1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to transportation; directing the commissioner 
  1.3             of transportation to conduct a pilot project on the 
  1.4             use of soy-based biodiesel in state highway 
  1.5             maintenance vehicles. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [PILOT PROJECT; SOY-BASED DIESEL FUEL.] 
  1.8      Subdivision 1.  [PILOT PROJECT.] The commissioner of 
  1.9   transportation shall conduct a pilot project to test the use of 
  1.10  soy-based biodiesel fuel to operate department of transportation 
  1.11  highway maintenance vehicles that use diesel fuel.  The 
  1.12  commissioner shall: 
  1.13     (1) ensure that not less than ... percent of all diesel 
  1.14  fuel consumed by the department in highway maintenance vehicles 
  1.15  in fiscal year 1996 is soy-based biodiesel fuel; and 
  1.16     (2) study (i) the environmental effects of soy-based 
  1.17  biodiesel compared to conventional diesel fuel, (ii) operational 
  1.18  characteristics of soy-based biodiesel in motor vehicles, and 
  1.19  (iii) existing obstacles to the wider use of soy-based biodiesel 
  1.20  as a highway fuel. 
  1.21     Subd. 2.  [REPORT.] The commissioner shall report to the 
  1.22  governor and legislature not later than January 1, 1997, on the 
  1.23  results of the study.  The report must contain findings and 
  1.24  recommendations on the feasibility and desirability of state 
  1.25  action to increase the use of soy-based biodiesel in Minnesota. 
  2.1      Sec. 2.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  2.2      Section 1 is effective July 1, 1995.