BACKGROUND:

As the regional Air Pollution Control Board, we are responsible for setting guidelines and policies that will reduce air pollution levels in the region.  By taking positions on State legislation that will impact our region’s air quality, we carry out that responsibility.  For this reason, I ask that you express our Board’s support for Assembly Bill 2628 (Pavley).  That bill would allow low emission, hybrid vehicles to access the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lanes throughout the state, regardless of the number of occupants.

Current state law permits all-electric and compressed natural gas cars to use the HOV lanes and access ramps as an incentive for purchasing the cars.  By broadening that policy to gas and electric hybrids, we will increase the incentive to purchase vehicles that exhibit low emissions and are capable of higher speeds and longer duration of travel.  Hybrids burn cleaner and offer better fuel efficiency.  The proposed legislation only offers this incentive to hybrid vehicles that meet strict emissions standards and achieve at least 45 miles per gallon of gasoline.   Vehicle owners would receive a special decal to allow them to use HOV facilities when solo commuting.  The bill takes into account the concern that permitting hybrid access will flood the HOV lanes and ruin the incentive for carpooling by limiting eligibility to 75,000 vehicles statewide, and by allowing the Governor to make a determination to prohibit the hybrid vehicles on the lanes during peak congestion times.  Currently, there are fewer than 20,000 hybrid vehicles statewide.

The California legislation follows a trend throughout the country.  Several states are contemplating a similar change in law, and Virginia already allows single-occupant hybrids on their HOV facilities.  Since Virginia passed its legislation on hybrid vehicles in 2000, the number of vehicles receiving “clean fuel tags” jumped from 32 cars to 5,300 cars.  Federal law prohibits solo hybrid use of HOV facilities on interstate highways, but Congress is considering legislation that would change that policy.  AB 2628 would only go into effect if these changes are approved. 

Please join me in supporting legislation that will make commuting easier on the environment. 

Respectfully submitted,

RON ROBERTS

Supervisor, Fourth District