Wolf Administration Awards Grants to Support 16 Clean Energy Projects to Improve Air Quality Statewide

Read Time:3 Minute, 30 Second

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today awarded more than $2.6 million in grant funding to municipalities and businesses statewide for 16 clean energy vehicle projects that will help improve air quality and public health statewide.

“As companies and municipalities look to save money in the long run by converting to less expensive alternative fuels, their good business sense benefits our communities and environment in Pennsylvania,” said DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell. “Reducing emissions helps lower the risks of health problems, such as asthma and lung disease, and climate change, such as flooding.”

The funding, which comes from the commonwealth’s Alternative Fuels Incentive Grants (AFIG) Program, supports 18 projects to replace older shuttles, school buses, waste-hauling trucks, and other vehicles with cleaner natural gas and electric vehicles, as well as install fueling stations for such vehicles.

“Promoting the use of alternative fuels helps businesses lower costs while taking advantage of advances in clean energy vehicle technology,” Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Dennis Davin said. “It’s important for us to support businesses looking to switch to alternative vehicle fuels in order to help those businesses thrive here in Pennsylvania.”

The projects are expected to reduce emissions by more than 2,800 tons and save more than one million gasoline gallon equivalents annually. Nearly half of the projects are first-time awardees, and half are part of ongoing efforts to convert to alternative fuels.

Allegheny County

• Giant Eagle, Inc.: $300,000 to purchase 20 compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks, saving more than 355,000 gasoline gallon equivalents per year.

Bradford County

• Valley Energy, Inc.: $10,950 to purchase two CNG pick-up trucks, saving 1,200 gasoline gallon equivalents per year.

Butler County

• Vogel Disposal Service: $286,163 for the purchase of eight CNG trucks, saving 56,000 gasoline gallon equivalents per year. Part of the dual-plug station will be open to the public.

Centre County

• College Township: $7,500 to this first-time applicant for the purchase of an electric vehicle and $2,077 for a charging station, collectively saving 640 gasoline gallon equivalents per year. One plug of the dual-plug station will be open to the public.

Clarion County

• Francis J. Palo, Inc.: $37,500 to purchase five CNG powered pickup trucks, saving 18,750 gasoline gallon equivalents per year.

Delaware County

• Colonial Airport Parking, Inc.: $66,000 for four propane shuttle buses, saving more than 18,800 gasoline gallon equivalents per year.

Lackawanna County

• LT Verrastro, Inc.: $142,969 to upgrade their CNG fueling station, which is also used by County of Lackawanna Transit System, saving 43,500 in gasoline gallon equivalents per year.

Lancaster County

• Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority: $80,000 to purchase two CNG waste transfer trucks, saving more than 17,300 gasoline gallon equivalents per year.

• Gorman Distributors, Inc.: $36,795 to convert three cargo vans to CNG, saving 3,300 gasoline gallon equivalents per year.

Luzerne County

• Eastern Freight Systems: $80,000 to purchase two CNG trucks, saving more than 99,000 gasoline gallon equivalents per year.

Montgomery County

• Suburban Transit Network, Inc.: $300,000 to purchase 14 propane shuttle buses and convert seven additional vehicles to propane, saving more than 81,000 gasoline gallon equivalents per year.

• Waste Management: $300,000 to purchase eight CNG powered vehicles, saving more than 68,500 gasoline gallon equivalents per year.

• Borough of Lansdale: $22,500 to purchase three electric vehicles, saving 126 gasoline gallon equivalents per year.

Philadelphia County

• First Transit, Inc.: $300,000 for 23 CNG shuttles and $300,000 for 18 CNG buses, saving more than 340,000 gasoline gallon equivalents per year.

Washington County

• Waste Management: $300,000 to purchase eight CNG vehicles, saving more than 68,500 gasoline gallon equivalents per year.

• Monark Student Transportation: $76,000 to purchase eight propane school buses, saving more than 22,800 gasoline gallon equivalents per year.

The AFIG program supports markets for advanced, renewable, and alternative energy transportation technologies as a stimulus for opportunities that better manage Pennsylvania’s fuel resources to improve the environment, support economic development, and enhance quality of life. The program is funded by annual gross receipts tax on utilities.