House passes compressed natural gas bill

[Aquariuzz]

House passes compressed natural gas bill

Associated Press - May 12, 2009 12:35 PM ET

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - The Oklahoma House has approved legislation that encourages Oklahomans to use alternative energy sources.

Lawmakers approved the bill 90-4 Tuesday and sent it to the Senate for final consideration.

The bill is part of House Speaker Chris Benge's statewide energy initiative effort. It extends an existing tax credit on the purchase of a qualified clean-burning vehicle for five years for compressed and liquefied natural gas and electric cars.

The credit is equal to 50% of the cost of converting a vehicle to operate on a qualified fuel, as well as those originally equipped to do so.

The legislation also includes a tax credit for businesses wanting to build infrastructure to fuel such vehicles, along with a $2,500 tax credit for consumers installing home-fueling stations.

[Aquariuzz]

Re: House passes compressed natural gas bill

House Speaker Praises Energy Bills Signed into Law

CONTACT:
Jennifer Monies, Press Secretary
Oklahoma House of Representatives
Office of House Speaker Chris Benge
Office: 405-962-7679
Email: [email protected]

OKLAHOMA CITY (June 1, 2009) – House Speaker Chris Benge praised Gov. Brad Henry today for signing three energy bills into law which will help to ensure Oklahoma stays at the front of the ongoing national alternative energy discussion.

Since last summer, Benge has discussed America's need to deploy local energy assets to help wean the country off volatile foreign oil. He filed several energy-related bills this legislative session to help craft a statewide energy plan that not only includes the mainstays of oil and natural gas, but also wind, geothermal, nuclear along with conservation efforts.

Three of those bills have been signed into law, which will help Oklahomans take advantage of the state's local alternative energy assets with natural gas for transportation and wind energy.

"Our state has a longstanding energy history in this country, and those dynamics will only continue with legislation like this in law," said Benge, R-Tulsa. "These bills have positioned our state to play a vital role in producing domestic energy sources that will spur economic development locally, all while helping to boost our country's economic and national security."

House Bill 1949 extends an existing tax credit on the purchase of a qualified clean-burning motor vehicle for five years for compressed and liquefied natural gas and electric cars.

The credit is equal to 50 percent of the cost of a conversion of vehicles to operate on a qualified fuel, as well as those originally equipped to do so.

The legislation also includes a tax credit for businesses seeking to build infrastructure to fuel such vehicles, along with a $2,500 tax credit for consumers installing home-fueling stations.

House Bill 1952 seeks to help further expand the number of vehicles in the state running on alternative fuels like compressed natural gas. The legislation will also help expand the number of publicly available fueling stations across the state.

The bill would allow the Department of Central Services to provide fleet services to schools, county and municipal governments and provide public access to alternative fueling infrastructure in underserved areas unless a private provider locates within five miles.

The "State Fleet Management Fund" will also be amended to allow money from the fund to be used to build alternative fueling infrastructure or to acquire alternative fuel vehicles for use by state agencies or to lease to political subdivisions. The bill states that money from lease payments would be deposited into the fund.

The allowable loan amount out of the fund for a fill station will increase to $300,000, and a current cap of $10,000 per vehicle conversion will remain intact.

The bill would also repeal cost-prohibitive California Air Resources Board emission limits, and instead defer to emissions standards put in place by the federal Environmental Protection Agency. This change will make conversions easier and less cost-prohibitive but would still keep federal standards in place on all conversion kits.

Natural gas is the cleanest burning fuel in the world, and 97 percent of the U.S. supply of natural gas is produced in North America. There are 8 million natural gas vehicles in the world, though less than 100,000 of those are in the United States. Of the 234.6 million vehicles travelling on American roads, a mere 95,000 are natural gas vehicles, or 0.1 percent.

That is compared to countries like Argentina where there are 1.5 million NGVs on their roads. Both Pakistan and Iran have nearly a quarter of their vehicles running on natural gas. And they do that so they can reserve their oil to sell to the United States, further feeding America's addiction to foreign fuel.

The European Union has mandated that 20 percent of all their vehicles must run on natural gas by 2020, and they are set to beat that timeline. In 1997, Europe has about 400 CNG fueling stations. By 2006, that number had jumped to 2,105, or an increase of over 400 percent.

But, unlike Europe and some other states currently pushing mandates, these two bills will increase the natural gas vehicle market in Oklahoma with incentives rather than requirements.

Finally, House Bill 1953 was also signed into law, which would make companies that support, repair and maintain service activities for wind industry energy companies eligible for the state's Quality Jobs Act. This legislation would seek to attract companies to Oklahoma involved in all aspects of the wind energy industry.

The bill would give companies financial incentives to move to Oklahoma if they create new, well-paying jobs and offer their employees health insurance.

"These three bills are only the beginning when it comes to crafting a well-rounded energy plan for our state," said Benge. "I remain committed to building on these accomplishments to help spur innovation and creativity when it comes to reducing our country's dependence on foreign oil. Oklahoma must not only play a role in developing American energy independence, but we must lead the way."

[Aquariuzz]

Re: House passes compressed natural gas bill

BILL SUMMARY
1st Session of the 52nd Legislature

Bill No.: HB 1952
Version: Committee Sub (6781)
Author: Speaker Benge
Date: February 23, 2009
Impact: Increased State Revenue: Alternative
Vehicle Flat Tax ($100 Per Vehicle)
Fuel Efficiencies - $585 Per Vehicle
Alternative Fuel Industry: Increased
Jobs/Increased State Tax Collections
Estimated State Construction/Operations/
Dependent Upon the Number and Type of
Alternative Fueling Stations

Bill Summary

Research Analyst: Dusty Darr

This measure allows the Department of Central Services to construct, install, acquire, operate and provide alternative fueling infrastructure for use by state agencies or for leasing and transferring to political subdivisions of the state. The Director of Central Services is allowed to enter into fleet services agreements with any political subdivision of the state, and the Department may also offer public access to alternative fueling infrastructure in areas of the state where access to alternative fueling infrastructure is not readily available. If a privately owned alternative fueling station is placed within a five-mile radius of a DCS alternative fueling station, the Department must cease allowing public access to the station.

The maximum loan amount from the Oklahoma Alternative Fuels Conversion Fund expended for the construction of a fill station or charge station is increased from $150,000.00 to $300,000.00, and the maximum amount the Department may expend for the construction, installation or acquisition of an alternative fueling infrastructure to be leased to a political subdivision of the state cannot exceed $500,000.00. Certain definitions regarding alternative fuels are modified. In addition, this measure repeals the current statutory requirement that each Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion kit installed in any motor vehicle in the state of Oklahoma meet the exhaust emissions standards of the California Air Resources Board.

[OKC CNG TECH]

Re: House passes compressed natural gas bill

Aquariuzz,
Thanks for all the info. I had heard about some of these bills being passed, but had not seen it in writing yet. Good stuff!