NGVAmerica President Testifies for 5-Year Alternative Fuel Tax Credit, Calls for Parity

NGVAmerica President Daniel Gage today testified before the U.S. House Ways & Means Tax Policy Subcommittee about the need for a 5-year extension of the alternative fuel tax credits (Internal Revenue Codes 6426 and 6427), and the alternative fueling infrastructure credit (Internal Revenue Code 30C).

“If we want cleaner air we need cleaner trucks,” Gage told Chairman Vern Buchanan (FL) and subcommittee members.  “We need federal incentives like these credits to encourage the replacement of aging dirty fleets with clean, zero-emissions-equivalent natural gas powertrains.  We at NGVA believe that every child in America can and should awake in a neighborhood with clean air by 2025.  Natural gas vehicles get us there.”

Panelists had three minutes to provide testimony before answering questions posed by committee members.  Gage testified alongside NGVA member American Natural Gas (ANG) founder and CEO Andrew West.  NGVA’s comments focused on the fact that:

• Natural gas vehicles are sustainable with unmatched emissions benefits. The newest natural gas engines with Zero Emissions Equivalent technology produce 90% fewer NOx emissions than the current standard, and when they are fueled with renewable natural gas, they have up to 115% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than diesel well-to-wheel;
• Natural gas vehicles are responsible. Investing in natural gas fleets is the most cost-effective NOx emissions investment of any technology; and
• Natural gas vehicles are proven, road tested, and commercially-ready-right-now, unlike many touted alternative options like electric and hydrogen fuel cell which enjoy more lucrative federal incentives.

Gage detailed how a 5-year extension for 2018 – 2022 would offset the cost of new, cleaner-burning trucks and accelerate the investment payback for consumers and businesses, providing some partial parity with other emerging technologies and encouraging natural gas usage and new research and development.

“Natural gas vehicles are powered by American fuel, American technology, and American innovation.

Moving forward, our industry needs certainty and deserves parity with other zero emissions equivalent technologies,” concluded Gage.

NGVA member companies are encouraged to submit their own letters of support for an AFTC extension directly to the House Ways and Means Committee here. Deadline for submission is March 28.