HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC RES 98-053RESOLUTION NO. 98-53
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA, TO CONTINUE CLEAN
FUELS PROGRAM UNTIL 2010, ASSURING THAT IT
WILL BE AN INTEGRAL PROGRAM TO THE REGIONAL
EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE THE FEDERAL AIR QUALITY
HEALTH STANDARD FOR OZONE BY 2010,
AB 2194 (WASHINGTON): AIR POLLUTION: CLEAN FUELS TECHNOLOGIES
WHEREAS, in 1988 the State Legislative authorized the adoption of a $1 surcharge on
vehicle registrations within the South Coast Air Quality Management District to fund a clean
fuels program to find and nurture new technologies to reduce air pollution, and
WHEREAS, since 1988, every dollar invested from this vehicle surcharge has been
matched by another four dollars invested by private industry, universities and other public
agencies, effectively leveraging the program's $60 million investment to obtain $250 million in
public -private matching funds to finance research and development projects valued at more than
$310 million, and
WHEREAS, the existence of this program has resulted in a vibrant public/private
partnership engaged in developing new technologies to combat air pollution, with 87 of these
projects currently underway, and
WHEREAS, this program has been instrumental in the development and deployment of
low -and -zero -emission technologies in critical transportation applications, including but not
limited to: advanced electric cars; the world's first fuel cell buses; hybrid -electric delivery trucks;
and locomotive engines running on liquefied natural gas, and
WHEREAS, the local Southern California economy has benefitted from tens of millions
of dollars in public/private investments in clean fuel technologies since 1989, and
WHEREAS, 40% of the emission reductions needed in the South Coast District to meet
the federal clean air standard for ozone by 2010 rely upon advanced technologies which do not
exist today, and
WHEREAS, a variety of projects funded by this program have resulted in real emission
reductions through the introduction of zero -emitting vehicles powered by fuel cells and clean
fueled public transit buses, and
WHEREAS, the existing program has provided necessary research and development
resources to technologies that might not have become commercially available without such
investment, and
WHEREAS, the successful commercialization of technologies essential to achieving
acceptable air quality in the South Coast is dependent on the continuation of the advanced
technology program, and
WHEREAS, Assembly Bill 2194, authored by Assembly Member Carl Washington, and
introduced in the 1998 session of the California Legislature, would continue the clean fuels
program until 2010, assuring that it will be an integral program to the regional efforts to achieve
the federal air quality health standard for ozone by 2010,
NOW, BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the City of Palm Desert supports AB
2194 by Assembly Member Washington, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution and/or letter communicating the
City's support for AB 2194 be sent to Barry Wallerstein, Acting Executive Officer of the South
Coast Air Quality Management District.
PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Palm Desert, California,
this 14 tblay of May , 1998, by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: Crites, Ferguson, Kelly, Spiegel, Benson
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
Jean : enson, Mayor
Sheila R. Gi i:. , Directo .-f Community Affairs/City Clerk
VED AS TO FOM: