Bill Text: PA HB1085 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Establishing the Clean Transit Program; and providing a transfer of funds from the Oil and Gas Lease Fund to the Department of Environmental Protection for a loan program for the transition of large mass transit bus fleets to compressed natural gas.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 44-7)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-04-20 - Referred to TRANSPORTATION [HB1085 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2011-HB1085-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 1574
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1085 Session of2011
INTRODUCED BY WATSON, DENLINGER, MARSHALL, MOUL, PERRY, PICKETT, SAYLOR, MAJOR, AUMENT, BAKER, BARRAR, BOYD, CALTAGIRONE, CARROLL, CAUSER, CREIGHTON, CUTLER, DALEY, DAVIS, ELLIS, J. EVANS, EVERETT, GEIST, GIBBONS, GILLESPIE, GINGRICH, GODSHALL, GRELL, GROVE, HELM, HICKERNELL, KAUFFMAN, M. K. KELLER, KILLION, KNOWLES, MICOZZIE, MILLER, MUSTIO, D. O'BRIEN, QUINN, READSHAW, ROCK, SCAVELLO, SIMMONS, STEPHENS, VULAKOVICH, WHITE, RAPP, PETRI AND BEAR, APRIL 20, 2011
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, APRIL 20, 2011
AN ACT
Establishing the Clean Transit Program; and providing a transfer
of funds from the Oil and Gas Lease Fund to the Department of
Environmental Protection for a loan program for the
transition of large mass transit bus fleets to compressed
natural gas.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Clean Transit
Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Department." The Department of Environmental Protection of
the Commonwealth.
"Large mass transit authority." A mass transit authority
located in this Commonwealth that exceeds 245,000 revenue
vehicle hours for two consecutive years.
"Mass transit authority." An operator of regularly scheduled
transportation that is available to the general public and is
provided according to published schedules along designated
published routes with specified stopping points for the taking
on and discharging of passengers. The term does not include
exclusive ride taxi services, charter or sightseeing services,
nonpublic transportation or school bus or limousine services.
"Program." The Clean Transit Program.
Section 3. Clean Transit Program.
(a) Establishment.--The department shall establish and
administer the Clean Transit Program.
(b) Purpose.--The program is established in order to
decrease emissions from mass transit buses by utilizing natural
gas as a vehicle fuel.
(c) Transfer of funds.--The State Treasurer shall transfer
from the Oil and Gas Lease Fund to the department the sum of
$7,500,000 to fund the program.
(d) Use of funds.--The sum of $7,500,000 shall be deposited
into a fund to be administered by the department and made
available to large mass transit authorities for the conversion
of buses to run on compressed natural gas as a fuel source or to
purchase buses which use compressed natural gas as a fuel
source. The following shall apply:
(1) The money in the fund shall be appropriated on a
continuing basis.
(2) No more than 1.5% of the fund may be used for
administration.
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(3) The department may set terms applicable to loans in
any manner it deems appropriate, subject to the provisions of
this act.
(e) Application process.--
(1) A mass transit authority must complete and submit to
the department a clean transit loan application.
(2) Approved applications must obligate the mass transit
authority to contract with a private company:
(i) to build exclusively with private funds; and
(ii) to maintain and operate any new compressed
natural gas fueling facility necessary to support
compressed natural gas buses purchased with funds
received under this act.
(3) The term "operate" as used in this subsection shall
not include the actual act of fueling buses.
(f) Eligible costs.--
(1) Loan funds received under this act shall be eligible
for:
(i) Federally assisted bus purchases and shall be
limited to the total percentage of the State and local
match portion applied only to the incremental cost of a
new compressed natural gas bus or compressed natural gas
bus conversion.
(ii) Nonfederally assisted bus purchases and shall
be limited to 50% of the total incremental cost of a new
compressed natural gas bus or compressed natural gas bus
conversion.
(2) The incremental cost shall be capped at $50,000 for
buses which have a gross vehicle weight rating over 26,000
pounds and $25,000 for buses with a gross vehicle weight
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rating of 26,000 pounds and under.
(3) Buses with a gross vehicle weight rating of 14,000
pounds or less shall be ineligible.
(4) Priority shall be given to those applications which
provide for public access to compressed natural gas vehicle
fueling dispensers.
(g) Loan program.--The department shall establish a formula
and method for awarding of loans under the program consistent
with this act.
(h) Fund repayment.--
(1) Loans disbursed from the fund under subsection (d)
shall be repaid within five years from disbursement and
before June 30, 2021.
(2) On June 30, 2021, no money shall be deposited into
the fund and any remaining money in the fund shall be
transferred to the Oil and Gas Lease Fund.
(3) The interest rate for loans provided by the program
shall be 2%.
(i) Appeal process.--Applicants that are not awarded grants
under this act shall not have the right to a hearing or the
issuance of an adjudication under section 4 of the act of July
13, 1988 (P.L.530, No.94), known as the Environmental Hearing
Board Act, regarding the department's decision.
Section 20. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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