Existing law authorizes the State Environmental Commission to prescribe standards for exhaust emissions, fuel evaporative emissions and visible emissions of smoke from mobile internal combustion engines. (NRS 445B.760) Existing law also requires the Commission to establish, by regulation, a program for the regulation of smoke and other emissions by inspection of heavy-duty motor vehicles that are powered by diesel fuel or motor vehicle fuel. (NRS 445B.780) This bill establishes a voucher incentive program called the Clean Trucks and Buses Incentive Program in which the Division of Environmental Protection of the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will, within the limits of money available for such purposes, issue vouchers to approved contractors to redeem with the Division for offering certain price incentives to certain entities for the sale of eligible zero-emission medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicles.
Sections 2-15 of this bill define various terms related to the Clean Trucks and Buses Incentive Program.
Section 16 of this bill creates the Account for Clean Trucks and Buses, which is administered by the Division to carry out the Clean Trucks and Buses Incentive Program. Section 16 requires the Department of Transportation to enter into an agreement with the Division to: (1) enable the Division to administer 35 percent of the apportionment of federal money to this State for the federal Carbon Reduction Program, 23 U.S.C. § 175, beginning in January 2024, unless federal guidance on the federal Carbon Reduction Program determines that such federal money may not be used for the Clean Trucks and Buses Incentive Program; (2) coordinate with the Division to ensure that the use of the money is consistent with all requirements of federal law; and (3) ensure that any necessary waivers for the Clean Trucks and Buses Incentive Program are obtained from the federal government.
Section 17 of this bill creates the Clean Trucks and Buses Incentive Program and sets forth the base incentives and, unless otherwise inconsistent with federal law or guidance, incentive increases that are available to eligible entities for the purchase of a clean truck or bus. To be eligible for an incentive from the Program, section 17 requires that an entity: (1) own or operate a diesel-powered or gasoline-powered medium-duty or heavy-vehicle or a fleet of medium-duty or heavy-duty vehicles; and (2) be domiciled in this State.
Section 20.5 of this bill requires the Commission to adopt regulations to carry out the Program, which must include requirements for: (1) the Division to approve a clean truck or bus or repowered vehicle as eligible for purchase using an incentive from the Program; (2) a contractor to submit an application to be approved to sell eligible clean trucks or buses using an incentive from the Program; and (3) an eligible entity to work with an approved contractor to submit an application to receive an incentive from the Program and be awarded such an incentive from the Program.
Section 21 of this bill requires the Division to review applications on a quarterly basis. Upon approval of an application, section 21 requires the Division to reserve the amount of the incentive from the Program offered to the entity in the Account for Clean Trucks and Buses and, with certain exceptions, issue the approved contractor a voucher for that amount, which is valid for 1 year and may be extended for an additional 1 year upon the request of the approved contractor. Once the clean truck or bus has been purchased, delivered and placed into operation by the entity, section 21 authorizes the contractor to redeem the voucher with the Division.
Section 22 of this bill requires an entity that receives an incentive for the purchase of a clean truck or bus from the Clean Trucks and Buses Incentive Program to submit written reports to the Division in accordance with regulations adopted by the Commission. Section 22 further requires the Division to submit an annual summary of these reports to the Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau.