Testimony of Sierra Club DC Chapter Clean Energy Committee
before the
Committee on Business and Economic Development
Budget Oversight Hearing, Department of For Hire Vehicles
Thank you for the opportunity to offer testimony for the consideration of your Committee and comment on the Department of For Hire Vehicles (DFHV). The DC Chapter of the Sierra Club applauds the District’s program providing incentives for taxi drivers to adopt electric vehicles. The transportation sector is the single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States and District residents continue to suffer from poor air quality. And so, we commend the city and DFHV for efforts to help mitigate climate-change-causing and health-damaging emissions from tailpipes. However, we are concerned that there is a lack of charging infrastructure -- particularly direct current fast charging (DCFC) -- available to taxi drivers. This charging shortfall has been an issue known to officials since shortly after the program began in 2016. Yet three years later, electric taxis still suffer from insufficient infrastructure to support their operation. This problem presents a threat to the livelihoods of these drivers, and it also undercuts the viability of an innovative program that represents a step towards cleaner transportation options in the District.
The Sierra Club respectfully requests that the Committee on Business and Economic Development examine options for accelerating a solution to this problem.
One potential avenue for addressing the charging gap is to follow the nation-wide trend of government approval of utility investment in electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Indeed, the local utility, Pepco, originally sought the approval of an EV charging and electrification program from the District’s Public Service Commission (PSC) two years ago, in early 2017. After initial rejection of that program, Pepco designed a new proposal with broad stakeholder input and submitted its request to the PSC in September of last year under Formal Case 1130. The Pepco proposal outlines robust deployment of charging facilities across the city, including DCFC and level 2 charging for taxi cabs and ride hailing services. The Sierra Club supports Pepco’s proposal and has encouraged the PSC to approve this transportation electrification program.
Given the urgent need for charging infrastructure in the District and the above regulatory context, we believe that Pepco’s proposed program has the potential to be a near-term solution to this issue. However, that outcome is contingent upon the Public Service Commission’s expeditious adjudication of the request. Considering this Committee’s jurisdiction, we encourage its members to inquire as to the status of Formal Case 1130 and help ascertain the potential for expeditious treatment. If that is not possible, this Committee should help seek other ways to meet “for hire” electric vehicle charging infrastructure needs.
An another topic, we would also draw your attention to another matter before the Public Service Commission. Methane gas -- which is burned to heat buildings, heat water and cook food -- is a powerful greenhouse gas. DC is on the road to transitioning our electricity supply to 100 percent clean sources. Gas is by definition dirty and can never be made clean.
The Public Service Commission’s June 29, 2018 approval of the merger of Washington Gas and AltaGas was conditional on 85 conditions. Condition 79 states:
By January 1, 2020, AltaGas will file with the Commission a long-term business plan on how it can evolve its business model to support and serve the District's 2050 climate goals (e.g., providing innovative and new services and products instead of relying only on selling natural gas).
The Sierra Club requests that the Committee on Business and Economic Development provide oversight necessary to ensure that the Public Service Commission requires Washington Gas and AltaGas to come up with a serious plan to transition DC off dirty methane gas.