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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2017 - 2018
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 23, 2017 04:02 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Carl Walker Metzgar |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Natural Gas Vehicle Weight Exemption Bill |
| In the near future, I will be introducing legislation important to our transportation network and the economy of the Commonwealth. Vehicles powered by natural gas weigh more due to heavier tanks and fuel. The typical maximum weight limit for a heavy duty vehicle on public roads is 80,000 pounds. Heavy duty NGV tractor trailers that run at full weight capacity weigh closer to 82,000 pounds simply due to the weight of the fuel and the tanks. The Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act enacted in December of 2015 by the federal government raised the weight limit for NGV tractor trailers to 82,000 pounds. It is now up to each state to update the weight limit in their state. Eight states have already done so, with more increases pending. My bill will update the law in the Commonwealth to embrace the new federal law. This will encourage the use of cleaner burning NGV trucks, and as a top producer of natural gas in the United States, Pennsylvania can lead the way in promoting the use of natural gas in all responsible forms. To do this we must address unnecessary barriers such as the weight limit restriction to allow this clean Pennsylvania fuel to compete with other motor fuels. |
Introduced as HB603