Pennsylvania DEP Awards $1.9 Million in Alternative Fuel Incentive Grants

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has awarded more than $1.9 million to Pennsylvania schools and businesses for projects using alternative fuels and infrastructure. The Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant (AFIG) provides funding for projects to improve air quality through alternative fuel use. The awards were granted for both vehicle purchase/retrofits and refueling infrastructure.

“The buses, cars, and trucks purchased and rebuilt with these grants will reduce air pollution and improve the air we breathe,” said Acting DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell. “These types of projects pay economic and environmental dividends for communities and Pennsylvania at large.”

In addition to the Alternative Fuel Incentive Grants just awarded, DEP is offering a limited number of free technical assistance opportunities to municipalities, school districts, municipal authorities, and non-profit organizations to assist them in developing plans for building or expanding an alternative energy vehicle fleet. Applications for the Alternative Fuels Technical Assistance Program will be accepted through June 1, 2017.

The AFIG programs is currently not accepting new applications. The last submission period for 2016 applications closed on December 30, 2016. DEP expects to reopen the AFIG program in 2017, with the next application submission date due in the spring.

The following is a list of natural gas fleets awarded in in the AFIG program.

Tri-County Industries, a waste hauler subsidiary of Vogel Holding, Inc., was awarded $500,000 and seeks to construct an on-site CNG fueling station in Mercer County. This station will be owned by Tri-County Industries and will be available to the general public. This station will be used daily by a minimum of 10 fleet vehicles and potentially 10 waste collection vehicles.

Dandy Mini-Marts in Bradford County was awarded $9,850 to purchase two new vehicles they are converting to CNG that are estimated to save 3,775 gallons annually.

DM Industries, a provider of mechanical insulation for commercial sites in Elk County, seeks to purchase equipment for a home refueling system and was awarded $19, 957.

This project will help UPS to continue the conversion of its Willow Grove vehicle operations to run on natural gas. This project seeks $200,000 in AFIG funds to replace 20 class 8 tractors that run on diesel with 20 class 8 tractors that run on natural gas. The vehicles are estimated to save 462,963 gallons of diesel per year.

The City of Philadelphia was awarded $200,000 and seeks to purchase of 10 new CNG refuse haulers. This effort is in coordination with CMAQ award received earlier this year supporting the purchase of 25 new CNG refuse haulers along with the construction of a new CNG filling station by PGW.

WallyPark Pennsylvania seeks to purchase eight CNG shuttle buses with the help of the $77,600 award total for an estimated annual fuel savings of 43,733.

Xpress Natural Gas has been awarded $200,00 to purchase 10 CNG vehicles. XNG will use these vehicles to collect stranded gas from gathering systems in Susquehanna County, compress and transport that gas to CNG public fueling stations for residents. The project includes a new station that will be owned by Xpress Natural Gas.