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Expired, Repealed, and Archived North Carolina Incentives and Laws

The following is a list of expired, repealed, and archived incentives, laws, regulations, funding opportunities, or other initiatives related to alternative fuels and vehicles, advanced technologies, or air quality.

Biofuel Fueling Infrastructure Tax Credit

Taxpayers who construct qualified fueling facilities that dispense biodiesel, ethanol, or ethanol/gasoline blends consisting of at least 70% ethanol (E70) are eligible for a tax credit equal to 15% of the cost of constructing and installing the dispensing infrastructure that is directly and exclusively used for dispensing or storing the fuel, including pumps, storage tanks, and related equipment. The taxpayer must take the credit in three equal annual installments beginning with the taxable year in which the facility is placed into service. Facilities must be placed in service before January 1, 2011. (Reference North Carolina General Statutes 105-129.16D)

Biofuel Production Facility Tax Credit

Taxpayers who process biodiesel, ethanol, or ethanol/gasoline blends consisting of at least 70% ethanol (E70) are eligible for a tax credit equal to 25% of the cost of constructing and equipping the processing facility. The facility must be placed in service before January 1, 2011, and the taxpayer must take the credit in seven equal annual installments beginning with the taxable year in which the facility is placed in service. (Reference North Carolina General Statutes 105-129.15)

Biodiesel Production Tax Credit

A biodiesel provider that produces at least 100,000 gallons of biodiesel during the taxable year is allowed a credit equal to the per gallon excise tax the producer paid in accordance with the motor fuel excise tax rate. The credit only applies to tax paid on the biodiesel portion of the fuel blend and the credit may not exceed $500,000. This credit is effective until January 1, 2010. (Reference North Carolina General Statutes 105-129.16F)

Provision for School Bus Emission Reduction Grants

A pilot program will be established within the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources to provide grants towards the required 20% state funding match for the federal Safe Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act - A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), specifically for diesel school bus retrofits or repowers that reduce particulate matter emissions. Any repowering or replacement of existing diesel engines in school buses must meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2007 Heavy-Duty Highway Diesel Standards. (Reference North Carolina General Statutes 143-215.107E, F, and H)

Heavy-Duty Vehicle Idle Reduction Requirement

A heavy-duty vehicle is not permitted to idle for more than five consecutive minutes in any 60-minute period. Exceptions are allowed for the following: traffic conditions; law enforcement purposes; emergency vehicles; military vehicles; power work-related operations; maintenance, servicing, repairing, or diagnostic purposes; sleeper berth temperature control during government mandated rest periods; auxiliary power units; heavy-duty diesel vehicles meeting California Air Resources Board's nitrogen oxide idling emission standards; and customer climate control comfort while providing customer services; prevention of safety or health emergencies. (Reference North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Division of Air Quality Idle Reduction Rule)

Ethanol Fueling Infrastructure Requirement

Ethanol blends between 10% (E10) and 85% (E85) for use in motor vehicles may be dispensed from equipment that fully complies with all requirements for dispensing E10, provided that the following conditions are met: 1.) The dispensing equipment manufacturer has documented that the equipment is compatible with all ethanol blends; 2.) the manufacturer has, at a minimum, initiated the process of applying to an independent testing laboratory to have the equipment listed for use in dispensing ethanol blends; and 3.) the equipment clearly discloses the particular ethanol blend that is being dispensed. This regulation expires on July 1, 2009. (Reference Senate Bill 143-143.6)

Alternative Fuel Use and Fuel Efficient Vehicle Requirements

State-owned vehicle fleets with more than 10 motor vehicles designed for highway use must establish plans to improve the use of alternative fuels and fuel-efficient vehicles. The plans must enable the state-owned fleets to achieve a 20% reduction or displacement of the current petroleum products consumed by January 1, 2010. Reductions may be met by petroleum or oils displaced through the use of biodiesel, ethanol, synthetic oils or lubricants, other alternative fuels, the use of hybrid electric vehicles, other fuel-efficient or low-emission vehicles or additional methods as may be approved by the State Energy Office. (Reference Session Law 2005-276, Section 19.5)

Biofuels Industry Promotion Task Force

The State established the Biofuels Industry Strategic Plan Work Group (BISP Work Group) to develop a strategic plan for expansion of the biofuels industry in North Carolina, including delineating the increasing role of biotechnology in the development of biofuels. The Work Group was required to include representatives from various North Carolina colleges and universities, the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, and the Rural Economic Development Center, Inc. The BISP Work Group submitted North Carolina's Strategic Plan for Biofuels Leadership to the Environmental Review Commission on April 1, 2007. (Reference Senate Bill 2051, 2006)