The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is accepting grant applications for innovative, advanced fuel, and vehicle technology projects that will result in cleaner advanced alternative transportation within the commonwealth. DEP’s Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant (AFIG) Program offers funding for the purchase and use of alternative fuels and alternative fuel vehicles. Grant applications will be accepted through 13 July 2018.

New this year, AFIG will give priority to projects that include the use of the funded vehicles by emergency personnel in emergency responses, rescues, and evacuations.

The AFIG Program can assist school districts, municipal authorities, nonprofits, corporations, LLCs, and partnerships registered to do business in Pennsylvania in offsetting the costs of implementing alternative fuel using transportation projects. The AFIG Program is funded by annual gross receipts tax on utilities.

DEP is offering grants in the following project categories:

• Vehicle Retrofit or Purchase: To offset the incremental cost of purchasing alternative fuel vehicles or retrofitting existing vehicles to operate on alternative fuels.

• Alternative Fuel Refueling Infrastructure: To assist in the costs to purchase and install refueling equipment for fleet and workplace, home or intermediary refueling.

• Innovative Technology: To support research, training, development, and demonstration of new alternative fuels and alternative fuel vehicles.

DEP is instituting changes to the grants awarded for vehicle purchase and retrofit projects:

• For new CNG, LNG, biodiesel vehicles using a blend greater than B20, Electric Vehicles with a battery system capacity equal to or greater than 20 kWh, and Hydrogen Fuel Cell vehicles, applicants may request 100% of the incremental cost of the vehicle up to $40,000 per vehicle.

• For Electric Vehicles with a battery system capacity between 10 kWh and 20kWh, applicants may request 75% of the incremental cost of the vehicle up to $20,000 per vehicle.

• For existing CNG, LNG, and biodiesel vehicles using a blend of B20 or greater, and Electric Vehicles with a battery system capacity of less than 10 kWh, applicants may request 50% of the incremental cost up to $20,000 per vehicle.