September 15, 2005, Introduced by Reps. Mayes, Spade, Angerer, Kehrl, Dillon, Leland, Espinoza, Polidori, Farrah, Clemente, Gleason, Lemmons, Jr., Cushingberry, Miller, Donigan, Anderson, Vagnozzi, Gonzales, Clack, Bieda, Wojno, Accavitti, Brown, Byrnes, Adamini, McDowell, Sheltrown, Condino, Alma Smith, Meisner, Hopgood, Williams, Zelenko, Bennett, Kathleen Law, Whitmer, Tobocman, Gillard, Sak, Kolb, Lipsey, Virgil Smith, Byrum, Hunter, Waters, Murphy, Plakas, Cheeks, Lemmons, III and McConico and referred to the Committee on Agriculture.
A bill to create a commission to investigate alternative
fuels; to define certain alternative fuels; to determine certain
powers and duties of the commission; and to repeal acts and parts
of acts.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "fuels
of the future commission act".
Sec. 2. As used in this act:
(a) "Alternative fuel" means a fuel composed of biomass or
another fuel that does not have petroleum as a base or a blend of a
nonpetroleum-based fuel and a petroleum-based fuel. Alternative
fuel may include, but is not limited to, biodiesel and ethanol.
(b) "Biodiesel" means a fuel composed of mono-alkyl esters of
long chain fatty acids derived from vegetable oils or animal fats
and, in accordance with standards specified by the American society
for testing and materials, designated B100, and meeting the
requirements of D-6751, as approved by the department.
(c) "Biomass fuel" means a fuel made from plant material,
vegetation, or agricultural waste.
(d) "Ethanol" means a substance that meets the American
society for testing and materials standard in effect on the
effective date of this act as the D-4806 specification for
denatured fuel grade ethanol for blending with gasoline.
Sec. 3. (1) The fuels of the future commission is established
within the department of agriculture. The commission shall
investigate and recommend strategies that the governor and the
legislature may implement to promote the use of alternative fuels
and encourage the use of vehicles that utilize alternative fuels.
The commission shall also identify mechanisms that promote research
into alternative fuels.
(2) The commission shall identify mechanisms that promote
effective communication and coordination of efforts between this
state and local governments, private industry, and institutes of
higher education concerning the investigation, research into, and
promotion of alternative fuels.
(3) The commission may also review any state regulation that
may hinder the use, research, and development of alternative fuels
and vehicles that are able to utilize them and recommend changes to
the governor.
Sec. 4. The commission shall consist of the following members,
appointed by the governor within 90 days of the effective of this
act:
(a) The director of the department of agriculture or his or
her designee. The director of the department of agriculture shall
be the chair of the commission.
(b) One member representing the Michigan economic development
corporation.
(c) One member representing the department of labor and
economic growth.
(d) At least 1 member from the largest organization in this
state that represents corn producers exclusively.
(e) At least 1 member from the largest organization in this
state that represents soybean producers exclusively.
(f) One representative of automotive fuel blenders in this
state.
(g) One representative of retail petroleum sellers in this
state.
(h) One representative of petroleum suppliers in this state.
(i) One representative of biodiesel producers.
(j) One representative of ethanol producers.
(k) One representative of environmental organizations.
(l) Three representatives of the automotive manufacturing
industry.
(m) Three representatives of colleges and universities in this
state that are engaged in alternative fuel research.
(n) Any other member that the governor concludes is necessary
to further the commission's purposes.
Sec. 5. No later than 1 year after the effective date of this
act, the commission shall issue a written report on its
investigation and recommendations to the legislature and the
governor. Follow-up reports shall be issued at least annually and
may be issued more frequently if the commission deems it advisable.
Sec. 6. This act is repealed effective January 1, 2010.