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On Monday, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation that will allow tens of thousands of additional drivers of plug in hybrid cars and other new clean energy vehicles to use the state’s carpool lanes without a passenger.
The bill known as SB 535 was supported by Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) and sponsored by General Motors. According to the California Air Resources Board, the new permits will be available starting January 1, 2012 to “the first 40,000 applicants that purchase or lease cars meeting California’s enhanced advanced technology partial zero emission vehicle (AT PZEV) requirements.”
Under the new law, more low emissions automobiles will be eligible for the revised clean air stickers. Plug-in hybrids and hydrogen fuel cell cars are among the new varieties of clean fuel vehicles that will soon qualify for permits allowing single-occupancy use of the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOVs) lanes—aka carpool lanes.
In addition to creating a new generation of clean vehicle carpool access permits, SB 535 also extends the life of the current-issue yellow stickers until July 1, 2011. Since the popular permits have already reached their 85,000 applicant limit, no additional stickers will be given to drivers of standard hybrid vehicles like the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight.
For a growing number of automakers the announcement of SB 535’s passage is welcome and well-timed news. During the coming years, a variety of vehicles powered by cleaner alternative fuels are set to enter the California market. Bill-sponsor GM will release its 2011 plug-in hybrid Chevy Volt this November, while Nissan’s all-electric LEAF hatchback will be available for purchase in December.
Despite strong support from several leading car makers and politicians, SB 535 has received criticism. Eleven state senators opposed the bill, arguing that expanding the number of permits would further congest California’s already overcrowded carpool lanes.
According to an August 11 article by San Mateo County Times reporter Mike Rosenberg, the majority of the bill opposition came from Senators representing Southern California communities.
Sen. Yee responded to the critiques by voicing his support of the benefits of SB 535 in the Aug. 11 report.
“People are going to want to purchase them [clean energy cars]; people are going to want to get those stickers. I think it’s going to be tremendously helpful for our environment,” Yee was quoted as saying.
To learn more about SB 535 and the new clean air vehicle stickers, please see:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/carpool/carpool.htm
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/sen/sb_0501-0550/sb_535_bill_20100830_chaptered.html
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_15746922?nclick_check=1
For additional information on Senator Yee, please go to:
http://dist08.casen.govoffice.com/
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