Public Workshop
Proposed Modifications to the Clean Fuels Regulations Regarding Clean Fuel Outlets
March 18, 1999
California Environmental Protection Agency
Air Resources Board
Presentation Overview
• • • • • Why Are We Proposing Changes? Current Clean Fuels Regulations Proposed Modifications Impacts of the Proposed Modifications Summary
2
Why Are We Proposing Changes?
• To update the regulations • To remove obsolete sections • To streamline reporting requirements for affected industry and ARB
3
Current Regulations
Current Clean Fuels Regulations
• The clean fuel regulations are comprised of the following:
– – – – Retail outlet requirements Amenity requirements Retail availability requirements Reporting requirements
4
Current Regulations
Retail Outlet Requirements
• Require that certain owner/lessors equip an appropriate number of their stations to dispense a clean fuel
– No requirements until there are 20,000 vehicles – The number of stations required is based on the fueling demand of non-fleet vehicles
5
Current Regulations
Retail Outlet Requirements, Con’t
• Affected owners are determined based on the number of retail gasoline stations they own/operate in the State • Affected owners may comply with their clean fuel outlet requirements by:
– Use existing facilities – Site new facilities – Constructive allocation of an existing facility meeting the amenities requirements
6
Current Regulations
Amenity Requirements
• Compared to gasoline, the designated clean fuel must:
– Have similar accessibility and visibility – Be substantially as well marked, identified and lit – Provide substantially the same access to customer services – Certain gasoline station owner/lessors must also provide a training program for attendants and have attendants on hand to answer motorist’s questions
7
Current Regulations
Retail Availability Requirements
• Operator must store a commercially reasonable volume of fuel • Fuel must be available for sale during all times gasoline is being offered for sale
8
Current Regulations
Reporting Requirements
• Retail gasoline owners/lessors must annually report the number of retail gasoline outlets they own or operate • Fleet operators must annually report the number of LEVs they expect to operate and the volume of fuel they expect those vehicles to use • Clean fuels distributors must quarterly report the volumes of clean fuels they have produced or distributed • Automobile manufacturers annually report their past and current LEV vehicle production
9
Proposed Modifications
Proposed Modifications
Clean-up/Minor Modifications
• Remove the obsolete sections pertaining to the years 1994 - 1996 • Change the ARB’s biannual reporting to affected parties to once per year, to be issued by October 31 • Delay reporting requirements for retail gasoline owners/lessors, fleets and clean fuel distributors until such time as the information is needed
11
Proposed Modifications
Vehicle Trigger Calculation
• Change the vehicle trigger calculation to discount fleet operated vehicles by 75 percent
– These vehicles are currently removed from the clean fuel volume calculation
• Define fleet as:
– 15 vehicles operating on the same fuel under the same ownership
12
Proposed Modifications
Net Fuel Volume Calculation
Once the 20,000 vehicle trigger is reached: • Include discounted fleet vehicles in fuel volume calculation • Do not discount dual-fueled/FFV vehicles in fuel volume calculation*
* Only includes those vehicles that are certified to a more stringent emission standard on a clean fuel than on gasoline.
13
Proposed Modifications
Determine Number of Clean Fuel Outlets Required
• Use an average annual outlet throughput of 300,000 gasoline equivalent gallons (geg) during initial years of the program • Increase throughput to 600,000 geg once 5 percent of the retail gasoline outlets in the State offer the clean fuel for sale • Subtract any existing public facilities meeting the amenity requirements from the number of clean fuel outlets required
14
Proposed Modifications
ARB Executive Officer Adjustments
• Add provisions to allow the ARB Executive Officer to adjust the calculated number of clean fuel outlets required up or down
– Any person may petition the ARB Executive Officer to further modify the required number of clean fuel outlets based on additional information – Adjustments would be between a maximum and minimum level
15
Proposed Modifications
Amenities Requirements
• Simplify the amenity requirements and create two sets of standards for clean fuel outlets
– Retail Gasoline Outlets
» Clean fuel dispensing equipment have the same amenities as provided for the gasoline dispensing equipment » Post in a conspicuous and convenient location directions illustrating the use of the clean fuel dispensing equipment
– Non-retail Gasoline Outlets
» Facility must be publicly accessible and safe » Customer must be able to pay for fuel purchases without having to arrange for an account with the outlet owner » Post in a conspicuous and convenient location directions illustrating the use of the clean fuel dispensing equipment
16
Proposed Modifications
Sunset Provision
• Add a sunset provision that would remove the requirements to install clean fuel outlets for a particular clean fuel when 10 percent of the retail gasoline stations in the State have made that particular clean fuel available for purchase
17
Impacts
Impacts of the Proposed Modifications
• Should result in no additional costs and could likely provide some cost savings to affected parties
– More accurate determination of LEV clean fuel volume – Allow more existing facilities to qualify as clean fuel outlets – Delay reporting requirements – Sunset the regulations
• May delay the date that the vehicle trigger will be reached
18
Summary
Summary
• The proposed modifications will allow the Clean Fuels Program to more accurately and effectively determine the fuel demand of alternatively fueled LEVs • The proposed modifications will continue to support the ARB’s LEV program and potential fuel cell vehicles
19