Santa Monica Moves Closer to Its Clean Fuel Goal, Receives MSRC Funding

April 24, 2019 11:20 AM
by Ryan Kraemer, Delana Gbenekama

The City invests in vehicles powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) to reduce our carbon footprint. CNG vehicles emit considerably fewer emissions compared to conventional vehicles powered by unleaded gasoline and diesel.

On April 19, 2019, our Fleet Division submitted final paperwork to receive $200,000 in matching grant funds under Contract No. ML08028 from the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC) to partially fund eight heavy-duty CNG vehicles that are currently being operated by staff. These eight vehicles, which totaled $1,231,787 when we purchased them, include seven dump trucks and one refuse collection truck. Operating these vehicles is helping us move closer to our goal of having 80 percent of our fleet running on alternative fuel by 2020, as outlined in our Sustainability City Plan.

Santa Monica has long been a leader in sustainability. Seventy-eight percent of our fleet is currently alternatively fueled by sources including CNG, propane gas, and electric. Additionally, it costs us less money to power our vehicles with CNG compared to using diesel and gasoline fuel.

The MSRC grant will help offset the incremental cost of CNG vehicles and help us comply with South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) fleet rule 1196, which requires public fleet operators of heavy-duty vehicles operating in the SCAQMD to acquire alternatively fueled, heavy-duty vehicles when procuring or leasing these vehicles to reduce air toxic and criteria pollutant emissions. Cities are eligible to request the matching grant funds after the vehicles have been in operation for five years.

The MSRC’s sole mission is to fund projects that reduce air pollution from motor vehicles within the SCAQMD. For more information, visit www.cleantransportationfunding.org. For more information, please contact Jason Baer, Fleet Maintenance Superintendent, (310) 458-8514.

Authored By

Ryan Kraemer
Senior Administrative Analyst

Delana Gbenekama
Equity and Communications Program Manager