82R10629 JAM-F

By: Strama H.B. No. 2938

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a grant program for certain natural gas motor vehicles.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 386.252(a), Health and Safety Code, as amended by Chapters 1125 (H.B. 1796) and 1232 (S.B. 1759), Acts of the 81st Legislature, Regular Session, 2009, is reenacted and amended to read as follows:

(a) Money in the fund may be used only to implement and administer programs established under the plan and shall be allocated as follows:

(1) for the diesel emissions reduction incentive program, 87.5 percent of the money in the fund, of which:

(A) not more than four percent may be used for the clean school bus program;

(B) not more than 10 percent may be used for on-road diesel purchase or lease incentives; [and]

(C) a specified amount may be used for the new technology implementation grant program, from which a defined amount may be set aside for electricity storage projects related to renewable energy;

(D) five percent shall be used for the clean fleet program;

(E) not less than 16 percent shall be used for the natural gas vehicle rebate program; and

(F) not more than four percent may be used to provide grants for natural gas fueling stations under Section 393.009;

(2) for the new technology research and development program, nine percent of the money in the fund, of which:

(A) up to $200,000 is allocated for a health effects study;

(B) $500,000 is to be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the clean air account created under Section 382.0622 to supplement funding for air quality planning activities in affected counties;

(C) not less than 20 percent is to be allocated each year to support research related to air quality as provided by Section 387.010; and

(D) the balance is allocated each year to the commission to be used to:

(i) implement and administer the new technology research and development program for the purpose of identifying, testing, and evaluating new emissions-reducing technologies with potential for commercialization in this state and to facilitate their certification or verification; and

(ii) contract with the Energy Systems Laboratory at the Texas Engineering Experiment Station for $216,000 annually for the development and annual computation of creditable statewide emissions reductions obtained through wind and other renewable energy resources for the state implementation plan; and

(3) two percent is allocated to the commission and 1.5 percent is allocated to the laboratory for administrative costs incurred by the commission and the laboratory.

SECTION 2. Subtitle C, Title 5, Health and Safety Code, is amended by adding Chapter 393 to read as follows:

CHAPTER 393. TEXAS NATURAL GAS VEHICLE GRANT PROGRAM

Sec. 393.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:

(1) "Commission" means the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

(2) "Executive director" means the executive director of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

(3) "Heavy-duty motor vehicle" means a motor vehicle with:

(A) a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds; and

(B) an engine certified to the United States Environmental Protection Agency's standards for heavy-duty engines.

(4) "Incremental cost" has the meaning assigned by Section 386.001.

(5) "Motor vehicle" has the meaning assigned by Section 386.151.

(6) "Natural gas vehicle" means a motor vehicle that receives not less than 75 percent of its power from compressed or liquefied natural gas.

(7) "Program" means the Texas natural gas vehicle grant program established under this chapter.

Sec. 393.002. PROGRAM. The commission shall establish and administer the Texas natural gas vehicle grant program to encourage an entity that has a heavy-duty motor vehicle to repower the vehicle with a natural gas engine or replace the vehicle with a natural gas vehicle. Under the program, the commission shall provide grants for eligible heavy-duty motor vehicles to offset the incremental cost for the entity of repowering or replacing the heavy-duty motor vehicle.

Sec. 393.003. QUALIFYING VEHICLES. (a) A vehicle is a qualifying vehicle that may be considered for a grant under the program if during the calendar year the entity:

(1) purchased or leased the vehicle as a new on-road heavy-duty motor vehicle that:

(A) is a natural gas vehicle;

(B) is certified to current federal emissions standards;

(C) replaces an on-road heavy-duty motor vehicle of the same weight classification and use; and

(D) is powered by an engine certified to emit not more than 0.2 grams of nitrogen oxides per brake horsepower hour; or

(2) repowered the on-road heavy-duty motor vehicle to a natural gas vehicle powered by a natural gas engine that:

(A) is certified to current federal emissions standards; and

(B) is certified to emit not more than 0.2 grams of nitrogen oxides per brake horsepower hour.

(b) A heavy-duty motor vehicle is not a qualifying vehicle if the vehicle or the natural gas engine powering the vehicle:

(1) has been used as a qualifying vehicle to receive a grant under this chapter for a previous reporting period or by another entity; or

(2) has received a similar grant or tax credit in another jurisdiction if that grant or tax credit program is relied on for credit in the state implementation plan.

Sec. 393.004. APPLICATION FOR GRANT. (a) Only an entity operating in this state that operates a heavy-duty motor vehicle may apply for and receive a grant under this chapter.

(b) An application for a grant under this chapter must be made on a form provided by the commission and must contain the information required by the commission.

(c) The commission, after consulting stakeholders, shall:

(1) simplify the application form; and

(2) minimize, to the extent feasible, documentation required for an application.

Sec. 393.005. ELIGIBILITY FOR GRANTS. (a) The commission by rule shall establish criteria for prioritizing qualifying vehicles eligible to receive grants under this chapter. The commission shall review and revise the criteria as appropriate.

(b) To be eligible for a grant under the program:

(1) the use of the qualifying vehicle must be projected to result in a reduction in emissions of nitrogen oxides of at least 25 percent as compared to the heavy-duty motor vehicle or engine being replaced, based on:

(A) the baseline emission level set by the commission under Subsection (g); and

(B) the certified emission rate of the new vehicle; and

(2) the qualifying vehicle must:

(A) replace a heavy-duty motor vehicle that:

(i) is an on-road vehicle that has been owned or leased and registered and operated by the applicant in Texas for at least the two years immediately preceding the submission of a grant application;

(ii) satisfies any minimum average annual mileage or fuel usage requirements established by the commission;

(iii) satisfies any minimum percentage of annual usage requirements established by the commission; and

(iv) is in operating condition and has at least two years of remaining useful life, as determined in accordance with criteria established by the commission; or

(B) be a heavy-duty motor vehicle repowered with a natural gas engine that:

(i) is installed in an on-road vehicle that has been owned or leased and registered and operated by the applicant in Texas for at least the two years immediately preceding the submission of a grant application;

(ii) satisfies any minimum average annual mileage or fuel usage requirements established by the commission;

(iii) satisfies any minimum percentage of annual usage requirements established by the commission; and

(iv) at the time of the vehicle's repowering with a natural gas engine, the vehicle was in operating condition and had at least two years of remaining useful life, as determined in accordance with criteria established by the commission.

(c) As a condition of receiving a grant, the qualifying vehicle must be continuously owned or leased and registered and operated in the state by the grant recipient until the earlier of the fourth anniversary of the date of reimbursement of the grant-funded expenses or until the date the vehicle has been in operation for 400,000 miles. Not less than 75 percent of the annual use of the qualifying vehicle, either mileage or fuel use as determined by the commission, must occur in the counties any part of which are included in the area described by Section 393.010(a).

(d) The commission shall include and enforce the usage provisions in the grant contracts. The commission shall monitor compliance with the ownership, leasing, and usage requirements, including submission of reports on at least an annual basis, or more frequently as determined by the commission.

(e) The commission by contract may require the return of all or a portion of grant funds for a grant recipient's noncompliance with the usage and percentage of use requirements under this section.

(f) A heavy-duty motor vehicle or engine replaced under this program must be rendered permanently inoperable by crushing the vehicle, by making a hole in the engine block and permanently destroying the frame of the vehicle, or by another method approved by the commission that permanently removes the vehicle from operation in this state. The commission shall establish criteria for ensuring the permanent destruction of the engine and vehicle. The commission shall enforce the destruction requirements.

(g) The commission shall establish baseline emission levels for emissions of nitrogen oxides for on-road heavy-duty motor vehicles being replaced by using the emission certification for the engine or vehicle being replaced. The commission may consider deterioration of the emission performance of the engine of the vehicle being replaced in establishing the baseline emission level. The commission may consider and establish baseline emission rates for additional pollutants of concern, as determined by the commission.

(h) Mileage or fuel use requirements established by the commission under Subsection (b)(2)(A)(ii) may differ by vehicle weight categories and type of use.

(i) The executive director may waive the requirements of Subsection (b)(2)(A)(i) on a finding of good cause, including short lapses in registration or operation due to economic conditions, seasonal work, or other circumstances.

Sec. 393.006. RESTRICTION ON USE OF GRANT. A recipient of a grant under this chapter shall use the grant to pay the incremental costs of the replacement for which the grant is made, which may include the initial cost of the natural gas vehicle or natural gas engine and the reasonable and necessary expenses incurred for the labor needed to install emissions-reducing equipment. The recipient may not use the grant to pay the recipient's administrative expenses.

Sec. 393.007. AMOUNT OF GRANT. (a) The commission shall develop a grant schedule that:

(1) assigns a standardized grant in an amount between 60 and 90 percent of the incremental cost of a natural gas vehicle purchase, lease, or repowering; and

(2) is based on:

(A) the certified emission level of nitrogen oxides, or other pollutants as determined by the commission, of the engine powering the natural gas vehicle;

(B) the overall emissions reduction achieved by the natural gas vehicle; and

(C) the usage of the natural gas vehicle.

(b) Not less than 50 percent of the total amount of grants awarded under this chapter for the purchase and repowering of motor vehicles must be awarded to motor vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of at least 33,001 pounds. The minimum grant requirement under this subsection does not apply if the commission does not receive enough grant applications to satisfy the requirement for motor vehicles described by this subsection that are eligible to receive a grant under this chapter.

Sec. 393.008. GRANT PROCEDURES. (a) The commission shall adopt procedures for:

(1) awarding grants under this chapter in the form of rebates; and

(2) streamlining the grant application, contracting, reimbursement, and reporting process for qualifying natural gas vehicle purchases or repowers.

(b) Procedures adopted under this section must:

(1) provide for a listing compiled by the commission of pre-approved natural gas vehicles powered by natural gas engines certified to emit not more than 0.2 grams of nitrogen oxides per brake horsepower hour;

(2) provide a method to calculate the reduction in emissions of nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and sulfur compounds for each replacement or repowering;

(3) assign a standardized rebate amount for each qualifying vehicle under Section 393.007;

(4) allow for processing rebates on an ongoing first-come, first-served basis;

(5) provide for contracts between the commission and participating dealers under Section 393.009;

(6) allow grant recipients to assign their grant funds to participating dealers to offset the purchase or lease price;

(7) require grant applicants to identify natural gas fueling stations that are available to fuel the qualifying vehicle in the area of its use;

(8) provide for payment not later than the 30th day after the date a grant is approved;

(9) provide for application submission and application status checks to be made over the Internet; and

(10) consolidate, simplify, and reduce the administrative work for applicants and the commission associated with grant application, contracting, reimbursement, and reporting requirements.

(c) The commission, or its designee, shall oversee the grant process and is responsible for final approval of any grant.

(d) Grant recipients are responsible for meeting all grant conditions, including reporting and monitoring as required by the commission through the grant contract.

Sec. 393.009. PARTICIPATING DEALERS. (a) In this section, "participating dealer" means a person who:

(1) sells or leases on-road heavy-duty natural gas vehicles or heavy-duty natural gas engines; and

(2) has satisfied all requirements established by the commission for participation in the program as a dealer.

(b) A participating dealer must agree to the terms and conditions of a standardized contract developed by the commission.

(c) A participating dealer shall:

(1) provide information regarding natural gas vehicle grants to fleet operators;

(2) assist an applicant who purchases or leases a natural gas vehicle or engine from the dealer with the completion of the application; and

(3) submit completed applications and documentation to the commission on behalf of an applicant who purchases or leases a natural gas vehicle or engine from the dealer.

(d) A participating dealer may not approve a grant.

(e) The commission shall:

(1) maintain and make available to the public online a list of all qualified dealers; and

(2) establish requirements for participation in the program by sellers of on-road heavy-duty natural gas vehicles and natural gas engines.

Sec. 393.010. CLEAN TRANSPORTATION TRIANGLE. (a) To ensure that natural gas vehicles purchased or leased or repowered under the program have access to fuel, and to build the foundation for a self-sustaining market for natural gas vehicles in Texas, the commission shall award grants to support the development of a network of natural gas vehicle fueling stations along the interstate highways between Houston, San Antonio, and the Dallas-Fort Worth area. In awarding the grants, the commission shall provide for:

(1) strategically placed natural gas vehicle fueling stations in and between the Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas-Fort Worth areas to enable a natural gas vehicle to travel along that triangular area relying solely on natural gas fuel;

(2) grants to be dispersed through a competitive bidding process to offset a portion of the cost of installation of the natural gas dispensing equipment;

(3) contracts that require the recipient stations to meet operational, maintenance, and reporting requirements as specified by the commission; and

(4) a listing, to be maintained by the commission and made available to the public online, of all natural gas vehicle fueling stations that have received grant funding, including location and hours of operation.

(b) The commission may not award more than three station grants to any entity.

(c) Stations funded by grants under this section must be publicly accessible and located not more than three miles from an interstate highway system. The commission shall give preference to:

(1) stations providing both liquefied natural gas and compressed natural gas at a single location; and

(2) stations located not more than one mile from an interstate highway system.

(d) To meet the goals of this section, the commission may solicit grant applications under this section for a new fueling station in a specific area or location.

(e) Grants made under this section are not subject to the requirements of Sections 393.002 through 393.008. The commission shall develop an application package and review applications in accordance with Sections 386.110 and 386.111.

(f) The commission, in consultation with the natural gas industry, shall determine the most efficient use of funding for the station grants under this section to maximize the availability of natural gas fueling stations.

Sec. 393.011. ADDITIONAL INCENTIVES FOR NATURAL GAS VEHICLES. The commission shall work with the Texas Department of Transportation and local transportation authorities to provide additional incentives for natural gas vehicles such as access to high occupancy vehicle lanes and preferred parking in urban areas.

Sec. 393.012. ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM. The commission may contract with one or more entities for administration of the program.

Sec. 393.013. EXPIRATION. This chapter expires August 31, 2017.

SECTION 3. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality shall adopt rules and establish procedures under Chapter 393, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 4. To the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails over another Act of the 82nd Legislature, Regular Session, 2011, relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted codes.

SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.