Pennsylvania clean transportation infrastructure bill to be considered this week

A proposed bill in Pennsylvania to expand the state’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure, legislation that drew support from a number of clean energy advocates, is expected to be discussed by a state Senate committee this week.

The Pennsylvania Clean Transportation Infrastructure Act, Senate Bill 596, is scheduled to be considered by the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee on Oct. 30. Introduced by state Sen. Bob Mensch, a Republican who represents the state’s 24th District just north of Philadelphia, the bill aims to spur the development of electric, natural gas and hydrogen vehicles by developing the transportation infrastructure to support them.

“As increasing numbers of Pennsylvania consumers and businesses consider choosing alternative energy vehicles, and our businesses look for opportunities to invest in cleaner, more efficient equipment, we must ensure that well-planned charging and refueling infrastructures are deployed in the state,” Mensch said in a memo prior to introducing the bill last year. “The Pennsylvania Clean Transportation Infrastructure Act will create a framework for building this infrastructure by combining the expertise of our transportation and public utility sectors.”

The proposed bill contains provisions for:

• Establishing a state goal of increasing electrification by at least 50 percent over currently forecasted levels by 2030;

• Requiring the development of regional electrification infrastructure frameworks for metropolitan areas;

• Directing electric utilities to develop infrastructure implementation plans to support the development of these networks under Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) oversight;

• Directing the governor to submit recommendations to the Legislature and PUC on strategies to promote other clean transportation options, including compressed natural gas and hydrogen-fueled vehicles.

Electric transportation advocates say that not only do electric vehicles improve the environment, they create cost savings for consumers from improved fuel efficiency and less frequent maintenance. Electric ratepayers also see lower costs through improved efficiency of the energy grid. Electric companies continue to team up with many stakeholders to support the expansion of EVs and to provide the necessary charging infrastructure across the country.

In a March fact sheet about the bill from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the organization notes that in order to make EVs and their benefits to the environment and the economy an option for all Pennsylvania residents, collaboration is needed between state agencies, utilities and industry participants.

“The proposed Pennsylvania Clean Transportation Infrastructure Act lays the foundation for these collaborative efforts, enjoys support from dozens of local and national businesses and organizations, and puts Pennsylvania in the driver’s seat toward a modern, clean, and equitable transportation future,” the NRDC wrote.

Mark Szybist, senior attorney for the NRDC, addressed specific aspects of the legislation. “Part of the bill is that electric distribution companies (EDC) would be able to build charging infrastructure pursuant to the bill and to include the cost of those in their rate-base,” he said.

“But there’s nothing about the bill that mandates them at a certain percentage to be included and there’s a limit to what EDCs can spend on building electric charging stations. They can’t spend more than one quarter of 1 percent of what they bill customers in a single year,” he told Daily Energy Insider.

A prior attempt at passing transportation infrastructure legislation failed in the past. “A previous version of the bill started in the House and died on the floor because of opposition from rural Republicans who were afraid their constituents would be charged for infrastructure they didn’t want,” Szybist said.

Meanwhile, Pennsylvania has been working toward reducing harmful emissions. Gov. Tom Wolf signed an executive order this year to establish the first statewide goal to reduce carbon pollution in the state, with a goal of a 26 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2025 and 80 percent by 2050, compared with 2005 levels.

The state is also developing strategies to increase EV adoption by removing some of the barriers for consumers, such as uncertainty about the availability of charging stations.

In February, Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and a coalition of public and private partners unveiled the Pennsylvania Electric Vehicle Roadmap, a plan that recommends 13 strategies for increasing the use of zero-emission vehicles.

Given that the transportation sector is the source of 20 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in Pennsylvania, according to the report, the transportation sector is an important area to target for clean energy innovations.