NGVAmerica Names Reps. Mullin and Larson Its 2018 Public Policy Champions
Congressmen Sponsoring Legislation to Advance Clean Air, Domestic Fuel & Technology
Washington, D.C. – NGVAmerica has presented U.S. Representatives Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) and John Larson (D-CT) with its 2018 NGV Public Policy Champion award.
The awards were presented at a Congressional reception marking the upcoming East Coast start of its annual Sea to Shining Sea Natural Gas Vehicle (NGV) Road Rally. The Capitol Hill event was co-sponsored by NGVAmerica members DTE Energy, the American Public Gas Association, the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas, the Texas Natural Gas Vehicle Alliance, and UPS.
“Congressmen Mullin and Larson recognize that clean air starts with clean trucks, and the world’s cleanest heavy-duty engines run on natural gas,” said NGVAmerica President Dan Gage. “Their proposed legislation would bring parity to natural gas alternative fueled vehicles. For their foresight and fight for expanding natural gas use as a transportation fuel, we are pleased to honor both gentlemen as 2018 NGVAmerica Public Policy Champions.”
Mullin and Larson are lead sponsors of the Natural Gas Parity Act of 2018, H.R. 5959, which would ensure fair treatment in the tax code, federal acquisition policy, and research and development funding for vehicles and other transportation uses fueled by natural gas and related alternative sources.
“Congress has no business picking winners and losers in the energy industry,” said Rep. Mullin. “I am proud to sponsor the Natural Gas Parity Act to level the playing field for all energy producers and ensure that natural gas vehicles receive fair treatment. I want to thank NGVAmerica for recognizing me as a 2018 Public Policy Champion, and I look forward to getting this bill across the finish line alongside Congressman Larson.”
“I thank NGVAmerica for the Public Policy Champion award,” said Rep. Larson. “As a nation, it is critical that we transition our transportation sector to affordable, domestic, and clean energy. Natural gas vehicles play a vital role in that effort. I am proud to work on a bipartisan basis to promote the adoption of natural gas vehicles and support policies that will create jobs, bolster our energy independence, and reduce emissions.”
Specifically, the Mullin/Larson Bill would:
- Extend the expired Alternative Fuels Tax Credit (AFTC) of $.50 per gallon equivalent through 2022, providing greater certainty for businesses, municipalities, and fleet managers interested in investing in alternative fuel transportation options;
- Encourage investment in new natural gas technologies by providing a partial exclusion from the federal excise tax imposed on heavy-duty natural gas truck purchases, effectively exempting the technology’s incremental cost from the existing 12 percent rate;
- Bring parity to the purchase of natural gas motor vehicles on par with the Federal government’s $7,500 tax credit for the purchase of new light-duty electric vehicles and include a new tax credit for medium and heavy-duty natural gas trucks;
- Promote the continued development of natural gas refueling infrastructure through the extension and increase of the Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Infrastructure Tax Credit;
- Encourage the use of more clean-fueling Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) marine and shipping applications on inland waterways;
- Support the transitioning of federal fleets to alternative fuels like natural gas; and
- Invest in new domestic natural gas R&D activities and Clean Cities program initiatives, supporting local clean air and climate change community efforts across the country.
The cleanest heavy-duty engine in the world is American-made and powered by natural gas. Pair this technology with renewable natural gas—derived from agriculture, food, and landfill waste as well as wastewater systems—and even greater CO2 and GHG emissions reductions are achieved. With renewable natural gas, fuel can be carbon neutral or even carbon negative.
NGVAmerica’s 2018 NGV Achievement Awards are set to be presented at the organization’s 30th Anniversary Annual Meeting and Industry Summit later this year.
Its 2018 Sea to Shining Sea NGV Road Rally begins in late October, traveling westward and concluding at NGVAmerica’s Industry Summit in Palm Springs, CA on November 14th. The public can follow the Road Rally’s progress across America at: https://twitter.com/CSea2shiningsea.
A photo of Rep. Mullin receiving his award can be found here.
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NGVAmerica is a national organization of over 200 companies, environmental groups, and government organizations dedicated to the development of a growing, profitable, and sustainable market for vehicles powered by natural gas or biomethane. NGVAmerica member companies produce, distribute, and market natural gas and biomethane across North America, manufacture and service natural gas vehicles, engines, and equipment, and operate fleets powered by clean-burning gaseous fuels. Find out more at: www.ngvamerica.org.
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