REP. MARKEY PUSHES EXPANDED USE OF NATURAL GAS VEHICLES
Joins T. Boone Pickens on plan to cut dependence on foreign oil
Washington,
Apr 1, 2009 -
Today Congresswoman Betsy Markey joined Congressman Dan Boren (D-OK), Congressman John Sullivan (R-OK), and Congressman John Larson (D-CT), at a press conference with oilman T. Boone Pickens to promote bi-partisan legislation that will significantly expand the use of natural gas in America, to quickly reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign oil while simultaneously reducing transportation fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles.
Rep. Markey has signed on to co-sponsor the New Alternative Transportation to Give Americans Solutions (NAT GAS) Act, which was introduced today in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“We are at a crossroads in the history of our nation’s energy policy,” said Rep. Markey. “The decisions we make in Congress today will determine the stability of our future energy industry, our domestic supply, and the daily cost of energy for millions of consumers and businesses across the nation. Natural gas is a cleaner-burning, cheaper, and domestically abundant alternative to conventional transportation fuel.”
“I applaud the bill sponsors for introducing the NAT GAS act today,” said T. Boone Pickens. “In doing so, they’re showing that a bi-partisan approach to energy policy is not only possible, but do-able. America’s national and economic security depends on moving off foreign oil as quickly as possible. Natural gas is the cleanest, most abundant, most economical domestic fuel to replace imported diesel. The U.S. has enough natural gas reserves to last us more than 118 years—we should turn to it as an immediate replacement for foreign oil in fleets and heavy duty vehicles. A battery can’t move an 18-wheeler—the technology isn’t there yet. Natural gas buys us a bridge to the future.”
The provisions of the bill include an 18-year extension of three critical tax incentives that focus on natural gas as a transportation fuel, the purchase of natural gas-fueled vehicles (NGVs), and the installation of commercial and residential natural gas refueling pumps. Currently, the alternative fuel credit expires at the end of 2009, and the vehicle and refueling pump credits expire at the end of 2010. A long term commitment from government is critical to leveraging private capital investments in new non-petroleum initiatives. The legislation would also modify the current tax credits to provide even greater incentive for state and municipal fleet managers to buy natural gas vehicles and engines.
Another provision would create a new tax incentive for auto manufacturers that produce natural gas and bi-fuel vehicles. All major auto-manufacturers currently make NGVs for overseas markets, and this incentive is critical to begin offering these vehicles in the U.S. market.
The NAT GAS Act also would require that by the end of 2014 at least 50 percent of the new vehicles purchased and placed into service by the federal government to be capable of operating on compressed or liquid natural gas.
Finally, the legislation would provide grants for light and heavy-duty natural gas vehicle and engine development. Despite the need for new, cleaner, more efficient light and heavy-duty natural gas engine technology, the Department of Energy has long ceased funding critical research and development of the technology. To meet the full market potential, this technology must be developed for light and heavy-duty vehicles, certified by the Environmental Protection Agency, and integrated into trucks and buses.
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