H3723 — An Act electrifying regional transit authorities

Summary

An Act electrifying regional transit authorities

Bill Text

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The bill establishes a framework for the electrification of transit authorities' vehicle fleets and mandates procurement targets for electric vehicles, as well as support for workers impacted by the transition.

• Chapter 161B, Section 1

  “Electric vehicles,” vehicles that rely solely on electric motors for propulsion and includes non-combustion vehicles.

  A definition of 'electric vehicles' is added to clarify what types of vehicles are included.

• Chapter 161B, Section 6

  (s) The authorities shall operate electric vehicles with a priority for operating such buses on routes serving environmental justice populations as defined in section 62 of chapter 30. Authorities shall conduct robust community outreach and engagement with residents of environmental justice populations, municipal officials in cities and towns that have environmental justice populations, and with transportation and environmental justice advocates. The authorities shall implement electrification along all regional transit authorities by no later than December 31, 2035 and meet the following procurement targets. The Secretary, in consultation with the executive office for administration and finance, shall require that new electric vehicles purchased by the authorities shall be electric vehicles according to the following deadlines: (i) 40 per cent of all purchases in 2028; (ii) 60 per cent of all purchases in 2030; and (iii) 80 per cent of all purchases in 2032. The authorities shall report annually to the Regional Transit Authority Council established pursuant to section 27 of chapter 161B on the progress of electrifying their fleets. As part of the public reports, authorities shall include information on any fossil fuel infrastructure or fossil fuel-powered vehicles procured during the reporting period and the reasons for procuring internal combustion engines and fossil fuel infrastructure in lieu of electric vehicles and zero-emission infrastructure.

  New requirements for operating electric vehicles, prioritizing routes for environmental justice populations, and setting procurement targets for electric vehicle purchases are introduced.

• Chapter 161B

  Section 28. The department of transportation shall establish a central planning and procurement office by December 31, 2026. The central planning and procurement office shall be tasked with technical, planning, grant writing, procurement, and worker retraining support for implementation of the electric vehicle bus rollout plans as described in section 78 and chapter 179 of the Acts of 2022 for each individual regional transit authority by June 30, 2027. The department shall provide information and support for any employees who may become unemployed as a result of regional transit authorities’ transition to electric buses, including, but not limited to, free retraining options and hiring assistance to transition to another role. The employers of any labor required to design, build, and maintain infrastructure as described by said rollout plans will pay a prevailing wage, be subject to project labor agreements, and at a minimum remain neutral to unionization efforts. The department of transportation, in consultation with the executive office of energy and environmental affairs, shall identify sources of funding to support the implementation of the electric vehicle bus rollout plans and may pursue federal funding opportunities to support electric vehicle penetration throughout the Commonwealth in accordance with the requirements of chapter 21N.

  A new section is added that creates a central office for planning and procurement related to electric vehicle buses and outlines support for affected workers.

Sponsors

• David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf · Primary

Subjects