H.J.R. 23

             1     

JOINT RESOLUTION ENDORSING TIER III STANDARDS

             2     
FOR AIR QUALITY

             3     
2014 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Chief Sponsor: Patrice M. Arent

             6     
Senate Sponsor: ____________

             7     
             8      LONG TITLE
             9      General Description:
             10          This joint resolution of the Legislature urges the Utah Department of Environmental
             11      Quality and the Utah Air Quality Board to expedite measures and work collaboratively
             12      with various private and public entities to bring Tier III-compliant motor vehicles and
             13      low-sulfur fuels to Utah.
             14      Highlighted Provisions:
             15          This resolution:
             16          .    recognizes that the low-sulfur fuels and vehicle emissions standards in the
             17      Environmental Protection Agency's proposed Tier III Motor Vehicle Emission and
             18      Fuel Standards are crucial to improving the safety, health, and welfare of Utah's
             19      citizens and the beauty of the state;
             20          .    urges the Utah Department of Environmental Quality and the Utah Air Quality
             21      Board to expedite measures to bring Tier III-compliant motor vehicles and
             22      low-sulfur fuels to the state of Utah as soon as feasibly possible;
             23          .    urges the Department of Environmental Quality and the Air Quality Board to work
             24      with federal regulatory agencies to avoid the negative effects on Utah of the "one
             25      size fits all" national standard that would lead to delays in implementing Tier III
             26      low-sulfur fuel standards by refineries serving Utah and result in Utah-serving
             27      refineries not producing or selling low-sulfur fuels in Utah due to national


             28      averaging, banking, and trading provisions;
             29          .    expresses support for measures that will encourage and entice refineries, automotive
             30      dealerships, and private and public entities to produce and sell low-sulfur fuels and
             31      acquire and sell Tier III-compliant vehicles in Utah as soon as reasonably possible;
             32      and
             33          .    urges that the Department of Environmental Quality and the Air Quality Board, in
             34      pursuing expeditious implementation of Tier III standards in Utah, work closely
             35      with refineries, automobile dealerships, and private and public entities, including
             36      federal agencies, to accommodate needed facility upgrades and minimize impacts
             37      on consumer prices and product supplies.
             38      Special Clauses:
             39          None
             40     
             41      Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             42          WHEREAS, the Legislature of the state of Utah is charged with protecting and
             43      enhancing the safety, health, and welfare of its citizens and protecting and preserving the
             44      beauty of Utah;
             45          WHEREAS, the safety, health, and welfare of the citizens of the state of Utah are
             46      profoundly affected by its air quality;
             47          WHEREAS, communities along the Wasatch Front and other areas in the state of Utah
             48      experience episodic and sustained periods of time where air pollutants are elevated to levels
             49      that are known to cause serious short- and long-term health problems in humans;
             50          WHEREAS, because of air quality's impact on the ability to recruit and retain
             51      businesses and a high quality labor force, as well as the cost of negative health impacts and the
             52      loss of tourism and recreational revenue, air quality significantly impacts the economy of the
             53      state of Utah;
             54          WHEREAS, vehicle emissions account for over 50% of total emissions and contribute
             55      significantly to the buildup of air pollutants during wintertime inversions;
             56          WHEREAS, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing
             57      national standards for improved vehicle emissions and fuels, called Tier III standards;
             58          WHEREAS, these proposed standards will significantly reduce vehicle emissions of


             59      nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) -- pollutants that are significant
             60      contributors to poor air quality in the state of Utah;
             61          WHEREAS, combining proposed Tier III low-sulfur fuel standards with
             62      implementation of proposed Tier III vehicle emission standards for new vehicles will, over
             63      time, reduce VOC and NOx emissions per vehicle-mile traveled by as much as 80% compared
             64      to current Tier II standards, and result in significant reductions in ozone and secondary PM 2.5
             65      -- pollutants of great concern in the state of Utah;
             66          WHEREAS, the emission controls in the vehicles required under the proposed Tier III
             67      standards do not function properly without Tier III low-sulfur fuels;
             68          WHEREAS, use of low-sulfur fuels will result in immediate and significant
             69      improvements in the efficiencies of catalytic converter function in the majority of Utah's
             70      current pre-Tier III gasoline vehicle fleet and result in immediate and significant reductions in
             71      tailpipe emissions from vehicles currently being driven in Utah;
             72          WHEREAS, the EPA's proposed Tier III fuel standards allow for three additional years
             73      to phase in the production of low-sulfur fuels by small refineries similar to those in Utah;
             74          WHEREAS, due to the relatively small size of Utah's refineries, current provisions that
             75      allow averaging, trading, and banking of low-sulfur fuel production will likely result in cleaner
             76      low-sulfur fuels being produced and sold in states other than Utah;
             77          WHEREAS, current nonattainment counties in Utah stand to benefit more than any
             78      other multicounty area in the United States from proposed national Tier III standards; and
             79          WHEREAS, allowing the EPA's proposed national Tier III standards to go into effect
             80      without taking independent action to assure that low-sulfur fuels are produced and sold in Utah
             81      will result in significant lost opportunities, in both the short- and long-term, to improve Utah's
             82      air quality:
             83          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah
             84      recognizes that the low-sulfur fuels and vehicle emission standards in the Environmental
             85      Protection Agency's proposed Tier III Motor Vehicle Emission and Fuel Standards are crucial
             86      for improving the safety, health, and welfare of Utah's citizens and the beauty of the state.
             87          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah urges the Utah
             88      Department of Environmental Quality and the Utah Air Quality Board to expedite measures to
             89      bring Tier III-compliant motor vehicles and low-sulfur fuels to the state of Utah as soon as


             90      feasibly possible.
             91          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah urges the
             92      Department of Environmental Quality and the Air Quality Board to work with federal
             93      regulatory agencies to avoid the negative effects of the "one size fits all" national standard that
             94      would lead to delays in implementing Tier III low-sulfur fuel standards for Utah by refineries
             95      serving Utah and result in Utah-serving refineries not producing or selling low-sulfur fuels in
             96      Utah due to national averaging, banking, and trading provisions.
             97          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah expresses
             98      strong support for measures that will encourage and entice refineries, automotive dealerships,
             99      and private and public entities to produce and sell low-sulfur fuels and acquire and sell Tier
             100      III-compliant vehicles in Utah as soon as reasonably possible.
             101          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah urges that the
             102      Department of Environmental Quality and the Air Quality Board, in pursuing expeditious
             103      implementation of Tier III standards in Utah, work closely with refineries, automobile
             104      dealerships, and private and public entities, including federal agencies, to accommodate needed
             105      facility upgrades and minimize impacts on consumer prices and product supplies.
             106          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the United
             107      States Environmental Protection Agency, the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, the
             108      Utah Air Quality Board, and the members of Utah's congressional delegation.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 2-21-14 7:43 AM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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