BILL NUMBER: SB 1086 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 19, 2001
INTRODUCED BY Senator Alarcon
FEBRUARY 23, 2001
An act to add Article 6 (commencing with Section 43875)
to Chapter 4 of Part 5 of Division 26 of the Health and Safety Code,
relating to air An act relating to air
pollution, and making an appropriation therefor.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 1086, as amended, Alarcon. Air pollution: public
transit bus fleets: pilot program liquified natural
gas: production .
(1) Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation
and Development Commission, in conjunction with the State Air
Resources Board, to carry out a program of technology development and
financial assistance to expand the use of methanol fuel as a means
of reducing air pollution, assuring the state's energy security, and
increasing the competitiveness of fuel markets.
This bill would require the commission to implement a grant
program, that would include matching fund criteria, to fund the
development of equipment necessary to produce or accelerate the
production of liquefied natural gas from solid waste landfills for
use as transportation fuel.
(2) The bill would appropriate $15,000,000 from the General Fund
to the commission for purposes of the bill.
(1) Existing law grants primary responsibility for the control of
air pollution from vehicular sources to the State Air Resources
Board. Existing law also authorizes the state board to adopt motor
vehicle emission standards and motor vehicle specifications.
This bill would require the state board to develop and adopt, by
regulation, a pilot program to assist local governments to begin
utilizing low emission or alternative fuels. The bill would also
require the pilot program to incorporate technologies that assist
disabled passengers enter and exit urban buses used in the pilot
program.
(2) The bill would appropriate an unspecified amount from the
General Fund to the state board for purposes of the bill.
Vote: 2/3. Appropriation: yes. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Article 6 (commencing with Section 43875) is
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
(a) Many of the state's air quality management districts have
adopted programs to reduce emissions from heavy-duty engines as a
means of achieving health-based air quality standards and to reduce
exposure to toxic air contaminants.
(b) The use of alternative fuel such as natural gas offers an
immediate opportunity to reduce emissions from heavy-duty trucks.
(c) The recent increase in natural gas prices, coupled with
increased demand from energy generators, present serious obstacles
for both public and private fleet operators that have been required
or encouraged to convert to natural gas.
(d) There is a critical need to expand natural gas supplies both
for electrical energy generation and for use as a clean
transportation fuel.
(e) California's solid waste landfills offer an immediate and
significant source of affordable methane that can be converted to
liquefied natural gas for use in heavy-duty vehicles.
(f) New demand for methane-produced fuel will encourage
improvements in the recovery of landfill gas and may significantly
reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
(g) Grants to fund a number of pilot projects will advance the
commercialization of landfill gas treatment equipment and accelerate
the production of liquefied natural gas from the state's solid waste
landfills.
SEC. 2. (a) The sum of fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000) is
hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the State Energy
Resources Conservation and Development Commission to be expended to
develop equipment necessary to produce or accelerate the production
of liquefied natural gas from solid waste landfills for use as a
transportation fuel. The commission shall adopt guidelines governing
the implementation of the grant program in conformance with this
section.
(b) The grant program guidelines are not subject to the
requirements of Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1
of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code. The guidelines
shall do all of the following:
(1) Establish criteria for selecting pilot projects to receive
funding for purposes of this section.
(2) Establish matching fund criteria to ensure that entities that
receive funds pursuant to this section match the amount of any grant
funds awarded to the entity.
(3) Establish appropriate audit procedures to ensure that grant
funds are expended in a manner consistent with this section.
added to Chapter 4 of Part 5 of Division 26 of the Health
and Safety Code, to read:
Article 6. Alternative Fuel Vehicles
43875. (a) The state board shall develop and adopt, by
regulation, a pilot program to assist local governments to begin
utilizing low emission or alternative fuels.
(b) The pilot program described in subdivision (a) shall
incorporate technologies that assist disabled passengers enter and
exit urban buses used in the pilot program.
SEC. 2. The sum of ____ dollars ($____) is hereby appropriated
from the General Fund to the State Air Resources Board to develop the
pilot program specified in Article 6 (commencing with Section 43875)
of Chapter 4 of Part 5 of Division 6 of the Health and Safety Code.