Washington Code 43.19.622 – Passenger motor vehicles owned or operated by state agencies — Duty to establish policies as to acquisition, operation, authorized use — Strategies to reduce fuel consumption and vehicle emissions

(1) The director of financial management, after consultation with other interested or affected state agencies, shall establish overall policies governing the acquisition, operation, management, maintenance, repair, and disposal of all motor vehicles owned or operated by any state agency. These policies shall include but not be limited to a definition of what constitutes authorized use of a state owned or controlled passenger motor vehicle and other motor vehicles on official state business. The definition shall include, but not be limited to, the use of state-owned motor vehicles for commuter ride sharing so long as the entire capital depreciation and operational expense of the commuter ride-sharing arrangement is paid by the commuters. Any use other than such defined use shall be considered as personal use.

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(2)(a) By June 15, 2010, the director of the *department of general administration, in consultation with the office and other interested or affected state agencies, shall develop strategies to assist state agencies in reducing fuel consumption and emissions from all classes of vehicles.

(b) In an effort to achieve lower overall emissions for all classes of vehicles, state agencies should, when financially comparable over the vehicle’s useful life, consider purchasing or converting to ultra-low carbon fuel vehicles.

(3) State agencies shall phase in fuel economy standards for motor pools and leased petroleum-based fuel vehicles to achieve an average fuel economy standard of thirty-six miles per gallon for passenger vehicle fleets by 2015.

(4) After June 15, 2010, state agencies shall:

(a) When purchasing new petroleum-based fuel vehicles for vehicle fleets: (i) Achieve an average fuel economy of forty miles per gallon for light duty passenger vehicles; and (ii) achieve an average fuel economy of twenty-seven miles per gallon for light duty vans and sports [sport] utility vehicles; or

(b) Purchase ultra-low carbon fuel vehicles.

(5) State agencies must report annually on the progress made to achieve the goals under subsections (3) and (4) of this section beginning October 31, 2011.

(6) The *department of general administration, in consultation with the office and other affected or interested agencies, shall develop a separate fleet fuel economy standard for all other classes of petroleum-based fuel vehicles and report the progress made toward meeting the fuel consumption and emissions goals established by this section to the governor and the relevant legislative committees by December 1, 2012.

(7) The following vehicles are excluded from the average fuel economy goals established in subsections (3) and (4) of this section: Emergency response vehicles, passenger vans with a gross vehicle weight of eight thousand five hundred pounds or greater, vehicles that are purchased for off-pavement use, ultra-low carbon fuel vehicles, and vehicles that are driven less than two thousand miles per year.

(8) Average fuel economy calculations used under this section for petroleum-based fuel vehicles must be based upon the current United States environmental protection agency composite city and highway mile per gallon rating.

(9) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

(a) “Petroleum-based fuel vehicle” means a vehicle that uses, as a fuel source, more than ten percent gasoline or diesel fuel.

(b) “Ultra-low carbon fuel vehicle” means a vehicle that uses, as a fuel source, at least ninety percent natural gas, hydrogen, biomethane, or electricity.

[ 2010 c 159 § 1; 2009 c 519 § 6; 1982 c 163 § 13; 1980 c 169 § 1; 1979 c 111 § 12; 1975 1st ex.s. c 167 § 5. Formerly RCW 43.41.130.]