DEP Awards $2.1 Million In Grants For Electric Vehicles, Clean Fuel Transportation Projects

On April 14, the Department of Environmental Protection announced $2.1 million in Alternative Fuels Incentive Grants to municipalities and businesses for 99 electric vehicles and more clean fuel transportation projects to improve air quality in their communities.  

“Transportation is one of the biggest sources of air pollution in Pennsylvania. That’s why investing in zero- and low-emission transportation pays off big: It helps us breathe healthier air and slow down climate change,” said Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Executive Deputy Secretary Ramez Ziadeh. “Through Alternative Fuels Incentive Grants, DEP assists businesses and organizations of all sizes in pursuing their clean fuel transportation goals. With this round of grants, we’re excited to support 99 electric vehicles, charger installations, and more transportation upgrades that will drive better air quality in Pennsylvania.”

The Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant (AFIG) program provides funding to help municipalities, businesses, and nonprofit organizations in Pennsylvania replace older gasoline- or diesel-fueled vehicles with electric, renewable natural gas, compressed natural gas (CNG), ethanol, biodiesel, or propane gas fueled vehicles. It also funds installation of fueling equipment for these vehicles.  

Switching to these zero- and low-emission fuels helps lower levels of many air pollutants, including nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, and carbon dioxide, one of the greenhouse gases heating up our climate.

New grant funding went to 13 municipalities and businesses for 15 projects. Collectively the funded projects are anticipated to reduce gasoline use by 478,000 gallons per year over their lifetimes. They’re anticipated to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 6,429 kilograms and carbon dioxide emissions by 2,642 metric tons per year. 

Eleven projects are located in or serve Environmental Justice areas, or census tracts where 20 percent or more residents live at or below the federal poverty line or 30 percent or more residents identify as a non-white minority, according to federal data. 

Click Here for a list of grants awarded.

Visit DEP’s Alternative Fuels Incentive Grants webpage for more information on this program.

Related Articles:

-- PennDOT, DEP Support Petition On Issuing A PUC Policy Statement On Electric Utility Rate Design For Electric Vehicle Charging  

-- PennDOT Hosts April 27 Teleconference On State Plan For National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Funding

[Posted: April 14, 2022]  PA Environment Digest