BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 570
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Date of Hearing: July 6, 2011
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
SB 570 (Rubio) - As Amended: April 25, 2011
Policy Committee:
TransportationVote:14-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
Yes Reimbursable: Yes
SUMMARY
This bill authorizes the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air
Pollution Control District to administer a voluntary program to
retrofit or replace highly polluting school buses.
Specifically, this bill:
1)Deletes language authorizing the district to administer a
voluntary program by which the district may receive donated
clean vehicles and provide them in exchange for highly
polluting vehicles.
2)Authorizes the district to administer a program to replace or
retrofit highly polluting school buses using interest earned
on monies in the Traffic Congestion Relief Fund for a prior
grant program.
FISCAL EFFECT
Makes approximately $2.5 million in interest earnings available
for the school bus program created by this bill. (Traffic
Congestion Relief Fund.) Absent this bill, interest earnings
would be available to the California Transportation Commission
(CTC) to fund other transportation projects.
COMMENTS
1)Rationale. The author notes that school buses, while serving
a vital service, are a considerable source of air pollution in
much of the San Joaquin Valley, including the area served by
the district. The author contends it appropriate to replace
the unsuccessful vehicle exchange program with a program to
SB 570
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ensure that school buses operating in the district run more
cleanly.
2)Background . In 2000, voters approved the Traffic Congestion
Relief Act, which created the Transportation Congestion Relief
Program-a $6.4 billion program of various clean air projects.
Among these projects was the San Joaquin Valley Emergency
Clean Air Attainment Program, which provided $25 million to
the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District
for incentives to reduce emissions from heavy-duty diesel
engines. Most of the $25 million appropriation has been
expended. However, there remains $2.5 million in interest
earnings in the Traffic Congestion Relief Fund.
SB 23 (Cogdill, Chapter 634, Statutes of 2007) authorized the
district to use the remaining interest earnings to administer
a program to voluntarily exchange highly polluting automobiles
for donated clean-running vehicles. The district, however, has
been unable to secure donated vehicles. As a result, no
exchanges have occurred.
3)Support . The bill is supported by the San Joaquin Valley Air
Pollution Control District and the American Lung Association
in California, as well as several other environmental, public
health and local organizations.
4)There is no opposition registered to this bill.
Analysis Prepared by : Jay Dickenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081