The Department of Environmental Protection invites fleet managers, school districts, municipalities, nonprofit entities, and for-profit businesses to one of three Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant workshops in Northwest Pennsylvania.

They are scheduled to be held from 10:00 a.m. to Noon at these locations--

-- April 10, at the DEP Northwest Regional Office, 230 Chestnut St., Meadville, Crawford County;

-- April 15, at the CNG Education Center, 228 Allegheny Blvd., Brookville, Jefferson County; and

-- April 18, at the Cranberry Township Municipal Center, 2525 Rochester Road, Cranberry, Butler County.

DEP is hosting the workshops to assist potential applicants in learning more about AFIG grant program requirements. The presentation will include a demonstration of the online application process. DEP staff will then be available to provide one-on-one assistance to applicants.   

An estimated $8 million is available under the AFIG program to help pay up to 50 percent of the incremental purchase or conversion costs of natural gas vehicles with gross vehicle weight ratings of 26,000 pounds or less. There is no weight restriction for the conversion or purchase of all other types of alternative fuel vehicles.

The AFIG grant program requires a minimum of five vehicle purchases or conversions to apply. DEP encourages eligible applicants with smaller vehicle projects to partner with each other and aggregate vehicles to meet this minimum.

The AFIG fund was established under Act 166, and is administered by DEP through its Office of Pollution Prevention and Energy Assistance.

The workshop is free and open to eligible applicants only. Seating is limited and the registration deadline is April 28. Please provide attendee’s name and organization when registering by contacting Northwest Energy Manager Geoff Bristow, by sending email to: gbristow@pa.gov, or by calling 814-332-6681.

For more information, visit DEP’s Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant Program webpage.

3/31/2014