MINUTE$ Boardof DirectorsMeeting Alameda-ContraGoetaTransit District Wednesday,JanuaryS, 2005 ?:00P.m. Fape l-21 Board of Directors: (DirectorWard ll) VicePresident, GregHarper, Dolores Wardlll Jaquez,Director DennisHayashi, DirectorWardlV
JoeWallace,President(DirectorWardl) Joe Bischofberger, DirectorWardV RebeccaKaplan,Directorat Large H. E. ChristianPeeples,Directorat Large
The Alameda-ContraCosta Transit District Board of Directorsheld a special meetingon Wednesday,December8, 2004. The meetingwas calledto order at Wallacepresiding. 2:00p.m.withPresident Roll Call Upon call of the roll, the followingBoard membersrespondedwith their name$: Kaplan,Peeples,Vice PresidentHarper, DirectorsJaquez,Hayashi,Bischofoerger, FresidentWaflace 7 Presentation r
Transit's employees for AC outstanding Recognition of performancein the 2004 American Public TransportationAssociation (APTA)International Roadeoin Atlanta,Georgia. Awards were presentedto the following Roadeoparticipants: MaintenanceMechanics: CarlosLeyra,Jr. RenanManzanero GrantPinkston
Bus Operator: HarryKurz
Jim Gleich,DeputyGeneralManager,introducedMary King, newly appointed AseistantGeneralilanager, for Gommunicationsand ExternalAffairs. Reportfrom NominatingGommittee Considerreport from the NominatingCommitteeand Electionof ?005 Board Presidentand Vice President. President Wallace turned the meeting over to Director Peepfes, Chair of the NominatingCommittee.
AC TransitDistrict Boardof Directors
January5, 2005
Page 1 of6
I firstoutlinedthe processthat Committee, DirectorPeeples,Chairof the Nominating by substitution andthen or amendment amendment i,e.motion, wouldbefollowed, Boardcomments to follow" that Chair Peeplesreportedthat the Committeeon a split vote re@mmended for 2005 andDirectorHarperas VicePresident DirectorWatlaceserveas President offeredthatas a motionwhichwassecondedby DirectorHarperandsubsequently thefollowingvotewastaken. of Boardcomments, conclusion Following Kaplan,Wallace- 5 Harper,Hayashi, Peeples, Director None- 0 -2 Jaquez,Bis0chofuerger Directors None 0
Ayes: Noes: Abstain: Absent: PuhlicGomment
r CharlieCameron,Haywardresident,addressed the Boardcitingcorrection$ providedby AC Transitfor the BARTconnection neededon the information notices. ' ZacharyRunningWolf, Oaklandresident,addressedthe Boardsupporting onACTransitbuses. useof biodiesel ConsentCalendar byone andmaybeenmted areconsidered to beroutine Calendar ItemslistedundertheConsent fromhe Consent Calendar and isdesircd, anilemmayberumoved motion/one vote.lf discussion individually^ willbeconsidered to approvethe ConsentCalendaras tlOTlON; PEEPLH$/BI$GHOFBERGER presented (7-0-0-0). Jaquez,Hayashi,Kaplan, DirectorsPeeples,Bischofberger, Wallace- 7 VicePresidentHarper,President None- 0 None- 0 None* 0
Ayes: Noes: Abstain; Absent: 1.
Finance Committoe (December8, 2004meeffng) necommendations: a.
Receive: "/
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AC TransitDistrict Boardof Directors
17,2004 minutesof November FinanceCommittee Boardminutesof October11, 2004 (GM Memo Retirement No.04-369). Updateon scopeof financialbankingRFP's(GM MemoNo. 04-324a), January5, 2005
Page2 of 6
Approve: a GeneralManagerto explorethe possibilityof enteringinto \i for and the 30 contract for a French Leveraged Lease 60 foot Van Hool buses and that final proposalsbe brought bacftto the Boardfor finalapproval(GC MemoNo. 04-383a). .i Adopting Resolution No. 2151 of project compliancefor fundingfrom RegionalMeasure2 for the RichmondParkway TransitCenter(GM MemoNo. 04-370). "/ Amendmentto contractwith ChevronEnergy $ervices (CE$) of Visitor/ to includecostsof salestax and construction LearningCenterat the HydrogenFacility at D-4 and receive updateto HyRoadProgram(GM MemoNo. 04-371). PlanningGommittee(December8, 2004meeting)recommendations: a.
Receive: ./ Planning Committee minutes of November 17, 2004. The processfor adoptingstandardsas outlinedin the Transit { "Transit Cooperative Research Board Document (TCRP) Capacityand Qualityof ServiceManual"(GM Memo No. 04361). 14thStreetBus Rapid Updateon Telegraph/lnternational/East Transit (BRT) Project Schedule and Inter-agency Update(GM MemoNo. 04-362). Coordination
OperationsCommittee(December8, 2004meeting)recommondations: Receive: ./ OperationsCommitteeminutesof November17,2004. of Phase 1 of Updateon activitiesrelatedto implementation { Rapid by service June 2005 (GM the Telegraph/international MemoNo. 04-3fl1). Report on comparisonof sub-contractorperformancederived from the EBPC CustomerSatisfaction$urvey Management Report(GM MemoNo. 04-360). I \, ReportsummarizingEBPC and AC Transitoutreachactivities (GM MemoNo-04-367). ./ FY 04-05 1"t Quarter Paratransit Service Pedormance IndicatorsReport(GMMemoNo. 04-359). Approve: ./ AuthorizeGeneralManagerto executean amendedJPA for implementation of a TransitShelterAdvertisingProgramand amended Transit shelter lmplementationAgreement to includethe cities of San Pablo and Richmondas additional participating entilies in the installation of transit shelters throughoutthe AC TransitDistrict(GM MernoNo.04-366). AG TransitDistrict Boardof Directors
January5, 2005
Page3 of 6
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ExtarnalAffairuGommittee(December8, 2004meefing)Gcommondaffone: Receive: a. ./ Minutesof October20,20O4. ExternalAffairs Committee 14,20O4(GMMemoNo.04-375). AACMinutesof September { ./ report(GMMemoNo.04-342). Legislative Boad ltllatters:Gonsiderapproving: . of $eptember29, 2004. BoardMinutes . 3, 20M. BoardMinutesof December . of December 8, 2004. BoardMinutes . for DirectorsHayashi,Jaquezand Peepleeto Travelauthorization in Washington, D.C., March Conference attendthe 2005Legislative totalcostof $?,195each(D$ MemoNo. 6-8,?005,at an estimated 05-008). . D.C. for DirectorKaplanto travelto Washington, Travelauthorization on February24.,?005,to file delegation to meetwithcongressional Districtfederaleaffiark$,at an estimatedtotal coet of $1,500(DS MemoNo.05-011). RegularCalendar 6.
$pecialBoardMeetings: a. Discussionregardingagendafor BoardRetreat,Wednesday,January 12, 2005 (or a date to be determined)for the purposeof reviewing $tanding, Special and Liaison Committee appointments prior to No.100,Section 2.8- Prc$ideflt oftheBoad,l toBoadFolicy appointment(Pursuant MOTfON: KAPLAN/PEEPLESthat the Standing Committee and Board regular meetings scheduled for January 19, 2005, be rescheduledto Thursday,January20, ?005 and adjust the meeting times in order to allow time for the Board to review committee appointmentson the sameday (7-0-0-0). Ayes: Noes: Abstain: Absent b,
Directors Kaplan, Peeples, Jaquez, Hayashi, Bischofberger, Mce President Harper, President Wallace- 7 None-0 None- 0 None-0
Consider sefting a special Board meeting to receive report and to the interviewapplicantstor the publicand non-ATUrepresentatives AC TransitRetirementBoard"
AC TranEitDistrict Boardof Dircctors
JanuaryS,2005
Page4 of 6
Consensug
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committee set up a screening to To haveDirectorBischofberger reviewapplications if necessarydependingon the numberof received; applications interviews 2,2005(TBD); Schedufe on February meetingfromFebruary Movethe Operations Committee 2, 2005 16,2005; to February Requestthatthe GeneralManagerand District$ecretarymake adjustments appropriate to the agendasfor the Februaryzno meetingto ensurethat thereis sufficient timefor the interview process.
Receivesemi-annualBoardLiaisonreports(verbal). r BAAQMD,DirectorHarper,(DirectorJaquez). r l-880,DirectorBischofberger, (DirectorJaquez). r WCGTAC,DirectorWallace,(DirectorKaplan). r CentralAlameda Co. PAC,DirectorJaquez,(Peeples). Receivedreports.
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after Report on action(s) taken during Closed Session Will be reported $ession.J theconclusion ofClosed There were no actions to report.
GodeSection54954.2| Board/$taff Comments lcovernmsnt AgendaPlanning Refurredto FinanceGommittee: Reporton statusof fundsfrom ACTIAfor the Highway84 projectbetweenFremont and UnionCity(Requestedby DirectorBischofberger). Referredto External Affairs Committee Reportto Committeeand Boardon the sameday regardingcoordinationbetween AC Transitand BARTregardingthe nighttransitand marketingplan (Requestedby DirectorKaplan). Returredto the next Board Retreat (tlarch 30, 2005) Review the communicationprocess concerning liaison committee matters (Requestedby DirectorJaquez). Deputy General Counsel announced that the Board would go into Glosed $ession to discuee the items lieted on the agenda. There is nothing to discuss on potentiallitigation at this time.
AC TransitDistrict Boardof Directors
January 5,2005
Page5 of 6
cLosED $H$$loN; with LegalGounsel- PotentiatLitlgation Gonference (Government Code$ection54956.9Subdivision(b) (1) One Case
Confursncewith LegalCouneel- Exiefng Litigaffon (Government Code$ection54956.9$ubdivision(a))
DunnEdwardsv. AG Transit,ClaimNo.2004-0321 Gonference with labor:
(Government CodeSection54957-6r)
GeneralManager AgencyNegotiator: HmployeeOrganization: Paratransit,Local192,ATU Local 192, AFSCME,Local3916;IBEW,Local1245 UnrepresentedEmployees Richard\Mritmore,LiebertCassidyWhitmore AgencyNegotiator: EmployeeOrganization: BoardOfficers Code$ection Public EmployeePerfomance Evaluation:(Government s4957) Title: GeneralManager Title: GeneralGounsel Title: District$ecretary Adjournment There being no further business to come before the Board, PresidentWallace RobertMatsui. adjoumedthe meetingin memoryof the passingof Congre$$man The Board adjoumedfrom Closed Sessionat 4:20 p.m. A $pecial meetingof the Boardis scfreduledfor Thurtday,January20, 2005.
Respecffully submitted,
ACTransitDlstrict Boerdof Directors
5, 2005 January
Page6 ofE
OISTBICT AREARAPIDTRANSIT $ANFBANCISCII.EAY
,oHi;*:l'f BoxI2688 ,?#*
cc:Board of Directors
(5r0)464-6000
RECEIVED
December 21,2004 JoelKeller PBESIDENT
Carole WardAllen VICEPRESIDENT
Thomas E.Margro
Mr. CharlieCameron P.O.Box 55 Hayward.CA94543
6ENERAt MANAGEf,
P$h
JAN0 5 2005 DI$TRICTSECRETATtrt''S OFFICE
DIRECTOBS GailMurray
Dear Mr. Cameron:
ISTDISTRICT
JoelKeller ?NDDISTBICT
Thank you for your letter datedNovember 18, 2004 containingcomments regardingBART's brochureprogram.
BobFranklin 3RDDISTRICT
CaroleWardAllen 4THDISTRIfi
ZoydLuce 5THDISTRICT
Thomas M. Blalock 6THDISTRICT
LynetteSweet TrtlorsTRrcT
t'sd'ii" TomRadulovich gIH OISTRICT
TheBART Transit Connectionsbrochure referencedin your letter is produced in collaborationwith Bay Area regional transit agencies.Thesetransit partners are responsiblefor providing us with up-to-date information regarding routes that directly serveBART stations.Before a new version of the brochure is issuedowe solicit input from transit agenciesand include copies of current versionsof the brochure along with copies of all applicable route maps. Transit partnerssubmit all revisions directly to us for inclusion in each new version of the brochure. Brochuresare a part of customer information programs at transit agencies arourd the courtry. BART provides this service becauseof the importance we place on meeting the information needsof our customers. To report any inaccuraciesyou find in AC Transit schedules,you can contact AC via the web at www.actransit.org or by phoneat817-1717or 511. Once agair', tiia..-rkyt,u for your iiipiii.
Sincerely. -' ,/1\ #.rl
Al14)
Aiiron Weinstein DepartmentManager-Marketing & Research San FranciscoBay Area Rapid Transit District
www.hart.gou
o LEADOEGANIZER:
Zachary RunnlngWolf
RECEIVED
510.653.4?74 ehM.org/kanabitapiiksa SENDOEFEVENI
cc:Board of Director$
EApril2005$Spm Inter-TribalFriendshipHouse 523International BNd.OaklandCA94S06
JAN0 E ZrltlS DISTRICTSECRETARY'S OFFICE
FromFrybrcadTo Fueltank: BringingBiodieselTo NativeAmerica Joln Congreaawoman Barbara Lee, Presidentlal candldate Dennis Kuclnlch, Political Actlvi*tWlson Rile*, Actor Floyd Red Grow Westermf,n, EnvironmentalActlvlst Julia Butterfly Hill, Actor Steve Reevis, Berkeley Gouncilmember Krlss Worthington, Inter-Tribal Friendshlp House, end the Ecology Cent€r in supporting the Blodiesel But Tour... 14 December2004- ZacharyRunningWolfis a NativeAmericanleaderon a mi$eion:to bring to the NativeAmericenreservationsof the Southwest a messageof energyindependence USA, for fhe secondtimein just over a y6gr. With the help of communitypartnershe's to promotesoler,wind and biodiesel organizinga eecondbus tour of biodieselambassadors as altemativesto toxic petroleumfuelssold by huge multinetionalcorpordions. This second tour aimeto be the wind that cEniesthe messageto a muchbroaderaudience,Tour participantswill sharetheirexpertisein hom+manufac{uring biodieselenginefuel from safe and inexpensiveingredientssuches wastovegetableoil. RunningWolfand friendswill liberatingpotentialof petroleum-free emphasizethEeconomicallyand envircnmentally transportetion:biodieselcan be hom+madefor ae littleas 50 centsa gallonand it's infinitely befrerfor the planetl Biodieeelis an ec+friendlyfuel producedfrom domesticrenewableresources.lt's simpleto and eesentiallyfree of sulfurand aromatics;unlike mekeand use,non-toxic,biodegradable, the erdremelydirty anctpollutingpBtroleumbaseddieselfuel commonlyusedtodayby cars, trucke,buses,trains,ships,planes,industrielequipmgntand militarymachines.\Mth minor engines),cen run solelyon modifications,dieselengines(knownas "compt€Bsion-ignition" biodieselor be blendedEt any levelwith petroleumbaseddieselfuel. DieselenginEilusing biodieselrun smootherand quieter,last longer,and stay vastlycleanerthanenginesusing petroleumbaseddieseltuel. In addition,with greatermodificationsto the dieeelenginethat StraightVegetableOil (SVO)can be poured cost between$500to $2000,pureunadulterated directlyinto the fuel tankwith no loss of performance.SVO can b€ obtainedand used FREE OF CHARGEat this time, a truly revolutionaryact. Burningbiodieselinsteadof petrolgumwill reducethe negativeimpactof globalwarmingand toxicpollutionto air,water,soil,and all livingbeings.This is becEusebiodieselfuel is producedand bumedwithina "closedcarboncycle";the lesseramountof COz releasedwhen biodieselis bumed(as opposedto petroleum)is consumedby livingplantsto aid in their naturalgrowth. In 1998a biodiesellifecyclestudywas sponsoredjointly by the USA Departmentsof Energyand Agriculture:they concludedthat the use of biodieselreducesnet COZemissionsby 78 percentwhen comparedto petroleumdiesel. The joumey aimsto beginon April 8th, 2005, In advanceof the 30 passengerbus, Runningwolfwill travelftom Oaklandby bicycleto visit sevento ten NativeCalifornian twenty and approximatley reservations(calledrancherias),threeArizonareservEtions, pueblos(Nativevillagesand towns)in NewMexico,beforestoppingin Albuquerque.By as will be encouraginghumanpoweredtransportation bicyclingaheadof the bus,RunningWolf an additionslaltemativeto petroleumuse:one that ie cost effectiveand which promotes threatBnNative muchnEEdedphy$icalexercise. Diabetasand obasitydisproportionately Americans,and RunningWolfbelievesthat the CREATORis sendinga messageto Native
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peopleto ultimatelystop drivingcars and to startwalkingrunningand ridlngbicycles. A smailsupportvehiclerunningon bloclleselwillaccompenyRunningWolfwttilea videographer documentsthe joumey. The participentson thB largerbiodieeelbus will eleobe creatinga videotapewhileon the road thEtwill serveas E "hilv to make,buy, convertyour vehicleand use biodiesel" documentfor the individualconsumer.h particularthe gruupwill tlosumenttte convercionto biodieeelof a truck ownedby SteveReevis(a NativeAmericanactorwlth creditein major films). VVlththe combinedbotage RunnlngVhlfplansto makea highqualltyand Hollynrrood potentiallyawardwinningdocumentiary that will presentbiodieselb the world in a compelling manner. The buswill meet up with RunningWolfin AlbuquerqueNar MexicoanoundApril 17th,at the Gatheringof NafionsPorr-Wotr.This eventis attendsdby morethan 25,000peopleand is to the ths largestpoyv{vowin the wqfld. The tour will @ntinueon b give s pfiBsenE|tion NorthemPueblo,and thsn to a youthgattreringat Big Mountsinin Arizonaon May let. The bus ridsrcwill aesistthe Dine(Navajo)eldcrsst the gethedng,and will havean opportunityto share informationon biodieselwith the participants. After visiting the Blaclt Mesa VVater Coalltion(whlchis nfrv usingbiodiesslae a directnpeultof the firettour esrlisrthis year),the tour will make on€ mof€ mHjorstop on May 8th for the ennualgathedngorgsnieedby spiritual heslerGorblnHameyat the NevadanuclGartBstsit€,t€furB retJmingto the BayAreafor the Stanfordpow-r'r,onheld in Falo Alto. RunningWolfwill be bicyclingback to the BayArsa from Albuquffque,coveringa totalof 2400 mllee. Runningwolfie a vebran of longJoumeys,He destroyedrEdalbanlersand createdr:acial a 4,400mileRUNACROSSAMERICAFORTHE FREEDOM0F allianceswhilecompleting MUMIAABDULJAMAL- an historicjoumeythat rwlf,s capturedon film. \Mren an lmportant is listeningand csn give it life. The revolutionary causedemandsto be heardRunningVVolf idea of true €n€ruyindependencecouldset gmat forcssin motionbr positivechange,and demandsto be heardand given life by the largcstpossiblecommunity.The BayArea ia at the foreftontof this movement,end it is time to spreadit to the rest of America. Jurlglngby RunningWolfsvisitsto fie Sor.rthwest so hr, NativsAmericaneareand hesrtsare open and receptive. BiodieselactivisB,bicydlsts,mechanics,writers,Ertiets,teachers,publicspeEkers- all are neededto glve lifs to the meesage. So are peoplethat can providematerialresouroBsto help bring about the face to fece contact that malrEsthe messageresongtg. Local clraptersof FoodNot Bombswill be feedinglhe tour peilicipentsat each stop. The tour also requiresE reliablevehicle, rew materialsfor fuel, a large supply of llterature,and an abitityto addrEss emergencies,In-kincldonationewill b€ eseential,as willfinancialcontributions.The goal is to reiseat least$5,000for the one monthjoumsy. lf you are abls to help,and the mission epoaksto you, pl€es€answerthe call. To makea donetion,sandordeliwrcash orcheekto ZachatyRunnirpWdf: 9936tst Sf. QeklandCA 94608
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Biodiese What is Biodiesel? Biodieselis the name of a clean burning alternativefuel, produced from domestic,renewable resources.B,iodieselcontains no petroleum,but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to createa biodieselblend. It can be usedin compression-ignition(diesel)engineswith no maior modifications. Biodieselis simple to use,biodegradable,nontoxic, and esJentially free of sulfur and aromatics. Is biodiesel used as a pure fuel or is it blended with petroleum diesel? Biodieselcan be usedas a pure fuel or blendedwith petroleumin any percentage.BZ0 (a blend of 2Opetcent by volume biodieselwith 80 percentby volume petroleum dieselfhas jqmonstrated significant environmental benefitswith a minimum increasein cost for fleet Jerations and other consumers. Caq unaltered vegetable oil be used in a diesel engine? Biodieselis made from a basestockof vegetableoil and requiresno alterationsto your vehicle. It is possibleto run a dieselvehicle on straight,unaltered,vegetableoil, but a few minor alterations are necessary.Conversioninformation is availablEin "Frorrrthe Fryer to the Fuel E"FtThe CompleteGuide to Using VegetableOil as an AlternativeFueI"byJoshuaTickeil (Tickell EnergyConsulting, 2000). How do biodiesel emlssions compare to petroleum diesel? Biodieselis the o$y alternative fuel-to have fuIly completed the health effectsresting requirementsof the CleanAir Act, The useof biodieselin a conventionaldieselengineresults in substantialreduction of unburned hydrocarbons,carbon monoxide, and.particuiate rnatter comparedto emissionsfrom dieselfuel. In addition, the exhaustemissionsof sulfur oxides and sulfates(major componentsof acid rain) frorn biodieselare essentiallyeliminatedcompareoto diesel.
Nt4d ecoloEy-center
?5go San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley, CA g47oz
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Summer2002
tiodiesel in Berkeley by DavelAlilliamson
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"; Worms !t wasDesireeSiderofffrom Berkeley (the Universityof CaliforniastudentcomS me fiposting colleciive)who first approached to ask if the EcologyCenterwould investigate the useofbiodieselin its vehicles.I agreedto Iook into it and was immediatelyimpressedby the sustainabilityof the fuel and the potential for localproduction. Ironically,the EcoloryCenterwasconsidering using natural gasto power our next generation of trucla. Had we madethat choice,the EcologyCenterwould havebeencomplicitin the exuloitation of the mineral resourcesof Ahskaf North Slope.Fortunately,no oil wells haveto be drilled to obtainbiodiesel. Sideroffput me in touch with Randaiivon ' Wedel, the proprietor of CytocultureInc., a companythat brokersbiodieselfuel. Biodiesel is non-toxic, biodegradable,and doeslittle harm to waterwayq,von Wedeltold me. Furtheimore, it is vir'ruallyedible and is iesstoxic than tablesait. Beforemaking the s'witch,I madea lot of ro enginerianufacturers.Somepeople l that you demount yorrr fuel tank and [e'st cleanit at a radiator shon. (Believeit or not, thereis a speciesof bacteriathat livesin diesel tanks and forms sediment.) Our tanks looked clean.I tracedthe fuel systeniof eachtruck, checkingfor cleanliness and making sufe that there were no fuei lines from natural rubber, fiMehad or gasketsimade to take,thisprecautionsincebiodieselis a solvent and it has the potenrial to dissolvenatural rubber components,which could clog our fitpl
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Dercentbiodiesel.we reducedparticulates Ly 8+ percent Basedon srandardfigurespublishedby the Institute(SRI),the EcoloSouthwestResearch gl Centerhas alreadypreventedthe releaseof one,tonof particulateemissionsinto the air,
Diesels:Ruggedand Versatile As:afleetrnanag-eilftit " dieselengines.They arevery nrggedand can handle the extreme Ievelofuse that we 4t the Ecolo[y Centerhave to put themthrouih. The EcoloeyCenter'sdriveis stop and stari the trucks 5b0 times each day and that is extremelyhard on an engine. When RudolfDieselinVentedhis enginein the late 1890s,coaland petroleumwereoften unavailablein the farmbelt, Diesel literallv wantedto empowerfarmers,so he designed his engineto run on peanutoil. Rudolf Diesel was on the right track. Biodiesetis empowermenl* *** sense.If
Biodie5Jel emlfs,,
and , ZBperrcnt'less COz 55 p ercant fewerp artianlates than conventi onaI dIesel. you can obtain vegetableoil, wood or grain alcoholand sodiumhydroxide(lye), you can makedieselfuel.' Our fuel is madeby Griffin industries in Kentucky ffom recycledvegetableoil. Most biodieselis madefforh soybeanoil, sincesoy diesel receivesprice supports from the US Department'ofAgriculture. There are fewer than l0 biodieselnlantsin theUS. Mostarein the Midwest and use oil from seedsas.feedstock.PdcificBiodieselin Hawafi uses40 tons discardin ofwastecookingoil that restaurants the Maui landfiflwery day
We testedthe biodiesel in our trucl$ twice at varying concentrationsand under varying conditiorrs.The testswere observedby representativesfrorn various transit agenciesthat asa bridgeto busespowered mayuse.biodiesel by fuel cells,hybrid power or biodieselitseif; , Two immediateeffectswere apparentwhen we started running the trucks on biodiesel. DirtvDiesels First, therewas a decreasein enginevibration. Diesetengineshavebeenmaligned- and for used in Second,insteadof spewinga sootycloud,the good reason:The fuel that has been 'tailpipe "number 2 them often was cheap,low-grade ran clean and emitted an aromaof diesel.r'Peoplecould use thesefuelsbecause Frenchfnes. Mike Robertson. the diesel mechanics dieseiengineswereso tough they could run instructor from the Collegeof Alameda,test- on,anything. Under regulatorycompulsion, rhe petroleurn companieshave begun to ed our vehicleson an opacity metei.He calcleanup dieseifuel.At the sametiine, engine culated that when we used a blend of 20 pgttbiodiesel, we reducedour particulare rnanufactuiers have been hard at work to -W-nen reducenoise and pollution rtr--" hrzJ.+nprpnr we useciivu "v"'Regularpegol$q dieselfuel has a ca{on Dave Williamsoniythe directorof theBerheley chainthat torr{aiiu 15 carbonatoms.Plantoiis havecarbon chainsthat rangefrom 14 to 18 RtcyclingProgram. This ailicle is adapted Jroma speechdnliveredat the Ecolog CenterAnnual tarbon atomsin length.Biodieselmolecules contain relativelysimple carbon chains that MeetingonJanuary23, 2002.
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DaveWilliaisononda biofuelvan. contain no sulfur and none of the aromatics associated'withfossil fuels. The aromaticsbenzene,toluene and xylene - have been Iinked to a number of health problems.A happy benefit of biodieselis that it is comnosedofa uniform carbonchain so biodiesel aromatics. virtuallyeliminatesthesedangerous Biodieselcontainsnearly 10 Percentoxygen,which enablesit to combustmore thoroughly. (There is no need for synthetic "onygenates" iike toxic MTBEsincebiofuelis "o)S/genated" fuel.) This cleaner alreadyan combustionhelpsreducepollutants. Currently availableveggie-dieselhas two downsides.It is not as exDlosivea fuel as gasoline and it absorbs water, which can causemetal corrosion. Although corn and soybeansare the major feedstockfor todayb veggie-fuels,there are scoresof other plants whose oils could become future energy resources.Coconut oil. which has a shorter 'carbon chain (and is, thus, more explosive), may eventuailyreplacepetro-fuel in todays engines. gasoline-poweied Over its lifecycie,biodieselemits 78 percent lessCOzthan conventionaldieselfuel. Biodieselproduces 43 percent iess carbon monoxide(CO) and 55 percentfewerparticulate$than conventionaldiesel.Theseparticulates thtit you see in the smoke of diesel exhaustareknown to causecardiacand resprHandboohfor ratory problems.The Technical Biodiesel notes that this piant-basedfuel has b,Eenshown to reducemutagenicity(the ability to causecancer)by asmuch as 90 percent. The one significantpollutantthat biodiesel does not" eliminate or mitigate is nitrogen oiides. LSfx emissionscondbuteto,the formation of smog. fhe Ec6logy Center and Von Wedel recentlv teamed up in. an attempt to decreaieNOx by blending biodieseifrom recycledvegetableoil and biodieselfrom tropical oils with a common dieseladditive. NOx remains a major roadblock for air board certificationdespitethe lack of toxici "trrin biodieselexhaust. Oneway t0 mitigatedieselpollutionis with Thesehavebeenavailable catalyticconverters. for quitesometime in Europebut arenowjust becominsavailableherein the U5.
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Cummins EnginesInc. has a radical aew dieseldesignthat reducesndise and substantially redutes NOx, And researchis being conducted at thb university level on a Homogenous Combustion Compression Ignition: Engine that will virtually eliminate many pollutants. ,
-,fhe Cheinistrvof Blodiesel
Ethapol' and,'bitidiesel come from plants (*t{i"t aie carbohydratesources)as opposed to'petroleumor coal (hydrocarbonsources). iechnically, biodiesel is vegetablemethyl ester.Biodieselis producedthough the process which co4vertsthe vegof trarrsesterification, etableoil moleculefrom a triglyceride(a glycerin with three estersattachedto it) to a chain of esterswith the glycerin removed.After we "transesterfichangethe esters(hencethe term cation), the resuitingglycerinby-prodrrctcan be usedto makesoapor it canbe compostdd' changesvegetableoil from a Transesterffcation thick, syrupy substanceto a fluid resembling
regulardieselfuel. is a relativelysimple Transesterification make two-smgeprocess.It is possible to make biodieselon a farm, in a village in India; or in your backyard.
Jobs,Healthand Securlty The University of Missouri has calcrrlatedthat an annualprod3ction of 100 million gallonsof biodieselin a metropoiitanregionwould yieid 6,000 nevijobs. Our country loses$80 billion a year to oil imports and spendsmore than $250billion a yearto defendand Protectour accessto oil resourcesoverseas, Peopleare dying from the applicationof rtris rnilitary force to secureour accessto oil. Of course,Kuwait comesto mind, but let us also rememberthe Karen people of Burma (manyof whom died as forcedlaborerswork' ing to build a Unocalgipeline),the Ogoni of Nigeria(whoseland, wdterand liveshavebeen bliglrtedby ShellOil), and the U'wa of Colum' bia (whoserainforesthome hasbeen targeted for enploitationby OccidentalPetroleum). And,doserto home,peoplearedyingdght up the roadfrom Berlaley,in Richmond,wherethe with numercommuniryhasto shareits airspace ousoil, dlemic?land refuringfacilitieE.The caricermortalityrateinwest ContraCostaCountyis 25 percenthigherthantherestof thesute, lf we want to find a fuel to decreasetoxic we can hardly do better than using eri-rissions,
33
is the only altemativefuel bjodiesel.,Biodiesel that haspassedthe EPAbCleanAir Act TigqIl testing.In the'EPlistesG,both'adult andjuvenile rats were subjectedtp biodieselexhaust weredetected. and no pathologies
no1 have !o pour money into an expensive fueling faciliqyor pay for exoticnew engines that costthreetimesasmuch asdiesels'All we
MakingOur OurnFreeFuel
municipal fleet of DOT Class-8heavy-duty trucks in thg country that uses I00 percent biodiesel. One reason we can afford to do this is that we are a nonprofit membership organization. After we convertedour fleetto biodiesel,we persuadedthe City of Berkeleyto useit - not just in the cityt sota wastetrucks but in sta.tionary power generatorsaswell. The city !F sinceswitchedits solid-wastefleetto run off a blend of 20 percentbiodiesel (which is rated asan EPAClian Technoloryfuel). If you wish to prrchasebiodieselin the San FranciscoBayArea,there is a public pumP at Olympic Petroleumat 2690 Third Streetin SanFrancisco.This biodieselfueling stationthe first in the nation - was inauguratedin 2001 by the BluewaterNetwork, a projectof Eanh IslandInsdtute. The Ecolory Centernow hasasmuch operational experiencewith biodieselas anyone. We.haveinformally conzultedwitJr hospitals, construction firms, the Metropolitan Transit Commissionand other collectionprograms abourthe usbof this fueL The Ecolory Center is plarrning to form a Biodiesel Consortium (ECBC)that will pool.
We dontEave to so abovethe Arctic Circle to get biodiesel.No*oil wells needbe drilled to obtain biodiesel it is availablean;'where*rere fryer.One fast-foodrestaurantcan is a deep--fat producenrore than 50 gallonsof wasteoil a day - enough to keep one of our tnrcks running all day-(vVith the addition ofheaters, Iiltersandentrafuel tanlis to our tnrcks,it would be possibleto use wastecooking oil directly) We haveplenty of resourcesright here in Berkeleyto provide biodieselif we make it ourselvesand end oirr dependenceon conventiorul diesel.Nationallywe }ave the resources from both fallow farmlandand wastecooking oil to produceenoughfuel for 25 peicent of the countrybdieselneeds. By making own home-grown biodiesel, we can grraranteethe quality of the fuel. The Ecolory Center now is looking into dedicating several hundred acres of cropland to grlw and harvest canola oil or paim oil to Dower our truck fleet.
No oil wellsneedbe drtllflrl to obtaln blodiuel: Itls wailableanwh#e
therelsa deep-fatlryer.
":""o*l[* ;:i1",ff;:#"ff#oui'*'o''o The Ecology Center operatesthe onfi-
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ECBC,we can set our own fuel ryecifications, esrablisha didicated biodieselinfrastructure, We havebegunto manufacturebiodieselon and set the precedentfor the local production a microlevel. We hope to train people in the of biofuel fecdstoclafrom tallow,srrmpEltasel small-scalemanufactureof biodieseland lever- and deep-fatfryer oil. agethis into a smallpilot plant. we cag use our nonprofrt statu$to create tlre infrastrucrureneededto erpand the useof BettqrMileage biodiesel.To this end,we havelined up a stor Freedom; Energy The flrrent energycrisishashammereclhome agefacility in Richmondthat canhandlebulk thq fact that energyis nlade by the few and ts biodieselin railcarquantities. consumedby the many. Until now, we have haveindicatSeveralBayAleaorgar-rizations had few alternarivesother than usi4g Iessfuel. qd an interestin joining the ECBC.When that Biofuelscould chaneethat. happens,the Ecolory Center vrill be able to At one point lasiwinter, when the cost of facilitatethe useof.biofieselon a regionaiscale. nahrralgai acually exceedidthat of biodiesel, Our successfuluse of biodieselhas created I startedreceivinga lot of phonecalJs. an enormousamount of goodwill. We have At around $2 per gallon,biodieselis still been featuredon NationalPublic Radioand twice as expensiveas regular dieselbut thatb CNN. We havebeenwritten up in newspapers becairsebiodieseldoesnot enjoy feder.alsup- and magazines,But more important *r,ahany port in the form of "oil debletion allowance" of that has beenthe responsehereat ho.me. ivrite-offs for oil compinies. 'Nor does Duiing our pick-up nrns, our drivers report biodiesel'enjoythe hidden subsidiessuch as . that Berkelevresidentshaveliterallv comeout the defensebudgetthat go, in largemeasult, of their homesto thank us for using this fuel. to protectingour accessto foreignoil. ' , But if cost is your main concern,making What You Can Do Forinformatiutonbibdiesel, biodieselyourself will lower the price to.that clichontowww.biodiesel,com.For moreinforjust performs And biodiesel diesel. of regrrlar matron on Williamson'sprolram. contactthz aswell - if not better than petrbleumdiesel' and d-eterI conducted nileaqe analvsis mined that bftdieqset#as 17 p"rcent tesdtffi' cient per gallon thin petroleum-baseddiesel. center"orgJ.'Ihe boohFrom the Fyer to the Fuel Ttchellmay be ordered Tank by Joshua Jtom the cheapest and potentially the rStill, biodieselis Ecolog Cenurfor $28 Grcludlngpostage)' most availableform of altemativefuel. We do
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tsuyingBiodieseh (pricessrrbjectfo +hnng+) r Yokayo'Biofuels- www.ybiofuels.orgi877) 806-0900 fof n fpe+ ahout:$3,401 Will. deliver?00+gal.biCIdiespl ga]Ion(neewebsiteor sall). Publis pump in Ukiah ' $3;50/gal.Fuelip sourcedfrom reoycledcontentwaslp veget+bleoil wheneverpossible.
[email protected] + BioFuel Oesisin WestBerkeley -2465 AtL Stre+t@ I Dwight,Berkeley,C.A,94710,$3.50/gellon (5 0) I 665-5509 http:1/www;biofucloasis.aom/ Dieselvehiclei for ssle: l . WestsrnStatesOil (nearthe SJSUcampus)on 10thSt'' c Craig'sList.BestSF Bay Areasotffce- rsrvw.araleslist.ore ' SanJose;pubiicprmp (a08)2f29-1041for information r E-BaVMotors* -www.motors.ebav.conr contactBrent Lducher
060 : t}l,:tffi-"gffihffil-111112
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f Reduce Youractionscanstopwastebeforejt starts,Thinlr aboutthe enyironmentalimpactsof produ*t . rnd its packagingbefore'you**1.* * pur.chase. Con*ia*, thesesuggestions: . Purchase itemsin refil_lable conrainers. Thereare numerousoutletsthr:ughourAlameda.County that o.fterproductsiu refillabtr*es. Crll dr;R;*r{* Hottine at {510)689-2498 forlocations . 8uy in bulk whcnever possible.if refillables are unavailabte,chooseprqaucts ,il; ;;in recyclablemarerialsbr better yet, not #;aged iacLge d at all. . Bring a,cloth bag or a.backpackwheayou go shopping. The answexm the famous q*ri"" -" "Fp^p#o, " plasticl i5 t1 |3errg'htmy o14rn b,ag1" . AVoiddrsposable ,,single-use,, or productssuch as
$::::l!h Daffenes.
razors, pens,I-ighters, ;i;il
;;sils,
or .
' Talocate materiaisneededfor your bus:nessor to adverdseitems availablefo; d;*;don*J, ,olr, ,*, the Caffirnia Materials Exchangepyoiam (CAL_ I'[AX)on page 10. Recycle 9id* materialsyou know qan be recycledin an effort tosave money/nati:ral ,*uo'*r"*, andlandfiil spece.The followingideasmay be helpful: : . ProperiyplelareyourrecycJablesFo1low yourrecyclingserviceprovideroffers. the direceions . t**+ables.bymaterialtype.Inok for codes at the fT Donom0rplasriccoltainers.gsgrrby qer. Son prp; by the reqyclingserviceprcnrider,s ,*qoiJ.;;** . Do_,'the,stompr_ (stompJ_on step plastic, andseel container$tcireduce-iheiritze aluminum b-efore p;acing thesecontainT$h ygy.rr.yrti"e Ui". iln-* will save spaceorrrecydingvehicllsandm*t e "ott**tion routes moreefficientandcosteffectiye. . Seekout locationsth.a-r ag-cent hard_to_recycie alslike usedmotor oil, plaisticsor scrapietal.maftri_ . Recyclinginvolvesthe collection".separ*tion and rrygnufagruriggof rnaterials,necyciinj isrft complete used lltij nrevtously materials"rJ;;"" i;;;;'*"" products andthenpurchased asa recycleilconrent product.
' Whgn,hosting a party usedurable,reusableitems such a$ crorn trapkins or rigid plastic trays/plates instead of paperplares and.napkins.If ir is " pofr"*li, "*k yog, gueqtsto -bnngtheir or,rn'plates,a"tf, "rpi.i"s, uren_ sils and glasses. . Rent iteai thSt you rareJyuse, such espower mols , aad motbrized yard eguipm*r" S;*iltlic - - libraries also have tools availablelor checirout. . Eliminate unwanted mail. For infornration on.\4iays!o Rot reduceunwanted mail, seetfr* *..tio o"tmart Meil Most of the organicsgeneratedat home on pageI L can easily
Reuse
be rerycledby composting.Whether you
tt* io * coadomirlipm There are firmerous ways yor4 or others, or mobile home, T.*:"*, 1psrmple, can extend. 1.-11-1 rnere are easyand ftrn r,yaysyou can com_ th-elife of pioducts and packaging.Here are a few post youi yard trimmings and lcitchen scraps. . Setup a coEpostbin tO compostyardkirnmings. Patroniee'and donateitem.sto thrift stores. . Consftucta wofin box to rgcfgleyoiu htchen scraps Reusefoodcontainersfor storage. intq a rich/ valuableplant food. Reupholster, refinishor donatefurniture. . Attend a free workshop on composting. ola paper office inro pads nore or print rough |1n For more information on hotme composting dra-fts on thebacksideor usedpaper. see page 9 or call the compostinginforiation llhen ggnyidering thepurchiseof a product,deter_ "Rotline" at 5I0 -444-SOZ. iluneu rt rsrepairable or is designed m bethrownout. whenit malfuncrions.Buying;"q"dr"/;;t*, ,rrc first time mayaciuallys** yioo*oiqr.-----
'T F'RGET T0 BUYRE.Y.LEDrhe materiars,lou,dace in yourcurbside or officereq,cring recycled'products' binsareusedro In orderto comptete trr--r#.ri"g rr;;*;,i'.oo*o**rrftusr recycred : theloop"* callthenecyciirygottinertlilor $;r huy products. Let's oaF-z+6e i0rirr-io-#*tion on w.here andiow+o :ts'And,mosrimportant buy recycred of "rf re*ember ..,ifyo" arci,t n"iri iiiiard, youaren,trecycling!
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