HOUSE MEMORIAL 41

50th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2011

INTRODUCED BY

Dennis J. Kintigh

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING A STUDY OF THE USE OF NATURAL GAS AS A TRANSPORTATION FUEL.

     WHEREAS, natural gas is a combustible, gaseous mixture of simple hydrocarbon compounds, mainly methane; and

     WHEREAS, natural gas is usually extracted from gas and oil wells, although smaller amounts are derived from supplemental sources such as landfill and coal-derived gas, and large deposits exist in more than one-half of the fifty states; and

     WHEREAS, natural gas is classified as an alternative fuel by the federal Energy Policy Act of 1992; and

     WHEREAS, natural gas accounts for twenty-two percent of the energy use in the United States and two and two-tenths percent of the energy used for transportation in the United States; and

     WHEREAS, there were one hundred twenty thousand five hundred vehicles on United States roads in 2004 using natural gas as a fuel; and

     WHEREAS, there are more than eight hundred twenty-five natural gas fueling stations in the United States; and

     WHEREAS, natural gas is a domestically available fuel and its increased use would increase energy security; and

     WHEREAS, natural gas has eighty percent less particulate matter and twenty-one percent to twenty-five percent less greenhouse gas emissions than other forms of fuel;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the increased use of natural gas as a transportation fuel would be beneficial to New Mexico and the United States as a whole; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the university of New Mexico law school be requested to examine and report on potential liability and litigation issues associated with the use of natural gas as a transportation fuel; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico institute of mining and technology be requested to examine and report on the technical advantages and disadvantages of using liquid natural gas and compressed natural gas as transportation fuels; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the arrowhead center at New Mexico state university be requested to examine and report on infrastructure issues related to the use of natural gas as a transportation fuel; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that eastern New Mexico university, western New Mexico university and New Mexico highlands university be requested to examine and report on the use of natural gas as a transportation fuel and offer suggestions on how to facilitate the use of natural gas as a transportation fuel; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the reports on the use of natural gas as a transportation fuel be presented to the appropriate interim legislative committees by November 1, 2011; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the dean of the university of New Mexico law school, the director of the arrowhead center at New Mexico state university and the presidents of the New Mexico institute of mining and technology, eastern New Mexico university, western New Mexico university and New Mexico highlands university.

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