Pennsylvania Funds Millions for Clean Vehicle Projects Statewide

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has awarded a slew of grants to clean vehicle projects across the state.

The funding comes from the commonwealth’s Alternative Fuels Incentive Grants (AFIG) program, which supports the replacement of older shuttles, school buses, waste-hauling trucks and other vehicles with natural gas and electric vehicles, as well as the installation of refueling stations.

“Every alternative fuel vehicle that replaces a gasoline- or diesel-powered vehicle not only saves owners money but moves Pennsylvania a bit closer toward a cleaner, healthier environment,” says Patrick McDonnell, DEP secretary. “Reducing emissions is essential to slowing climate change and its negative health and safety, economic, and environmental impacts on our communities.”

With over $367,000 in grants, three projects in north central Pennsylvania are expected to reduce annual greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions by more than 83 metric tons:

Centre County
• Ferguson Township: $7,500 for an electric vehicle (EV)
• Penn State University: $60,000 for five EVs and three hybrid EVs

Lycoming County
• Williamsport Bureau of Transportation: $300,000 for 10 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses

Three northwest Pennsylvania projects, awarded $187,000, are expected to reduce annual GHG emissions by more than 104 metric tons:

Armstrong County
• Armstrong Conservation District: $7,500 to purchase and convert a vehicle to run on CNG/gasoline bi-fuel as part of a mobile environmental education program

Indiana County
• VEC Energy LLC: $165,000 for 22 CNG vehicles
• White Township: $15,000 to convert two trucks to run on CNG/gasoline bi-fuel

In northeast Pennsylvania, four projects, awarded $727,000 in grants, are expected to reduce annual GHG emissions by more than 798 metric tons:

Lackawanna County
• LT Verrastro Inc.: $300,000 for four CNG trucks and 11 CNG cargo vans

Lehigh County
• Hanover Township: $7,500 for an EV

Luzerne County
• Penske Truck Leasing Co.: $120,000 for three heavy-duty CNG vehicles

Monroe County
• East Stroudsburg Area School District: $300,000 for 49 propane autogas school buses as the school district works to convert its entire fleet

In southeast Pennsylvania, four projects, awarded $628,000, are expected to reduce annual GHG emissions by more than 471 metric tons:

Bucks County
• Centennial School District: $48,000 for six propane autogas school buses

Montgomery County
• Bimbo Bakeries USA Inc: $300,000 for 20 propane autogas delivery vehicles
• Lower Merion School District: $205,604 for eight CNG school buses

Philadelphia County
• AAA Club Alliance: $74,995 for a CNG fueling station

Lastly, the DEP awarded $1 million in grants for nine clean vehicle projects in southwest Pennsylvania that are expected to reduce annual GHG emissions by more than 5,745 metric tons:

Allegheny County
• City of Pittsburgh: $135,160 to add eight two-plug EV charging stations to a city fleet lot and $67,500 for nine EVs for the fleet
• Scoobi Inc.: $150,000 for 150 electric scooters for a ride-share fleet
• UPMC: $61,950 for six CNG buses to replace diesel buses in the UPMC Employee Transit program
• McCandless Township Sanitary Authority: $31,200 for five propane/gasoline bi-fuel vehicles

Butler County
• Lego-V: $352,800 for a project to build a virtual pipeline system to transport renewable compressed natural gas to markets in Pennsylvania
• Classy Cab Co.: $67,500 for nine EVs

Westmoreland County
• DMJ Transportation: $151,555 for 17 liquid propane gas school buses to service the Mt. Pleasant Area School District
• Note to Health LLC: $4,729 for a plug-in hybrid for a touring nutrition education program

The DEP says it invites more AFIG grant applications. As of April 26, approximately $6 million is available to school districts, municipalities, nonprofit organizations and businesses for clean transportation projects. More information is available here.