Governor Corbett Awards 25 Grants for Natural Gas Vehicle Conversion

HARRISBURG, Pa., March 21, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Tom Corbett today awarded $7.7 million in Act 13 funding to 25 companies and organizations making the switch to natural gas for their heavy-duty fleet vehicles.

"Act 13 not only strengthened oversight of the drilling industry, it allows us to continue growing jobs while cleaning the air at the same time," Corbett said.  "Natural gas, particularly from the shale formations here in Pennsylvania, is an abundant, affordable, domestic fuel that is putting this country on a path to energy independence." 

Act 13 of 2012 was the single largest step in modernizing the state's Oil and Gas Law in nearly three decades. It increased protections for private water supplies, empowered the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to issue larger fines and included one of the most progressive hydraulic fracturing fluid disclosure laws in the nation.

The Act also authorized DEP to develop and implement the Natural Gas Energy Development program, funded by impact fees paid by natural gas operators.  The program distributes up to $20 million in grants over three years, to help pay for the incremental purchase and conversion costs of heavy-duty natural gas fleet vehicles. 

For this second round of the program, DEP received applications from 37 applicants requesting more than $10 million in grants. A portion of funding was reserved for local transportation organizations, as required by the Act.

The first round awarded $6.3 million to 19 companies and organizations making the switch to natural gas. The third and final round is slated to open in late summer.

Eligible vehicles for all three rounds of the Natural Gas Energy Development program include those fueled with compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied natural gas (LNG) or bi-fuel vehicles weighing 14,000 pounds or more.

Grant requests cannot exceed 50 percent of the incremental purchase or retrofit cost per vehicle or a maximum total of $25,000 per vehicle.

Gov. Corbett recently announced the March 1 opening of the Alternative Fuel Incentive Grant (AFIG) program, providing an estimated $8 million to help companies and organizations purchase or convert CNG, LNG or bi-fuel vehicles weighing 26,000 pounds or less, as well as electric, propane or other alternative fuel vehicles of any weight. Applications are also being accepted for innovation technology projects that include research, training, development and demonstration of new applications or next phase technology related to alternative transportation fuels and alternative fuel vehicles. 

To learn more about AFIG and Act 13 grant programs, visit www.dep.state.pa.us and click on the "Natural Gas Vehicle Grant Program" button on the homepage.

Media contact:
Valerie Caras, Governor's Office; 717-783-1116
Lynda Rebarchak, DEP; 484-250-5820

Editor's note: The 25 companies and organizations that were awarded grants are listed below, alphabetically by county, with a brief project description and funding amount. 

Allegheny
Giant Eagle, purchase 20 CNG vehicles - $300,000
Freight Equipment Leasing LLC, purchase six CNG tractor trailers - $150,000

Beaver
Beemac Trucking LLC, purchase 20 CNG tractor trailer trucks - $500,000

Blair
Burgmeiers Hauling, purchase six CNG refuse trucks - $138,955

Bucks
Constructural Dynamics, purchase 20 CNG concrete mixer trucks - $500,000

Butler
Butler Area School District, purchase 30 CNG school buses - $300,000

Centre
Centre County Commissioners, Centre Area Transportation Authority, State College Borough and Penn State University, purchase 10 CNG vehicles - $165,872

Clearfield
"O" Ring CNG Fuel Systems LP, Paris Companies and Advanced Disposal, convert five trucks to dual fuel and purchase 20 CNG waste hauling trucks - $498,220

Clinton
Clinton County Solid Waste Authority and Wayne Township, convert 14 CNG vehicles for use at the Wayne Township Landfill - $299,974

Delaware
PreFlight LLC, purchase 10 CNG shuttle buses - $122,500
Rose Tree Media School District, purchase 12 CNG school buses - $300,000
Aqua Pennsylvania, purchase nine CNG dump trucks - $225,000

Cumberland
Giant Food Stores LLC, purchase five LNG trucks - $125,000

Lackawanna
L.T. Verrastro, purchase 20 CNG trucks - $416,110

Lancaster
Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority, City of Lancaster and Goods Disposal Service, convert five trucks to CNG, and purchase five CNG vehicles - $213,995

Luzerne
Schneider Resources, purchase six CNG trucks - $150,000

Montgomery
Advanced Disposal Services Solid Waste of PA, convert 20 waste hauling vehicles to CNG - $472,115

Philadelphia
Greater Philadelphia Clean Cities and United Parcel Service, convert 20 long haul trucks to LNG - $500,000
Greater Philadelphia Clean Cities, Pennsylvania American Water and Pennsylvania Turnpike, convert 23 vehicles to CNG - $418,650
Neapolitan Express Operating LLC, purchase 20 CNG mobile food trucks - $250,000

Schuylkill
Penske Truck Leasing, purchase 23 CNG vehicles - $499,997

Washington
Mid Mon Valley Transit Authority, purchase five CNG commuter buses - $125,000

Wyoming
Kane Freight Lines, purchase 10 CNG trucks - $250,000

York
Hogan Transports, purchase 20 CNG transport trucks - $500,000

Multiple locations
Waste Management of Pennsylvania, purchase seven CNG solid waste collection vehicles for its Erie County location, with an additional 13 CNG solid waste collection vehicles for its Washington County location - $300,000

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor