[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 547 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 547

          To encourage energy conservation through bicycling.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 6, 2003

Mr. Durbin (for himself and Ms. Collins) introduced the following bill; 
    which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
          To encourage energy conservation through bicycling.

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

SECTION 1. CONSERVE BY BICYCLING PROGRAM.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Program.--The term ``program'' means the Conserve by 
        Bicycling Program established by subsection (b).
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Transportation.
    (b) Establishment.--There is established within the Department of 
Transportation a program to be known as the ``Conserve by Bicycling 
Program''.
    (c) Projects.--
            (1) In general.--In carrying out the program, the Secretary 
        shall establish not more than 10 pilot projects that are--
                    (A) dispersed geographically throughout the United 
                States; and
                    (B) designed to conserve energy resources by 
                encouraging the use of bicycles in place of motor 
                vehicles.
            (2) Requirements.--A pilot project described in paragraph 
        (1) shall--
                    (A) use education and marketing to convert motor 
                vehicle trips to bicycle trips;
                    (B) document project results and energy savings (in 
                estimated units of energy conserved);
                    (C) facilitate partnerships among interested 
                parties in at least 2 of the fields of--
                            (i) transportation;
                            (ii) law enforcement;
                            (iii) education;
                            (iv) public health;
                            (v) environment; and
                            (vi) energy;
                    (D) maximize bicycle facility investments;
                    (E) demonstrate methods that may be used in other 
                regions of the United States; and
                    (F) facilitate the continuation of ongoing programs 
                that are sustained by local resources.
            (3) Cost sharing.--At least 20 percent of the cost of each 
        pilot project described in paragraph (1) shall be provided from 
        State or local sources.
    (d) Energy and Bicycling Research Study.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall enter into a 
        contract with the National Academy of Sciences for, and the 
        National Academy of Sciences shall conduct and submit to 
        Congress a report on, a study on the feasibility of converting 
        motor vehicle trips to bicycle trips.
            (2) Components.--The study shall--
                    (A) document the results or progress of the pilot 
                projects under subsection (b);
                    (B) determine the type and duration of motor 
                vehicle trips that people in the United States may 
                feasibly make by bicycle, taking into consideration 
                factors such as--
                            (i) weather;
                            (ii) land use and traffic patterns;
                            (iii) the carrying capacity of bicycles; 
                        and
                            (iv) bicycle infrastructure;
                    (C) determine any energy savings that would result 
                from the conversion of motor vehicle trips to bicycle 
                trips;
                    (D) include a cost-benefit analysis of bicycle 
                infrastructure investments; and
                    (E) include a description of any factors that would 
                encourage more motor vehicle trips to be replaced with 
                bicycle trips.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $6,200,000, to remain available 
until expended, of which--
            (1) $5,150,000 shall be used to carry out pilot projects 
        described in subsection (c);
            (2) $300,000 shall be used by the Secretary to coordinate, 
        publicize, and disseminate the results of the program; and
            (3) $750,000 shall be used to carry out subsection (e).
                                 <all>