I
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 5384
To establish a pilot program to encourage the use of alternative fuel vehicles
in public transportation, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OCTOBER 4, 2000
Mr. BOEHLERT (for himself and Mr. LAZIO) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
A BILL
To establish a pilot program to encourage the use of alter-
native fuel vehicles in public transportation, and for
other purposes.
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-
cles Intermodal Transportation Act’’.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act, the following definitions apply:
(1) ALTERNATIVE FUEL VEHICLE.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘alternative
fuel vehicle’’ means a motor vehicle that is pow-
ered by—
(i) in whole or in part, electricity, in-
cluding that supplied by a fuel cell that is
not powered by gasoline or diesel;
(ii) liquefied natural gas;
(iii) compressed natural gas;
(iv) liquefied petroleum gas;
(v) hydrogen; or
(vi) methanol at no less than 85 per-
cent by volume.
(B) EXCLUSIONS.—The term ‘‘alternative
fuel vehicle’’ shall not include any vehicle capa-
ble of operating solely on gasoline or diesel.
(2) PILOT
PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘pilot pro-
gram’’ means the grant program established under
section 4(a).
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
the Secretary of Transportation.
SEC. 3. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Act is—
(1) to establish a pilot program to demonstrate
the use of alternative fuel vehicles in linked systems
of transportation, enhance the usefulness of public
transportation systems, protect the environment, and
speed the deployment of alternative fuel vehicle tech-
nology; and
(2) to encourage partnerships between the pub-
lic and private sectors.
SEC. 4. ALTERNATIVE FUELS INTERMODAL TRANSPOR-
TATION PILOT PROGRAM.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a
competitive grant program to assist States, localities, and
governmental authorities to purchase, operate, and facili-
tate the use of alternative fuel vehicles in linked transpor-
tation systems.
(b) ELIGIBLE PROJECTS.—To receive Federal assist-
ance under the pilot program, a proposal shall—
(1) have been made in accordance with the ap-
plication requirements of subsection (e);
(2) include only projects that provide new op-
tions in a locality for moving passengers or goods in
alternative fuel vehicles; and
(3) include at least one project to enable pas-
sengers or goods to be transferred directly from one
alternative fuel vehicle to another in a linked trans-
portation system.
(c) FUNDING LIMITATIONS.—
(1) MAXIMUM NUMBER OF GRANTS.—The Sec-
retary shall not provide grants to more than 15 ap-
plicants under the pilot program.
(2) MAXIMUM
AMOUNT.—The Secretary shall
not provide more than $20,000,000 in Federal as-
sistance under the pilot program to any applicant.
(3) COST SHARING.—
(A) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share
of the cost of any project under the pilot pro-
gram shall not exceed 50 percent of the eligible
costs of the project.
(B) NON-FEDERAL SHARE.—Funds appor-
tioned to a State under section 104(b)(2) of
title 23, United States Code, for the congestion
mitigation and air quality improvement pro-
gram may be used by the State to pay for the
non-Federal share of the cost of any project
under the pilot program.
(4) MAXIMUM PERIOD OF GRANTS.—No appli-
cant may receive Federal assistance under the pilot
program for more than 5 years.
(d) ALLOWABLE PROJECT COSTS.—The cost of a
project eligible for Federal assistance under the pilot pro-
gram may include only the following:
(1) The purchase 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) two-wheel bikes, scooters, or other ve-
hicles for use by law enforcement personnel or
other State or local government employees.
(2) Infrastructure necessary to directly support
a project, including fueling and other support equip-
ment.
(3) Operation and maintenance of vehicles, in-
frastructure, and equipment purchased as part of a
project with Federal assistance under the pilot pro-
gram.
(e) PROPOSALS.—The Secretary shall issue require-
ments for applying for grants under the pilot program.
At a minimum, the Secretary shall require that applica-
tions be submitted by the head of a State or local govern-
ment or a metropolitan transportation authority, or any
combination thereof, and include—
(1) an estimate of the ridership or degree of use
of the projects proposed in the application;
(2) an estimate of the air pollution emissions
reduced and fossil fuel displaced as a result of the
projects and a plan to collect and disseminate envi-
ronmental data over the life of the projects;
(3) a description of other existing modes of
transportation to which the projects will connect or
the degree to which proposed modes of transpor-
tation will be linked;
(4) a description of how the projects will be
sustainable without Federal assistance after the
completion of the term of the demonstration;
(5) a complete description of the costs of the
project, including acquisition, construction, oper-
ation, and maintenance costs over the expected life
of the project; and
(6) a description of which costs will be sup-
ported by Federal assistance and which by assist-
ance from non-Federal partners, including State and
local governments and private entities.
(f) CRITERIA.—In evaluating applications under the
pilot program, the Secretary shall consider each appli-
cant’s previous experience involving alternative fuel vehi-
cles and shall approve the proposals that—
(1) are most likely to maximize—
(A) protection of the environment, includ-
ing reductions in air pollution emissions and the
ability of the proposal to help achieve national,
State, or local air quality goals;
(B) enhancement of the local or national
public transportation system, especially the de-
gree to which the proposal connects various
modes of transportation;
(C) nationwide deployment of innovative
transportation technology or important new
configurations of intermodal transportation sys-
tems that increase the use of alternative fuel
vehicles;
(D) the amount of goods transported or
number of riders served; and
(E) stimulation of the national or regional
economy;
(2) demonstrate the greatest commitment on
the part of the applicant to fund the proposal and
the greatest likelihood that each project in the pro-
posal will be maintained and expanded after Federal
assistance is exhausted; and
(3) assure a broad geographic distribution of
project sites.
(g) 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, and
elsewhere as appropriate, a request for proposals to
undertake projects under the pilot program. Applica-
tions for such proposals shall be due within 180
days of the publication of the notice.
(2) SELECTION.—Not later than 180 days after
the date by which applications for grants are due,
the Secretary shall select all proposals to be carried
out under the pilot program.
SEC. 5. REPORT TO CONGRESS.
Not later than 36 months after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit to the Committee
on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report
containing—
(1) an evaluation of the effectiveness of the
pilot program including an assessment of the bene-
fits to the environment derived from the projects in-
cluded in the pilot program as well as an estimate
of the potential benefits to the environment to be de-
rived from widespread application of such intermodal
transportation activities;
(2) an identification of other applicants that
submitted project applications for the pilot program;
and
(3) a description of the mechanisms used by the
Secretary to ensure that the information and know-
how gained by participants in the pilot program is
transferred among the pilot program participants
and to other interested parties, including other ap-
plicants that submitted project applications.
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATIONS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be appro-
priated $200,000,000 to carry out this Act.
(b) AVAILABILITY OF AMOUNTS.—Amounts appro-
priated to carry out this Act shall remain available until
expended.
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