S 685 — Establishes "Fleet Conversion Task Force" in DEP.

S685 1R2R [First[Second Reprint] SENATE, No.

  CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT      As reported by the SenateAssembly Environment and EnergySolid Waste Committee on FebruarySeptember 12,17, 2026, with amendments.

            2.  a.  There is established in the Department of Environmental Protection a Fleet Conversion Task Force.  The duty of the task force shall be to 1:

          (1)1 study the challenges faced by commercial 2and publicly owned2 motor vehicle fleet owners and operators in converting their fleets to zero emission vehicles, including the fiscal impact on small businesses 1[, to] and impacts on fleet reliability, mission readiness, service continuity, total cost of ownership and workforce and training requirements for fleet operators;

          (2)1 coordinate with the necessary stakeholders to develop a cost-effective ecosystem to support the transition to zero-emission motor vehicle fleet;fleets;

and2[and]2 1[to]           (3)1 formulate recommendations for policy changes that could ease compliance with any existing laws or policies, and recommendations for new policies that could more effectively and efficiently reduce greenhouse gas emissions from commercial motor vehicles.vehicles2;

          b. (4) Theevaluate taskcomparative forcetechnology shallpathways befor composedthe conversion and modernization of 15commercial members,and aspublicly follows:owned motor vehicle fleets, including, but not limited to:

          (1)(a) thean Commissionerevaluation of Environmentalbattery-electric, Protection,hydrogen orfuel acell, designee,near whozero-emission, shalland serveother ex-officioviable asemission-reducing chair;technologies;

          (2)(b) thean Commissionerassessment of Transportation,the orsuitability aof designee,conversion whotechnologies shallby servevehicle ex-officioclass asand vice-chair;duty cycle;

          (3)(c) thean Presidentevaluation of thegeographic Boardand ofregional Publicoperational Utilities,considerations; or a designee, who shall serve ex-officio;

          (4)(d) thean Executiveanalysis Director of theoperational Newrequirements, Jerseyincluding Transitperformance Corporation,under orvarying aweather, designee,terrain, whoand shallload serveconditions; ex-officio;

    and (5)      the(e) Executivea Directorconsideration of theinfrastructure Portreadiness Authority of New York and Newtotal Jersey,cost orof aownership; designee, who shall serve ex-officio;

          (6)(5) conduct, in coordination with the ExecutiveBoard Directorof Public Utilities and the Department of Transportation, an assessment of electric grid capacity, infrastructure readiness, and rate impacts associated with the Newconversion Jerseyof Economiccommercial Developmentand Authority,publicly orowned amotor designee,vehicle whofleets, which shall serveinclude, ex-officio;but not be limited to:

          (7)(a) twoan membersanalysis of thefreight public,corridor appointedgrid bycapacity theand Senatesubstation President,load withserving knowledge,high-density expertise,freight, orport, experiencewarehouse, inand zero-emissionindustrial vehicles,areas one of whomthe shallState; represent privately owned fleets and one of whom shall represent publicly owned fleets;

          (8)(b) twoan membersidentification of theinfrastructure public,upgrade appointedrequirements by the Speaker of the General Assembly, with knowledge, expertise, or experience in zero-emission vehicles, one of whom shall represent privately owned fleets and onetimelines; of whom shall represent publicly owned fleets;

and          (c) (9)modeling fiveof membersincremental ofelectric theload publicunder appointedvarious byfleet theconversion Governorscenarios asand follows:duty cycles;

          (a)(d) onean representativeevaluation fromof anpotential environmentalimpacts justiceon organization;retail electricity rates, including impacts related to capacity market obligations within the PJM Interconnection region;

    and (b)      one(e) representativean fromassessment aof laborhow organizationexisting thatgrid representsreliability, truckingaffordability, workersand orsupply otherconstraints workersmay involvedaffect withfeasibility motorand vehiclesequencing fleets;of fleet conversion;

    and (c)      two(6) representativesconduct ofa automotivedistinct originalfiscal equipmentimpact manufacturers,analysis withof experiencefleet inconversion medium-for commercial and heavy-dutypublicly vehicles,owned atmotor leastvehicle onefleets ofoperating whomfewer shallthan have50 1direct1vehicles, experienceincluding, 1withbut fleetnot deploymentlimited orto: fleet operation1 in zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles;

and          (a) (d)modeling oneof representativetotal cost of publiclyownership ownedunder fleets,financing withassumptions knowledge,reflective expertise,of orsmall experiencebusiness incredit zero-emissionconditions, vehicles.including higher borrowing costs, limited access to capital markets, shorter loan terms, and reduced balance sheet capacity;

          c. (b) Thean membersanalysis of theinfrastructure taskand forcemake-ready shallcosts beon appointed no later than 90 days after the effective date of this act.  The task force shall organize as soon as practicable after the appointment of the task force's members.  The task force may appoint a secretaryper-vehicle whobasis needat notsmall befleet partscale, ofincluding thefleets taskoperating force. from Theleased, presenceshared, ofor eightspace-constrained membersfacilities; shall constitute a quorum.

          d. (c) Theevaluation task force shall meet regularly as the task force determines or at the call of thepotential chair. impacts A true copy of theelectricity minutesrate ofvolatility, eachdemand meetingcharges, ofand thecapacity taskmarket forcecosts shall be published and maintained on thesmall Departmentfleet ofoperating Environmentalexpenses; Protection's Internet website.  The task force shall hold public hearings in various regions of the State and shall solicit feedback from the following entities:

          (1)(d) publican fleets,assessment includingof county,potential city,market electricstructure utility,impacts, waterincluding district,risks solidof waste,industry wastewater,consolidation education,and emergency,effects on small and lawindependently enforcementowned fleets;fleet operators;

     (2) regional trucking and drayage      companies,(e) small-,recommendations medium-regarding andcompliance large-sizedtimelines, businessincentive enterprises,structures, nationalfinancing carriersmechanisms, operatingor inother Newpolicy Jersey,adjustments andnecessary firstto andensure finaleconomically milefeasible e-commerceparticipation andby airsmall cargofleets2. couriers;

          (3)b.  publicThe andtask investor-ownedforce utilities;shall be composed of 15 members, as follows:

          (4)(1) classthe 1,Commissioner 2,of andEnvironmental 3Protection, railroads,or asa applicabledesignee, towho Newshall Jersey;serve ex-officio as chair;

          (5)(2) producersthe Commissioner of electricTransportation, vehicleor infrastructure;a designee, who shall serve ex-officio as vice-chair;

          (6)(3) producersthe andPresident sellersof the Board of petroleumPublic products,Utilities, biofuels,or naturala gas,designee, propane,who andshall hydrogen;serve ex-officio;

          (7)(4) environmentalthe organizationsExecutive andDirector environmentalof justicethe advocates;New Jersey Transit Corporation, or a designee, who shall serve ex-officio;

          (8)(5) laborthe organizations;Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, or a designee, who shall serve ex-officio;

          (9)(6) the Executive Director of the New Jersey MotorEconomic VehicleDevelopment Commission;Authority, or a designee, who shall serve ex-officio;

          (10)(7) automobiletwo dealers,members automotiveof originalthe equipmentpublic, manufacturers,appointed andby manufacturersthe ofSenate internalPresident, combustionwith andknowledge, electricexpertise, or experience in zero-emission vehicles, includingone light-,of medium-,whom shall represent privately owned fleets 2operating with 50 or more vehicles2 and heavy-dutyone vehicles;of whom shall represent publicly owned fleets;

      (8) two members of the public, appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, with knowledge, expertise, or experience in zero-emission vehicles, one of whom shall represent privately owned fleets 2operating with fewer than 50 vehicles2 and     one (11)of localwhom governments.shall represent publicly owned fleets;

    and e.       The(9) five members of the taskpublic forceappointed shallby serve without compensation, but the departmentGovernor may,as withinfollows: the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the task force, reimburse members for actual expenses necessarily incurred in the discharge of their official duties.

          f. (a) Anyone vacanciesrepresentative infrom thean membershipenvironmental ofjustice theorganization; task force shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.

          g. (b) Theone Departmentrepresentative offrom Environmental Protection shall provide stenographic, clerical, and other administrative assistance and professional staff as the task force requires to carry out the task force's work.  The task force shall be entitled to call to the task force's assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, county, or municipal department, board, bureau, commission, or agency as the task force may require and as may be available for the task force's purposes.  1Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit or direct the independent advisory role of the task force.1      h.  The task force shall report its findings and recommendations1, which shall include whether or not to extend the term of the task force or convert the task force to a permanentlabor fleetorganization advisorythat council,1represents totrucking theworkers Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature no later than 1[two years] 18 months1 following the initial organizational meeting of the task force.  1The task force shall serve, during those 18 months, in an advisory capacity to the Governor and the Legislature on fleet modernization, transition, and implementation.1  A written copy of the task force's report shall be provided to the chair of the Senate Environment and Energy Committee and the chair of the Assembly Environment, Natural Resources and Solid Waste Committee, or theirother successorworkers committees. involved     with i. motor Thirtyvehicle daysfleets; after the submission of the report required pursuant to subsection h.

      (c) two representatives of automotive original equipment manufacturers, with experience in medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, at least one of whom shall have 1direct1 experience 1with fleet deployment or fleet operation1 in zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles;

and       (d) one representative of publicly owned fleets, with knowledge, expertise, or experience in zero-emission vehicles.

      c.  The members of the task force shall be appointed no later than 90 days after the effective date of this act.  The task force shall organize as soon as practicable after the appointment of the task force's members.  The task force may appoint a secretary who need not be part of the task force.  The presence of eight members shall constitute a quorum.

      d.  The task force shall meet regularly as the task force determines or at the call of the chair.  A true copy of the minutes of each meeting of the task force shall be published and maintained on the Department of Environmental Protection's Internet website.  The task force shall hold public hearings in various regions of the State and shall solicit feedback from the following entities: