West Virginia and Pennsylvania Move Ahead On Natural Gas-Powered Vehichles
West Virginia and Pennsylvania are positioning themselves to be at the forefront of the nationwide movement to transition more of the country’s vehicles to natural gas as a fuel source. In an op-ed published in the Charleston Gazette earlier this month, former West Virginia governor Ed Wise cited Kanawha and Harrison counties’ efforts to add new natural gas-powered vehicles into their fleets as a showcase for the benefits of extraction of shale gas in the Appalachian Basin. In Pennsylvania, the Port Authority of Allegheny County, which manages Pittsburgh’s bus system, is considering the cost savings that would come from converting its fleet to compressed natural gas. Also, Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection announced this month it will begin accepting applications for its Natural Gas Vehicle Grant program, which will provide up to $20 million over the next three years to help pay for the incremental purchase and conversion costs of heavy-duty natural gas fleet vehicles.