BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1548

                                                                                                                                By: Van de Putte

Transportation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Currently, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) operates its fleet of vehicles on propane to comply with legislation requiring TxDOT to meet an alternative fuel mandate.

SB 1548 allows TxDOT more options to fill its alternative fuel need.  The bill creates a Texas Hydrogen Transportation Corridor that will consist of hydrogen refueling stations in San Antonio, Austin, Dallas and Houston.  In addition, the bill requires TxDOT to operate four vehicles with hydrogen operated internal combustion engines, and three vehicles with hydrogen operated fuel cells or one fuel cell bus. The bill requires all refueling stations to be located strategically near IH-35 and IH-10.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 382.133, Health and Safety Code, by adding Subsection (d), to authorize a mass transit hydrogen-fueled fleet vehicle to be used to satisfy the percentage required under this section (relating to a mass transit authority's fleet using alternative fuels).

SECTION 2.  Amends Subchapter H, Chapter 201, Transportation Code, by adding Section 201.617, as follows:

Sec. 201.617.  HYDROGEN-FUELED VEHICLES AND REFUELING STATIONS.  (a)  Authorizes TxDOT to seek funding from public and private sources to acquire and operate hydrogen-fueled vehicles and to establish and operate hydrogen refueling stations as provided by this section.

            (b)  Requires TxDOT, if funding is secured under Subsection (a), to establish and operate at least five hydrogen refueling stations.  Requires the refueling stations to             be located in San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, El Paso, and Houston near Interstate             Highway 10 or Interstate Highway 35 and to be accessible to the public.

            (c) Requires TxDOT, if funding is secured under Subsection (a), to operate            hydrogen fueled-vehicles, including, at a minimum four vehicles with internal            combustion engines that run on hydrogen and three fuel-cell vehicles or one fuel           cell bus.

            (d)  Authorizes a vehicle purchased to meet the requirements of Subsection (a) to   be used to satisfy the alternative fuels percentage requirement under Subchapter         A (Purchase of Passenger Vehicles), Chapter 2158, Government Code.

            (e) Authorizes TxDOT to establish hydrogen refueling stations on the Trans-          Texas   Corridor under Chapter 227 (Trans-Texas Corridor).

            (f) Requires TxDOT to ensure that data on emissions from the vehicles and            refueling stations purchased under this section and from the production of      hydrogen for the vehicles and refueling stations are monitored and analyzed and         compared with date on emissions from control vehicles with internal combustion      engines that operate on fuels other than hydrogen.  Requires TxDOT to report the results of the monitoring, analysis, and comparison to the Texas Commission on         Environmental Quality.

SECTION 3.  Effective date: September 1, 2005.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2005.