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The direct written comments link on this subject item 21-12-4 on
fy21-22 Clean Transportation funding plan has been taken down,
please move this over to the correct item if possible.

Attached to this comment, I've uploaded the written information
regarding the CORE program proposal for locomotive catagories

Below is a recap of my verbal public comment.

My name is David Cook and I work at a small California technology
company that develops and demonstrates locomotive modernization
retrofits, we currently have two zero emissions battery switcher
locomotive projects ongoing in the Los Angeles area. 

With the air boards leadership there has been a half century of
progress in lower emissions from mobile sources in many
applications ranging from cleaner automobiles in the 1970's up
through zero emissions battery buses becoming the new normal today.
 
  
The state has spent hundreds of millions of dollars over the past
few decades and at this time less than 10% of criteria emissions
are coming from locomotives certified to Tier 4.  The Tier 4
locomotive emissions standard is decades behind what is required of
trucks.

The locomotives we are referring to in this comment are industrial
and yard switching locomotives  that spend all of their time
sorting rail cars at railyards in urban disadvantaged areas
impacted by high pollution

RPS has teamed up with a switching locomotive OEM and together we
have proposed to ARB staff that that the CORE program under this
funding plan should include a category for zero emissions
locomotives for both industrial and yard switching applications. 
Locomotives are unique in that 50 year old locomotives are just as
functional as brand new locomotives in railyard switching service
and zero emissions pilot locomotives for this application can be
put into pilot service with current technologies now

Leasing advanced locomotives in the CORE program should accelerate
the pilot demonstration of lower emissions equipment in this
application that is decades behind other mobile sources. 

We further request that the CORE program keep the manufacturer
purchase option open for this new category.