HJ0085 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0085 LRB096 15880 JDS 31124 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Propane, otherwise known as Liquefied Petroleum Gas or LPG, is a by-product of natural gas processing and petroleum refining; and

WHEREAS, Propane has been used as a transportation fuel since the 1940s; and

WHEREAS, Propane can be used to replace gasoline in light-duty vehicles and diesel in heavy-duty vehicles; and

WHEREAS, There are more than 270,000 on-road propane vehicles in the United States and more than 10 million worldwide; and

WHEREAS, Many of these vehicles are used in fleets, including light-duty and heavy-duty trucks, buses, taxicabs, police cars, and rental and delivery vehicles; and

WHEREAS, Certified installers can economically and reliably retrofit many light-duty vehicles for propane operation; and

WHEREAS, Compared with vehicles fueled with conventional diesel and gasoline, propane-powered vehicles can produce significantly lower amounts of some harmful emissions and the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide; and

WHEREAS, According to the Propane Education and Research Council, propane cuts emissions of toxins and carcinogens, such as benzene and toluene, by up to 96% compared to gasoline; and

WHEREAS, Propane in its liquid state has the lowest flammability range of any alternate fuel, which reduces the chances of a vehicle fire in propane-powered vehicles; and

WHEREAS, Propane is non-toxic and slightly soluble, and it biodegrades rapidly in soil, water, or air; and

WHEREAS, There are approximately 2,500 propane fueling stations in the United States, which is the largest fueling infrastructure of any alternative fuel; and

WHEREAS, According to the United States Department of Energy Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center, there are approximately 74 propane fueling stations in Illinois; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that there is established a Joint Task Force on Propane-Powered Vehicles to study the feasibility of converting State and local governmental vehicles to propane-powered vehicles; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Joint Task Force shall examine, at a minimum, issues such as the availability of propane-powered vehicles and their cost, the types of vehicles to be converted to propane-powered vehicles, the potential costs and benefits of converting vehicles to propane-powered vehicles, the current infrastructure for the delivery of propane, the availability of propane, and a potential timeframe for converting State and local governmental vehicles to propane-powered vehicles; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Joint Task Force shall be under the Department of Central Management Services, which shall provide staff support; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the members of the Joint Task Force shall include: 2 members appointed by the President of the Senate; 2 members appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate; 2 members appointed by the Speaker of the House; 2 members appointed by the Minority Leader of the House; the Director of Central Management Services or his or her designee; the President of the University of Illinois or his or her designee; the Director of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency or his or her designee; the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity or his or her designee; one member of an association representing municipal governments, appointed by the Director of Central Management Services; one member of an association representing county governments, appointed by the Director of Central Management Services; one member of an association representing the petroleum industry, appointed by the Director of Central Management Services; one member of an association representing petroleum marketers, appointed by the Director of Central Management Services; one member representing automobile manufacturers, appointed by the Director of Central Management Services; one member representing propane suppliers, appointed by the Director of Central Management Services; one member of an association representing environmental interests, appointed by the Director of Central Management Services; one member of an association representing school districts, appointed by the Director of Central Management Services; and one member of an association representing a statewide health organization, appointed by the Director of Central Management Services; and be it further

RESOLVED, That one member of each political party shall be selected by the Joint Task Force to serve as co-chairpersons; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Joint Task Force shall meet at the call of the co-chairs and that the members shall serve without compensation; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Joint Task Force shall report its findings and recommendations to the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House by July 1, 2010; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Director of Central Management Services, the Director of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and the President of the University of Illinois.