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Two Air Quality Bills Moving Through Legislature

With the last week of the Legislative session underway, lawmakers approved two bills in the Senate and House yesterday geared toward improving the region’s air quality.  

In the Utah Senate, lawmakers approved SB 275, which would local government agencies to borrow money to buy new vehicles fueled by compressed natural gas or convert current fleet vehicles.  The bill would mandate a study by the Public Service Commission on how finance the projects.  Republican Senator Stuart Adams is the sponsor of the bill.  He told his colleagues that having the ability to fuel more CNG vehicles could strengthen Utah’s economy.

“As we burn and use fuels which are generated and produced here in Utah, we’ll have more people working, more people producing it, rather than people from out of state or even out of the country,” said Adams.

Critics of the bill warn that it could result in a natural gas rate increase. But Democratic Senator Patricia Jones said the overall savings to consumers would still be significant.

“Even if rates did go up a little bit, it would be broad based and if it would help our air quality it certainly in my mind would be worth the little bit that it might raise.  We have some of the lowest natural gas rates in the country,” said Jones.

The bill was endorsed several weeks ago by Governor Gary Herbert. It passed the Senate on a vote of 27-0 and heads to the House for consideration. Also on Monday, the House passed HB 168 sponsored by Millcreek Democrat Patrice Arent.  The legislation would require all state agencies, including colleges and school districts to come up with plans to reduce pollution and report them to the state economic development task force.  Arent said it’s time for all state agencies to help reduce emissions.

“Examples of mitigation efforts are set forth in the bill.  None are mandatory because what works for one agency may not work another. I can’t imagine kindergarten teachers trying to tele-commute,” said Arent.

The bill passed the House unanimously and now heads to the Senate, but time is running out.  The 2013 general legislative session officially ends at midnight on Thursday.

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