Fleet owners and operators have only a few weeks left to submit an application for $10 million in grants being awarded this year as part of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's Natural Gas Vehicle program, which is funded by Act 13 of 2012.
"We do not want any eligible organization to miss out on this terrific opportunity to convert vehicle fleets from imported oil to homegrown, clean-burning, cheaper natural gas," DEP Secretary Mike Krancer said. "These grants will allow local governments, schools and businesses to lower their operational costs, lessen dependency on foreign oil and clean the air all at the same time."
In the program's first year, $5 million of the $10 million available is slated for local transportation organizations, including non-profit agencies providing public transportation services and public transportation, port and redevelopment authorities. Non-profit organizations, for-profit companies, state-owned or state-related universities, commonwealth or municipal authorities and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission will be eligible to apply for the remaining amount.
An additional $7.5 million in grants will be available the second year of the program, with $2.5 million available the third year.
Vehicles fueled with compressed natural gas or liquefied natural gas and bi-fuel vehicles weighing 14,000 pounds or more are eligible. Grant awards will be capped at 50 percent of the incremental purchase or retrofit cost per vehicle, with a maximum total of $25,000 available per vehicle.
Grant applications are due by 4 p.m. Feb. 1 and will be awarded in late March. To complete the online grant application or learn more about the program, visit www.dep.state.pa.us and click on the "Natural Gas Vehicle Grant Program" button.
