Wolf Administration Awards Grants for Clean Energy Vehicle Projects in Southeast Pennsylvania; Comcast, Lancaster County SWMA, Waste Management Inc., Among Recipients

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Philadelphia, PA – The Wolf Administration today awarded over $681,000 in grants for six clean energy vehicle projects in southeast 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 southeast Pennsylvania are expected to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by more than 776 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:

• Waste Management, Inc.: $300,000 for eight heavy-duty compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles for use at company sites in Bucks, Lackawanna, and Montgomery Counties.

• Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority: $138,560 to expand its CNG waste transfer fleet by adding four new trucks.

• Comcast: $100,000 to convert 20 trucks based at company locations in Philadelphia County to plug-in hybrid vehicles for use statewide.

• Pennsbury School District: $68,000 to convert eight old diesel school buses to propane school buses for use in Bucks County.

• Tri-County Transit Service, Inc.: $49,769 to support construction of a new propane fueling station in Montgomery County.

• Hatboro-Horsham School District: $25,000 for three new propane school buses for use in Montgomery County.

School districts, municipalities, nonprofit organizations, and businesses are eligible to apply for AFIG grants. Approximately $3 million remains available in 2019. The deadline to apply is 4:00 PM on December 13. The next grant availability is expected to open in the spring.