Wow! What debate there has been on S.B. 1146! The bill is in regards to mandating the State motor vehicle fleet to use Bio-diesel fuel, not to exceed 5% more than the cost of petroleum-based diesel. There have been some very good arguments from both sides of the bill.
Passage of the bill would help provide incentives for development of new bio-diesel technology and companies. It would also be a move toward less dependency on foreign fuels. It has also been shown that bio-diesel is better for engines and can increase the life of the engine.
But, it could also potentially cost VDOT an additional 1-5% more than petroleum based diesel. One of the problems that some senators have had is that it would impact the buget without going back through the Senate Finance Committee. Senator Whipple, the bill's patron, assured everyone that the Transportation Dept has already stated that they are able to absorb the cost into their budget.
There was also discussion about the impact on agriculture in Virginia. It was pointed out that bio-diesel is made from a variety of sources including algae and other oil-based products.
I can see good points from both sides...
This Senate Bill passed 29-11. As with everything else that has passed today, this bill will now be on its way to the House of Delegates for the next leg of legislative review.
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