ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
clean burning fuel;
definition
Purpose
Adds
diesel fuel that contains less than 15 parts per million of sulfur to the
definition of clean burning fuel.
Background
In
Arizona, biodiesel and certain emulsions of water-phased hydrocarbon fuel are
defined as clean burning fuels.
Liquefied petroleum gas, hydrogen, natural gas and electricity are
defined as alternative fuels. Cities
and counties in area A are required to operate at least 75 percent of their
total fleet on alternative or clean burning fuels, and 75 percent of all light
duty vehicle purchases for the state motor vehicle fleet must be equipped to
operate on alternative or clean burning fuels. Federal government fleets in a county of more than 1,200,000
persons must use alternative and clean burning fuel in 90 percent of their
vehicles. Also, school districts in
area A must operate at least 75 percent of their fleets on clean burning or alternative
fuels by 2006.
Currently, diesel for
on-road use may contain a maximum of 500 parts per million of sulfur. Diesel fuel that contains less than 15 parts
per million of sulfur is called ultra low sulfur diesel. The low sulfur content
of this diesel fuel allows the use of a catalytic particulate trapping device,
rather than a traditional diesel muffler.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a vehicle
equipped with an EPA approved exhaust emission control device that uses ultra
low sulfur diesel produces 90 percent less particulates and 95 percent less
nitrogen oxides than other diesel vehicles.
In 2006, the EPA will begin to require new heavy duty diesel vehicles to
be equipped with catalytic emissions control devices, and the EPA will require
refiners to produce ultra low sulfur fuel for these vehicles.
H.B. 2103 adds diesel fuel
to the definition of clean burning fuel if it contains less than 15 parts per
million of sulfur and is used in an engine equipped with an emission control
device certified by the EPA or the California Air Resources Board (CARB).
There
is no known fiscal impact to the state general fund relating to the provisions
of this bill.
Provisions
1. Defines diesel fuel as a clean burning fuel if the following conditions are met:
a)
contains
a maximum of 15 parts per million by weight of sulfur.
b)
meets
American Society for Testing and Materials standards for diesel fuel.
c)
meets
the registration requirements for fuels and additives established by the EPA.
d)
the
fuel is used in an engine that is equipped or retrofitted with an emissions
control device that has been certified by CARB or the EPA.
2. Provides for a general effective date.
TRANS 3/18/02 DP 7-0-0-3-0
3rd Read 3/26/02 42-16-2-0
Prepared by Senate Staff
April 5, 2002