From Hydrogen to Natural Gas, Southland Fleet Operators Will Learn About Alternative Fuel Options

(October 10-11, 2006 at the Ontario Convention Center)

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Oct. 9 -- With the cost of diesel fuel rising daily and regulatory agencies continuing to enact fleet rules to push for emission reductions from California's fleets, the timing of the Southern California Clean Vehicle Technology Expo (Expo) could not be better. The event's official host, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD), has invited public and private fleet managers, vehicle and infrastructure purchasing directors, maintenance managers, directors of transportation, county fleet supervisors, mayors, councilmembers, and many others to learn about the latest in clean vehicle technology. The two-day conference and exposition will provide a comprehensive look at current fleet rules and regulations to reduce emissions. There will also be discussions about the variety of funding sources available to help fleets comply with the rules and a display of clean and alternative fuel vehicle technology available on the market today. The Expo is one of the few venues available for public and private fleets to interact with all three pieces of the puzzle: regulatory agencies, funding sources and technology providers.

The AQMD hosts a variety of conferences throughout the year as a way to outreach to the hundreds of fleets in the region and educate fleet operators about the agency's fleet rules. "The importance of clean vehicle technology cannot be emphasized enough as we develop plans of achieving healthful air quality for the citizens of the South Coast," stated Barry R. Wallerstein, Executive Director of the AQMD. "With over 11 million vehicles operating in the South Coast, the implementation of the cleanest vehicle technology is imperative if this region is to attain healthful ambient air quality standards as mandated by the Federal Clean Air Act. This conference will provide the fleet operators with necessary information on the availability of clean vehicle technology, funding programs available to help offset any added cost, and finally information on new tax incentives created by the new Energy Bill passed by Congress."

The keynote address will be given during lunch on Tuesday, October 11th by Dr. Alan Lloyd, the former Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency and former Chairman of the California Air Resources Board. Dr. Lloyd, who currently serves as the President of the International Council on Clean Transportation, has focused his career on the viable future of advanced technology and renewable fuels. A strong proponent of clean and alternative fuel vehicles and technology, Dr. Lloyd will bring a wealth of experience and knowledge about the variety of alternative fuel options to over 500 attendees at the Expo.

Often the highlight of the event, the exhibit hall will overflow with interactive booths, technology displays and vehicle displays ranging from large tractor trailer trucks to street sweepers to refuse trucks to school buses. Attendees will also have the unique ability to test drive these clean vehicles in the "Ride & Drive" scheduled for Wednesday, October 11th. The "Ride & Drive" will feature BMW's new hydrogen 7-series, Honda's Fuel Cell vehicle, Boshart Engineering's electric pickup truck, and many more.

Falling just a day before the nationwide alternative fuel vehicle "Odyssey" day campaign, the Expo was deemed as an official Odyssey Day event making it the largest in the Southern California region. National AFV Day Odyssey is developed and coordinated by the National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium in partnership with participating sponsors. Odyssey is a nationwide effort to build awareness about alternative fuel vehicles and advanced technology vehicles. As part of this nationwide campaign, the Expo will be promoted via Odyssey's media strategy which reaches more than 24 million individuals across the nation.

ABOUT THE SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT

For the second year in a row, the official host of the Expo is the South Coast Air Quality Management District. The South Coast AQMD is the air pollution control agency for Orange County and major portions of Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties. The South Coast AQMD believes all residents have a right to live and work in an environment of clean air and is committed to undertaking all necessary steps to protect public health from air pollution, with sensitivity to the impacts of its actions on the community and businesses. This is accomplished through a comprehensive program of planning, regulation, compliance assistance, enforcement, monitoring, technology advancement, and public education.

Conference web site: www.cleanvehicleexpo.com