Senate Bill S2354

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S2354

SPONSOR: PARKER
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to the
definition of eligible vehicles for climate smart community projects

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This legislation would remove the restrictive definition that electric
vehicles are only eligible for ,climate smart community projects if they
have four wheels. This amendment would allow for two, three, and four
wheeled vehicles to access funding in an effort to broadly reduce green-
house gas emissions.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Subparagraph (i) of paragraph c of subdivision 1 of section
54-1521 of the environmental conservation law, as amended by section 1
of part CCC of chapter 55 of the laws of 2021, is amended.

              

Section 2: Paragraph b of subdivision 3 of section 54-1521 of the envi-
ronmental conservation law, as added by section 1 of part CCC of chapter
55 of the laws of 2021, is amended.

Section 3: This act shall take effect immediately.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

In the 2016-2017 New York State Budget, the Legislature created Climate
Smart Communities Projects designed to allow the state to adapt to and
mitigate climate change. As part of that program, the New York State
Department of Environmental Conservation and the New York Energy
Research and Development Authority have provided rebates to dealers
across the state that pass along the savings to consumers who purchase
electric or hybrid vehicles. The Drive Clean Rebate program has seen
more than 20,000 rebates given out since its launch in the spring of
2017, resulting in an estimated 55,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions
reductions (1). Those rebates have been issued in every region of the
state (2). The enacting legislation defined vehicles that are eligible
for the rebates as having "four wheels", and while the vast majority of
electric or hybrid vehicles produced today fulfil that qualification,
there are an increasing number of new models that do not. This legis-
lation would remove that barrier to entry. Electric motorcycles and
three-wheeled commuter cars are gaining traction in certain corners of
the market and this legislation would give the DEC and NYSERDA flexibil-
ity to increase the diversity of New York's consumer electric fleet.

This legislation would also ensure the rebates remain tied to the elec-
tric range of the vehicle while adding a requirement that greenhouse gas
emissions reductions are considered as well.

(1) https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/All-
Programs/Programs/Drive-Clean-Rebate/Rebate-Data/Rebate-Stats

(2) https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/All-
Programs/Programs/Drive-Clean-Rebate/Rebate-Data/Rebates-by-Geography

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2023-24: S5766 - Referred to Environmental Conservation

2021-22: S3137 - Referred to Environmental Conservation

2020 - RECOMMIT TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

2019 - New Bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None Subject to future appropriations.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.