201-A - State clean-fueled vehicle program.
§ 201-a. State clean-fueled vehicle program. 1. There shall be created within the office of general services a clean-fueled vehicle program, with the purpose of acquiring clean-fueled vehicles for state use and testing and evaluating clean-fueled vehicle technologies. 2. For the purposes of this section, the term "clean-fueled vehicle" shall mean any motor vehicle as defined in section one hundred twenty-five of the vehicle and traffic law, that uses electricity, either stored or generated on-board, as its primary motive force or that is fueled by compressed natural gas, propane, methanol, hydrogen or ethanol. 3. The office of general services, in coordination with the New York state energy research and development authority, and the department of environmental conservation, shall be responsible for developing a state clean-fueled vehicle strategy which shall determine how best to incorporate clean-fueled vehicles into the state fleet. In developing the strategy, the office of general services shall consider such factors as: the duty to be performed by the vehicle, the terrain and climate of the area of the state in which the vehicle is to be used, and other factors the office of general services, in coordination with the New York state energy research and development authority and the department of environmental conservation, deem relevant. 4. The office of general services, in coordination with the New York state energy research and development authority, the department of motor vehicles and the department of environmental conservation, shall issue a report to the governor and the legislature on or before April first, nineteen hundred ninety-seven setting forth the state's strategy for the acquisition and utilization of clean-fueled vehicles and shall update such strategy periodically. 5. Such report shall include, at a minimum, a description of the state's strategies to promote the use of clean-fueled vehicles by the general public and in the state fleet. Such strategies shall include: necessary amendments of state procurement policies to allow and encourage acquisition of clean-fueled vehicles, development of policy recommendations to establish incentives for acquisition of clean-fueled vehicles for use by individuals and private fleets, expeditious review of policies and procedures identified as barriers to clean-fueled vehicle introduction, and revision of such policies and procedures as appropriate. The report shall also assess existing infrastructure, determine what changes are necessary to support a sustainable clean-fueled vehicles market and recommend how best to implement those changes. The report shall assess factors including but not limited to the following: the availability and viability of existing or developing technology, sufficient public recharging/refueling capability, standards for recharging/refueling technologies, utility power quality, vehicle registration considerations, public outreach and safety training, battery recycling capability, insurance and liability considerations, and clean-fueled vehicle acquisition incentives. The report shall also determine the number of clean-fueled vehicles for immediate use in the state fleet that can be supported by existing infrastructure. 6. Immediately after submission of the report defined in subdivision five of this section, the office of general services shall begin a project to implement the recommendations and strategies of such report. 7. The office of general services shall develop a specific plan to procure and install necessary infrastructure for a sustainable state clean-fueled vehicle fleet, including a time frame for such procurement and installation. In developing such plan, the office of general services shall consider to the greatest extent possible any steps which will encourage the utilization of clean-fueled vehicles by the privatesector. The office of general services shall either begin to acquire and install necessary infrastructure or issue requests for proposals for such procurement and installation, no later than January first, nineteen hundred ninety-eight, provided however, that no acquisition of clean-fueled vehicles, or installation of associated infrastructure, from the proceeds of bonds issued pursuant to the Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act of 1996, shall occur prior to April first, nineteen hundred ninety-seven. 8. The office of general services shall develop a specific plan for the procurement of clean-fueled vehicles for use in the state fleet. Procurement of clean-fueled vehicles and utilization in the state fleet using proceeds of bonds sold pursuant to the Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act of 1996 shall begin as soon as possible after the issuance of, and in accordance with, the report defined in subdivision five of this section. 9. The office of general services, department of economic development, and the department of environmental conservation, shall evaluate the potential for developing a private clean-fueled vehicle industry in the state and submit recommendations from time to time to the legislature and the governor for attracting such industry, by either established motor vehicle producers or other companies, to the state.