In the News

Events Stegner Symposium: The Challenge of Sustainability March 11-13th at the University of Utah Utah Energy Forum March 24th, from 7:45 to 10:00 AM. In the State Office Building Auditorium Utah Renewable Energy Conference 2010 March 27th at SLCC Milford Campus SUTREC, Renewable Energy Fair April 29, 2010 Milford High School in Milford Utah Alternative Fuels & Vehicles National Conference May 9-12  the Rio Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada Recent Related Articles Drivers encouraged to avoid idling vehicles by Trent Lowe The Salt Lake Tribune Updated:02/24/2010 10:22:29 PM MST After enduring changes and much debate in the House, a resolution supporting clean air made it out of the Senate unscathed Wednesday. HJR5, which would encourage drivers to not idle their vehicles in an attempt to lessen the impact on Utah's air quality, was passed on the Senate floor unanimously. Last week, when it came before the House, Rep. Mike Noel, R-Kanab, and other climate change skeptics, successfully amended the resolution to remove all references to carbon dioxide. Sixth graders from Morningside Elementary looked on, wearing "Team Hope" T-shirts -- the motto they used while they researched and proposed the idea -- as Senate Minority Leader Pat Jones, D-Holladay, the bill's sponsor, explained the resolution. Jones read letters from some of the students involved in the project recounting their experiences. "I can make a difference by just talking about it," wrote Gabe, one of the students. "It is so simple, but it makes a substantial difference."   Sixth-graders from Morningside Elementary in Holladay shout out, "Turn Your Key, Be Idle Free" behind Rep. Carol Spackman Moss on Wednesday during a presentation of HJR5, a clean-air resolution, to the Health and Human Services Committee. Read about the Utah Legislature at Utah Politics Panel greenlights easier natural-gas conversion for cars HB70 » The measure would bypass a federal certification process some say is too burdensome, too costly. By Brandon Loomis The Salt Lake Tribune Updated:01/29/2010 06:28:59 PM MST A House committee approved a bill Friday meant to put thousands of safe and clean-burning natural-gas cars on Utah's roads. HB70 would bypass a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency fuel-conversion-kit certification process that compressed natural gas (CNG) car enthusiasts say is too burdensome and costly. Instead, the state Division of Air Quality would certify technicians to ensure conversion kits are installed safely and to check them every three years or 36,000 miles to see that they continue to burn correctly. Currently, many converted CNG vehicles technically are illegal because the installers didn't use EPA-approved kits. But approved kits are expensive and unavailable for most vehicle models. The proposed process goes around the EPA by using certified technicians, a step the EPA doesn't oppose, said HB70sponsor Rep. Jack Draxler, R-North Logan. Enabling more legal conversions is important, Draxler argued, to reduce consumption of imported oil and improve Utah's air quality with cleaner CNG vehicles. "This winter we've had red-air days going into red-air weeks and ... almost red-air months," Draxler said. "We will never get enough vehicles on the road running on compressed natural gas if we wait for the EPA." EPA-approved kits generally cost $14,000 because of federal testing requirements. The state bill would make most conversions about $8,000 cheaper, Draxler said. For that reason, vehicles converted under his bill would not be eligible for the current CNG vehicle tax credit of up to $1,500. The House Business and Labor Committee gave the bill a favorable recommendation Friday. bloomis@sltrib.com