency > NEWS RELEASE > > Air Resources Board > > Release 02-46 > > FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE > December 12, 2002 > > CONTACT: Jerry Martin > Gennet Paauwe > (916) 322-2990 > www.arb.ca.gov > > > Air Board Adopts Measure to Reduce Pollution from School Bus Idling > > SACRAMENTO -- A measure adopted today by the California Air Resources > Board (ARB) eliminates unnecessary idling for school buses and other > heavy-duty vehicles, protecting children from unhealthful exhaust > emissions. The main purpose of the measure is to reduce localized > exposure to air toxics and other harmful air pollutants at and near > schools. > > “Restricted idling times at schools will not only protect our > children > from toxic air contaminants, but improve air quality in the > surrounding > area,” said ARB Chairman Alan C. Lloyd. > > In addition to protecting childrens’ health, reducing motor vehicle > emissions will benefit teachers, parents, bus maintenance workers and > drivers, and people who live or work near schools. > > The measure is expected to save school districts and other operators > up > to $800,000 in fuel costs. > > More than 26,000 school buses operate in California. Emissions from > individual school buses and heavy-duty vehicles vary, depending on > vehicle type, age, maintenance and amount of time spent idling. > Health > impacts from exhaust exposure include: eye and respiratory irritation, > enhanced respiratory allergic reactions, asthma exacerbation, > increased > cancer risk, and immune system degradation. > > The measure, part of California’s Diesel Particulate Matter Risk > Reduction Plan, but expanded to include other bus types, requires the > driver of a school bus or other heavy-duty vehicle not to idle at > schools. Additional unnecessary idling restrictions are imposed for > such vehicles stopping within 100 feet of a school. Exemptions are > provided for idling that is necessary for safety or operational > purposes. The measure does not affect private passenger vehicles. > > The measure also requires the motor carrier to inform drivers of the > idling requirements, track complaints and enforcement actions, and > keep > records of driver education and tracking activities. > > Training and record keeping costs are expected to be approximately $2 > per driver per year, based on the ARB providing educational materials > while fleet operators use existing procedures to disseminate > appropriate > information to their personnel. > > Some California school districts have already implemented bus idling > policies as a proactive step in health protection. The measure > adopted > today is expected to take effect at the start of the fall school > semester, 2003, after going through California's review process for > new > regulations. > > For more information on the school bus idling measure, see > http://www.arb.ca.gov/toxics/sbidling/sbidling.htm. > > > The Air Resources Board is a department of the California > Environmental > Protection Agency. ARB’s mission is to promote and protect public > health, welfare, and ecological resources through effective reduction > of > air pollutants while recognizing and considering effects on the > economy. The ARB oversees all air pollution control efforts in > California to attain and maintain health based air quality standards. > > The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian > needs > to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of > simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy cost, see our > web > site at http://www.arb.ca.gov > > > # # # # # > > > > ====================================================================== > You are subscribed to the news-release mailing list. To UNSUBSCRIBE: > Please go to the computer which received this e-mail notice. From > that computer, send an e-mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] You > may leave the subject line blank. In the body of the e-mail, please > type: unsubscribe news-release > > The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian > needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For > a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy > costs, see our Web-site at www.arb.ca.gov. > ====================================================================== > > > > > > Biofuels at Journey to Forever > http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html > Biofuel at WebConX > http://webconx.green-trust.org/2000/biofuel/biofuel.htm > List messages are archived at the Info-Archive at NNYTech: > http://archive.nnytech.net/ > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. > Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuels list archives: http://archive.nnytech.net/ Please do NOT send Unsubscribe messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
