SANTA FE – A new bill to promote cleaner fuels for transportation in New Mexico is moving forward in the state legislature.
The state House Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee today met to hear the bill — House Bill (HB) 426 — and passed it.
It would give the State Environmental Improvement Board the statutory authority to draft and enforce a Clean Transportation Fuel Standard (CTFS)
A CTFS is a critical tool designed to decrease the carbon intensity of our transportation fuels and incentivize the development of low-carbon alternatives, which can gradually reduce petroleum dependency and achieve significant climate benefits for all.
This bill has the support of the nonprofit, nonpartisan Consumer Reports. The consumer research, testing, and advocacy organization recently sent a letter to urge the legislature to pass the bill before members adjourn on March 18th.
The bill takes bold action in ensuring that proceeds of a CTFS return to consumers in the form of more clean fueling infrastructure. HB 426 also prioritizes equity and justice by requiring that 50% of utility credit revenues go to funding clean fuel infrastructure in disproportionately impacted communities, as defined by the bill.
CR’s letter to the legislature notes, “An optimal Clean Fuel Standard takes a market-based approach to support a wide range of clean transportation fuels, reducing the fuels’ carbon intensity year-to-year. By remaining technology neutral, a Clean Fuel Standard allows the market and consumers to determine which fuel sources and vehicle technologies are most effective in achieving carbon emissions reductions, while driving further innovation in market segments that are more difficult to decarbonize immediately.”
CR’s letter continues, “HB 426 is a critical tool that will spur innovation in American technology, help ensure equitable and sustainable economic growth, and guide the transition to a cleaner, more just transportation sector.”
With today’s committee approval, the bill is waiting for consideration by a second House committee. It would need to be passed by the full House and Senate and signed by the governor to become law.
CR now has an online hub of information about low carbon fuels for policymakers, consumers, and other stakeholders at cr.org/lcf.