Greetings Neighbor:
I have led local and regional projects on clean fuel heavy duty vehicles for two decades because I know harmful impacts they cause. I am announcing my resolution asking the State of California to select the City of Oakland as a Hydrogen Hub for the statewide Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems’ (ARCHES). My resolution would continue my efforts to help reduce the deadly and harmful air pollution caused by emissions, especially diesel particulate emissions, from trucks, and other sources, which have disproportionately caused harm to African American and lower income communities in our region, especially East Oakland and West Oakland. The Oakland City Council will vote on the resolution at our December 20, 2022, meeting. Link to the Memo and Resolution
On October 6, 2022, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) publicized the formation of ARCHES, a shared not-for-profit LLC public-private partnership designed to accelerate hydrogen’s contribution to decarbonizing the economy in California. Through collaboration with government, industry, non-governmental organizations, research institutions, and communities, ARCHES purpose is to establish a federally co-funded renewable hydrogen hub in California, and create an economically sustainable and expanding, renewable hydrogen market. ARCHES will submit California’s state-wide application for federal hydrogen hub funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill (BIL), which made available $8 billion for six to ten hubs nationally
I commend the state for creating ARCHES and its mission to accelerate hydrogen’s contribution to decarbonizing the economy in California. The communities adjacent to the truck corridors along West and East Oakland and surrounding areas, continue to be subjected to a disproportionate share of air pollution, causing asthma, cancer, and several negative health problems. It is vital that we continue to act for and use zero emission strategies for trucks, trains, buses and more. We also must expand green fuel production, including making green fuel from waste, to stop air pollution and methane emissions, and build quality local green jobs for a sustainable future
The City of Oakland has demonstrated its commitment to the adoption of zero emission fuels and is a center of such activities, across sectors and industries. This includes opportunities for collaboration for hydrogen delivery, storage, and end-uses, developing and implementing policies that scale up early markets, and centering the voices from communities directly impacted by the harmful effects of emissions.
I recently presented on these topics (link to the power point) at the 2022 Mobility Innovators Forum (link to the video), about what is possible for public-private partnerships to accomplish with green transportation.
"Expanding and making more accessible clean hydrogen vehicles and the necessary infrastructure for the heavy duty sector in and adjacent to our Port is a smart idea as part of a comprehensive plan to transition to a zero emission, carbon-free transportation," said Oakland Councilmember Dan Kalb, a long-time leader on climate and energy issues. "And given our geographic location within the Bay Area, Oakland certainly is a logical place to create a clean hydrogen hub."
With the support and partnership of several Bay Area leaders such as the Port of Oakland, AC Transit, the Alameda Building Trades, and the Center for Transportation and the Environment, I have successfully championed grants, funding and partnerships making Oakland and Alameda County a leader in hydrogen adoption. Hydrogen fuel that can be made from organic waste, including plastic and agricultural waste and even sewage sludge.
“The Alameda County Building Trades supports projects for reliable energy with good labor standards. Projects like these would bring good paying middle-class careers to Oakland,” states Andreas Cluver, Secretary-Treasurer Alameda County Building and Construction Trades Council.
In 2021, the Center for Transportation and the Environment, in partnership with the City of Oakland and 15 other public and private organizations secured $54 million to build and deploy 30 fuel cell hydrogen trucks and a supporting hydrogen fueling station at the East Bay Municipal Utility (EBMUD) property, adjacent to the Port of Oakland. The NorCal ZERO project is the largest commercial deployment of Class 8 Fuel Cell Electric Trucks in North America, highlighting Oakland’s leading efforts to embrace hydrogen technology and help reduce pollution and health impacts from trucks.
Danny Wan, Port of Oakland Executive Director: “The Port of Oakland is committed to creating a zero-emissions operation at the Oakland Seaport," said Port of Oakland Executive Director Danny Wan. "Public-private partnerships like this one with the City and ARCHES are a major step toward decarbonizing the region and improving air quality and overall quality of life."
For more than 20 years, the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) has been a leader in adopting and advancing zero-emission technology, mandating its entire bus fleet’s transition to zero-emission by 2040. AC Transit has expanded its hydrogen fueling capacity to serve up to 78 buses between its Oakland and Emeryville divisions and has also secured funding to expand its hydrogen fueling capacity to 130 buses at the Oakland division.
My resolution extends the City of Oakland’s support for the creation of ARCHES, its mission to accelerate hydrogen’s contribution to decarbonizing the economy in California, and to join ARCHES by being selected as a location for a sustainable statewide clean hydrogen hub for the betterment of a region historically and disproportionately impacted by harmful air pollution.
VOICE YOUR SUPPORT!
WHEN: Tuesday, December 20, 2022 at 1:30pm
WHERE: Virtually on Zoom to observe the meeting by video conference, please click on this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85644242981
PUBLIC COMMENT: Public comment is taken at the beginning of the Council meeting. Use the "raise hand" feature on zoom. The City Clerk will call those with their raised hands.
Example: "I support item 2.19 from Vice- Mayor Kaplan, for the City of Oakland to join ARCHES and ask the state to select Oakland as a location for a sustainable statewide hydrogen hub!"
You may also show your support for by emailing: Council@Oaklandca.gov
MEETING AGENDA: Link
