BILL NUMBER: S1343A
SPONSOR: PARKER
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to
establishing the "clean fuel standard of 2025"
 
PURPOSE:
This legislation amends the environmental conservation require the
development of a clean fuel standard in New State to reduce greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions in the transportation sector to achieve the goals
set forth in the climate leadership and ,protection act.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Legislative findings and decelerations Section Establishes
the title of the legislation.
Section 3. Amends the environmental conservation law to create a new
section 19-0333 to require the Department of Environmental Conservation
(DEC), in consultation with the New York State and Development Authori-
ty, to promulgate regulations to create a clean fuel standard in New
York State. Other than aviation fuels which are preempted by federal
law, the standard will apply to all providers of transportation fuels,
including electricity, and is intended to reduce greenhouse gas intensi-
ty from the on-road transportation sector by at at least twenty percent
by 2033. The legislation further requires the regulations to consider
the low carbon fuel standing adopted in other states, include coordi-
nation with other north. :stern state to promote regional solutions to
reduce GHG emissions, an include fees for registering providers to
offset implementation costs. To ensure program integrity and environ-
mental protection, the bill requires DEC to impose accounting and
reporting requirements for determining lifecycle emissions, including
consideration for indirect emissions and environmental consequences. The
legislation requires electric utilities, state agencies, and authori-
ties, in consultation with the climate justice working group and climate
action council, to invest or direct, to the extent practicable, forty
percent of the entity's earned credit value to electrified transporta-
tion programs, projects or investments to directly benefit disadvantaged
communities. This program is intended to be similar to low carbon fuel
standards in states such as California, by promoting reductions in GHG
emissions in the transportation sector by assigning greenhouse gas
intensity values to all fuels, taking into account the entire lifecycle
of the fuel, and require high greenhouse gas fuels to promote low green-
house gas fuels through a credit mechanism. The commissioner shall
report to the legislature within twenty four months following adoption
of the regulations.
This section also grants DEC the power to defer the program in the event
of emergency or forecasted conditions.
Section 4. Makes the legislation effective immediately.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Greenhouse gas ("GHG") emissions pose a serious threat to the health of
New York's citizens and the quality of the environment, and New York's
transportation sector is the leading source of GHG emissions in the
state, contributing over 34 percent of the state's annual GEG emissions.
New York's transportation economy currently relies almost entirely on
petroleum-based fuels to meet a substantial percent of its transporta-
tion needs, particularly the transportation needs for medium and large
trucks. Increased concentrations of ground-level ozone directly related
to GHG emissions - can promote respiratory illness in children and the
elderly and exacerbate pre-existing respiratory illnesses. This can
result in significant hospitalization costs and mortality which are
higher in New York State than the national average years, the total cost
of asthma-related hospitalization it State was approximately six hundred
and sixty million do of New York residents die each year from asthma
alone.
Global warming is having adverse impacts on human health end die envi-
ronment. These impacts include increased heat illnesses band mortality,
respiratory illnesses from increased formation of ground-level ozone,
and the introduction or spread of vector-borne Global warming adversely
impacts New York State's shoreline, drinking, water sources, agricul-
ture, forests, and wildlife diversity. While New York State continues to
follow California regarding low emission vehicle standards,these efforts
are not enough to address the transportation sector threats.
Greater fuel diversity and innovation, towards low emissions solutions
in the transportation sector also provides significant economic benefit.
New York's existing dependence on a single type of transportation fuel
whose price is highly volatile - imperils our economic security, endan-
gers our jobs, and jeopardizes our industries. Diversifying the sources
of transportation fuel helps to protect our jobs and economy from the
consequences of oil price shocks. In addition, alternatle fuels can
provide economic development opportunities and reduce emissions of
greenhouse gases, criteria pollutants, and toxic air contaminants from
transportation and other sectors. Although New York State has adopted
the California standards for vehicle emissions and is making strides to
promote electrification in certain transportation sectors, these efforts
do not go far enough, nor do they promote new, innovation technologies
that account for the full lifecycle of transportation fuels.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2024 - S1292A - PASSED SENATE
2023 - S1292 - PASSED SENATE
2021/22 S2962A - COMMITTED TO RULES
2019/20 S4003A - REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
The legislation authorizes registration fees for the providers of
fuels,which is intended to offset the cost of administering the program.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.