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As Chairman, I want to propose three
important goals for our Partnership to achieve this Calendar Year
2003 - - three efforts that I’d like to direct dollars
to:
- INFORM Collaboration. I would
like the Partnership to work more closely with the INFORM
organization. For those of you who may not be familiar with
their work, INFORM
is a very successful independent research organization, founded
in 1974, that disseminates in-depth information on successful
and affordable strategies for environmental progress.
INFORM is based in New York City,
and concentrates on dialog and collaboration among business,
government and communities. Their work is funded by more than
40 foundations, 24 corporations, and government grants.
For example, they recently put together
an excellent technical briefing on “greening garbage trucks.” They
are a natural partner for us from the East Coast. I would especially
like to work with INFORM on DOE funding opportunities; on supporting
legislation such as the Soto bill; and on hosting alt-fuel workshops
to inform local decision-makers about clean heavy-duty fleet
vehicles.
I would also like to work with INFORM
to create a guidance pamphlet on how to do clean fleet rules
at the local government level, based on a case study of AQMD’s
fleet rules.
- ICTC Focus. I would like the
Partnership to become more directly involved in supporting
California infrastructure projects under the auspices of
the Interstate
Clean Transportation Corridor, the ICTC.
As you know, the ICTC is a network
of
alt-fuel stations along key roadways, serving clean truck fleets that move
freight among the Western states. I would like us to concentrate on projects
situated from Sacramento to Los Angeles. Our Partnership should work closely
with the ICTC steering committee, which includes the U.S. DOE, U.S. EPA, CARB,
the CEC, South Coast AQMD, SANBAG, SCAG, the Mojave Desert AQMD, and the Sierra
Pacific Power Company.
Locally, Gladstein & Associates
are very involved in ICTC efforts, and we’ll be working
with them on this effort through the Infrastructure Working Group.
- NGV
Purchase
Incentives. My third and final goal is for the
Partnership to begin
working with companies to create incentives for their employees to purchase
natural
gas vehicles. This would probably come under
the “Secure
Funding” working group, and I think we
need to build off of our fleet efforts and successes
to reach this next
market
segment.
Employees of companies that comply
with fleet rules are often already familiar with seeing, driving,
and working around
alt-fuel vehicles; they often have on-site fueling at their place of employment;
and
I believe that employees are a group of buyers we need to bridge onto our fleet-building
efforts, working through employers.
Those are the three goals I’d
like the Partnership to pursue in the coming year, and I invite
your participation in all aspects of making them happen.
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