As the California Air Resources Board (CARB) considers a number of regulations that will most likely impact fleets in California, the NAFA Fleet Management Association (NAFA) is taking steps to ensure the concerns and experiences of its members are heard and help play a role in upcoming legislation. The Association formed the NAFA CARB Advisory Council, a new sub-committee of NAFA's Fuels & Technology Advisory Council, to provide input to both NAFA and CARB on regulatory matters that impact fleet managers in California.

NAFA Supports Emissions Reduction Efforts

The California Air Resources Board, also known as CARB or ARB,  is a department of the California Environmental Protection Agency. CARB's mission is to promote and protect public health, welfare, and ecological resources through effective reduction of air pollutants while recognizing and considering effects on the economy. CARB oversees all air pollution control efforts in California to attain and maintain health-based air quality standards.

Within the past year, CARB announced it will begin regulating the emissions of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) from electric utility equipment starting in 2011; fined several California companies for failing to inspect their diesel trucks; and held a public meeting as a first step towards the possibility of mandating fleet acquisition of hybrid trucks, according to NAFA.

NAFA's new advisory council will establish the Association as a credible source of fleet information for CARB. The council plans to meet with CARB leadership and staff on a regular basis and will help promote NAFA's position of supporting emissions reductions and fuel efficiency instead of mandates that have no basis in fiscal reality. In addition, the council will keep NAFA members up to date on any new or potential legislation that could affect them.

Advisory Council Led by Fleet Professionals

NAFA's CARB Advisory Council will be led by NAFA member Rick Battersby, CAFM, director, fleet services, University of California at Davis. Serving on the new council will be fellow members: Jason Hicks, CAFM, division manager, Turlock Irrigation District; Dave Snow, fleet manager, Santa Clara County, Calif.; Rick Sikes, CAFM, fleet management superintendent, City of Santa Monica, Calif.; Richard Teebay, chief, fleet management, County of Los Angeles Internal Services Department; Jimm Vosburgh, CAFM, VP, operations, West Valley Construction; Jeff Hurrell, CAFM, North America fleet program manager, Hewlett-Packard Company; and Louis "Bud" Stewart, fleet manager, Cox Communications.

The council will report to Ken Bernard, CAFM, City of Roanoke, Va., and chair of NAFA's Fuels & Technology Council, under the direction of NAFA Treasurer Bryan Flansburg, CAFM, University of Colorado Transportation Services. In addition, NAFA's U.S. legislative counsel, Patrick O'Connor, will assist the Advisory Council in its work.

NAFA retains experienced legislative representatives in Washington, D.C. and Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, to coordinate vital information on laws, regulations, and other government activity relating to fleets.