ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
school buses; alternative
fuels
Repeals the alternative fuel
conversion requirements for school district motor vehicle fleets located within
area A.
Current statute requires
certain cities, towns, counties and school districts located in area A to
convert given percentages of their motor vehicle fleets to alternative fuels,
including the retrofitting of diesel vehicles.
For larger school districts located in area A, or the Maricopa
nonattainment area, current statute requires the implementation of a vehicle
fleet plan to progressively increase the use of alternative fuels and clean
burning fuels in their motor vehicle fleets.
Conversions must be completed according to the following timetable:
|
Compliance Date |
Percentage of Fleet Required to be Converted to Alternative and Clean
Burning Fuels |
Percentage of Diesel Vehicle Fleet Required to be Retrofitted |
|
December 31, 1998 |
|
25% |
|
December 31, 1999 |
|
40% |
|
December 31, 2000 |
|
60% |
|
December 31, 2001 |
5 % |
80% |
|
December 31, 2002 |
15 % |
100% |
|
December 31, 2003 |
25 % |
|
|
December 31, 2004 |
33 % |
|
|
December 31, 2005 |
50 % |
|
|
December 31, 2006 |
75 % |
|
Although school districts
may apply with the Department of Commerce for diesel conversion grants,
penalties and rewards to school districts (through transportation support level
payments) for meeting alternative fuel fleet conversion requirements were
eliminated during the Seventh Special Session of the Forty-fourth
Legislature. According to a Department
of Commerce survey conducted in January of 2001, affected school districts have
converted an average of 20.8 percent of their fleets to alternative or clean
burning fuels. However, some school
districts state that without assistance they are unable to comply with the
alternative fuel conversion requirements.
S.B. 1117 repeals the
alternative fuels fleet conversion requirements for large school districts
located or operating bus routes within area A.
There is no known fiscal impact to the state general fund relating to
the provisions of this bill.
1. Repeals the requirement that school districts with an average daily membership of more than 3,000 that operate bus routes in a county with a population of more than 1,200,000 persons within area A, implement a vehicle fleet plan to progressively increase the use of alternative fuels and clean burning fuels.
2. Repeals school district alternative fuel conversion standards and compliance timelines.
3. Makes technical and conforming changes.
4. Provides for a general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Staff
January 29, 2002