Comment Log Display

Suzanne Bottlik
Environmental Science, Engineering, and Technology Academy
Carson High Teacher
22328 S. Main Street
Carson, California 90745

Ms. Mary D. Nichols 
Chairperson, California Air Resources Board 
1001 "I" Street  
Sacramento, CA 95814 

RE:  VW Settlement and Disadvantaged Communities 

Dear Ms. Nichols and Board Members: 

It is our understanding that the Air Resources Board (CARB) is soon
to consider the investment plan of Electrify America to satisfy the
consent decree for air quality standards violations related to VW
vehicles and that the Zero Net Energy Community project for the
City of Carson is a possible target location.  As such, we wish to
provide our support for both Electrify America to meet its
obligations and wish to further support the role of the City of
Carson. The tea

First, we note the significance that Electrify America has
previously recognized the specific value of an electric vehicle
charging infrastructure project in the City of Carson, California
in its most recent submission to CARB.  Moreover, according to US
Census data, Carson is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in
the United States (Latino:  37%, Asian:  26%, African American: 
24%, White:  24%) with a high percentage of low-income,
disadvantaged families.  In addition, according to the
CalEnviroScreen 3.0, the City has some of the poorest air-quality
scores in the State of California (98-100,
https://oehha.ca.gov/calenviroscreen/sb535) and adjoins refineries,
chemical manufacturing facilities, and other major sources of air
pollution.  Finally, the City of Carson lies in a critical
transportation axis where charging options are essential to foster
greater adoption of EV such as the I405, I110, I710, and 91
freeways as well as major East-West surface streets.  

Of note, the EV charging infrastructure proposal for Electrify
America in the Carson community/Charge Bliss project satisfies the
following explicit requirements of the consent decree: 

1. Create another “Green” City. 
2. Provide services to “citizens who live primarily in
disadvantaged communities.”   
3. Foster adoption of zero emission vehicles in a disadvantaged
community. 
4. Address comprehensive State air quality goals. 

Furthermore, we support the overall goals of the Charge Bliss/CEC
project to offset all energy usage with co-located renewable
generation, mitigate peak load through battery storage, create
efficiencies with LED lighting and new mechanical systems, and to
actively manage the EV charging infrastructure through cutting-edge
control systems designed by the UCLA group.  The alliance of the
City of Carson, South Bay Cities Council of Governments, Charge
Bliss, and many other key stakeholders makes the prospect of
overall project success very high.  This will be bolstered
substantially by Electrify America’s prompt commitment to project
participation and, specifically, funding of EV infrastructure
design, engineering, construction, and operation.   

We strongly support CARB in approving the Electrify America plan
with specific inclusion of its role in the Carson project.  This
will bring significant improvement to air quality, health, and
welfare of the citizens of this disadvantaged community, increase
the adoption of zero emission vehicles, engage students in Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Medical (STEM) fields, and
significantly improve EV charging infrastructure at key locations
including major transportation routes and multi-unit dwellings.   

We therefore urge the Air Resources Board to expedite the process
for Electrify America to formalize and begin their contribution to
this critical project and we further urge the Board to explicitly
require Electrify America to specifically participate in the Carson
EV charging infrastructure design, engineering, construction,
operation, and maintenance.   We ask that CARB support and instruct
Electrify America to allocate a minimum of $4.0M for project
purposes as soon as possible in the interest of expediting
comprehensive designs and engineering to best ensure project
success.  We believe this demonstration of a Zero Net Energy
Community juxtaposed with comprehensive zero emission vehicle
infrastructure will both meet the consent decree requirements and
lead to recognition of the value of comprehensive “green” energy
projects for disadvantaged communities. 

Thank you for your time and consideration. 

Suzanne Bottlik
Environmental Science Engineering and Technology Academy at Carson
High

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