I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2326
To establish an alternative fuel vehicle energy demonstration and commercial
application of energy technology competitive grant pilot program within
the Department of Energy to facilitate the use of alternative fuel vehicles.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 27, 2001
Mr. BOEHLERT introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Science
A BILL
To establish an alternative fuel vehicle energy demonstration
and commercial application of energy technology competi-
tive grant pilot program within the Department of En-
ergy to facilitate the use of alternative fuel vehicles.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Alternative Fuel Vehi-
cle Acceleration Act of 2001’’.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
For the purposes of this Act, the following definitions
apply:
(1) ALTERNATIVE FUEL VEHICLE.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in
subparagraph (B), the term ‘‘alternative fuel
vehicle’’ means a motor vehicle that is
powered—
(i) in whole or in part by electricity,
including electricity supplied by a fuel cell;
(ii) by liquefied natural gas;
(iii) by compressed natural gas;
(iv) by liquefied petroleum gas;
(v) by hydrogen; or
(vi) by methanol at no less than 85
percent by volume.
(B) EXCLUSIONS.—The term ‘‘alternative
fuel vehicle’’ does not include—
(i) any vehicle designed to operate
solely on gasoline or diesel derived from
fossil fuels, regardless of whether it can
also be operated on an alternative fuel; or
(ii) any vehicle that the Secretary de-
termines, by rule, does not yield substan-
tial environmental benefits over a vehicle
operating solely on gasoline or diesel de-
rived from fossil fuels.
(2) PILOT
PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘pilot pro-
gram’’ means the competitive grant program estab-
lished under section 3.
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
the Secretary of Energy.
SEC. 3. PILOT PROGRAM.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish
an alternative fuel vehicle energy demonstration and com-
mercial application of energy technology competitive grant
pilot program to provide not more than 15 grants to State
governments, local governments, or metropolitan transpor-
tation authorities to carry out a project or projects for
the purposes described in subsection (b).
(b) GRANT PURPOSES.—Grants under this section
may be used for the following purposes:
(1) The acquisition of alternative fuel vehicles,
including—
(A) passenger vehicles;
(B) buses used for public transportation or
transportation to and from schools;
(C) delivery vehicles for goods or services;
(D) ground support vehicles at public air-
ports, including vehicles to carry baggage or
push airplanes away from terminal gates; and
(E) motorized two-wheel bicycles, scooters,
or other vehicles for use by law enforcement
personnel or other State or local government or
metropolitan transportation authority employ-
ees.
(2) Infrastructure necessary to directly support
a project funded by the grant, including fueling and
other support equipment.
(3) Operation and maintenance of vehicles, in-
frastructure, and equipment acquired as part of a
project funded by the grant.
(c) APPLICATIONS.—
(1) REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary shall issue
requirements for applying for grants under the pilot
program. At a minimum, the Secretary shall require
that applications be submitted by the head of a
State or local government or a metropolitan trans-
portation authority, or any combination thereof, and
shall include—
(A) at least one project to enable pas-
sengers or goods to be transferred directly from
one alternative fuel vehicle to another in a
linked transportation system;
(B) a description of the projects proposed
in the application, including how well they meet
the requirements of this Act;
(C) an estimate of the ridership or degree
of use of the projects proposed in the applica-
tion;
(D) an estimate of the air pollution emis-
sions reduced and fossil fuel displaced as a re-
sult of the projects proposed in the application,
and a plan to collect and disseminate environ-
mental data, related to the projects to be fund-
ed under the grant, over the life of the projects;
(E) a description of how the projects pro-
posed in the application will be sustainable
without Federal assistance after the completion
of the term of the grant;
(F) a complete description of the costs of
each project proposed in the application, includ-
ing acquisition, construction, operation, and
maintenance costs over the expected life of the
project; and
(G) a description of which costs of the
projects proposed in the application will be sup-
ported by Federal assistance and which by as-
sistance from non-Federal partners, including
State and local governments, metropolitan
transportation authorities, and private entities.
(2) PARTNERS.—An applicant under paragraph
(1) may carry out projects under the pilot program
in partnership with one or more private entities.
(d) SELECTION CRITERIA.—In evaluating applica-
tions under the pilot program, the Secretary shall consider
each applicant’s previous experience involving alternative
fuel vehicles and shall give priority consideration to appli-
cations that—
(1) are most likely to maximize protection of
the environment;
(2) demonstrate the greatest commitment on
the part of the applicant to ensure funding for the
proposed projects and the greatest likelihood that
each project proposed in the application will be
maintained or expanded after Federal assistance
under this Act is completed; and
(3) exceed the minimum requirements of sub-
section (c)(1)(A).
(e) PILOT PROJECT REQUIREMENTS.—
(1) MAXIMUM
AMOUNT.—The Secretary shall
not provide more than $20,000,000 in Federal as-
sistance under the pilot program to any applicant.
(2) COST SHARING.—The Secretary shall not
provide more than 50 percent of the cost, incurred
during the period of the grant, of any project under
the pilot program.
(3) MAXIMUM PERIOD OF GRANTS.—The Sec-
retary shall not fund any applicant under the pilot
program for more than 5 years.
(4) DEPLOYMENT
AND
DISTRIBUTION.—The
Secretary shall seek to the maximum extent prac-
ticable to achieve nationwide deployment of alter-
native fuel vehicles through the pilot program, and
shall ensure a broad geographic distribution of
project sites.
(5) TRANSFER OF INFORMATION AND KNOWL-
EDGE.—The Secretary shall establish mechanisms to
ensure that the information and knowledge gained
by participants in the pilot program are transferred
among the pilot program participants and to other
interested parties, including other applicants that
submitted applications.
(f) SCHEDULE.—
(1) PUBLICATION.—Not later than 90 days
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall publish in the Federal Register, Com-
merce Business Daily, and elsewhere as appropriate,
(b) EVALUATION.—Not later than 3 years after the
date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter
until the pilot program ends, the Secretary shall transmit
to the Committee on Science of the House of Representa-
tives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Re-
sources of the Senate a report containing an evaluation
of the effectiveness of the pilot program, including an as-
sessment of the benefits to the environment derived from
the projects included in the pilot program as well as an
estimate of the potential benefits to the environment to
be derived from widespread application of alternative fuel
vehicles.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
retary $200,000,000 to carry out this Act, to remain avail-
able until expended.
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