Governor Schwarzenegger announced on April 20, 2004 his vision for the California Hydrogen Highway Network (CaH2Net) and signed Executive Order S-704 outlining that vision. CaH2Net’s mission is to support and catalyze a rapid transition to a clean, hydrogen transportation economy in California to:

• reduce dependence on foreign oil
• reduce greenhouse gasA gas in Earth's atmosphere that traps heat and can contribute to global warming. Carbon dioxide and methane are two GHGs. emissions
• improve our air quality
• grow the California economy

In 2004, when the automakers were operating a handful of FCVs, the best plan seemed to be putting 50-100 stations along California’s major highways. As real people began driving fuel cell vehicles for work-related or personal use, it became clear that putting small clusters of stations in communities that have the highest concentration of fuel cell vehicles is more useful to drivers.

CaH2Net has provided matching funds for building exactly these types of stations. In June 2008, ARB awarded $7.6 million for three new hydrogen stations - two in the Los Angeles area and one in the San Francisco Bay Area. The stations are expected to be operational in 2010.

In March 2009, ARB announced their intent to award grants for four new hydrogen fueling stations, bringing the total of ARB co-funded stations to seven.
The new stations, three in the Los Angeles area and one in the San Francisco
Bay area, will meet many of the same criteria as the three stations awarded in
June 2008:

• Provide hydrogen at 35 MPa and 70 MPa pressures (5,000 and 10,000 psi)
• Easy access and convenient hours of operation
• Close to major freeway on/off ramps and in areas where original equipment manufacturers have committed to place FCVs.