[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5384 Introduced in House (IH)]







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 alternative fuel 
       vehicles in public transportation, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Alternative Fuel Vehicles 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 powered by--
                            (i) in whole or in part, electricity, 
                        including 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 percent by 
                        volume.
                    (B) Exclusions.--The term ``alternative fuel 
                vehicle'' shall not include any vehicle capable of 
                operating solely on gasoline or diesel.
            (2) Pilot program.--The term ``pilot program'' 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 technology; and
            (2) to encourage partnerships between the public and 
        private sectors.

SEC. 4. ALTERNATIVE FUELS INTERMODAL TRANSPORTATION PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a competitive grant 
program to assist States, localities, and governmental authorities to 
purchase, operate, and facilitate the use of alternative fuel vehicles 
in linked transportation systems.
    (b) Eligible Projects.--To receive Federal assistance under the 
pilot program, a proposal shall--
            (1) have been made in accordance with the application 
        requirements of subsection (e);
            (2) include only projects that provide new options in a 
        locality for moving passengers or goods in alternative fuel 
        vehicles; and
            (3) include at least one project to enable passengers or 
        goods to be transferred directly from one alternative fuel 
        vehicle to another in a linked transportation system.
    (c) Funding Limitations.--
            (1) Maximum number of grants.--The Secretary shall not 
        provide grants to more than 15 applicants under the pilot 
        program.
            (2) Maximum amount.--The Secretary shall not provide more 
        than $20,000,000 in Federal assistance 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 program shall not exceed 
                50 percent of the eligible costs of the project.
                    (B) Non-federal share.--Funds apportioned to a 
                State under section 104(b)(2) of title 23, United 
                States Code, for the congestion mitigation and air 
                quality improvement program 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 applicant 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 program 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 airports, 
                including vehicles to carry baggage or push airplanes 
                away from terminal gates; and
                    (E) two-wheel bikes, scooters, or other vehicles 
                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 equipment.
            (3) Operation and maintenance of vehicles, infrastructure, 
        and equipment purchased as part of a project with Federal 
        assistance under the pilot program.
    (e) Proposals.--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 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 environmental 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 transportation 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, operation, and maintenance 
        costs over the expected life of the project; and
            (6) a description of which costs will be supported by 
        Federal assistance and which by assistance 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 applicant's previous experience 
involving alternative fuel vehicles and shall approve the proposals 
that--
            (1) are most likely to maximize--
                    (A) protection of the environment, including 
                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 degree to which 
                the proposal connects various modes of transportation;
                    (C) nationwide deployment of innovative 
                transportation technology or important new 
                configurations of intermodal transportation systems 
                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 proposal 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 Secretary shall publish in the 
        Federal Register, and elsewhere as appropriate, a request for 
        proposals to undertake projects under the pilot program. 
        Applications 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 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 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 applicants that submitted project applications.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated 
$200,000,000 to carry out this Act.
    (b) Availability of Amounts.--Amounts appropriated to carry out 
this Act shall remain available until expended.
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