The Wolf Administration awarded more than $700,000 in grants for three clean energy vehicle projects in northwest Pennsylvania that will help improve air quality and public health in the region.
“Replacing gasoline- or diesel-powered vehicles with lower-emissions alternative fuel vehicles makes a world of sense,” said Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Patrick McDonnell. “It makes Pennsylvania’s communities and environment healthier; helps to slow the increasingly urgent impacts of climate change we’re seeing; and saves owners money on fuel costs.”
Funded through DEP’s Alternative Fuels Incentive Grants (AFIG) program, the projects in northwest Pennsylvania are expected to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by more than 928 metric tons.
The AFIG program supports replacement of older shuttles, school buses, waste-hauling trucks, and other vehicles with cleaner natural gas and electric vehicles, as well as installation of fueling stations for such vehicles.
Grants were awarded to:
•Snyder Brothers, Inc.: $463,064 to upgrade and expand capacity to meet increasing demand at two fast-fill compressed natural gas fueling stations in Armstrong County that serve their fleet and are also available to the public.
•TC Recycling: $240,000 for six new CNG trash collection trucks at their Mars site in Butler County.
•Progas Inc.: $5,800 to replace a gasoline vehicle with a propane-fueled vehicle to increase their propane fleet and train six technicians to do propane vehicle conversions and repairs at their site in Butler County.
School districts, municipalities, nonprofit organizations and businesses are eligible to apply for AFIG grants. The next grant availability is in the spring.
Published in the January 2020 Edition