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Regular Session, 2010 ENROLLED
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 8
BY SENATORS SMITH, ADLEY AND THOMPSON AND REPRESENTATIVE
ELLINGTON
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON
To memorialize the United States Congress to support expansion and use of domestic
natural gas and alternative energies, and to urge agencies to operate vehicles using
compressed natural gas.
WHEREAS, the United States imports more than sixty-five percent of its petroleum,
two-thirds of which is used in the form of gasoline and diesel fuel to power vehicles; and
WHEREAS, a large percentage of worldwide petroleum reserves are located in
politically volatile countries, making the United States vulnerable to supply disruptions; and
WHEREAS, the United States has an abundance of natural gas; and
WHEREAS, compressed natural gas provides safe, clean, reliable, efficient, and
secure energy, and is the alternative fuel most used today for transportation in the United
States, with more than two hundred thousand buses, taxis, delivery vehicles, and other fleet
vehicles across the nation using compressed natural gas daily; and
WHEREAS, the United States Department of Energy indicates that compressed
natural gas can be used as a replacement for gasoline in light-duty vehicles and as a
replacement for diesel in heavy-duty vehicles; and
WHEREAS, vehicles powered by compressed natural gas discharge far fewer
harmful emissions than vehicles powered by gasoline or diesel fuel; and
WHEREAS, studies indicate that maintenance costs for vehicles powered by
compressed natural gas are lower than for vehicles powered by gasoline or diesel fuel; and
WHEREAS, the federal government currently provides, and is expected to increase,
incentives for use of alternative fuels and, at the current price of various fuels, any additional
costs to purchase vehicles to run on compressed natural gas would be quickly recouped; and
WHEREAS, in 2009, the United States imported four billion, three hundred and fifty
million barrels of oil, spending roughly two hundred and sixty-five million dollars; and SCR NO. 8 ENROLLED
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WHEREAS, eighty-five million barrels of oil were produced daily around the world;
and
WHEREAS, twenty-one million barrels of oil are used daily in the United States; and
WHEREAS, world oil production has been declining since 2005; and
WHEREAS, roughly twenty percent of every barrel of oil imported into the United
States is used to fuel the transport of goods around the country by road.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes
the United States Congress to support expansion and use of domestic natural gas reserves
and alternative energies to reduce our reliance on imported oil by supporting H.R. 1835 and
S. 1408, which are under consideration by the United States Congress.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana urges state and
federal agencies to purchase, when possible, vehicles that can be converted to run on
compressed natural gas, when it is available.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
secretary of the United States Senate and the clerk of the United States House of
Representatives, and to each member of the Louisiana delegation to the United States
Congress.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES