News Briefs
Coalition Takes Action on 2009 Priorities The Coalition is developing a set of legislative, regulatory, and organizational development priorities targeted at expanding recognition of natural gas as a low-cost, low-carbon, low-emission domestic fuel—and ultimately, substantially expanding use of natural gas vehicles.
Key goals for the Coalition’s 2009–2010 legislative and regulatory plan include establishing a role for natural gas in state, federal and international carbon markets; maximizing state and federal funding opportunities for market participants; and capitalizing on the biogas opportunity. The Coalition is already pursuing priority initiatives supporting these goals.
Legislative Priorities The Coalition plans to sponsor or support legislation that will:
Provide incentives for biogas generation, reflecting its status as a fuel producing near-zero greenhouse gases (GHGs)
Enable more biogas to get to market
Promote NGV home refueling
Extend HOV lane access for NGVs
Encourage state fleet purchases of NGVs
Add GHG reductions to the criteria for Carl Moyer grants
Regulatory Priorities The Coalition will continue to work with state agencies on major policy, rulemaking, and funding initiatives, with a focus on:
Ensuring that the Low Carbon
Allows the state and industry to take full advantage of natural gas’s carbon reduction potential Gaining AB 118 funding for natural gas projects commensurate with the technology’s potential to reduce GHGs, air pollution, and petroleum dependence Leveraging existing goods movement and clean ports programs to increase use of NGVs at ports
Organizationally, the Coalition is focusing on building membership and improving outreach to increase the industry’s clout in public discussions. Initiatives include a new website slated to launch at the end of this month, a membership drive, and new and revived services, such as the fueling station directory. In addition, the Coalition will coordinate with the California NGV Partnership to improve the effectiveness of both organizations.
Yellow Cab Awards 10-Year Contract to Clean Energy Yellow Cab Cooperative of San Francisco awarded Clean Energy Fuels a contract through 2018 to supply CNG fuel and provide operations and maintenance for an expanded Clean Energy CNG station.
Yellow Cab, the largest taxi operator in San Francisco, uses more than 350,000 gallons of CNG a year for its 100-vehicle CNG fleet, and plans to add more CNG cabs. The fueling station is now open 24 hours a day for public use.
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