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Propane Industry Offers Fleet Managers Federal Funding Opportunity

10 May 2000

Propane Industry Offers Fleet Managers Federal Funding Opportunity At 6th National Clean Cities Conference and Expo

    SAN DIEGO, May 10 The Propane Vehicle Council (PVC) and
the Propane Education & Research Council (the Council) announced today, during
the 6th National Clean Cities Conference and Expo in San Diego, its second
incentive program to provide funding to fleet managers for the purchase of
propane vehicles and/or refueling infrastructure.  $1.3 to $1.5 billion is
available through the U.S. Department of Transportation's Congestion
Mitigation & Air Quality (CMAQ) Program-appropriated for air quality
improvement projects. The CMAQ program will provide up to 80 percent of the
overall project costs. The announcement is the first offer by the propane
industry to provide an additional $200,000 in matching funds for the CMAQ
Program.
    The propane CMAQ Program was established to identify and promote the air
quality benefits of propane, expand awareness of propane as an alternative
transportation fuel, and demonstrate the many benefits of propane vehicles.
Applicants must have an active CMAQ vehicle program application under review
to apply for these funds, which will be used to supply part or the entire non-
federal match in a CMAQ reimbursement program.
    "By making these additional funds available through the propane industry,
we hope fleet managers and industry members will be motivated to apply for
CMAQ funding," said Joseph Colaneri, executive director, Propane Vehicle
Council, Washington, D.C. "The program gives fleet managers an opportunity to
make a difference in their communities by using clean-burning propane."
The Propane Education & Research Council is dedicated to promoting the safe
use of propane gas as a preferred energy source through consumer education,
safety and research projects. The 21-member Council was authorized by the
Propane Education and Research Act of 1996 and created by industry referendum
in 1997. Programs and projects are funded by an assessment or check-off on
every gallon of odorized propane -- one-tenth of one cent per gallon.
Collections amounted to $10 million in 1999.
    The Propane Vehicle Council was established in 1994 to advance propane's
future as a clean, safe and superior performing alternative transportation
fuel. The PVC brings together and leads industry efforts to develop a strong
U.S. market for propane. Through aggressive lobbying and public relations
efforts, it works to remove legislative and regulatory barriers and increases
awareness of propane's advantages as a transportation fuel among government
officials, the auto industry and consumers. It also undertakes projects to
encourage the development, demonstration and marketing of propane-related
technologies and propane-powered vehicles.