Absolutely. Natural gas is being used, more and more, to power our nation’s growing transportation needs in the form of compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG). According to the U.S. Department of Energy, there are currently 519 commercial CNG fueling stations across the country; an interactive map is available here. On a bipartisan basis, governors from 22 states – including Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett – are working with auto industry to identify ways to expand the production of CNG-powered vehicles. Why? Because the savings and environmental benefits of using natural gas to power our vehicles and long-haul trucks are huge.

The recently enacted bipartisan natural gas law in Pennsylvania, Act 13, provides critical CNG-related funding. PA DEP is holding regional CNG seminars across the Commonwealth, helping to inform Pennsylvanians of these opportunities. This from a recent PA DEP release:

“With all of Act 13, but with this program in particular, Governor Corbett and the legislature have captured for us the tremendous opportunity we have with our own home-grown natural gas to displace OPEC as the primary fuel supplier for Pennsylvania’s and America’s vehicles,” DEP Secretary Mike Krancer said. “These seminars will inform local governments and businesses about how they can do their part in making America energy-secure by taking advantage of a fuel found right here in Pennsylvania that is abundant, clean-burning and inexpensive.”

Act 13 of 2012 authorized DEP to create and implement a Natural Gas Energy Development program to distribute up to $20 million in grants over the next three years to help pay for the incremental purchase and conversion costs of heavy-duty natural gas fleet vehicles.