Kathryn Phillips 916-893-8494 (mobile)
SACRAMENTO -- The California Air Resources Board (CARB) adopted a rule today that will phase in clean buses statewide, taking a giant step towards tackling health-threatening transportation pollution.
The Innovative Clean Transit (ICT) Rule will require that all public transit agencies in California replace old buses that emit pollution with zero-emission buses by 2040.
Today, there are 13,000 transit agency buses in California, of which the majority are powered by diesel fuel or methane gas—both sources that contribute to making our cities some of the most polluted in the United States.
Zero-emission buses are now commercially available and viable. While many transit agencies have already begun adding electric buses to their fleets, this rule will ensure that all agencies deliver clean air benefits in their communities.
Statement by Kathryn Phillips, Director of Sierra Club California:
“California has demonstrated once again that it is a leader on clean transportation. This is the first major regulation in the U.S. for transitioning to zero-emission buses and will serve as a model for other states and countries.
“The current demand for clean buses has made California a hub for electric bus manufacturing. We have six factories or assembly facilities located here. This rule will create even more good-paying jobs across the state.
“The future of public transit consists of a quieter ride, cleaner air and a healthier economy.”
Background:
The ICT rule aims to transition 100 percent of transit buses to zero-emission technologies (battery or fuel cell) by 2040. It will achieve this through a purchase requirement and does not require transit agencies to replace buses before the agency would normally do so.
The latest electric buses go roughly twice as far on a single charge as the average transit bus travels each day. Bus ranges have more than doubled in the last three years. Several manufacturers now offer battery electric buses with nominal ranges over 250 miles per charge and one offers a range of over 350 miles. As battery technology continues to improve, the range of electric buses will continue to increase.
The ICT rule will enforce that all transit agencies across the state collectively accelerate their adoption of zero-emission buses rapidly and in a cost effective and prudent way.
This will send a strong signal to transit agencies to create economies of scale that will drive down the up-front costs of zero-emission buses
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Sierra Club California is the legislative and regulatory advocacy arm of Sierra Club’s 13 local chapters in California, representing more than 400,000 members and supporters.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.