Letter to the editor: Credits for natural gas vehicles

Earlier this year, I traveled to Washington, D.C. with other members of the natural gas vehicle industry. We met with over 60 congressional offices, calling on Congress to immediately restore the alternative fuel tax credit (AFTC). The AFTC is crucial to deploying more clean-burning, domestically fueled natural gas vehicles.

Deployment of more alternative fuel vehicles will grow the American economy, spur manufacturing and infrastructure investment, clean our air by reducing harmful emissions, reduce our dependency on foreign oil, and contribute to America’s energy and national security.

Natural gas vehicles are proven, reliable and commercially available for medium- and heavy-duty applications today. In fact, the cleanest heavy-duty vehicle engine in the world runs on natural gas. When fueled with renewable natural gas (biomethane), this zero-emission-equivalent engine runs carbon neutral and even carbon negative. The AFTC enables more fleets to make the switch from high-polluting vehicles to new, cleaner natural gas trucks and buses.

While the AFTC appreciates bipartisan support in both chambers, we still need widespread support for the credits to be restored. We ask that Pennsylvania U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker, R-Lancaster, extend these tax credits as soon as possible to restore consistency, clarity and parity in federal tax code so that all fleets — private and public — have added incentive to make the switch to clean, domestic natural gas and renewable biomethane.

William A. Sapon

North Shore

The writer is clean energy and transportation advisor for Peoples Natural Gas.