The
Catalina Island Company
P.O. Box 737
Avalon, California 90704
November 14, 2022
Liane
Randolph
Chair, California Air Resources Board
1001 I Street, #2828
Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Chair Randolph:
On behalf of the Catalina Island Company
(ICO), I am writing in support of the California Air Resources
Board’s Proposed
Fiscal Year 2022-23 Funding Plan for Clean Transportation
Incentives.
ICO is a privately owned company, that was formed
over 100 years ago.
It is the largest employer on the Island and engages in,
among other things, activities, hospitality, visitor and local
services and much more.
The island in general and ICO in particular
depends highly on the services provided by Catalina Channel Express
(CCE) and we believe this proposed funding plan will greatly assist
this transportation service in secure new engines and new boats
that will meet the new emissions standards.
From what I understand, the California he
legislature recently appropriated $20 million from the Greenhouse
Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) and $40 million from the General Fund for
Commercial Harbor craft, specifically referencing privately
operated common carrier ferries regulated by the PUC. Based on this
legislative action, CARB staff is proposing spending a total of $60
million for Demonstration and Pilot Projects for Commercial Harbor
Craft.
ICO supports
this recommendation and understands that CCE is ready to move
forward with the purchase of a Tier IV compliant passenger ferry
and intends to remove three existing ferries with older engines
from service thus reducing both criteria pollutants and GHG
emissions. But there needs to be sufficient state funding available
to make this purchase a reality. As acknowledged previously by CARB
staff, CCE can’t feasibly retrofit existing vessels with Tier
IV engines and after- treatment due to the fact that additional
size and weight constraints would lead to a 50% reduction in
passenger capacity. Consequently, CCE must instead purchase new
ferry vessels. Each new vessel will cost approximately $20 million,
and the cost is not financeable or recoverable through passenger
fares. It would cost CCE approximately $120 million to replace the
entire CCE fleet with Tier IV compliant vessels.
With adequate state funding, CCE would be
able to achieve early compliance, emission reductions ahead of
schedule and ensure Catalina Island’s future economic
security. ICO wants to ensure that CARB‘s proposed funding
plan leads to adequate funding being made available to privately
operated ferries regulated as common carriers by the PUC operating
on essential routes. We support the staff proposal.
Sincerely,
Geoffrey Claflin Rusack
President and CEO
Catalina Island Company
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