Alternative Fuels -- State Regulations for Arizona

This page contains selected data from the Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC) at the U. S. Department of Energy. Additional details and the latest updates may be found at the AFDC summary page for Arizona.

Vehicle Acquisition

City vehicles

Local governments in defined areas of Maricopa, Pinal, and Yavapai counties that have a population of more than 1.2 million people must develop and implement vehicle fleet plans for the purpose of encouraging and increasing the use of alternative fuels in vehicles the city or town owns. At least 75% of the total local government fleet must operate on alternative fuels. Alternatively, local government fleets may meet AFV acquisition requirements through biodiesel or alternative fuel use or apply for waivers. Any local governments that purchase buses for use in counties with populations of more than 500,000 people must purchase or convert buses to operate on alternative fuels. For the purpose of these requirements, alternative fuels include propane, natural gas, electricity, hydrogen, qualified diesel fuel substitutes, E85, and a blend of hydrogen with propane or natural gas. (Reference Arizona Revised Statutes 9-500.04, 49-474.01, 49-541, and 49-571)

State agency vehicles

Arizona state agencies, boards, and commissions must purchase hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs), or vehicles that meet greenhouse gas emissions standards; or use alternative fuels; with the goal that all state vehicles be HEVs, meet low emissions standards, or be AFVs by January 2012. Alternatively, the state fleet may meet AFV acquisition requirements through biodiesel or alternative fuel use or apply for waivers. For the purpose of these requirements, alternative fuels include propane, natural gas, electricity, hydrogen, qualified diesel fuel substitutes, E85, and a blend of hydrogen with propane or natural gas. (Reference Executive Order 2010-14, 2010, and Arizona Revised Statutes 41-803)

State vehicles (high population counties)

At least 75% of light-duty state fleet vehicles operating in counties with a population of more than 250,000 people must be capable of operating on alternative fuels. If the AFVs operate in counties with populations of more than 1.2 million people, those vehicles must meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency emissions standards for Low Emission Vehicles. For the purpose of these requirements, alternative fuels include propane, natural gas, electricity, hydrogen, qualified diesel fuel substitutes, E85, and a blend of hydrogen with propane or natural gas. (Reference Executive Order 2010-14, 2010, and Arizona Revised Statutes 41-803)

General

Definition (biodiesel)

Biodiesel is a fuel that is produced from nonpetroleum renewable resources and meets the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency registration requirements for fuels and fuel additives established in Section 211 of the Clean Air Act. E85 is defined as a blend of fuel ethanol and gasoline that meets ASTM specification D5798. The Arizona Department of Weights and Measures must adopt rules to establish and enforce federal standards and ASTM test methods for biofuels and biofuel blends, and blenders of biodiesel must follow the established reporting requirements. (Reference Arizona Revised Statutes 41-2051 and 41-2083)

Fleet Composition Requirement (local)

Federal fleets based in Arizona that operate primarily in counties with a population of more than 1.2 million people must be comprised of at least 90% alternative fuel vehicles. Alternatively, federal fleets may meet acquisition requirements through alternative fuel use or apply for waivers. Recognized alternative fuels include propane, natural gas, electricity, hydrogen, qualified diesel fuel substitutes, E85, and a blend of hydrogen with propane or natural gas. (Reference Arizona Revised Statutes 49-573)

Procurement Preference (emissions reduction, local)

Any state agency that contracts for the use of on- or off-road heavy-duty diesel equipment in Maricopa, Pima, and Pinal Counties must construct its Requests for Proposals in a manner that gives incentives to bidders that use equipment retrofitted with diesel retrofit kits, newer clean diesel technologies and fuels, or biodiesel or other cleaner petroleum diesel alternatives. (Reference Executive Order 2007-03 , 2007)