Alternative-fuel supporters welcome new state law

Sep 28 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Stephanie Hoops Ventura County Star, Calif.

 

As state government, business and military leaders gathered in Camarillo on Thursday to discuss ways to break the nation's dependency on gasoline, word came down that the governor had just signed a bill meant to strengthen their endeavor.

The announcement that Gov. Jerry Brown had signed Senate Bill 1409 was welcomed by the more than 100 people who attended a standing-room-only informational hearing of two state Senate committees at CSU Channel Islands.

The new law requires the governor's Office of Planning and Research to serve as a liaison between the state and the Defense Department to coordinate clean energy policy. The office will work with the California Energy Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission to ensure the military is included in developing environmental policy.

State Sen. Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills, author of the bill, said its signing on the same day of the hearing was probably a coincidence but that she was "thrilled" nevertheless. Pavley, who is running for re-election in the 27th Senate District, is chairwoman of the Select Committee on the Environment, the Economy and Climate Change.

Capt. Lawrence Vasquez of Naval Base Ventura County also expressed pleasure with the announcement at the hearing, which was about how clean-fuel alternatives will help the environment, improve national security and create jobs.

State Sen. Lou Correa, D-Santa Ana, is chairman of the Committee on Veterans Affairs. He asked a panel of military representatives whether a move to energy efficiency would jeopardize the military's ability to defend the country.

"The answer's an emphatic no," said former Army Capt. Michael Breen.

Breen said there's a need for solar installations, as fuel convoys that carry shipments of gasoline into and out of bases sometimes end with American deaths or injuries.

"It's a massive battlefield advantage," he said. "Targeting the other guy's supply chain is the way to win."

Breen, who is vice president of the Democratic-aligned Truman National Security Project, said the military's supply chain is "tremendously vulnerable" and that's why commanders are interested in solar and biofuels.

"The Marine Corps is not needing solar innovation at the tactical level for environmentalists' reasons," he said. "The Marine Corps is doing it because the Marine Corps' got to operate out there at the tactical edge, fighting to win. And this is technology that's allowing the Marines to do that and saving lives."

Representatives from Naval Base Ventura County discussed the Navy's energy strategy. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus in 2009 said he wanted 50 percent of the Navy's energy consumption to come from alternative sources by 2020.

The base has installed photovoltaic systems that save more than $191,000 annually in energy costs and solar thermal systems that save $64,000 a year in natural gas.

"The most significant means for achieving current energy and water reductions here at NBVC has been through implementation of energy and water projects," said Tom Santoianni, energy manager for the base.

To help the Navy reach its energy goal, the California Energy Commission said last summer it would provide local biodiesel producer Biodico with a $1.8 million grant to study new technologies for producing advanced biofuels at the base. Biodico founder Russell Teall was at Thursday's event.

The day began with attendees test-driving electric vehicles around campus, including the Tesla Model S, Coda, Chevrolet Volt, BMW ActiveE, Nissan Leaf, Mercedes F-Cell, Toyota FCHV, Toyota Prius Plug-in and Mitsubishi i.

"The clean car revolution ... is well under way," Pavley said.

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