The Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting applications for $5 million in Alternative Fuels Incentive Grants for innovative, advanced fuel, and vehicle technology projects that will result in cleaner advanced alternative transportation within the Commonwealth.

 The application period formally opens May 4 at 4:00 p.m. and will remain open throughout 2018.  DEP will collect and review applications received by 4:00 p.m. on July 13 and 4:00 p.m. on December 14.

“Transportation grants such as these provide support for schools and other entities to cut down on their carbon footprints and improve the air we breathe, all while saving money,” said Patrick McDonnell, DEP Secretary. “It is important to look to all of the vehicles on the road, so this year we are giving priority to projects for emergency vehicles.”

New this year, AFIG will give priority to projects that include the use of the funded vehicles by emergency personnel in emergency responses, rescues, and evacuations.

The AFIG Program can assist school districts, municipal authorities, nonprofits, corporations, LLCs, and partnerships registered to do business in Pennsylvania in offsetting the costs of implementing alternative fuel using transportation projects.

The AFIG Program is funded by annual gross receipts tax on utilities.

DEP is offering grants in the following project categories:

-- Vehicle Retrofit or Purchase: To offset the incremental cost of purchasing alternative fuel vehicles or retrofitting existing vehicles to operate on alternative fuels.

-- Alternative Fuel Refueling Infrastructure: To assist in the costs to purchase and install refueling equipment for fleet and workplace, home or intermediary refueling.

-- Innovative Technology: To support research, training, development, and demonstration of new alternative fuels and alternative fuel vehicles.

DEP is instituting changes to the grants awarded for vehicle purchase and retrofit projects:

-- For new CNG, LNG, biodiesel vehicles using a blend greater than B20, Electric Vehicles with a battery system capacity equal to or greater than 20 kWh, and Hydrogen Fuel Cell vehicles, applicants may request 100 percent of the incremental cost of the vehicle up to $40,000 per vehicle.

-- For Electric Vehicles with a battery system capacity between 10 kWh and 20kWh, applicants may request 75 percent of the incremental cost of the vehicle up to $20,000 per vehicle.

-- For Existing CNG, LNG, and biodiesel vehicles using a blend of B20 or greater, and Electric Vehicles with a battery system capacity of less than 10 kWh, applicants may request 50 percent of the incremental cost up to $20,000 per vehicle.

For the first time the AFIG program will be submitted online through the Electronic Single Application system. Hardcopy applications will not be accepted.

More information is available at DEP’s Alternative Fuels Incentive Grants webpage.

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[Posted: May 4, 2018]

5/7/2018