PRINCETON, NJ - As the California Air Resources Board (ARB) considers a number of regulations that will most likely impact fleets in California, NAFA Fleet Management Association is taking steps to ensure that the concerns and experiences of its members are heard and help play a role in upcoming legislation. The Association has formed the NAFA CARB Advisory Council, a new sub-committee of NAFA's Fuels & Technology Advisory Council, to provide input to both NAFA and the Air Resources Board on regulatory matters that impact fleet managers in California.

The Air Resources Board is a department of the California Environmental Protection Agency. ARB's mission is to promote and protect public health, welfare, and ecological resources through effective reduction of air pollutants while recognizing and considering effects on the economy. The ARB oversees all air pollution control efforts in California to attain and maintain health-based air quality standards.

Within the past year, the California Air Resources Board has announced that it will begin regulating the emissions of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) from electric utility equipment starting in 2011; fined several California companies for failing to inspect their diesel trucks; and held a public meeting as a first step towards the possibility of mandating fleet acquisition of hybrid trucks, according to NAFA. NAFA's new advisory council will establish the Association as a credible source of fleet information for the ARB. The council plans to meet with ARB leadership and staff on a regular basis and will help promote NAFA's position of supporting emissions reductions and fuel efficiency instead of mandates that have no basis in fiscal reality. In addition, the council will keep NAFA members up-to-date on any new or potential legislation that could affect them.

NAFA's CARB Advisory Council will be led by NAFA Member Rick Battersby, CAFM, from the University of California at Davis. Serving on the new council will be fellow Members: Jason Hicks, CAFM, Turlock Irrigation District; Dave Snow, County of Santa Clara; Rick Sikes, CAFM, City of Santa Monica; Richard Teebay, County of Los Angeles Internal Services Department; Jimm Vosburgh, CAFM, West Valley Construction; Jeff Hurrell, CAFM, Hewlett-Packard Company; and Louis "Bud" Stewart, Cox Communications. The council will report to Ken Bernard, CAFM, City of Roanoke and Chair of NAFA's Fuels & Technology Council, which is under the direction of NAFA Treasurer Bryan Flansburg, CAFM, University of Colorado Transportation Services. In addition, NAFA's U.S. Legislative Counsel, Patrick O'Connor, will assist the Advisory Council in its work.

NAFA's role as a collective voice for fleet managers is one of the Association's most important benefits. NAFA encourages fleet managers to communicate regularly with lawmakers and regulators to assure that fleet concerns are considered when laws and regulations are being considered.

NAFA retains experienced legislative representatives in Washington, DC and Ottawa, ON to coordinate vital information on laws, regulations, and other government activity relating to fleets.