MEADVILLE – The Department of Environmental Protection invites fleet managers in northwest and north-central Pennsylvania to attend one of four upcoming natural gas vehicle (NGV) grant workshops being offered in December.
An estimated $11 million is available to help pay for the incremental purchase or conversion costs of heavy-duty natural gas fleet vehicles with gross vehicle weight ratings of 14,000 pounds or greater. Pennsylvania’s Act 13 Natural Gas Vehicle Grants are financed by impact fees paid by natural gas operators.
Fifty percent of this funding is allocated exclusively for local transportation organizations, including non-profit agencies providing public transportation services and public transportation, port and redevelopment authorities, and school bus projects. Others eligible to apply include incorporated non-profit organizations, for-profit companies, state-owned or state-related universities, commonwealth or municipal authorities, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission.
The department is hosting the workshops to assist potential applicants. The workshops will consist of a review of the Act 13 grant program requirements, followed by a live demonstration and walkthrough of the online application. Department staff will then be available to provide one-on-one assistance to applicants and answer questions about the application process.
The free workshops, conveniently offered in Butler, Clinton, Erie and Jefferson counties, have been scheduled as follows:
- Dec. 6, Butler County, 10 a.m. until 12 p.m., Cranberry Township Municipal Center (Council Chambers), 2525 Rochester Rd., Cranberry Township, PA 16066
- Dec. 10, Jefferson County, 10 a.m. until 12 p.m., CNG Education Center, 228 Allegheny Blvd., Brookville, PA 15825
- Dec. 12, Erie County, 10:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center, 301 Peninsula Dr., Erie, PA 16505
- Dec. 19, Clinton County, 10 a.m. until 12 p.m., Clinton County Conservation District Office, 45 Cooperation Ln., Mill Hall, PA 17751
The deadline to submit grant applications is 4 p.m. Jan. 10, 2014. Grants will be awarded in the spring.
These workshops are free of charge but open to eligible applicants only. Seating is limited, so registration is limited to two people per organization. Please register early to ensure your seat by emailing Teresa Willey at twilley@pa.gov (be sure to include the attendee’s name(s), the organization and the date/location you prefer), or call Ms. Willey at 814-332-6350.
For further information regarding the Act 13 grant program and the workshop agenda, please contact Geoff Bristow of DEP’s Office of Pollution Prevention and Energy Assistance at 814-332-6681 or gbristow@pa.gov.
To learn more about this Act 13 grant program, visit www.dep.state.pa.us and click on the “Natural Gas Vehicle Grant Program” button.