Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program.

Existing law establishes the California Alternative and Renewable Fuel, Vehicle Technology, Clean Air, and Carbon Reduction Act of 2007, which includes the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program, administered by the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission. Existing law requires the commission under the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program to provide funding measures to certain entities to develop and deploy innovative technologies that transform California's fuel and vehicle types to help attain the state's climate change policies. Existing law requires the commission to give preference to those projects that maximize the goals of the program based on specified criteria and to fund specified eligible projects, including, among others, alternative and renewable fuel projects to develop and improve alternative and renewable low-carbon fuels. This bill would revise and recast the program to no longer require the commission to provide certain project preferences and to additionally require the commission to provide preference to a project that has the ability to support advanced vehicle infrastructure needed to meet specified climate goals. The bill would revise the list of projects that the commission is required to make eligible for funding to include, among others, medium- and heavy-duty vehicle research, pilot, demonstration, and deployment projects that reduce emissions from fleets in the goods movement and public transit sectors. The bill instead would create a list of projects that the commission would be authorized to make eligible for funding, as specified. The bill would require the commission to develop and award block grants or incentive programs administered by public entities or not-for-profit technology entities for multiple projects, education and program promotion within the state, and the development of alternative and renewable fuel and vehicle technology centers, as specified. This bill would make conforming changes.