Central Puget Sound Diesel Emission Reduction Program

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Central Puget Sound Diesel Emission Reduction
Program
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• Dave Kircher
• Manager, Air Resources Department
• June 7, 2007

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Presentation Overview

• How we got started
• Five year funding from the WA Legislature
• How we are implementing the program
• Next steps toward sustainable funding

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History of the Puget Sound Diesel Solutions
Program

• A local program developed in collaboration with
  EPAs National Voluntary Retrofit Program
• Focused on introducing cleaner fuels and emission
  retrofits on diesel engines in the four central
  Puget Sound counties
• Began in early 2001, starting with EPA and local
  fleet funding
• Initial focus on transit fleets, school buses and
  other municipal vehicles

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WA State Funding for School Buses

• Senate Bill 6072 passed in 2003.
• Our Agency and our lobbyist promoted this
  legislation
• Provides 25 million statewide over five years
• Initially focused on retrofitting school buses
• In 2005, House Bill 1397 amended program to allow
  the funds to be used for all public diesel
  equipment
• Program extended until 2020. Current funding
  expires 2008
• Additional State funding has been available from
  Governors Budget

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Diesel Solutions Program Implementation

• School buses
• Transit fleets
• Municipal fleets
• Marine-related projects
• Rail
• Solid waste trucks
• Other

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Diesel Solutions Program Implementation
(continued)

• A major implementation challenge has been timely
  installation of retrofits
• Agency worked with Ecology to develop a statewide
  contract (one contractor) and developed
  competitive contracts of our own for some
  individual projects.
• With half the school buses in the State, our
  Agency needed a better contracting tool
• For school buses, we developed a master
  contract with four installation firms. We issue
  work orders under this contract for specific
  projects.

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Sustainable Funding

• Since state funding sunsets July 1, 2008, Agency
  and Ecology co-sponsored a Diesel Funding Task
  Force in the Summer of 2006
• Diverse representation
• Task force felt that up to 20 million annually
  was needed
• Considered a variety of revenue options including
  title transfer fees, motor vehicle excise tax,
  battery and/or tire tax, and a carbon/emission
  tax.

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Sustainable Funding (continued)

• During the past legislative session, Agency and
  partners developed an omnibus clean air and
  clean fuels bill.
• Aimed at both climate and diesel emission
  reduction
• HB 1303 passed legislature without diesel funding
  since the lawmakers could not decide on a source
  of funding.
• Bill does enhance the diesel program...
  accelerated school bus replacement program,
  specifically addresses private fleets, gives
  Ports authority to provide retrofit grants to
  their tenants.
• We will be working on long term funding in 2008
  session.

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Conclusions, Next Steps

• Diesel Solutions has been a very successful
  voluntary/incentive program
• State funding has helped and has been leveraged
  with federal grants and partner contributions
• Sustainable funding like TERP and Carl Moyer are
  still necessary and will be pursued in 2008
• The Agency is also developing a diesel risk
  reduction strategy which will include criteria
  for project selection in anticipation of
  sustained funding

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Thanks!