The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has awarded more than $1.9 million to Pennsylvania schools and businesses for projects using alternative fuels. The Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant (AFIG) awards grants in two categories (Vehicle Purchase/Retrofit and Refuelling Infrastructure) to improve air quality through alternative fuel use, including Autogas.

“The buses, cars, and trucks purchased and rebuilt with these grants will reduce air pollution and improve the air we breathe,” said Acting DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell. “One project, for the East Stroudsburg School District, will save the district nearly 125,000 gallons of gasoline every year. These types of projects pay economic and environmental dividends for communities and Pennsylvania at large, and I am very pleased to be able to award these grants.”

East Stroudsburg Area School District, in Monroe County, will receive $200,000 to begin converting their 122 school buses to run on Autogas. With the $200,000 AFIG funds, they will convert 52 buses ranging from 72-passenger to 30-passenger buses.

The district will also get $180,000 to build two LPG refuelling stations to fuel the 52 school buses. The stations will continue to support the rest of the fleet as it is converted from diesel to Autogas buses and could potentially be used to support the township’s municipal fleet vehicles and buses from other school districts. This refuelling infrastructure project was submitted in conjunction with a vehicle purchase application.

Pocono Mountain School District will obtain $100,000 to purchase 25 new Autogas Bluebird Vision 78 passenger school buses to replace conventional diesel buses. The project will utilise the installation of new infrastructure for fuel supply, on the district’s Sullivan Trail Campus.

Other recipients include RMP Transportation Company, Inc., Worley & Obetz, Inc., School District of Hatboro-Horsham, and Bimbo Bakeries USA, Inc.