FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kevin Sheridan, Executive Director
Tri-Valley – San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority
(925) 784-2759
[email protected]
Tri-Valley and San Joaquin Valley Groups Host “Valley Link/LAVTA AHEAD” Panel on Advancements in Regional Hydrogen-Powered Transit Systems
Tracy, CA, September 18, 2024 – On Wednesday, September 18th the Innovation Tri-Valley Leadership Group, in partnership with the Tracy Chamber of Commerce, Tracy Earth Project, the Tri-Valley – San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority (Valley Link) and the Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority (LAVTA), hosted a lunch-and-learn event at the Tracy Community Center to showcase the joint Valley Link/LAVTA AHEAD (Advancing Hydrogen Electrification and Deployment) project and other exciting advancements of hydrogen vehicle deployment in local transit systems, including a proposed hydrogen fuel production facility in Tracy.
Valley Link Rail seeks to provide a transit alternative to the highly congested Interstate 580 corridor and bring new riders to a broader Bay Area transit system. Valley Link will be the nation’s first agency to run passenger rail service operating on self-produced green hydrogen fuel provided by the Tracy production facility.
Melissa Hernandez, BART Director and Chair of the Valley Link Board of Directors, welcomed attendees and expressed the importance of developing a clean-energy transit alternative for the region.
“Today there is no clean, reliable, high frequency transit alternative to vehicular congestion on Interstates 205 and 580 for the more than 105,000 Bay Area workers now commuting daily from their homes in communities in the Northern San Joaquin Valley. Valley Link seeks to connect the Northern California megaregion with the first passenger rail system in California running on self-produced, green hydrogen and a hydrogen fuel production facility able to support the clean energy goals of other transit and heavy truck operators.”
According to Katie Marcel, CEO of Innovation Tri-Valley Leadership Group, “Valley Link is well-positioned to lead as a model of sustainability, capitalizing on innovative technology and recent public and private sector investments to operate on its self-generated renewable energy.”
Marcel further commented that the City of Tracy and neighboring communities on both sides of the Altamont Pass in San Joaquin County and the Tri-Valley will reap the benefits of job creation and economic growth, with the City of Tracy serving as the epicenter due to the location of the hydrogen fuel production facility.
“Even before Valley Link begins operations, the hydrogen production facility will support clean energy for Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority and other transit operators within the next 2 to 3 years, providing a near-immediate benefit to the community.”
The event featured a panel of industry experts from around the region who provided updates on the Valley Link rail project, the planned hydrogen production facility, and workforce development initiatives.
Moderated by Chair Hernandez, the panel included presentations and discussions by Valley Link Executive Director Kevin Sheridan; Christy Wegener, Executive Director of Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority; Momoko Tamaoki, Deputy Director of Planning and Programming at San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission; and Beth McCormick of Las Positas College.
“The timing of this type of strategic collaboration with other transit operators within the Tri-Valley and San Joaquin Valley is significant to other initiatives to advance the use of green hydrogen in transportation and the overall green hydrogen economy in California,” said Authority Executive Director/CEO Kevin Sheridan.
“The Authority’s green hydrogen production facility is a bold vision to establish a megaregional green hydrogen hub integrating production and use by the transportation sector. The Authority looks forward to working with our peer public transportation operators and community partners to advance this vision to meet the transportation, environmental, and economic needs of the Northern California megaregion now and into the future.”
Christy Wegener provided an update on the Valley Link/LAVTA AHEAD project and the transformative potential of hydrogen production and use on the region’s transit system; Momoko Tamaoki discussed the advancement of the hydrogen rail vehicle deployment on other passenger rail systems connecting the San Joaquin Valley and Bay Area; and Beth McCormick presented on partnerships with Los Positas College and the positive impacts of the transition to hydrogen fueled transportation on workforce development.
According to Chair Hernandez, Valley Link’s business model is intended to serve not only as a catalyst for private investment, but as a catalyst for a green energy economy in the Northern California megaregion, building workforce development to create and sustain living wage jobs.
“The Authority’s green hydrogen production facility is a bold vision to establish a megaregional green hydrogen hub, integrating production and use by the transportation sector.”
District 13 Assemblymember Carlos Villapudua provided closing comments, promoting the use of State funding options to implement the hydrogen facility, including Senate Bill 125 that provided funding to the San Joaquin Council of Governments to support the transition of public transit fleets in San Joaquin County to zero emission vehicles.
“I supported SB 125 to help our region’s systems, including ACE and the San Joaquin Regional Transit District, and I urge our San Joaquin leaders to consider using the remaining balance of SB 125 funds to fund this transformative facility.”
Assemblymember Villapudua offered a compelling call to action for everyone at the event.
“Our region’s success depends on the collaboration of everyone at every level of government.
Thankfully, we have solutions to bring this opportunity to fruition. An investment in the hydrogen facility will lift all boats by improving the lives or our constituents and our environment.”
People interested in Valley Link Rail and the hydrogen production facility can get more information at www.ValleyLinkRail.com.
