11/30/04 Signed into Law by Governor Rendell!
11/20/04 Passed by the PA State Senate and House
Senate Bill 255
Committee: Environmental
Resources and Energy
Bill No. SB
255
Printer’s NO. 1471
Prime Sponsor: Robert M. Tomlinson
Read SB 255 at the Pennsylvania General Assembly website
(be sure to type SB 255
in the search box)
Summary of the bill:
On November 30th, the final day for action on Senate Bill 255, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, signed the bill into law. This legislation amends the Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant (AFIG) Program and makes great strides in promoting alternative fuels and vehicles across the state.
The AFIG Program currently provides fleets with a grant of 20% of the incremental cost difference between the price of an alternatively fueled vehicle and the price of a conventional automobile, truck, or bus. Senate Bill 255 will now allow the Department of Environmental Protection to offer a rebate program for individual residents on the purchase of an alternative fuel vehicle. The DEP will be responsible for developing a formula and method for awarding the rebates. This legislation also allows the DEP to make rebate applications forms available at local auto dealers.
There are several other changes made possible by this legislation:
· DEP would be afforded the discretion to set the grant amounts (the difference between the cost of an alternatively fueled vehicle and a conventionally powered vehicle).
· Grants will be made available to school districts, local governments, and nonprofit entities, for the incremental cost difference between the price of a biofuel and a conventional fuel.
· The law allows, at the DEP’s discretion, grants to producers of alternative fuels to reimburse up to 5 cents per gallon for up to 12.5 million gallons of alternative fuels produced in a calendar year.
· The law allows grants to support research, training, and the development and demonstration of new alternative fuel vehicle technology, and
· The law allows grants for the purchase and installation of fleet and in-home refueling systems.