US Congress passes clean transport bill with aids for NGV infrastructure
NGVAmerica applauds U.S. House of Representatives passage of the Senate-approved Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework, or BIF, a major national investment in infrastructure and clean transportation. “This legislation is a key tool for fighting climate change and decarbonizing our heavy-duty transportation sector through investments in alternative and renewable fuel technologies including natural gas,” said NGVAmerica President Dan Gage.
The package includes several major NGVAmerica legislative priorities, such as:
– Funding for buildout of natural gas vehicle fueling infrastructure in the federal alternative fuels corridors grants program;
– Funding eligibility for renewable natural gas and natural gas-fueled transit buses in the Federal Transit Administration’s Low or No Emission bus program, including a 25% set-aside for near zero technologies like NGVs and 15% set-aside for rural transit fleets; and
– Investments in the Clean School Bus program, including a 50% set-aside for low-emission and zero emission non-diesel buses.
“This legislation provides an added incentive for fleets of all sizes – public and private – to transition to clean natural gas transportation fuel,” added Gage. “Heavy-duty vehicles are the fastest growing vehicle segment and among the largest contributors of pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector. Natural gas vehicles are zero emission equivalent and can be carbon-neutral – even negative – depending on the natural gas source.”
The bill now heads to President Biden’s desk for a signature. This represents one of the most substantial infrastructure and climate change investments in the U.S. history while also setting the stage for consideration of clean energy tax provisions as part of the budget reconciliation process.
