Comment Log Display

March 20, 2017

Mr. Mark Williams 
California Air Resources Board 
P.O. Box 2815 
Sacramento, California 95812

RE:	Volkswagen Settlement Fund – Please Require 50% Funding of 3rd
Party Proposals

Dear Mr. Williams and the California Air Resources Board,

The Community Environmental Council (CEC) sits on the Steering
Committee of Plug-in Central Coast, a group funded by the
California Energy Commission to prepare Ventura, Santa Barbara, and
San Luis Obispo Counties for electric vehicles.  We've produced a
ZEV Readiness Plans, helped install over 300 charging stations, and
helped prepare 100's of governments, businesses, condo
associations, and others for EVs.  We produce the Santa Barbara
Green Car Show, a large static show and Ride and Drive event with
automaker support that attracts 35,000 attendees annually, and host
the regional Drive Electric week and other community events.  We
are very in tune with all niches of the EV ecosystem, from the
drivers to charging station companies to automakers.

CEC is very concerned that VW's $800 million settlement will be
allowed to be spent entirely by VW in a way that centralizes the
investment, overwhelms smaller competitors, and doesn't allow for a
diversity of innovative approaches.  We request that at least 50%
of the settlement funds go to 3rd party activities that will
deliver statewide, regional, and local solutions for EV
infrastructure development, marketing, and outreach. VW has stated
they received almost 200 proposals from California, and there is
surely a wide variety of excellent projects proposed for the
solicitation.

As we saw with the EV Project and NRG settlement, large centralized
programs can experience delays and leave stranded assets.  $800
million is a very large sum to invest.  We support efforts to
diversify expenditure of VW's funds and reduce the risk of a
centralized approach by funding 3rd party statewide, regional, and
local projects. Diversifying VW’s settlement investments will spur
the innovation and market competition needed to reach 1.5 million
EVs on California’s roads by 2025. 

Sincerely,




Michael Chiacos
Director of Energy and Climate Programs

Original File Name: VW Settlement Comments to ARB - Community Environmental Council Final.pdf

Date and Time Comment Was Submitted: 2017-03-21 10:51:17