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Seven State
Policy Solutions:
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Alternative
energy is vital to the future of Ohio’s
economy.
Last year Ohio passed the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard
(AEPS) with bipartisan support, mandating that 25% of Ohio’s
electricity come from renewable sources by 2025.
Now
its time to address transportation energy. Ohio
is a national leader in transportation logistics and its future
growth will depend on transporting people and goods economically
and sustainably.
State
polices can spur technology deployment.
State government can play a key role in helping overcome initial
market barriers through the creation of a stable policy
environment, targeted incentive packages and strategic
investments.
Therefore,
Clean Fuels Ohio recommends the following state policy
solutions:
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1) Statewide
Petroleum Reduction Goals
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Ohio
should establish two sets of petroleum reduction goals to help
establish markets and drive development of technology, refueling
infrastructure and manufacturing capacities. Clean Fuels Ohio
recommends the following goals:
·
Ohio’s Transportation Sector:
15%
petroleum reduction by 2015 (2005 baseline)
30%
petroleum reduction by 2020 (2005 baseline)
·
Ohio’s Government and Commercial Fleets:
25%
petroleum-use reduction by 2015 (2005 baseline)
60%
petroleum-use reduction by 2020 (2005 baseline)
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2)
Low Emission Vehicle (LEV) Standards
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Ohio
should join more than a dozen states, including Pennsylvania, by
requiring that all new passenger cars and light-duty trucks meet
both Federal EPA emissions requirements as well as CARB low carbon
emissions standards in order to protect public health and curb
transportation related climate change emissions.
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Ohio
should adopt both a Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) and Renewable
Fuel Standard (RFS) to reduce the global warming intensity of motor
vehicle fuels and promote the production of more sustainable
domestic fuel sources. It is important that these standards
do not endorse specific types of lower carbon energy sources or
renewable fuels, but are designed to promote the sustainable
production and use of all such fuels including biodiesel, ethanol,
electricity, biogas, hydrogen and more.
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4)
Incentives for Fuel and Technology Deployment
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Ohio
should create robust incentive programs to spur deployment of
alternative fuels, advanced vehicle technologies and refueling
infrastructure. Broadly speaking, successful incentive
programs: 1) focus on reducing emissions or petroleum use, 2) are
large enough to cover incremental cost differences and entice
consumption, 3) are designed so tax exempt entities are eligible,
4) are easy for consumers to receive and states to administer, and
5) are focused on building alternative fuel infrastructure as well
as encouraging use of alternative fuels and
vehicles.
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5)
Workforce Training and Development
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Ohio
should adopt workforce development initiatives like Michigan,
Florida, New Mexico and other states have to prepare a statewide
strategic plan for clean energy and clean technology economic
development, job creation and worker training. Such an
initiative should leverage state and federal funds to train workers
to service alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles as
well as refueling infrastructure. This program should fund a
network of training centers within higher education facilities to
generate the skilled base of workers Ohio needs to support the
manufacturing and deployment of clean transportation energy and
technology.
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6)
Research and Development
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Ohio
should expand the Third Frontier Program to provide project funding
to companies for research, development, and commercialization of
alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies. Specifically,
this expansion should be designed to: 1) grow Ohio-based
alternative fuel and advanced vehicle companies to promote
statewide innovation-driven economic growth; 2) stimulate private
investment in Ohio-based alternative fuel and advanced vehicle
enterprises; 3) expand the alternative fuel and advanced vehicle
knowledge base, talent force, and industry in Ohio; 4) develop an
alternative fuel and advanced vehicle resource network to build the
technical and business capacity of entrepreneurs through informal
and formal strategic support; and 5) build statewide awareness of
the economic development opportunities offered by Ohio's
alternative fuel and advanced vehicle industry.
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7)
Investments that Increase Transportation Choice
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Ohio
should join a growing number of states in reducing oil dependence
by integrating land use and transportation policies in order to
reduce vehicle-miles traveled as well as promote alternatives to
driving. Ohio’s 21st Century Transportation
Priorities Task Force, a group composed of leaders from state and
local government, business, and environmental organizations,
created a report of policy recommendations for Ohio’s
transportation future. The report was delivered to Governor
Ted Strickland, the Ohio General Assembly, and the Director of the
Ohio Department of Transportation in January 2009. Clean Fuels Ohio
applauds the work of the Task Force and supports their policy
recommendations around Smart Growth and Public Transit.
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