Pennsylvania issues clean transportation grants
More than $3.4mn in grants will support a shift to cleaner transportation fuel options as part of a broader effort to abate the impacts of climate change, the Pennsylvania state government said May 13.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced that it awarded the grants to 20 separate clean transportation efforts state-wide. The funding supports the replacement of vehicles driven by conventional fuel resources with alternatives such as electric, biodiesel and compressed natural gas (CNG).
“These grants help cities, counties, school districts, colleges, as well as delivery, trash hauling, and other companies across Pennsylvania that want to be proactive in reducing air pollution from transportation,” DEP secretary Patrick McDonnell said.
The state government estimates that transportation generates 47% of state-wide emissions of harmful nitrogen oxides and 21% of the emissions of CO2, a potent greenhouse gas.
Among the largest of the grant recipients is United Parcel Service, which will use $300,000 to purchase 35 vehicles that run on CNG.
CNG use is gaining traction. Online retailer Amazon, already among the largest purchasers of renewable energy, announced plans in February to move its US delivery fleet away from trucks fuelled by gasoline and diesel to those running on natural gas technology such as CNG.
A climate action plan in place for the state of Pennsylvania calls for a 26% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2025 and an 80% reduction by 2050, relative to 2005 levels.