The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has awarded more than $2.6 million in grant funding to municipalities and businesses, as well as $610,000 to four school districts, for clean vehicle projects statewide.
The funding comes from the commonwealth’s Alternative Fuels Incentive Grants (AFIG) Program.
The projects for the municipalities and businesses are expected to reduce emissions by more than 2,800 tons and save more than 1 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
Bradford County
• Valley Energy Inc.: $10,950 to purchase two CNG pickup trucks
Butler County
• Vogel Disposal Service: $286,163 for the purchase of eight CNG trucks
Centre County
• College Township: $7,500 to this first-time applicant for the purchase of an electric vehicle (EV) and $2,077 for a charging station (one plug of the station to be open to the public)
Clarion County
• Francis J. Palo Inc.: $37,500 to purchase five CNG-powered pickup trucks
Delaware County
• Colonial Airport Parking Inc.: $66,000 for four propane autogas shuttle buses
Lackawanna County
• LT Verrastro Inc.: $142,969 to upgrade its CNG fueling station, which is also used by the County of Lackawanna Transit System
Lancaster County
• Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority: $80,000 to purchase two CNG waste transfer trucks
• Gorman Distributors Inc.: $36,795 to convert three cargo vans to CNG
Luzerne County
• Eastern Freight Systems: $80,000 to purchase two CNG trucks
Montgomery County
• Suburban Transit Network Inc.: $300,000 to purchase 14 propane autogas shuttle buses and convert seven additional vehicles to propane autogas
• Waste Management: $300,000 to purchase eight CNG-powered vehicles
• Borough of Lansdale: $22,500 to purchase three EVs
Philadelphia County
• First Transit Inc.: $300,000 for 23 CNG shuttles and $300,000 for 18 CNG buses
Washington County
• Waste Management: $300,000 to purchase eight CNG vehicles
• Monark Student Transportation: $76,000 to purchase eight propane autogas school buses
“Promoting the use of alternative fuels helps businesses lower costs while taking advantage of advances in clean energy vehicle technology,” says Dennis Davin, secretary of the Department of Community and Economic Development. “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.”
Next, the funding for the school districts will enable them to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 316 tons annually and save more than 67,000 gallons of diesel per year:
Dauphin County
• Derry Township School District: $68,000 to purchase eight propane autogas school buses
Delaware County
• Haverford Township School District: $68,000 to purchase eight propane autogas school buses
McKean County
• Bradford Area School District: $19,000 for this first-time AFIG recipient to purchase two propane autogas school buses
Montgomery County
• North Penn School District: $300,000 for this first-time AFIG recipient to purchase 10 propane autogas school buses and convert 16 buses to propane autogas, as well as $155,302 to construct a fast-fill propane autogas fueling station for its fleet
“With every school district that moves to alternative fuel vehicles, we incrementally improve air quality in Pennsylvania for our students and communities,” says Patrick McDonnell, DEP secretary. “In addition, we save costs, reduce dependence on oil and help reduce the greenhouse gases that are driving climate change. Supporting schools’ clean energy efforts is instrumental in helping protect quality of life in Pennsylvania.”
