Energy - Joint

It members wells will find their way to their seats we'll get started I know there are a couple other committees meeting so I don't expect to have a full house today but will ease get started. Yes if you wanna have a seat jerseys quorum. We have one item on the agenda and that's senator Johnson's bill and we'll we'll move right into that if the. I feel like today may be like we'll have plenty of time to thanks eleven opportunity to visit and handle this bill compared to other times we bet if there's any additional business for us to manage that and then we take it up after we handle this bill I know that my co chair is is in the committee a committee meeting right now and he may not make it and there's several the people are kind of the same vote but Center Johnson if you don't mind introduced so for the record and you're recognized thank you Mr chairman mark Johnson. US senator District fifteen and Mister chairman I'm joined today with secretary ecchi Keogh at this legislation would be administered by her department so she's here to answer any questions. You like me to Percy. The representative of the secretary Keo wants to introduce herself and that's fine I'm secretary Becky Keogh for the Arkansas department of energy environment. Thank you for being here. I thank you Mr chairman this is a real simple bill let me add that it is bipartisan and bicameral Senator Leding representative Haak represent brown and represent Ferguson are my co sponsors of this bill arose out of a situation that happened to me a while back I was I was in Dallas and I so we all know I have an electric car have a Tesla and I was playing with the the nav system on it It going how far to take you to different cities and I. Clicked on St Louis and to get go from Dallas to St Louis it would not run me through Arkansas and that really hit me of how would not having adequate charging stations along our highways that there will be owners of electric cars that that might be interested in coming to Arkansas for tourism and other such things that would totally bypass our state it became more than just an annoyance I got to thinking about this is an important thing we need to do so I taught some people that had had done some some similar projects in other states and and agreed to do this and then in the meantime of. I learned that the department of environment quality had a a a grant program that was made from the proceeds of the Volkswagen diesel scandal settlement. And to actually pay for grants for a to set up electric vehicle charging stations of I will get in the details I think most members of the committee are conversant with with how this works we have a good thing electric car B. is called range anxiety that you're you're scared you'll get low your battery you will have a place to get it charged hopefully this will in that forever and we'll have more people that electric cars come through Arkansas and spend their money in and see our state into all the other wonderful benefits we get from tourism of. We anticipate we all of us anticipate a significant amount of federal funding coming out of this Congress for electric vehicle infrastructure and we wanted to have a a grant program I'm calling it a catcher's Mitt. In place to administer that and because the Secretary killed her staff have already done this with the Volkswagen settlement money they seem like the logical place to do that so this is a bill that will create a of a grant program I do have a companion appropriation bill that will be coming Joint Budget tomorrow we've amended it we keep talking to secretary Preston and others have said that's not enough money center puts more money in it so will we will we will appropriated at a high level and trust that to the rumors are coming to Washington are correct and they'll be more than adequate funding for it but it can also accept private grants and other things but this is actually just creates the program and be administered at a D. Q. so I'll be happy to answer any questions or I would defer to the secretary if she has anything that. Thank you senator Johnson for your leadership on this is us as important Arkansas's we really need to modernize our infrastructure we know the technology but we need to ready the state I think as we know as we hear advanced technologies coming out of the of not only the funding from DC but also just the involving technology of our automobiles and and other the transportation vehicles so we are we do have a grants program it says I would call a modest program right now that we can provide with the Volkswagen settlement money it's really focused on some of what we call the level two Chargers which or or daytime charters hotel or overnight charger so this would really hopefully this federal money that we've heard about and we're working with our partners state partners on a chairman Thomas is here in and I serve on several regional workgroups national conversations on this so we do know that this is expected to be a reality soon that we and we do want to make sure the Arkansas doesn't become what we call the donut hole and that we've actually truly have connective itty across the state across our states we know that our highway corridors are a critical part of the national at transportation network as you know of for Memphis across Arkansas is one of the key transportation corners and we know it does bring in we also happen to have a lot of key tourism that would benefit from this so and Secretary president say commerce is also very interested in this topic right now and he's hearing a lot of it in his discussion so without with all those the. Influencers I think it is important that we remain ready and I think our current authority is is very limited in terms of what we can do in this space so this would really benefit the state and allow the department to respond and actually be a leader I hopefully at the end of the day with having them S. the infrastructure we possibly can put in place of thank you again. Thank you ma'am sector I'll be glad to answer answering questions Mr. Thank you senator rice you are recognized. Thank you US secretary DO couple questions one what was the amount of the the W. settlement has any of it been spent. And the second is federal monies that may be coming in for this specific. Then you. What is is that through the A. L. C. oversight mechanism resent strict strictly through your department. Well to your first question the Volkswagen settlement money is money that's held in trust fund a third party we do have a grant program active right now we've got a lot of inquiry from cities and and and private even private entities about accessing the two and a half million dollars that we've made available that is a limit that set by the settlement agreement itself we cannot exceed that we have additional funds that will be that have been spent for instance the highway department received a million dollar grant to modernize some of their Instruction vehicles non non electric but some advanced fuel of clean fuel diesel technology that's already been granted but the two and a half million for the infrastructure part is is a limit on the settlement agreement what we do have it out and we are currently accepting applications I don't know it's a reimbursement process so I'm not sure if anyone's actually completed a project yet to actually take advantage of that money but they will I suspect in the future we're also a as far as the other federal money question I think that's to be determined I haven't it. If grants are made up and funds are provided of they would I'm hearing there's a congressional of effort particularly through the. The Committee on I'm sorry infrastructure and I guess that the Senate Bozeman's Committee be the. Another one because I don't know there's a competitive type thing where the state would be able to go in and compete for a grant for that there's also some additional funds at an ounce by the president but I'm not sure exactly what vehicle they were used to disperse that to the state so senator Johnson may have more information on that or. Chairman Thomas but my question would be is you so I would guess you you're telling me it's not far enough along yet to know what the state over so that would be that's what I'm asking what the state oversight who is that. If if I could take that back up Senator Rice I anticipate that once this legislation is in place and we get leased up inkling out of Washington about the this is how the status of this will be done then the eighty Q. could come back to the Legislative Council with some proposed rules to implement it I'm at this point I'm not trying to micromanage it because we've got to be flexible enough in legislation to respond to the shape of that program when it comes out of Washington and not box ourselves in a corner but yeah that's at least what I appreciate the thank you you working on this and the analogy catch me at. Pretty much tells it all got to have that before you get going yes thank you thank you senator. Senator Stubblefield you're recognized. Thank you Mr chairman of centre Johnson this guilty or kill anyone. According to the latest figures that I've seen on this new proposed infrastructure bill at Washington only fifteen percent of that is set aside for bridges roads and then a very small percentage set aside for electric charging stations. What I'm trying to say is there a number of private companies including plug blink I just to name a few that that. Put these type of in infrastructure is in place do you not see this as is government competing with private businesses. It should not be left up to private businesses and industry to do. Senator my understanding is this would specifically be something that would be grants that could be applied for by a private business including matching grants or some incentives to get these businesses to place these where they're needed they they're they're it and I without getting too far into the weeds on the technology there are different levels of the of the these Chargers like there's a a charger I have at home it'll charge my car overnight but there's one down here by the bass pro shop that will charge it in about the thirty five minutes and those that are we're talking about the level three Chargers and and lord knows what the new technologies will bring that's this is to try to kick start that so this is a an incentive program that would I hope be taken as a public private partnership issues wouldn't be we're just going to give it to say are not having put up a charging station this would be a a a public private partnership of some sort and again I don't want to. Right the rules because it again at this point it's just a catcher's Mitt we're not quite sure but but as you would know and know me I'm very sensitive to the issue you raised and I want this to be an incentive to private industry and to to kick start this thing and get it going faster and not as a you know the socialistic charging station network or something. I'm not. Don't misinterpret may want to say I'm not against this bill in the sense that but I have a problem with even grants are these publicly funded grant of a private grants. Well the bill would allow funding for me either and any yet I wrote it very broadly for that reason Senator that if you share some of private foundation that thinks this is a great thing and wants to put money into the program they could do so and it would be administered by secretary keoghs Department he would also course the primary driving for this is is anticipated federal funding I took the same Response that you did to some of the proposed infrastructure when I I heard to a Speaker Pelosi say human infrastructure I'm thinking that's a stretch to use I'm not saying we don't want to help you would be ex but infrastructure to me is bricks and mortar and steel and things that is you know highways water systems sewage systems electric in this case electric charging system things that are public works type things and not of some of the little more dubious between both of you and I both know that the large amount of this money large percentage of it is going to go to social infrastructure programs. Sadly you're probably right. Senator I although I'm I will try to keep my eyes on this one little nature of it because I think Arkansas has a need here and and not try to concentrate on that but in the global sense I'm afraid you're absolutely right thank you Mr chairman. I had seen no further questions ahead senator Johnson's your you are recognized to close for your bill. Thank you Mr chairman of. Again this bills is a work in progress it will put forth a framework to do you can use my analogy the catcher's Mitt to to catch federal money as it can become available to help build our infrastructure in Arkansas and also leaves the flexibility rulemaking process to eighty Q. and and secretary key on her staff to to come up with the most equitable in the best way to distribute this grant money and I again I emphasize public private partnerships and hope to be involved in that rulemaking process but that's the overall Direction and and intent of the bill and so I would move do pass. motion to a second. I have a second from Senator Rice any discussion on the motion. I would just add one point over the I've notice under this bill is coming up but I've noticed over the last two days three different tests was on the big trail and and the reason why they're on the big trails hillbilly hideout as a supercharger and and you know they're they're coming to my neighborhood they're spending money at Turner been in probably going out to eat it or general store maybe maybe going to birds but they're driving up now the big draw through my district Levon leaving their money in the places where they can leave their money and frankly seen some of the best parts of Arkansas and and that would not happen those devils would not be driving up and down the big trail the for the the charger stations of that are located northwest Arkansas and in particular at he'll be hideouts so I think this gonna be good good for a state if we can find mechanisms to the capture the funding to do it Mr chairman I am in one come up and have a meal with you at the our store you've invited me and having that charging station Ozark makes me feel a little safer about coming up there no and I won't run out of juice forget yeah we we definitely need to do it I think it'll be fun thank you Mr all right any other any other statements or comments on okay we have a motion to table do pass all in favor say aye aye opposed say nay. All right congratulations your bill has been thank you Mr chairman. Welcome the co chair representative back you have any comments for the committee. I thought it was eleven thirty. It also happened other meeting so I can make every permutation all right any any further business for the committee I this will probably be our last meeting before the session but I am to put just paid us having some some meetings over the interim which is one of the most exciting parts of energy committee is going out and seeing how things function so we'll be we'll be communicating about that going forward and appreciate you all actually getting and working on the last few meetings and having said that our meeting is adjourned.