Clean Vehicles

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Clean Vehicles Clean School Bus Programs

• Christine Smith, Senior Air Quality Planner
• May 11, 2009 Workshop

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Presentation Roadmap

• Background
• Clean Vehicles Program Overview
• Clean School Bus Program Overview

3
Air Quality Background

• In non-attainment for ground-level ozone (dont
  meet federal standards)
• Ground-level ozone causes respiratory
  cardiovascular problems
• Reaction between nitrogen oxides (NOx) and
  Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
• Control NOx to control ozone

4
Air Quality Background, Continued

• When in non-attainment, must have a SIP (State
  Implementation Plan)
• Includes modeling, control provisions, timetable
  for compliance
• H-GAC has made legally binding commitment to the
  state to reduce NOx thru voluntary programs

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Clean Vehicles Program
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Clean Vehicles Program Overview

• Goal reduce NOx emissions
• Can fund on-road retrofits, replacements, (alt.
  fuel) conversions, and publicly accessible alt.
  fuel infrastructure
• Serves 8-county non-attainment area (Brazoria,
  Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty,
  Montgomery, Waller)
• Public private fleets eligible

7
Program Overview, Continued

• Primarily funded with CMAQ (Congestion
  Mitigation/Air Quality funds)
• Federal funds passed thru TxDOT
• Must travel at least 12,000 miles/year
• New engines must have a NOx rating of 1.2
  g/bhp-hr or less, and be certified
• Retrofits must be EPA- or CARB-certified
• Vehicles must remain in-region for at least 75
  of the vehicles operational time

8
Clean Vehicles Program Overview, Continued

• Project funding is based upon emission reductions
  cost effectiveness.
• Public fleet projects cannot exceed a Capital
  Cost Effectiveness of 150,000 per ton of NOx
  reduced per year
• Private fleet projects cannot exceed a Capital
  Cost Effectiveness of 70,000 per ton of NOx
  reduced per year
• Program can fund eligible projects for up to 75
  of retrofit, engine, and/or alt. fuel components
  cost

9
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Clean School Bus Program Overview

• Goal To protect the health of children and their
  communities by helping school districts to
  retrofit or replace aging, polluting school buses
  with newer, cleaner transportation technologies
  and to promote no-idling policies.
• Overseen by AERCO, an affiliated nonprofit
  entity
• Serves the 8-county non-attainment region
  (Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston,
  Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, Waller)

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Clean School Bus Program Overview

• Can fund on-road retrofits, replacements (alt.
  fuel) conversions
• Eligibility restricted to school bus fleets
• New engines must have a NOx rating of 1.2
  g/bhp-hr or less, and be certified
• Retrofits must be EPA- or CARB-certified

12
Clean School Bus Program Overview, Continued

• Funding Sources CMAQ
• Project funding is based upon emission reductions
  cost effectiveness.
• School bus must travel at least 12,000 miles/year
• Cannot exceed a Capital Cost Effectiveness of
  150,000 per ton of NOx reduced per year
• Can fund eligible projects for up to 75 of
  retrofit, engine, and/or alt. fuel components
  cost

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Clean School Bus Program Overview, Continued

• Funding Sources Supplemental Environmental
  Project (SEP) funds AERCO donations
• Funding first-come, first-serve prioritized
  based on emission reductions, geographic
  economic criteria
• Funds typically designated for specific counties
  and/or school districts
• Must travel at least 2,500 miles/year
• Can fund up to 100 of the project cost

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Program Resources

• Program Information Contacts
• Website www.houston-cleancities.org
• Email cleanvehicles_at_h-gac.com
• Phone [phone]
• Air Quality Information
• Ground Level Ozone http//www.epa.gov/air/ozonepo
  llution/index.html
• HGB SIP http//www.tceq.state.tx.us/implementatio
  n/air/sip/hgb.html