Alternative Fuel Vehicles: a healthier environment and economy

Second annual Clean Air Symposium set


appily, San Diego businesses and local governments are realizing that a healthy environment and a health economy are not mutually exclusive. Cloud 9 Shuttle, which promotes its shuttle business through clean air vehicles that run on natural gas, carries 75 percent of all of San Diego's airport shuttle passengers and has become the dominant company in the shuttle market in less than a year.
Solar Turbines, a recent recipient of an Earth Day EARTHIE Award, recently won a $67 million grant from the federal government to produce clean-burning natural gas turbines.
Our local utility company, San Diego Gas & Electric, is also getting in on the clean air act by providing rebates on natural gas powered vehicles to businesses that want to save money on fuel and clean up San Diego's air.
Many of San Diego's most innovative businesses and local governments have joined together to sponsor an event to showcase their local clean air advances. They extend an invitation to students, environmentalists, business owners and government officials to attend Alternative Fuel Vehicles: A Clean Air Symposium on October 19 at San Diego State University. Citizens for Clean Air Policy, along with its co-sponsors, Cloud 9 Shuttle, Hawthorne Power Systems, San Diego Gas & Electric, Coronado TMA, San Diego County Air Pollution Control District, Solar Turbines, San Diego TMA and Sea World of California, will be hosting its second annual conference in the Casa Real Room of the Aztec Center from 7:45am to 2pm.
Featured speakers will include John D. Dunlap, III, the chairman of the California Air Resources Board who will be discussing the effects of state regulations on businesses and governments that utilize alternative fuel vehicles. Greg Vlasek, the executive director of the California Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition, will speak on the issue of statewide infrastructure development to support the use of alternative fuel vehicles. State Senator Steve Peace, the charman of the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee, will discuss the legislature's role in promoting clean air.
The symposium will also feature a "Clean Air Panel" comprised of local government officials and industry experts who will discuss alternative fuel innovations happening here in San Diego County.
You'll also be able to "see the future" at an on-site display of five alternative fuel cars that range from solar- to compressed natural gas-powered. The vehicles will include SDSU's solar-powered SUNTRAKKER, Cloud 9's CNG Shuttle, Chrysler's compressed natural gas mini-van, UCSD's Crown Victoria patrol car and General Motors' electric sports car provided by SDG&E.
To register for the symposium, call Kit Cole at 687-7021.