The Legislature sent two bills to the Governor (still unsigned at press time) that are important to the San Francisco Bay Water Transit Authority (WTA). SB 915 (Perata) would adopt the Implementation and Operations Plan (IOP) prepared by WTA. (See August/September 2002 issue) SB 916 (Perata) would submit a measure to the voters in 2004 to increase tolls on Bay Area state bridges from $2 to $3 to fund transportation projects, including ferries. SB 916 projects include two new ferry routes—South San Francisco to San Francisco, and Berkeley or Albany to San Francisco—plus the enhancement of existing routes.
As the number of ferry boats on the Bay increases, the amount of air pollution caused by the fleet will also increase. In order to limit the degradation of air quality as much as possible, the WTA has set a stringent air emission standard for ferry boats. Rather than regulate the type of fuel or the technology, the WTA has decided on an emission standard as the preferable alternative. The standard chosen by WTA is 85 percent cleaner than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's standard for diesel.
To effect significant emission reductions from ferry boats, WTA plans to build a fuel cell-powered boat using a federal grant; however, this plan is on hold, awaiting the development of appropriate technology.
Meanwhile, funding for WTA to develop and build a test ferry boat that will use biodiesel fuel is included in SB 916. Total emissions from biodiesel are lower than from petroleum diesel, although nitrogen oxides emissions are somewhat higher. Should passage of SB 916 fail, WTA would have to seek other sources of funding.
Adelia Sabiston