PRINTER'S NO. 4495
No. 923 Session of 2008
INTRODUCED BY MARSHALL, ARGALL, BENNINGTON, CALTAGIRONE, CLYMER,
CONKLIN, CREIGHTON, FAIRCHILD, GINGRICH, GODSHALL, HENNESSEY,
HERSHEY, HESS, HORNAMAN, KORTZ, KOTIK, LONGIETTI, MAJOR,
R. MILLER, MOYER, MURT, MYERS, M. O'BRIEN, O'NEILL, PYLE,
QUINN, READSHAW, REICHLEY, ROAE, SIPTROTH, SURRA AND SWANGER,
OCTOBER 6, 2008
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY,
OCTOBER 6, 2008
A RESOLUTION
1 Urging American automobile manufacturers and the automotive
2 retail industry to offer a wider variety of vehicles that are
3 powered by diesel, bi-fuel and flex fuels for sale to the
4 American motoring public.
5 WHEREAS, Diesel fuel has powered engines since Rudolf Diesel
6 first received his patent for an internal combustion engine in
7 1898; and
8 WHEREAS, Diesel engines have been used in cars since 1935 and
9 have been a common alternative to traditional gasoline engines
10 since the oil crisis of the 1970s; and
11 WHEREAS, Today, diesel cars account for approximately 40% of
12 new car sales in Europe compared to less than 4% in the United
13 States; and
14 WHEREAS, Diesel engines are approximately 20% more efficient
15 than standard gasoline engines and this increased fuel economy
16 allows diesel engines to operate cleaner than standard gasoline
1 engines and to emit less carbon dioxide; and
2 WHEREAS, Emissions standards and biodiesel blends have led to
3 reduced levels of carbon monoxide, sulfur and other greenhouse
4 gases emitted from diesel engines; and
5 WHEREAS, Automobiles powered by compressed natural gas, bi-
6 fuel vehicles capable of using standard gasoline or natural gas
7 and flex-fuel vehicles capable of running on various fuel types
8 are not as readily available in the United States as in other
9 countries; and
10 WHEREAS, Natural gas as an automotive fuel is cleaner and
11 less expensive than gasoline, and flex fuels like ethanol burn
12 much cleaner than traditional fossil fuels; and
13 WHEREAS, Although some American automobile manufacturers
14 offer vehicles with diesel, bi-fuel and flex-fuel engines,
15 foreign manufacturers lead this industry and few of such cars
16 are available for sale to the American public; and
17 WHEREAS, Both the United States Government and the
18 Commonwealth offer incentives for the purchase of alternative
19 fuel vehicles, such as those powered by bi-fuel and flex-fuel
20 engines; and
21 WHEREAS, The General Assembly, in conjunction with the
22 Governor, recently enacted Act 78 of 2008 requiring biodiesel
23 and ethanol blending content requirements and Act 2 of the
24 Special Session of 2008 establishing production incentives for
25 the biodiesel industry; therefore be it
26 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge American
27 automobile manufacturers to produce more diesel-powered, bi-fuel
28 and flex-fuel automobiles for sale to the American motoring
29 public; and be it further
30 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge the American
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1 automotive retail industry to offer more vehicles with a wider
2 variety of engine options powered by diesel, bi-fuel and flex-
3 fuels for sale to the American motoring public.
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