$2 Billion For Cleaner Vehicles In California
California Governor Jerry Brown earlier this week signed measure AB 8 into law, legislation that provides $2 billion for incentives to encourage the purchasing of whole fleets of clean and low-carbon vehicles such as trucks, buses, and cars. It also provides incentives for the purchasing of cleaner construction equipment, and for consumers to buy the same kinds of zero-emission or low-emission vehicles.
Specifically the outlay is for:
… grants, loans, loan guarantees, revolving loans, or other appropriate measures, for the development and deployment of innovative technologies that would transform California’s fuel and vehicle types to help attain the state’s climate change goals. Existing law specifies that only certain projects or programs are eligible for funding, including block grants administered by public entities or not-for-profit technology entities for multiple projects, education and program promotion within California, and development of alternative and renewable fuel and vehicle technology centers.
The measure is related to climate change in that it is designed to help California meet its goals in reducing emissions.
Hydrogen fuel is also supported.
The bill would require the commission to allocate $20 million annually, as specified, until there are at least 100 publicly available hydrogen-fueling stations in California. The bill, on or before December 31, 2015, and annually thereafter, would require the commission and the state board to jointly review and report on the progress toward establishing a hydrogen-fueling network that provides the coverage and capacity to fuel vehicles requiring hydrogen fuel that are being placed into operation in the state, as specified.
It was not only this very large measure that was passed, though. Five others were passed as well. California owners of low-emission vehicles will be delighted to know that high-occupancy diamond lanes will remain available to them until at least 2019. AB 266 is the related measure.
Similarly, vehicles with green stickers will be allowed the same access until at least 2019, courtesy of SB 286. Also related to EVs is measure AB 1092, which made a provision for electric vehicle charging systems at multi-family housing and non-residential developments.
Continuing the theme is the Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Open Access Act (SB 454). The aim of this measure is to make electric vehicle charging stations accessible to all EV drivers and owners.
Close to $50 million is allocated by measure SB 359 for programs designed to eliminate high-polluting vehicles. For example, the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project and the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project are two of the programs that will receive this funding.
All in all it, it has been something of a resounding legislative bumper crop of support for EVs and LEVs in California.
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