GRA
Well-known member
I wasn't sure where to put this, but wanted the widest possible distribution. As some here know, I'm writing a proposal for Yosemite National park to install more charging stations. I'm trying to keep the cover letter short but my prose tends to be prolix. So I thought I'd crowd-source it; anyone who thinks they can say what I'm trying to say more concisely, feel free to make suggestions.
Thanks, Guy
Edit: Added a bit 9/17, modified 9/18
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Don Neubacher
Superintendent - Yosemite National Park, NPS
Dan Jensen
President - Delaware North Co. Parks and Resorts at Yosemite
Re: Proposal for Expanded Electric Vehicle Charging in Yosemite
Gentlemen:
As NPS is the permitting agency and also operates some visitor facilities, while DNC operates the majority of visitor facilities and services, this concerns both of your organizations. It is the policy of both NPS and DNC (see Appendix 5., DNC 'Green Path' statement) to take measures that limit pollution in the park. As an example of that, I was very pleased by the recent appearance of a public Electric Vehicle (EV) charging station (correctly, Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment or EVSE) at Yosemite Village, along with the use of hybrid shuttle buses along the Tioga road this summer. These are good steps to decrease the use of fossil fuels in the park, reducing the generation of air and noise pollution and enhancing the visitor experience. To continue this process, I believe NPS/DNC should encourage the use of EVs in the park to the maximum extent possible by committing to provide more charging facilities by the summer of 2013, so located that EVs will be able to drive almost anywhere inside the park running only on batteries. [Note: bolded items are more fully described in the Glossary]
Appendix 1 goes into detail on a suggested long-term phased deployment of EVSEs, but it suffices to state here that initially EVSEs are needed at Crane Flat, Wawona and Tuolumne Meadows in addition to Yosemite Valley, for a total of at least four. However, to provide redundancy in case of EVSE malfunction and prevent stranding/towing BEVs, it is desirable that there be at least two EVSEs in each of the four areas mentioned above, for a total of eight (or more) - see Appendix 1, Phase 1. These initial sites are at facilities operated by DNC, i.e. gas stations/stores, but as the roll-out of additional EVSEs continues, sites operated by NPS such as entrance stations, visitor centers, campgrounds and trailheads will be candidates for EVSEs.
At first, it's probable that Plug-in Hybrids(PHEVs) like the Chevrolet Volt rather than pure Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) such as the Nissan Leaf will make up the majority of EV visitors due to the limited range of most current BEVs, and the lack of en route EVSEs between the major population areas and the park. Nevertheless, catering to BEVs now will pay dividends, as they all have enough range to drive entirely on battery power once inside the park given EVSEs in the above locations; PHEVs may have to burn some gas on longer trips. The en route EVSE infrastructure is slowly being built up and the price of batteries is coming down, which will soon make it practical for BEVs to visit the park as a matter of routine. As it is, some pioneers have made trips into the park from the San Francisco Bay Area and the Fresno area despite the current lack of convenience - see Appendix 4 for their accounts.
In addition to installing more EVSEs,you also need to tell people about them. They should be listed in the appropriate 'Services' sections of the Yosemite Guide under "EV Charging Stations", with the number and type (L1, L2 or L3) of EVSEs at each location. Each of these EVSEs should also be listed on EV charging websites such as Recargo and Plugshare. In addition, a press release similar to that announcing the photovoltaic array at the park service headquarters at El Portal (http://www.nps.gov/yose/parknews/epsolar11.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false
would be appropriate, and it should be disseminated to the various EV internet forums and blogs (MyNissanLeaf.com, Greencarreports.com etc.)
As to funds to pay for this, I recognize that money is tight now, and I suggest that the Yosemite Conservancy may be willing to help out.
In addition to this Cover Letter, this proposal contains the following:
I will be happy to answer any questions and provide whatever help I can to make this happen, and hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Name
email
P.S. I have no financial interest or other relationship with any company involved in this field. My motivation is purely personal, in that I want to help transition the U.S. away from fossil fuels for environmental, energy and national security reasons, and think this is particularly important for a place like Yosemite. However, in my past professional life I proposed to the Park, designed, spec'd, and with the help of Hut Ranger/Caretaker Howard Weamer, installed the photovoltaic power system (and later the photovoltaic water pumping system) at Ostrander Lake Ski Hut, donating my labor and some of the parts. I've been a Yosemite backcountry user for more than 35 years and most recently visited over the Labor Day weekend, much of which I spent surveying potential sites along the Tioga road for EVSEs.
Thanks, Guy
Edit: Added a bit 9/17, modified 9/18
-------------------------------------------------
Don Neubacher
Superintendent - Yosemite National Park, NPS
Dan Jensen
President - Delaware North Co. Parks and Resorts at Yosemite
Re: Proposal for Expanded Electric Vehicle Charging in Yosemite
Gentlemen:
As NPS is the permitting agency and also operates some visitor facilities, while DNC operates the majority of visitor facilities and services, this concerns both of your organizations. It is the policy of both NPS and DNC (see Appendix 5., DNC 'Green Path' statement) to take measures that limit pollution in the park. As an example of that, I was very pleased by the recent appearance of a public Electric Vehicle (EV) charging station (correctly, Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment or EVSE) at Yosemite Village, along with the use of hybrid shuttle buses along the Tioga road this summer. These are good steps to decrease the use of fossil fuels in the park, reducing the generation of air and noise pollution and enhancing the visitor experience. To continue this process, I believe NPS/DNC should encourage the use of EVs in the park to the maximum extent possible by committing to provide more charging facilities by the summer of 2013, so located that EVs will be able to drive almost anywhere inside the park running only on batteries. [Note: bolded items are more fully described in the Glossary]
Appendix 1 goes into detail on a suggested long-term phased deployment of EVSEs, but it suffices to state here that initially EVSEs are needed at Crane Flat, Wawona and Tuolumne Meadows in addition to Yosemite Valley, for a total of at least four. However, to provide redundancy in case of EVSE malfunction and prevent stranding/towing BEVs, it is desirable that there be at least two EVSEs in each of the four areas mentioned above, for a total of eight (or more) - see Appendix 1, Phase 1. These initial sites are at facilities operated by DNC, i.e. gas stations/stores, but as the roll-out of additional EVSEs continues, sites operated by NPS such as entrance stations, visitor centers, campgrounds and trailheads will be candidates for EVSEs.
At first, it's probable that Plug-in Hybrids(PHEVs) like the Chevrolet Volt rather than pure Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) such as the Nissan Leaf will make up the majority of EV visitors due to the limited range of most current BEVs, and the lack of en route EVSEs between the major population areas and the park. Nevertheless, catering to BEVs now will pay dividends, as they all have enough range to drive entirely on battery power once inside the park given EVSEs in the above locations; PHEVs may have to burn some gas on longer trips. The en route EVSE infrastructure is slowly being built up and the price of batteries is coming down, which will soon make it practical for BEVs to visit the park as a matter of routine. As it is, some pioneers have made trips into the park from the San Francisco Bay Area and the Fresno area despite the current lack of convenience - see Appendix 4 for their accounts.
In addition to installing more EVSEs,you also need to tell people about them. They should be listed in the appropriate 'Services' sections of the Yosemite Guide under "EV Charging Stations", with the number and type (L1, L2 or L3) of EVSEs at each location. Each of these EVSEs should also be listed on EV charging websites such as Recargo and Plugshare. In addition, a press release similar to that announcing the photovoltaic array at the park service headquarters at El Portal (http://www.nps.gov/yose/parknews/epsolar11.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false
would be appropriate, and it should be disseminated to the various EV internet forums and blogs (MyNissanLeaf.com, Greencarreports.com etc.)As to funds to pay for this, I recognize that money is tight now, and I suggest that the Yosemite Conservancy may be willing to help out.
In addition to this Cover Letter, this proposal contains the following:
- Glossary
- Appendix 1, Suggested roll-out order and specific locations for long-term, phased deployment of EVSEs
- Appendix 2, Recommendations for appropriate EVSE types, installations and parking lot layouts
- Appendix 3, EVSE suppliers
- Appendix 4, Personal accounts of BEV trips to Yosemite
- Appendix 5, DNC Green Path statement
I will be happy to answer any questions and provide whatever help I can to make this happen, and hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Name
P.S. I have no financial interest or other relationship with any company involved in this field. My motivation is purely personal, in that I want to help transition the U.S. away from fossil fuels for environmental, energy and national security reasons, and think this is particularly important for a place like Yosemite. However, in my past professional life I proposed to the Park, designed, spec'd, and with the help of Hut Ranger/Caretaker Howard Weamer, installed the photovoltaic power system (and later the photovoltaic water pumping system) at Ostrander Lake Ski Hut, donating my labor and some of the parts. I've been a Yosemite backcountry user for more than 35 years and most recently visited over the Labor Day weekend, much of which I spent surveying potential sites along the Tioga road for EVSEs.
