Bill Text: MN HF2738 | 2013-2014 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Cleaner fuel-powered motor vehicles purchase by state agencies barriers eliminated, state SmartFleet requirements modified, electric plug-in vehicle charging stations at multiunit housing facilities study required, Biomethane Task Force created, and reports required.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-03-06 - Introduction and first reading, referred to Government Operations [HF2738 Detail]
Download: Minnesota-2013-HF2738-Introduced.html
1.2relating to transportation; motor vehicles; eliminating barriers to the purchase
1.3of cleaner fuel-powered motor vehicles by state agencies; modifying state
1.4SmartFleet requirements; requiring a study on electric plug-in vehicle charging
1.5stations at multiunit housing facilities; creating a Biomethane Task Force;
1.6requiring reports; amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections 16C.135,
1.7subdivision 3; 16C.137, subdivisions 1, 2; 16C.138, subdivision 2.
1.8BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.9 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 16C.135, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
1.10 Subd. 3. Vehicle purchases. Consistent with section 16C.137, subdivision 1,
1.11when purchasing a motor vehicle for the central motor pool or for use by an agency, the
1.12commissioner or the agency shall purchase a motor vehicle that is capable of being powered
1.13by cleaner fuels, or a motor vehicle powered by electricity or by a combination of electricity
1.14and liquid fuel,if such a motor vehicle is reasonably available at similar costs to other
1.15vehicles and if the vehicle is capable of carrying out the purpose for which it is purchased.
1.16 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 16C.137, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.17 Subdivision 1.Goals and actions SmartFleet requirements. (a) Using 2005 as a
1.18baseline, the state of Minnesota shall reduce the use of gasoline by on-road vehicles
1.19owned by state departments by 25 percent by 2010 and by 50 percent by 2015, and the
1.20use of petroleum-based diesel fuel in diesel-fueled vehicles by ten percent by 2010 and
1.2125 percent by 2015.
1.22(b) To meet the goals established in paragraph (a), Each state department must,
1.23whenever legally, technically, and economically feasible, subject to the specific needs of
1.24the department and responsible management of agency finances:
2.1(1) ensure that all new on-road vehicles purchased, excluding emergency and law
2.2enforcement vehicles:
2.3(i) use "cleaner fuels" as that term is defined in section16C.135, subdivision 1 ,
2.4clauses (1), (3), and (4);
2.5(ii) have fuel efficiency ratings that exceed 30 miles per gallon for city usage or 35
2.6miles per gallon for highway usage, including but not limited to hybrid electric cars and
2.7hydrogen-powered vehicles; or
2.8(iii) are powered solely by electricity;
2.9(2) increase its use of renewable transportation fuels, including ethanol, biodiesel,
2.10and hydrogen from agricultural products; and
2.11(3) increase its use of Web-based Internet applications and other electronic
2.12information technologies to enhance the access to and delivery of government information
2.13and services to the public, and reduce the reliance on the department's fleet for the delivery
2.14of such information and services.
2.15 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 16C.137, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
2.16 Subd. 2. SmartFleet Committee. (a) The commissioner of administration, or the
2.17commissioner's designee, shall chair a SmartFleet Committee consisting of representatives
2.18designated by the commissioners of the Pollution Control Agency, the Departments of
2.19Agricultureand, Commerce, Natural Resources, and Transportation, and other state
2.20departments that wish to participate. To ensure effective and efficient state participation,
2.21the SmartFleet Committee must assist state departments in implementing the requirements
2.22of this section, including providing information, guidance, sample policies and procedures,
2.23and technical and planning assistance.
2.24(b) The SmartFleet Committee must evaluate the goals and directives established
2.25in this section, and report its findings to the governor and the appropriate committees
2.26of the legislature byDecember 2006 and periodically thereafter. February 1 of each
2.27odd-numbered year. In the report, the committeemay must make recommendations to
2.28the governor and appropriate committees of the legislature for new or adjusted goals
2.29and, directives, or legislative initiatives, in light of the progress the state has made
2.30implementing this section, and of the availability of new or improved technologies.
2.31(c) For the systematic and efficient monitoring of progress in implementing this
2.32section by the SmartFleet Committee, the Department of Administration shall implement
2.33a fleet reporting and information management system. Each department will use this
2.34management system to demonstrate its progress in complying with this section.
3.1 Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 16C.138, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
3.2 Subd. 2. Notice of state procurement policy in bid documents. All solicitation
3.3documents for the purchase of a passenger automobile, as defined in section168.002,
3.4subdivision 24 ; pickup truck, as defined in section
168.002, subdivision 26 ; or van, as
3.5defined in section168.002, subdivision 40 , issued under the jurisdiction of the Department
3.6of Administration after June 30, 2006, must contain the following language: "It is the
3.7intention of the state of Minnesota to begin purchasing electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid
3.8electric vehicles, and neighborhood electric vehiclesas soon as they become commercially
3.9available, meet the state's performance specifications, and are priced no more than ten
3.10percent above the price for comparable gasoline-powered vehicles if the total life-cycle
3.11cost of ownership is less than or comparable to that of gasoline-powered vehicles. It is the
3.12intention of the state to purchase electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and
3.13neighborhood electric vehicles whenever practicable after these conditions have been met
3.14and as fleet needs dictate for at least five years after these conditions have been met."
3.15 Sec. 5. ELECTRIC PLUG-IN VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS; MULTIUNIT
3.16RESIDENTIAL STUDY.
3.17The Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources, in collaboration
3.18with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, shall perform a study analyzing electric
3.19plug-in vehicle charging stations at multiunit housing facilities in Minnesota. The study
3.20shall analyze and report on: (1) the current availability of charging stations for electric
3.21plug-in vehicles at multiunit housing facilities; (2) the average installed cost of an electric
3.22plug-in vehicle charging station; (3) current and projected demand for charging stations
3.23at multiunit housing facilities; (4) the impact, if any, that building codes, state laws,
3.24municipal ordinances, homeowners' association policies, and other similar policies have
3.25on the availability and affordability of charging stations at multiunit housing facilities;
3.26(5) any legal, technical, or other barriers to increasing the number of charging stations at
3.27multiunit housing facilities; (6) potential economic, environmental, or other benefits that
3.28would likely accrue should charging stations at multiunit housing facilities become more
3.29widely available; and (7) any proposed legislative initiatives, programs, or incentives to
3.30encourage installation of electric plug-in vehicle charging stations at multiunit housing
3.31facilities, as applicable. The results of the study shall be presented to the legislative
3.32committees with jurisdiction over transportation policy and finance and energy policy
3.33and finance by March 1, 2015.
3.34EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.
4.1 Sec. 6. BIOMETHANE TASK FORCE.
4.2 Subdivision 1. Definition. For the purposes of this section, "biomethane" has the
4.3meaning given in Minnesota Statutes, section 216B.241, subdivision 5b, paragraph (b).
4.4 Subd. 2. Establishment; membership. The Biomethane Task Force is established.
4.5The task force shall consist of 18 members as follows:
4.6(1) one representative from the investor-owned utility with the greatest number of
4.7customers in Minnesota;
4.8(2) one representative each from the Department of Commerce, the Department of
4.9Transportation, the Department of Agriculture, and the Pollution Control Agency;
4.10(3) the director of the Travel Management Division of the Department of
4.11Administration, or the director's designee;
4.12(4) one representative from the University of Minnesota Department of Bioproducts
4.13and Biosystems Engineering;
4.14(5) two representatives from companies whose business is biomethane project
4.15development. The companies should be either Minnesota-based or represented by a
4.16Minnesota representative if a national or international company;
4.17(6) one representative from a nongovernmental organization with biomethane
4.18expertise;
4.19(7) one representative from a nongovernmental organization with transportation
4.20policy expertise;
4.21(8) one representative of a natural gas pipeline operator;
4.22(9) one representative of a manufacturer of motor vehicles capable of operating
4.23on biomethane fuel;
4.24(10) one representative of a municipal solid waste hauler with experience using
4.25vehicles operating on biomethane as a transportation fuel;
4.26(11) one representative of a Minnesota city;
4.27(12) one representative of a Minnesota county;
4.28(13) one representative of an operator of a large-scale composting facility; and
4.29(14) one representative of an energy services company with experience in leveraging
4.30environmental credits for the use of biomethane as a transportation fuel.
4.31 Subd. 3. Appointment. The chairs of the senate and house of representatives
4.32committees with primary jurisdiction over transportation policy shall jointly appoint
4.33the task force members.
4.34 Subd. 4. Cochairs. The task force shall have two cochairs, one appointed by each
4.35of the appointing authorities established in subdivision 2.
5.1 Subd. 5. Charge. (a) The Biomethane Task Force shall identify barriers to the
5.2adoption of biomethane vehicles by state agencies, small and large private fleets, and
5.3Minnesota drivers at-large and develop strategies to be implemented over three-, five-, and
5.4ten-year time frames to overcome those barriers.
5.5(b) The task force shall consider and evaluate the data and information presented to
5.6it under subdivision 5 in presenting its findings and recommendations.
5.7(c) The task force shall consider the feasibility of a pilot project in which household
5.8organic waste is collected and processed into biomethane for use as motor vehicle fuel. If
5.9the task force finds a pilot project would be technically feasible, it shall identify barriers
5.10to the project, develop recommendations to overcome the barriers, and offer general
5.11recommendations on how the project could be implemented, including but not limited to
5.12whether a public-private partnership model would be appropriate and if so, which entities
5.13or types of entities should be included in the partnership.
5.14 Subd. 6. Data and analysis. The commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency
5.15shall analyze statewide potential for biomethane generation and suggest appropriate
5.16penetration rate targets for biomethane as transportation fuel for passenger vehicles, small
5.17and large private fleets, and state and municipal government fleets. The commissioner
5.18shall analyze and report to task force members the environmental impacts and benefits of
5.19using biomethane as a transportation fuel option in different types of vehicles, including
5.20but not limited to air emissions from vehicles and potential water quality and other
5.21benefits of biomethane production.
5.22 Subd. 7. Expenses. Members of the task force are entitled to reimbursement
5.23for expenses under Minnesota Statutes, section 15.059, subdivision 6. Member
5.24reimbursements shall be paid by the commissioner of commerce.
5.25 Subd. 8. Staff. The state agencies represented on the commission shall provide
5.26staff support.
5.27 Subd. 9. Report. The task force shall present its findings and recommendations in a
5.28report to the chairs of the senate and house of representatives committees with primary
5.29jurisdiction over transportation and energy policy by December 1, 2016.
5.30 Subd. 10. Expiration. The task force expires June 30, 2017.
5.31EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.
1.3of cleaner fuel-powered motor vehicles by state agencies; modifying state
1.4SmartFleet requirements; requiring a study on electric plug-in vehicle charging
1.5stations at multiunit housing facilities; creating a Biomethane Task Force;
1.6requiring reports; amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections 16C.135,
1.7subdivision 3; 16C.137, subdivisions 1, 2; 16C.138, subdivision 2.
1.8BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.9 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 16C.135, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
1.10 Subd. 3. Vehicle purchases. Consistent with section 16C.137, subdivision 1,
1.11when purchasing a motor vehicle for the central motor pool or for use by an agency, the
1.12commissioner or the agency shall purchase a motor vehicle that is capable of being powered
1.13by cleaner fuels, or a motor vehicle powered by electricity or by a combination of electricity
1.14and liquid fuel,
1.15
1.16 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 16C.137, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.17 Subdivision 1.
1.18
1.19
1.20
1.21
1.22
1.23whenever legally, technically, and economically feasible, subject to the specific needs of
1.24the department and responsible management of agency finances:
2.1(1) ensure that all new on-road vehicles purchased, excluding emergency and law
2.2enforcement vehicles:
2.3(i) use "cleaner fuels" as that term is defined in section
2.4
2.5(ii) have fuel efficiency ratings that exceed 30 miles per gallon for city usage or 35
2.6miles per gallon for highway usage, including but not limited to hybrid electric cars and
2.7hydrogen-powered vehicles; or
2.8(iii) are powered solely by electricity;
2.9(2) increase its use of renewable transportation fuels, including ethanol, biodiesel,
2.10and hydrogen from agricultural products; and
2.11(3) increase its use of Web-based Internet applications and other electronic
2.12information technologies to enhance the access to and delivery of government information
2.13and services to the public, and reduce the reliance on the department's fleet for the delivery
2.14of such information and services.
2.15 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 16C.137, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
2.16 Subd. 2. SmartFleet Committee. (a) The commissioner of administration, or the
2.17commissioner's designee, shall chair a SmartFleet Committee consisting of representatives
2.18designated by the commissioners of the Pollution Control Agency, the Departments of
2.19Agriculture
2.20departments that wish to participate. To ensure effective and efficient state participation,
2.21the SmartFleet Committee must assist state departments in implementing the requirements
2.22of this section, including providing information, guidance, sample policies and procedures,
2.23and technical and planning assistance.
2.24(b) The SmartFleet Committee must evaluate the goals and directives established
2.25in this section, and report its findings to the governor and the appropriate committees
2.26of the legislature by
2.27odd-numbered year. In the report, the committee
2.28
2.29
2.30implementing this section
2.31(c) For the systematic and efficient monitoring of progress in implementing this
2.32section by the SmartFleet Committee, the Department of Administration shall implement
2.33a fleet reporting and information management system. Each department will use this
2.34management system to demonstrate its progress in complying with this section.
3.1 Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 16C.138, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
3.2 Subd. 2. Notice of state procurement policy in bid documents. All solicitation
3.3documents for the purchase of a passenger automobile, as defined in section
3.4subdivision 24
3.5defined in section
3.6of Administration after June 30, 2006, must contain the following language: "It is the
3.7intention of the state of Minnesota to begin purchasing electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid
3.8electric vehicles, and neighborhood electric vehicles
3.9
3.10
3.11cost of ownership is less than or comparable to that of gasoline-powered vehicles. It is the
3.12intention of the state to purchase electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and
3.13neighborhood electric vehicles whenever practicable after these conditions have been met
3.14and as fleet needs dictate for at least five years after these conditions have been met."
3.15 Sec. 5. ELECTRIC PLUG-IN VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS; MULTIUNIT
3.16RESIDENTIAL STUDY.
3.17The Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources, in collaboration
3.18with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, shall perform a study analyzing electric
3.19plug-in vehicle charging stations at multiunit housing facilities in Minnesota. The study
3.20shall analyze and report on: (1) the current availability of charging stations for electric
3.21plug-in vehicles at multiunit housing facilities; (2) the average installed cost of an electric
3.22plug-in vehicle charging station; (3) current and projected demand for charging stations
3.23at multiunit housing facilities; (4) the impact, if any, that building codes, state laws,
3.24municipal ordinances, homeowners' association policies, and other similar policies have
3.25on the availability and affordability of charging stations at multiunit housing facilities;
3.26(5) any legal, technical, or other barriers to increasing the number of charging stations at
3.27multiunit housing facilities; (6) potential economic, environmental, or other benefits that
3.28would likely accrue should charging stations at multiunit housing facilities become more
3.29widely available; and (7) any proposed legislative initiatives, programs, or incentives to
3.30encourage installation of electric plug-in vehicle charging stations at multiunit housing
3.31facilities, as applicable. The results of the study shall be presented to the legislative
3.32committees with jurisdiction over transportation policy and finance and energy policy
3.33and finance by March 1, 2015.
3.34EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.
4.1 Sec. 6. BIOMETHANE TASK FORCE.
4.2 Subdivision 1. Definition. For the purposes of this section, "biomethane" has the
4.3meaning given in Minnesota Statutes, section 216B.241, subdivision 5b, paragraph (b).
4.4 Subd. 2. Establishment; membership. The Biomethane Task Force is established.
4.5The task force shall consist of 18 members as follows:
4.6(1) one representative from the investor-owned utility with the greatest number of
4.7customers in Minnesota;
4.8(2) one representative each from the Department of Commerce, the Department of
4.9Transportation, the Department of Agriculture, and the Pollution Control Agency;
4.10(3) the director of the Travel Management Division of the Department of
4.11Administration, or the director's designee;
4.12(4) one representative from the University of Minnesota Department of Bioproducts
4.13and Biosystems Engineering;
4.14(5) two representatives from companies whose business is biomethane project
4.15development. The companies should be either Minnesota-based or represented by a
4.16Minnesota representative if a national or international company;
4.17(6) one representative from a nongovernmental organization with biomethane
4.18expertise;
4.19(7) one representative from a nongovernmental organization with transportation
4.20policy expertise;
4.21(8) one representative of a natural gas pipeline operator;
4.22(9) one representative of a manufacturer of motor vehicles capable of operating
4.23on biomethane fuel;
4.24(10) one representative of a municipal solid waste hauler with experience using
4.25vehicles operating on biomethane as a transportation fuel;
4.26(11) one representative of a Minnesota city;
4.27(12) one representative of a Minnesota county;
4.28(13) one representative of an operator of a large-scale composting facility; and
4.29(14) one representative of an energy services company with experience in leveraging
4.30environmental credits for the use of biomethane as a transportation fuel.
4.31 Subd. 3. Appointment. The chairs of the senate and house of representatives
4.32committees with primary jurisdiction over transportation policy shall jointly appoint
4.33the task force members.
4.34 Subd. 4. Cochairs. The task force shall have two cochairs, one appointed by each
4.35of the appointing authorities established in subdivision 2.
5.1 Subd. 5. Charge. (a) The Biomethane Task Force shall identify barriers to the
5.2adoption of biomethane vehicles by state agencies, small and large private fleets, and
5.3Minnesota drivers at-large and develop strategies to be implemented over three-, five-, and
5.4ten-year time frames to overcome those barriers.
5.5(b) The task force shall consider and evaluate the data and information presented to
5.6it under subdivision 5 in presenting its findings and recommendations.
5.7(c) The task force shall consider the feasibility of a pilot project in which household
5.8organic waste is collected and processed into biomethane for use as motor vehicle fuel. If
5.9the task force finds a pilot project would be technically feasible, it shall identify barriers
5.10to the project, develop recommendations to overcome the barriers, and offer general
5.11recommendations on how the project could be implemented, including but not limited to
5.12whether a public-private partnership model would be appropriate and if so, which entities
5.13or types of entities should be included in the partnership.
5.14 Subd. 6. Data and analysis. The commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency
5.15shall analyze statewide potential for biomethane generation and suggest appropriate
5.16penetration rate targets for biomethane as transportation fuel for passenger vehicles, small
5.17and large private fleets, and state and municipal government fleets. The commissioner
5.18shall analyze and report to task force members the environmental impacts and benefits of
5.19using biomethane as a transportation fuel option in different types of vehicles, including
5.20but not limited to air emissions from vehicles and potential water quality and other
5.21benefits of biomethane production.
5.22 Subd. 7. Expenses. Members of the task force are entitled to reimbursement
5.23for expenses under Minnesota Statutes, section 15.059, subdivision 6. Member
5.24reimbursements shall be paid by the commissioner of commerce.
5.25 Subd. 8. Staff. The state agencies represented on the commission shall provide
5.26staff support.
5.27 Subd. 9. Report. The task force shall present its findings and recommendations in a
5.28report to the chairs of the senate and house of representatives committees with primary
5.29jurisdiction over transportation and energy policy by December 1, 2016.
5.30 Subd. 10. Expiration. The task force expires June 30, 2017.
5.31EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.
