On Thursday, State Representative Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa), filed House Bill 1979, the “Texas Fuels” bill, to harness funds restricted exclusively for emissions reduction purposes to promote the use of natural gas-based fuels in state fleet vehicles. 

"The Texas Fuels bill is good for Texas,” Landgraf said. “It will help create jobs in places like the Permian Basin that are blessed with an abundance of natural gas, but it will also provide a path for economic growth and cost-savings for Texas taxpayers.”

Among other provisions, the bill would authorize portions of the Texas Emissions Reduction Program (“TERP”) fund to convert state fleets to include vehicles with engines that run on natural gas-based fuels. The program envisioned in the Texas Fuels bill should lead to an increase in natural gas production across Texas.

"Texas is the largest natural gas producer in the nation, and the Permian Basin is the largest natural gas producer in the state,” Landgraf said. “These co-products come from natural resources should be used to their fullest extent.”

The current 85th Texas legislative session will run through May 29, 2017.