California Advanced Biofuels Alliance Joins Biofuels Groups in Opposing AB 1745

(California Advanced Biofuels Alliance) On January 19th, CABA joined biofuels groups in opposing AB 1745. Here is the text of the letter:

It is after careful deliberation that the undersigned organizations respectfully express opposition to AB 1745, a bill that would prohibit the DMV from accepting an application for original registration of a vehicle unless it emits zero tailpipe emissions.

Our organizations represent renewable biofuel producers and the technology that uses those fuels - many of which are located or will soon be locating to California - that are responsible for a significant percentage of the transportation emission reductions achieved in California since the passage of AB 32.

The passage of AB 1745 would result in the annihilation of the biofuels industry in California, and by extension throughout the country, while harming the environment, prohibiting the state from reaching critical climate change and public health goals, and would create a policy of picking winners and losers while not using a technology-neutral, performance-based goal.

Destruction of the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS)
The LCFS is a fuel-neutral program designed to reduce the carbon intensity (CI) of California's transportation fuels by at least 10% by 2020, and even more so through 2030 after having been extended via SB 32. CI is the measure of GHG emissions associated with producing and consuming a fuel. AB 1745 would destroy the program.

In order to meet our state goals, we must simultaneously displace petroleum with increasing amounts of biofuels and promote zero-emission technologies. These two strategies are complementary to one another and are not in conflict. Advanced combustion technologies utilizing renewable fuels are delivering major environmental and public health gains to California, as well as supporting the economy. This bill would effectively ban biofuels from the transportation sector and destroy the LCFS for which biofuels currently make up 80% and enjoy carbon intensities as low as -256.

CI of Electricity and Lifecycle
AB 1745 essentially mandates electricity as the primary fuel in California after 2040. It does this despite electricity currently achieving a carbon intensity in the 40s. Furthermore, this bill only considers tailpipe and not full lifecycle impacts on the environment and public health. Lifecycle MUST be considered in transportation policy because vehicles do not operate in a vacuum.

Medium- and Heavy-duty Vehicles
While acknowledging this bill would only regulate vehicles weighing 10,000 lbs. or less, biofuels displace a significant amount of gasoline and diesel within this weight class. Furthermore, we believe it is very likely legislation in future years would be introduced to expand upon AB 1745, thereby regulating vehicles with higher gross vehicle weights in the same manner and thus further endangering our environment and public health.

Market Certainty Jeopardized with AB 1745
Our California low carbon fuels industry is at a pivotal point. Many investors are interested in our market because of the huge demand that exists. Those investments will only happen if there is certainty in the marketplace. The extensions of the Cap and Trade and Low Carbon Fuel Standard programs have helped in this area. However, this bill sends the message to our industry that we are not part of the state's long-term strategy.

We have been steadfast partners with states for quite some time and would like to continue that effort into the future. We appreciate having had the opportunity to express our views.

Andy Foster, Aemetis
Russ Teall, Biodico Sustainable Biorefineries
Lyle Schlyer, Calgren Renewable Fuels
Jennifer Case, California Advanced Biofuels Alliance
Thomas Lawson, California Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition
Todd Campbell, Clean Energy Fuels
Tom Koehler, Pacific Ethanol, Inc.
Joy Alafia, Western Propane Gas Association
READ MORE

Excerpt from Inside EVs: It will be still possible to use non-ZEV cars within the state, but the new ones need to be ZEV (mainly all-electric or hydrogen fuel cells) to be registered and even plug-in hybrids won’t qualify. READ MORE (includes copy of bill)

The California New Car Dealers Association said it is reviewing the specifics of the bill but the group’s president, Brian Maas, said in an email, “Our initial reaction is that a mandate set 22 years in the future is premature, especially since we have a long way to go to meet the already existing ZEV mandate in 2025.”

Mary Nichols, the head of the California Air Resources Board, wants 100 percent of new vehicles sold in the state to meet zero-emission standards by 2030.

Adrian Moore, vice president of policy at the Los Angeles-based Reason Foundation, which advocates free-market economic policies, said “it’s just kind of ridiculous” to determine where vehicle technology — including automated vehicles — will be by 2040.

“How do we know that in 2020 someone doesn’t invent a new catalytic converter that literally takes all the pollution out of an internal combustion engine?” Moore said. “It’s just hubris to say you can set a goal in the future that deals with technology which is literally changing year after year and it’s going to be sensible policy.”

Moore said California motorists could circumvent AB 1745 by going to neighboring states to buy new, gasoline-powered cars. READ MORE