SLS 10RS-626 ORIGINAL
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Regular Session, 2010
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 8
BY SENATORS SMITH AND ADLEY AND REPRESENTATIVE ELLINGTON
CONGRESS. Memorialize the United States Congress to support expansion and use of
domestic natural gas and alternative energies, and urge agencies to operate vehicles using
compressed natural gas.
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To memorialize the United States Congress to support expansion and use of domestic2
natural gas and alternative energies, and to urge agencies to operate vehicles using3
compressed natural gas.4
WHEREAS, the United States imports more than sixty-five percent of its petroleum,5
two-thirds of which is used in the form of gasoline and diesel fuel to power vehicles; and6
WHEREAS, a large percentage of worldwide petroleum reserves are located in7
politically volatile countries, making the United States vulnerable to supply disruptions; and8
WHEREAS, the United States has an abundance of natural gas; and9
WHEREAS, compressed natural gas provides safe, clean, reliable, efficient, and10
secure energy, and is the alternative fuel most used today for transportation in the United11
States, with more than two hundred thousand buses, taxis, delivery vehicles, and other fleet12
vehicles across the nation using compressed natural gas daily; and13
WHEREAS, the United States Department of Energy indicates that compressed14
natural gas can be used as a replacement for gasoline in light-duty vehicles and as a15
replacement for diesel in heavy-duty vehicles; and16
WHEREAS, vehicles powered by compressed natural gas discharge far fewer17
harmful emissions than vehicles powered by gasoline or diesel fuel; and18 SCR NO. 8
SLS 10RS-626 ORIGINAL
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WHEREAS, studies indicate that maintenance costs for vehicles powered by1
compressed natural gas are lower than for vehicles powered by gasoline or diesel fuel; and2
WHEREAS, the federal government currently provides, and is expected to increase,3
incentives for use of alternative fuels and, at the current price of various fuels, any additional4
costs to purchase vehicles to run on compressed natural gas would be quickly recouped; and5
WHEREAS, in 2009, the United States imported four billion, three hundred and fifty6
million barrels of oil, spending roughly two hundred and sixty-five million dollars; and7
WHEREAS, eighty-five million barrels of oil were produced daily around the world;8
and9
WHEREAS, twenty-one million barrels of oil are used daily in the United States; and10
WHEREAS, world oil production has been declining since 2005; and11
WHEREAS, roughly twenty percent of every barrel of oil imported into the United12
States is used to fuel the transport of goods around the country by road.13
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes14
the United States Congress to support expansion and use of domestic natural gas reserves15
and alternative energies to reduce our reliance on imported oil by supporting H.R. 1835 and16
S. 1408, which are under consideration by the United States Congress.17
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana urges state and18
federal agencies to purchase, when possible, vehicles that can be converted to run on19
compressed natural gas, when it is available.20
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the21
secretary of the United States Senate and the clerk of the United States House of22
Representatives, and to each member of the Louisiana delegation to the United States23
Congress.24
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Michelle Broussard-Johnson.
DIGEST
Smith SCR No. 8
Memorializes Congress to support expansion and use of domestic natural gas and alternative
energies and to urge agencies to operate vehicles using compressed natural gas.