ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA — Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley released a statement following the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) Governing Board approval of $8,297,548 for Electrification of Balboa Island Ferries and Installation of Supporting Charging Infrastructure.
“Today’s vote by the South Coast Air Quality Management District brings us one step closer towards saving the Balboa Island Ferry,” said Supervisor Foley. “The Balboa Island Ferry serves as critical transportation infrastructure that provides pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers with affordable and accessible transportation to and from Balboa Island. The Ferry also reduces vehicle miles traveled by 4.2 million annually, already reflecting its important role in our community to reduce carbon emissions. I thank the South Coast AQMD and the California Air Resources Board for moving quickly to secure this funding for the Ferry. I look forward to one day joining the community on the first trip on the zero-emission ferries once we get this done.”
In 2022, the Balboa Ferry carried approximately 1.5 million passengers and 350,000 cars. However, the Balboa Island Ferry was at risk of closure due to state law that requires all short-run ferries in California to transition to zero-emission operation by December 31, 2025.
The funding will replace or repower three diesel ferries with three ZE electric ferries with a sufficient bank of batteries to provide electricity to the motors for 16- hour operational shifts and install four chargers at the Balboa Island ferry dock to charge the ferries.
In October of 2023 Supervisor Foley wrote a letter to CARB requesting funding for Ferry electrification and an extension to comply with the December 31, 2025 deadline.
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Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley was elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2022 to represent the newly established District 5, which includes the cities of Aliso Viejo, Costa Mesa, Dana Point, a large portion of Irvine, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Newport Beach, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, as well as the unincorporated areas of Coto de Caza, Emerald Bay, Ladera Ranch, Las Flores, Rancho Mission Viejo, Stonecliffe and Wagon Wheel. This is her second term on the Board of Supervisors, where she previously served District 2.
Supervisor Foley’s Board appointments include the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA), Chair – OCFA Legislation & Public Affairs Committee, Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), Vice Chair – OCTA Legislative and Communications Committee, Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency, Transportation Corridor Agency (TCA), TCA Joint Capital Improvements and Projects Committee, Coastal Greenbelt Authority, Newport Bay and South Orange County Watershed Executive Committees, Ocean Institute, San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) Community Engagement Panel, Co-Chair – Spent Fuel Solutions Coalition, Chair – Orange County Housing Finance Trust, and the Orange County Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council.
