CleanFuel CNG Blog

NGVAmerica reports that this week, four US Senators introduced the Streamline Alternative Fuel Vehicle Conversions Act. (S. 1809 and HR 3431). The legislation would simply and streamline EPA’s emissions certification process for aftermarket fuel conversion systems. It is a bill “To amend the Clean Air Act to promote the certification of aftermarket conversion systems and thereby encourage the increased use of alternative fueled vehicles.” (S.1809)

During the bill’s introduction, Sen. Inhofe noted that the bill “makes critical changes so that vehicle conversions can become a commonplace option for all Americans. By simplifying this compliance process, we will not only incentivize conversion manufacturers to offer more systems for additional vehicle makes and models, but will eventually reduce the costs of these conversion systems for interested car owners – perhaps by hundreds and even thousands of dollars”.

Specifically the bill would:

• Eliminate the need for subsequent yearly recertification after a system has already been certified, making it no longer necessary to resubmit data to EPA for a system that has not changed;
• Direct the EPA to establish criteria that would cover several different yet similar vehicle makes, models and model years on a single certificate of conformity using the test data from a single vehicle;
• Instruct the EPA to allow the submission of previous testing data if a vehicle or the conversion system has not changed in a way which would affect compliance;
• Direct the EPA to promulgate regulations to help conversion system manufacturers comply with potentially difficult on-board diagnostics (OBD) requirements and compatibility; and
• Clarify the treatment of vehicles which are beyond their useful life as defined by the EPA as long as the conversion system manufacturer or the converter is able to demonstrate that the emissions would not worsen due to a conversion.

Source: NGVAmerica

Oklahoma State is to benefit from more than $18.6 million in stimulus funds awarded by the US Government this week to support energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Included in the expected outcomes, for which $11 million has been allocated, will be vehicle and bus conversions to CNG, provision of equipment for CNG refueling stations and three projects intended to address the need for training and outreach to develop a green-jobs work force.

According to a report by Tulsa World, successful implementation of the projects is likely to stimulate even more funding under the auspices of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which appropriated $3.1 billion for promotion of energy efficiency, clean energy deployment and stimulation of local economic recovery.