Sponsored by:
Senator DIANE B. ALLEN
District 7 (Burlington and Camden)
SYNOPSIS
Requires State toll road authorities to give preference in awarding service station contracts to bidders offering to dispense certain alternative fuels on State's toll roads.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning certain contracts for service stations and supplementing P.L.1948, c.454 (C.27:23-1 et seq.) and P.L.1991, c.252 (C.27:25A-1 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. As used in this section, "alternative fuel" means methanol, denatured ethanol, and other alcohols; mixtures containing 85 percent or more (or such other percentage, but not less than 70 percent, as determined by the Secretary of the United States Department of Energy, by rule, to provide for requirements relating to cold start, safety, or vehicle functions) by volume of methanol, denatured ethanol, and other alcohols with gasoline or other fuels; natural gas, including liquid fuels domestically produced from natural gas; liquefied petroleum gas; hydrogen; coal-derived liquid fuels; fuels (other than alcohol) derived from biological materials; electricity (including electricity from solar energy); and any other fuel the Secretary determines, by rule, is substantially not petroleum and would yield substantial energy security benefits and substantial environmental benefits.
b. In awarding contracts or entering into agreements providing for the operation of service stations dispensing gasoline or diesel fuel on highway projects, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority shall give preference to bidders offering to provide for the operation at these stations of refueling facilities dispensing E85, an alternative fuel containing 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline, and B20, an alternative fuel containing 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent petroleum diesel.
c. The authority shall, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), promulgate rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this section, which rules shall specify the bidder criteria that will be considered and the selection method that will be employed in giving preference to certain bidders, pursuant to subsection b. of this section, when awarding contracts or entering into agreements for the operation of service stations dispensing gasoline or diesel fuel on highway projects.
2. a. As used in this section, "alternative fuel" means methanol, denatured ethanol, and other alcohols; mixtures containing 85 percent or more (or such other percentage, but not less than 70 percent, as determined by the Secretary of the United States Department of Energy, by rule, to provide for requirements relating to cold start, safety, or vehicle functions) by volume of methanol, denatured ethanol, and other alcohols with gasoline or other fuels; natural gas, including liquid fuels domestically produced from natural gas; liquefied petroleum gas; hydrogen; coal-derived liquid fuels; fuels (other than alcohol) derived from biological materials; electricity (including electricity from solar energy); and any other fuel the Secretary determines, by rule, is substantially not petroleum and would yield substantial energy security benefits and substantial environmental benefits.
b. In awarding contracts or entering into agreements providing for the operation of service stations dispensing gasoline or diesel fuel on expressway projects, the South Jersey Transportation Authority shall give preference to bidders offering to provide for the operation at these stations of refueling facilities dispensing E85, an alternative fuel containing 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline, and B20 an alternative fuel containing 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent petroleum diesel.
c. The authority shall, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), promulgate rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this section, which rules shall specify the bidder criteria that will be considered and the selection method that will be employed in giving preference to certain bidders, pursuant to subsection b. of this section, when awarding contracts or entering into agreements for the operation of service stations dispensing gasoline or diesel fuel on expressway projects.
3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to contracts or agreements entered into or renewed on or after the effective date of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and the South Jersey Transportation Authority, in awarding contracts or entering into agreements providing for the operation of service stations dispensing gasoline or diesel fuel along their respective toll roads, to give preference to bidders offering to provide for the operation at these stations of refueling facilities dispensing E85, an alternative fuel containing a blend of 85 percent denatured ethyl alcohol and 15 percent gasoline, and B20, an alternative fuel containing a blend of 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent petroleum diesel. Biodiesel is a mono-alkyl ester that is derived from vegetable oils, lipids, rendered animal fats, or any combination of those reagents. The definition of alternative fuel in the bill is the same as the definition of alternative fuel used in federal law, located at 42 USC s.13211. The bill applies to contracts or agreements entered into or renewed on or after the date the bill becomes law.
In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the production of car models that are able to use alternative sources of fuel, which often cause less harm to the environment than gasoline or diesel fuel and, since many of them are produced domestically, could help reduce the United States' dependence on imported oil.