HYDROGEN CARS DRAW CITY FUNDS.Byline: Alex Dobuzinskis Staff Writer BURBANK - Burbank will pay $125,000 for five cars that will be converted to run on hydrogen and electricity as part of $2 million, five-city pilot program launched by the South Coast Air Quality Management District The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), formed in 1976, is the air pollution agency responsible mainly for regulating stationary sources of air pollution for most of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside County, and all of Orange county. . The program is designed to pave the way for autos that run solely on hydrogen cells - a clean alternative to combustion engines that is not yet affordable. The initial hydrogen-electric vehicles are not less polluting than gas-electric vehicles. ``This particular technology is meant to be a bridge to our ultimate goal of zero-emission, fuel cell-powered vehicles,'' said AQMD AQMD Air Quality Management District AQMD Action Quake Map Depot spokesman Sam Atwood. Burbank will pay about $125,000 to buy the 2004 Toyota Prius The Toyota Prius is a hybrid electric vehicle developed and manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation, and one of the first such vehicles to be mass-produced and marketed. The Prius first went on sale in Japan in 1997, and worldwide in 2001. hybrid cars, said administrative analyst Marisa Garcia. The AQMD will spend about $2 million to convert five cars each for itself and Burbank, Ontario, Riverside, Santa Ana Santa Ana, city, El Salvador Santa Ana (sän'tä ä`nä), city (1993 pop. 129,873), W El Salvador. It is the second largest city in the country and the commercial and processing center for a sugarcane, coffee, and cattle region. and Santa Monica Santa Monica (săn`tə mŏn`ĭkə), city (1990 pop. 86,905), Los Angeles co., S Calif., on Santa Monica Bay; inc. 1886. Tourism and retailing are important, and the city has motion-picture, biotechnology, and software industries. from gas-electric to hydrogen-electric, agency spokeswoman Tina Cherry said. Plans call for hydrogen-fueling stations to support the cars to be built - stations that would serve hydrogen-cell autos once they are feasible. The cost of a hydrogen-fuel cell vehicle is in the millions of dollars. President George W. Bush supports hydrogen fuel cell technology, and the U.S. Department of Defense could commit $500,000 to the AQMD program and get back five hydrogen-electric cars in the process. Burbank now has 12 electric vehicles, 25 natural gas Honda Civics and other clean burning vehicles, Garcia said. Burbank would use the five converted Prius cars as pool vehicles and for inspectors, code enforcement Code Enforcement is the act of enforcing a set of s, principles, or laws (especially written ones) and insuring observance of a system of norms or customs. An authority usually enforces a civil code, a set of rules, or a body of laws and compel those subject to their authority to officers and other employees. Alex Dobuzinskis, (818) 546-3304 alex.dobuzinskis(at)dailynews.com |
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