1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to agriculture; directing the commissioners 
  1.3             of agriculture and transportation to conduct a pilot 
  1.4             project on the use of soy-based biodiesel in state 
  1.5             highway maintenance vehicles; appropriating money. 
  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   agriculture in cooperation with the commissioner of 
  1.10  transportation shall conduct a pilot project to test the use of 
  1.11  soy-based biodiesel fuel to operate department of transportation 
  1.12  highway maintenance vehicles that use diesel fuel.  The 
  1.13  commissioners shall: 
  1.14     (1) ensure that not less than ... percent of all diesel 
  1.15  fuel consumed by the department of transportation in diesel 
  1.16  fueled highway maintenance vehicles in fiscal year 1998 is 
  1.17  soy-based biodiesel fuel; and 
  1.18     (2) in cooperation with the commissioners of transportation 
  1.19  and pollution control, study (i) the environmental effects of 
  1.20  soy-based biodiesel compared to conventional diesel fuel, (ii) 
  1.21  operational characteristics of soy-based biodiesel in motor 
  1.22  vehicles, and (iii) existing obstacles to the wider use of 
  1.23  soy-based biodiesel as a highway fuel. 
  1.24     Subd. 2.  [REPORT.] The commissioner of agriculture shall 
  1.25  report to the governor and legislature by January 1, 1999, on 
  2.1   the results of the pilot project.  The report must contain 
  2.2   findings and recommendations on the feasibility and desirability 
  2.3   of state action to increase the use of soy-based biodiesel fuel 
  2.4   in Minnesota. 
  2.5      Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.6      $....... is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  2.7   commissioner of agriculture for purposes of the pilot project 
  2.8   and report in section 1.  The commissioner may transfer a 
  2.9   portion of this appropriation to the commissioner of 
  2.10  transportation for the purchase and distribution of soy-based 
  2.11  biodiesel fuel and other direct costs of the pilot project. 
  2.12     Sec. 3.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  2.13     Section 1 is effective July 1, 1997.