BILL NUMBER:A476

TITLE  OF  BILL:   An act to amend the executive law, in relation to the
"state workforce fuel reduction and conservation act"

PURPOSE: Provides for a state workforce fuel reduction and  conservation
program  which  will  develop  and  assist in implementing strategies to
reduce fuel consumption

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one establishes the "State Workforce Fuel Reduction and  Conser-
vation Act."

Section  two  directs the Office of General Services (OGS) to review the
State's vehicular fleet as well as the use of that fleet,  to  determine
whether  alternative  fuel  vehicles  can  be  used,  and  whether  trip
reduction can be used to reduce gasoline consumption; and  directs  OGS,
in  conjunction with the Governor's Office of Employee relations and the
Office for Technology, to issue a report setting forth a  specific  plan
to  reduce  the  number of solo motor vehicle trips between home and the
workplace by state employees and state contractors.

Section three directs State agencies to establish programs  to  increase
the  average  passenger occupancy per vehicle in commuting trips between
home and the workplace.
              

Section four directs each State agency to perform fuel efficiency audits
of their fleets.

Section five  directs  the  Department  of  Motor  Vehicles  to  develop
programs  to  educate  the  driving  public  on  "smart  driving,"  trip
reduction, and vehicle maintenance practices.

Section six prohibits any part of this Act from impairing any collective
bargaining agreements.

Section seven is the enacting date.

JUSTIFICATION:

The United States uses a lot of energy-nearly a million dollars worth of
energy each minute, 24 hours a day, every day of  the  year.  With  less
than five percent of the world's population, we consume almost one quar-
ter  of  the world's energy resources. The average American consumes six
times the world average per capita consumption of energy. Every time  we
fill  up  our vehicles or open our utility bills, we are reminded of the
economic impacts of energy. As the third  most  populous  state  in  the
union,  with  over 19 million people, New York contains 15% of the coun-
try's people, so we could say that New Yorkers  use  $150,000  worth  of
energy each and every minute of the day.

The  choices  we make now about how we use energy - turning machines off
when not in use or choosing to buy energy efficient  appliances  -  will
have  increasing  impacts  on  the quality of our environment and lives.
There are many things we can do to use less energy and use it more wise-
ly.  These  things  involve  energy  conservation and energy efficiency.
Efficiency and conservation are key components of energy  sustainability
the concept that every generation should meet their energy needs without
compromising the energy needs of future generations. Energy sustainabil-
ity  focuses  on  long-term  energy  strategies and policies that ensure
adequate energy to meet today's needs, as well as tomorrow's.

Beyond conservation, states have little leverage over the cost of  gaso-
line  because it is a commodity traded on world markets. The bottom line
is, we've got to use less. Today's gas price crisis provides us  in  New
York State with an opportunity to get our own energy house in order. New
York  State  government is a major consumer of energy, spending approxi-
mately $300 million a year just on energy costs alone. New York's  agen-
cies  and  authorities  annually  consume  nearly  50 million gallons of
diesel fuel and 55 million gallons of heating oil.

The State's workforce numbers nearly 160,000, and  because  the  average
American  uses  500 gallons of gasoline every year, driving each vehicle
about 12,000 miles, at $3.00 per gallon that equals $1500 a year in fuel
costs per worker. We need to address things like limiting all  nonessen-
tial  travel  by  state  employees and State use of SUVs, and addressing
soaring fuel prices by implementing programs to reduce fuel  consumption
by  state employees, agencies, and authorities. This legislation aims to
do just that.

Implementing the  strategy  of  conservation  and  efficiency  measures,
backed  by strong education components outlined in this legislation, may
be the most effective strategy we have to sharply curtail our dependence
of foreign oil, while making historic strides in improving our  environ-
mental  quality and reducing our energy consumption. This bill calls for
a comprehensive program to provide the State's workforce,  agencies  and
authorities with leadership roles in moving New York State toward becom-
ing the model fuel conservation state. The bill will:

*  direct the Office of General Services to review the State's vehicular
fleet as well as the use of that fleet, to determine whether alternative
fuel vehicles can be used, and whether trip reduction  can  be  used  to
reduce gasoline consumption

*  direct OGS to develop and properly promote a comprehensive carpooling
program

* direct all state agencies to perform fuel efficiency audits  of  their
own transportation systems and fleets

*  authorize agencies to implement commuter trip reduction programs that
will encourage employees who drive alone to work to  consider  using  an

alternative  commutemode  such as car or van pools, mass transit, biking
or walking

*  authorize  agencies and authorities to permit alternative work sched-
ules or telecommuting for all state employees where possible

* direct the Department of Motor Vehicles to develop programs to educate
the driving public on conservation techniques, and

* direct OGS to study a plan to reimburse State employees for their mass
transit costs

The best way to work our way out of  our  energy  crisis  is  through  a
concentrated  effort  by  all of us to conserve, to use energy efficient
appliances, cars, buildings and lifestyles, and to lead  by  example  by
making New York a model state toward an energy efficient future.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:  2008: A10514 (Kavanagh) - Governmental Oper-
ations

FISCAL IMPACT ON THE STATE: None

EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect immediately.