Bill Text: GA SR109 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Enrolled

Georgia Senate Resolution 109 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Retrofit of Diesel Engines; joint study committee; create

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 4-1)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2009-03-18 - House Withdrawn, Recommitted [SR109 Detail]

Download: Georgia-2009-SR109-Enrolled.html

09 LC 25 5446S(SCS)

Senate Resolution 109

By: Senators Tolleson of the 20th, Mullis of the 53rd, Balfour of the 9th, Pearson of the 51st and Stoner of the 6th

ADOPTED SENATE

A RESOLUTION

Creating the Joint Study Committee on the Retrofit of Diesel Engines; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, a total of 27 full or partial counties in Georgia are classified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as "nonattainment areas" for not meeting the federal air quality standards for ground level ozone, particulate matter, or both, including 20 counties in metro Atlanta as well as areas surrounding Macon, Rome, and Chattanooga; and

WHEREAS, additional areas around Georgia, including Athens-Clarke County, Augusta, and Columbus, are experiencing air quality levels above the national health standard limits; and

WHEREAS, these areas are fast growing, could be adversely affected by continued growth, and ultimately could be designated as "nonattainment areas" in the near future; and

WHEREAS, a designation of nonattainment could jeopardize economic development and additional growth in those areas; and

WHEREAS, federal transportation funding could be jeopardized if those areas continue to exceed the federal air quality standards; and

WHEREAS, diesel engines play an essential role in Georgia's economy through powering the majority of our port, rail, construction, and agriculture industries, as well as our emergency systems; and

WHEREAS, the United States Environmental Protection Agency lists diesel particulate matter plus diesel exhaust organic gases as a mobile source air toxic; and

WHEREAS, stringent federal emissions standards have been adopted for all new diesel engines; and

WHEREAS, "legacy" diesel engines, which include those on-road engines built prior to 2007 and nonroad engines built prior to 2011, were manufactured under less stringent or nonexistent federal rules; and

WHEREAS, by retrofitting "legacy" engines, emissions can immediately be reduced by 30 to 90 percent, depending on the type of retrofit applied and the size of the engine; and

WHEREAS, retrofitting durable diesel engines provides long-lasting environmental and public health benefits, yet vehicle and equipment owners, the majority of which are small companies, could likely experience financial hardships in paying for the cost of retrofit equipment; and

WHEREAS, federal funds are currently available for use in Georgia to address this problem through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Fund (CMAQ) and the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA); and

WHEREAS, additional outreach is needed to inform and educate fleet owners about the availability of existing funding and retrofit options available; and

WHEREAS, federal funds are insufficient to retrofit the tens of thousands of diesel vehicles and pieces of equipment in the State of Georgia; and

WHEREAS, additional incentives and funding from the federal government are needed to encourage retrofitting of "legacy" diesel engines by vehicle and equipment owners, public and private; and

WHEREAS, federal funding for an inventory of diesel engines is needed to gauge the extent and complexity of this issue and how best to address it; and

WHEREAS, education and outreach on the air quality benefits to be attained by retrofitting "legacy" engines and equipment is needed for fleet owners of diesel powered vehicles and equipment.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA that there is created the Joint Study Committee on the Retrofit of Diesel Engines, to be composed of 26 members as follows:

(1) Five members of the House of Representatives, including the chairperson of the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment and four members to be appointed by the Speaker of the House from among the membership of the House Committee on Appropriations, the House Committee on Transportation, and the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment;

(2) Five members of the Senate, including the chairperson of the Senate Natural Resources and the Environment Committee and four members to be appointed by the President of the Senate from among the membership of the Senate Appropriations Committee, the Senate Transportation Committee, and the Senate Natural Resources and the Environment Committee; and

(3) Sixteen persons who are not members of the General Assembly, to be appointed by mutual agreement of the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate, including one person from each of the following groups:

(A) Southern Alliance for Clean Energy;

(B) Mothers & Others for Clean Air at the Georgia Conservancy;

(D) Georgia Conservation Voters;

(E) Clean Energy Strategies, LLC;

(F) Clean Air Task Force;

(G) Diesel Technology Forum;

(H) Engine Manufacturers Association;

(I) Georgia Equipment Distributors Association;

(J) Georgia Highway Contractors Association;

(K) Georgia Chamber of Commerce;

(L) Georgia Construction Aggregators Association;

(M) Georgia Railroad Association;

(N) Georgia Farm Bureau;

(O) Georgia Forestry Association; and

(P) Georgia Mining Association.

The chairperson of the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment and the chairperson of the Senate Natural Resources and the Environment Committee shall serve as cochairs of the study committee. The committee shall meet upon the call of either cochairperson.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee shall:

(1) Study the air quality benefits to be derived from the retrofit of diesel engines, with emphasis on the reduction of particulate matter;

(2) Evaluate various incentives that will encourage diesel engine owners to retrofit their engines and investigate the availability of funding for grants and other funding sources that might be made available to diesel engine owners for this purpose;

(3) Investigate the potential need for other approaches to reduce diesel exhaust; and

(4) After providing notice, a hearing, and the opportunity for comment from the public, including interested citizens, air quality experts, diesel powered vehicle and equipment owners, and industry specialists, recommend any administrative action or legislation that the committee deems necessary or appropriate to encourage retrofitting and upgrading of in-use diesel engines.

The committee may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution. The legislative members of the committee shall receive the allowances authorized for legislative members of interim legislative committees but shall receive the same for not more than five days unless additional days are authorized. No allowance shall be paid to other members of the committee. The funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from the funds appropriated to the House of Representatives and Senate. The committee shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations no later than December 1, 2009. The committee shall stand abolished on December 31, 2009.