<

ANNOUNCING THE PENNSYLVANIA FAST ACT CORRIDOR INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT

ALTERNATIVE FUELS INCENTIVE GRANT PROGRAM (AFIG)

The Pennsylvania FAST Act Alternative Fuel Corridor Infrastructure solicitation is a special solicitation under the Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant Program (AFIG) designed to support the installation of alternative fuel infrastructure along Pennsylvania Interstate Highway Corridors.

Approximately $1 million in grants will be available to install: public-use electric, hydrogen, propane, and compressed natural gas refueling infrastructure along the highway corridors in Pennsylvania.

Corridors which are designated as alternative fuel corridors by the FAST Act as “Signage Ready” or “Signage Pending” by the Federal Highway Administration meaning specific sections of interstates located in Pennsylvania (I-76, I-276, I-476, I-70, I-95, and I-80) will be the sole focus of this grant program.

Individual project awards will be capped at $500,000 and the grant will provide up to a fifty (50) percent reimbursement.

Applicants may submit more than one application if they are seeking funding to install refueling installations on separate highway segments. Depending on the fuel type proposed and application details, a project may consist of a single public station, or a series of public stations within a corridor (or multiple corridors) of eligible highway corridors in Pennsylvania.

Grant Applications and Due Dates

Applications will be received in paper form. Applications will be accepted starting September 30, 2017. Applications received after 4:00 pm on November 17, 2017, will not be accepted.

Click on the link to download a copy of the Grant Guidelines document and Application:
2017 AFIG Fast Act Corridor Infrastructure Grant

Eligible Applicants

The following Applicants are encouraged to apply: Pennsylvania municipal authorities, political subdivisions, non-profit entities, corporations, and limited liability companies or partnerships incorporated or registered in the Commonwealth.

Eligible Project Types

Examples of projects eligible to apply under the Pennsylvania FAST Act Alternative Fuel Corridor Infrastructure program include:

  • Full publicly accessible Electric Vehicle DC Charging stations
  • Full publicly accessible Compressed Natural Gas refueling stations
  • Full publicly accessible Propane refueling stations

Information about the Fast Act:

The FAST Act (Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act – Pub. L. No. 114-94 https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/fastact/) was signed into federal law on December 4, 2015. The FAST Act was created to provide long-term certainty for surface transportation infrastructure planning and investment in the United States. Section 1413 of the FAST Act creates the designation of alternative fuel corridors which support electric vehicle (EV) charging, hydrogen, propane, and natural gas transportation through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

The 2017 Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant opens Friday, May 26 at 4:00 PM.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Office of Pollution Prevention and Energy Assistance announces an opportunity to apply for grants under the Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant (AFIG) Program to improve the Commonwealth’s air quality and reduce consumption of imported oil through the use of domestic alternative fuels that will help the state’s economy and environment. DEP is seeking applications for innovative, advanced fuel and vehicle technology projects resulting in cleaner advanced alternative transportation within this Commonwealth.

Approximately $5 million in grants will be available for school districts, municipal authorities, political subdivisions, nonprofit entities, corporations, limited liability companies or partnerships incorporated or registered in the Commonwealth to support:

  • 50% of incremental cost expenses relative to retrofitting vehicles to operate on alternative fuels as a bi-fuel, dual-fuel, hybrid or dedicated vehicle.
  • 50% of incremental cost expenses to purchase bi-fuel, dual-fuel, hybrid or dedicated vehicles.
  • The cost to purchase and install the necessary fleet refueling or home-refueling equipment for bi-fuel, dual-fuel, hybrid or dedicated vehicles.
  • The cost to perform research, training, development and demonstration of new applications or next-phase technology related to alternative fuel vehicles.

The AFIG program will remain open to receive proposals throughout the 2017 calendar year. Instead of one deadline for acceptance of applications for the year, AFIG now has multiple submission periods during which prospective applicants may submit applications for consideration. AFIG will accept applications at any time during the year (until December 15th) and evaluate the applications received after each submission period and determine awards. Applications received during a submission period which do not receive an award will be able to resubmit the project application immediately for consideration during the next submission period in accordance with the program rules. The application period will open on May 26, 2017 and remain open throughout 2017. DEP will collect and review Applications received by 4 p.m. on Friday, July 14, 2017 and 4 p.m. on Friday, December 15, 2017. Hardcopy applications will not be accepted.

Click on the link to download a copy of the Grant Guidelines document:
AFIG 2017 Guidelines (PDF)

DEP held an informational webinar on the program to detail the types of projects eligible for grants at 11:00 A.M. on June 22, 2017. Provided below are links to the audio files and the PowerPoint Presentation from the webinar:
Overview of Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant (AFIG) Program (WMV)
Overview of Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant (AFIG) Program (MP4)
Overview of Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant (AFIG) Program (PPT)

APPLICATIONS

Applications will be only accepted online through the eGrants system. Visit www.ahs.dep.pa.gov/eGrants/index.aspx (click on “Find a Grant.” scroll down to “AFIG” and click “Apply for this grant”).

The Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant (AFIG) Program was established in 1992 under Act 166.

The AFIG Program helps to create new markets for alternative fuels in Pennsylvania which enhances energy security. An investment is being made not only in alternative fuels, but the deployment of alternative fuel vehicles, fleets and technologies.
Alternative Fuel Incentive Grant projects promote and build markets for advanced, renewable and alternative energy transportation technologies. The intent is to provide a stimulus for opportunities that better manage Pennsylvania’s fuel resources in a way that also improves the environment, supports economic development and enhances the quality of life.

NOW OPEN: THE ALTERNATIVE FUELS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

The Alternative Fuels Technical Assistance (AFTA) program provides technical assistance to eligible organizations to maximize the benefits of alternative fuel use in PA. AFTA is not a grant program, but a program through which a qualified, a professional consulting firm is assigned by DEP to work directly with eligible organizations for the purpose of developing technically viable and economically sustainable alternative fueling strategies. Alternative fuels considered under this program may include natural gas, electric, propane, hydrogen, hythane, ethanol, methanol, and other advanced biofuels.

Organizations eligible to apply include political subdivisions, nonprofit entities, municipal authorities and school districts in PA. An eligible entity can apply alone, or it can team up with other eligible project partners for a multi-organization project that can enhance the energy, economic, and environmental benefits of alternative fuels.

Click on the link to download a copy of the application document:
Alternative Fuels Technical Assistance Program Application (PDF)

AFIG FACT SHEETS AND TOOLS

2015-2016 AFIG Annual Report (PDF)
2014-2015 AFIG Annual Report
Electric Vehicles in Pennsylvania (PDF) Fact Sheet
Alternative Fuel Refueling Sites

Find locations in Pennsylvania, or across the country, that offer the following alternative fuel types: Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), Liquified Propane Gas (LPG), Electric, Liquified Natural Gas (LNG), Ethanol (E85) and Methanol (M85).

Alternative Fuels Data Center
Major source of information on AFVs including lists of vehicles available from manufacturers, national refueling information, emission reduction demonstration studies.

Fleet Buyer’s Guide
A web site designed to help you understand and acquire AFV’s.

Fuel Economy Site
The Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency have jointly developed a new web-site that allows consumers easy access to fuel economy data on-line over the Internet.

The Department of Energy’s Vehicle Cost Calculator. Use this calculator to compare alternative fuel vehicles with their gasoline-only counterparts.