DEP: $3.47 Million In Alternative Fuel Vehicle Grants Announced To Lower Costs, Improve Air Quality; Deadline For New Applications Oct. 10

On July 15, the Department of Environmental Protection  awarded more than $3.47 million through the Alternative Fuel Incentive Grant (AFIG) program to help local communities purchase alternative fuel vehicles, build out alternative fuel infrastructure, cut costs, and improve air quality in 17 counties across Pennsylvania.

“We are committed to increasing sustainable and renewable energy and these grants will help local governments, businesses, school districts, and nonprofit organizations invest in alternative fuel solutions that are reliable, efficient, and often cheaper to operate,” said DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley. “AFIG aims to lower greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality for many Pennsylvania communities with the use of electric school buses, Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) trucks, electric charging stations, and other clean transportation alternatives.”

The grant awarded funding to 27 grant recipients. The selected projects will result in the deployment of 94 alternative fuel vehicles, including 7 new fueling stations. 

Fifteen projects are also located in or serve Environmental Justice (EJ) areas. 

Click Here for a list of grants awarded.

The DEP Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant (AFIG) program supports projects to replace older gasoline or diesel fueled vehicles with cleaner fuel vehicles – like electric and natural gas – and install infrastructure to improve air quality in Pennsylvania. 

This program builds on Governor Shapiro's agenda to create a bold, comprehensive climate and energy plan that will grow the Commonwealth's economy, protect and create jobs, and address climate change.

In Pennsylvania, 47 percent of nitrogen oxide emissions come from gasoline and diesel vehicles, and transportation contributes up to 22 percent of Pennsylvania's overall greenhouse gas emissions. The awards will save an estimated 1,262,825 gallons of gasoline per year.

AFIG priorities for this second round of 2024 funding include: zero emission vehicle projects; medium-duty and light-duty fleet refueling infrastructure projects; renewable natural gas vehicle and infrastructure projects; projects predominantly serving Environmental Justice areas; and minority, veteran, or woman-owned businesses.

Grant Round Open

The AFIG Program is currently accepting grant applications until October 10, 2025. More information is available on the AFIG Program webpage. 

Click Here for the DEP announcement.

For more information on environmental programs in Pennsylvania, visit DEP’s website.  Submit Environmental Complaints; Click Here to sign up for DEP’s newsletter; sign up for DEP’s eNotice; Like DEP on Facebook, Follow DEP on Twitter and visit DEP’s YouTube Channel.

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - July 12 to 18 - Uncontrolled Shale Gas Wastewater Release For 34 Hours; Abandoned Conventional Wells Top 300; 107 New Brownfield Sites  [PaEN] 

     -- DEP: Shale Gas Well Control Problem Caused Uncontrolled Release Of Wastewater For Over 34 Hours At Repsol’s Broadleaf Holdings Well Pad In Troy Twp., Bradford County  [PaEN] 

     -- Courier Times: Bucks County Residents, Sen. Santarsiero Say DEP Isn’t Doing Enough To Make Energy Transfer/Sunoco Define The Extent Of Petroleum Pipeline Leak And Clean It Up  [PaEN] 

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - July 19 [PaEN]

     -- DEP Invites Comments On 4 Water Quality Permits For Texas Eastern Appalachia To Market 3 Natural Gas Pipeline Upgrade Project In Adams And York Counties  [PaEN]

     -- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Sets July 31 Hearing On Requests To Withdraw Millions Of Gallons Of Water Per Day, Including 11 For Shale Gas Development, 2 Gas Power Plants  [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 103 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In July 19 PA Bulletin  [PaEN] 

Related Articles This Week:

-- List Of More Than $90 Billion In Energy, A.I. Data Center Investments, Commitments Or Plans Announced At The PA Energy & Innovation Summit [PaEN] 

-- NewsClips - PA Energy & A.I. Summit Pittsburgh July 15, 2025

-- PA Republican Lawmakers Rush To Introduce Bills To Give New Tax Breaks, Waive Regulations, Environmental Standards For A.I. Data Centers Already Flocking Into Pennsylvania And Locking Up PA Power  [PaEN] 

-- Kleinman Center For Energy Policy: What Wasn’t Discussed At Pennsylvania’s Energy & A.I. Summit - By John Quigley, Senior Fellow

-- Utility Dive: Bipartisan Group Of 9 Governors, Including Gov. Shapiro, Say PJM Interconnection Facing ‘Unprecedented Crisis Of Confidence’ And Want A Hand In Filling 2 Vacant Board Seats  [PaEN] 

-- Environmental Health Project Releases Compounds Of Concern Online Tool To Help Frontline Residents Better Understand Health Symptoms Related To Chemicals In Industrial Pollution, Released By Oil & Gas Facilities  [PaEN]

-- Rise Of The Machines:  Senate, House Members Express Concern That Demand For Power To Run Computers Is Impacting The Price And Availability Of Electricity For ‘Ordinary People’  [5.12.25] 

-- US Dept. Of Energy Releases Report On Electric Grid Reliability, Security Saying Generation Growth Must Match Needs Of A.I. Data Centers;  But What About ‘Ordinary People’?   [7.8.25] 

-- PJM Interconnection Opens Next Electric Capacity Auction Bidding Window Of July 9 to 15 For 2026-27 Electric Delivery; Hold Your Breath!  [7.9.25]

-- PJM Interconnection Issues Maximum Generation Alert For July 15; Natural Gas Accounted For Most Generation Outages In June Generation Alert  [PaEN]  

-- PJM Interconnection Extends Maximum Generation Alert To July 16; Natural Gas Accounted For Most Generation Outages In June Generation Alert [PaEN] 

-- PJM Interconnection Issues Hot Weather Alert For July 17 In Its Mid-Atlantic, Southern Regions, Including Parts Of PA  [PaEN] 

-- Environmental Advocates Oppose Gov. Shapiro’s Attendance At Sen. McCormick's Energy, A.I. Summit Today In Pittsburgh  [PaEN]

-- Environmental Groups Rallying To Protect Delaware River Watershed From Shale Gas Fracking  [PaEN] 

-- Dept. Of Insurance/DEP Highlight 30 Years Of Underground Petroleum Products Storage Tank Insurance Fund Work; Paid Over $1.3 Billion To Clean Up Tank Leaks  [PaEN]

-- Gov. Shapiro Stops In Potter County To Highlight Investment In Key Gas Station Near Northcentral Regional ATV Trail To Build Outdoor Recreation Economy  [Owner Failed To Comply With Storage Tank Regulations] 

-- EPA Is 'Clearing The Regulatory Path For America To Dominate The Global A.I. Revolution'  [PaEN] 

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Energy And Innovation Summit Is A Great Opportunity For Pittsburgh, But People Must Come First  [PaEN] 

-- DEP: $3.47 Million In Alternative Fuel Vehicle Grants Announced To Lower Costs, Improve Air Quality; Deadline For New Applications Oct. 10  [PaEN]

[Posted: July 16, 2025]  PA Environment Digest