APGA Welcomes New Pro‐NGV Bill (USA)

American Public Gas Association (APGA) sent a letter to Senator James Inhofe in support of his recently introduced legislation, S. 1355, which would provide parity for natural gas vehicles (NGVs) under Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, incent manufacturers to produce NGVs, and encourage consumers to purchase them.

APGA President & CEO Bert Kalisch said in a statement: “Under current CAFE standards, alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) — both dedicated and bi‐fuel — receive unique treatment. Bi‐fuel AFVs’ contribution to a fleet’s overall fuel economy is capped, while no such restrictions exist for plug‐in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) or electric vehicles (EVs). This serves as a disincentive for manufacturers to produce other AFVs, such as NGVs, while also providing an unfair advantage to EVs and PHEVs.

“This unequal treatment of NGVs and AFVs under current CAFE standards is why this legislation is so critical. Parity is needed with regard to federal transportation policy so as to ensure a level playing field for manufacturers and consumers. Senator Inhofe’s bill accomplishes this in two ways: by removing the cap on credits for bi‐fuel NGVs, and by expanding the definition of a dedicated NGV to include a small reserve gasoline tank, which addresses the “range anxiety” that prevents some consumers from purchasing a dedicated NGV.

“APGA believes strongly that clean, affordable, abundant, domestic, and secure natural gas can play a critical role in U.S. transportation policy. Senator Inhofe’s common‐sense legislation will help the development and deployment of NGVs without taxpayer subsidies. On behalf of APGA, we thank the Senator for his leadership on this issue.”

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LNG World News Staff, September 17, 2013