Guest blogger Adam Snyder, an environmental lobbyist, offers the following wrap-up and analysis of green-related activity in the Alabama legislature for last week, the week of Monday, April 16.

Bills introduced in the Ala. legislature would create incentives for using alternative fuels in vehicles. Photo of Fiat being filled with natural gas by Andreas Geick.

Incentives for alternative fuel vehicles on the table

Energy legislation had the most activity last week and will be prominent again in the legislature the week of April 23.

Companion bills were introduced by Rep. Greg Wren (R-Montgomery) and Sen. Cam Ward (R-Alabaster) to provide incentives for the purchase of vehicles or the installation of refueling equipment for vehicles that are powered by compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, propane, or electricity.

The bill also promotes biodiesel and ethanol production in the state. While it is late in the session for newly introduced bills to get much traction, the Senate version of this bill will be in committee on Wednesday. April 25.

Another bill related to alternative fuels that has been stalled for several weeks appears to be moving again. The legislation would create a research and grant program at the Department of Agriculture and Industries for alternative fuel. It is slated to be voted on in the same committee meeting Wednesday.

Water planning, anyone?

Last week, the water policy committee met to discussed proposed legislation and plans going forward. The Office of Water Resources made a presentation regarding two bills it is working on, and the Alabama Rivers Alliance discussed the comprehensive water planning bill that was introduced two weeks ago. While the committee acknowledged that the bill is not likely to pass this session, it was interested in getting the conversation going about water planning for 2013.

Just say no to landfills… at least for now.

The Senate Transportation, Utilities, and Infrastructure Committee will hold a public hearing Wednesday on the proposal to extend the landfill moratorium until May 2014. The same committee is expected to vote on the bill in a separate meeting on Thursday.

Life-cycle cost analyses are recommended

Rep. Mac McCutcheon introduced promising legislation to require ALDOT to do a life-cycle cost analysis of major infrastructure projects.

Finally, Rep. Mac McCutcheon (R-Capshaw) has introduced promising legislation to require the Alabama Department of Transportation to do a life-cycle cost analysis of major infrastructure projects.

Such an analysis would look not only at the initial construction costs, but maintenance, costs to users, as well as the reconstruction, rehabilitation and resurfacing costs over a 50-year period.

The findings of a life-cycle cost analysis could make Alabama much more efficient and strategic in its allocation of limited transportation dollars.

Snyder’s updates are also posted on the Alabama Conservationist blog at conservationalabama.wordpress.com.

You can find a detailed summary of all eco-related bills in Conservation Alabama’s Hot List at www.conservationalabama.org.