Jan 15, 2015 By David Singer 2 min read

Giant Eagle and Waste Management are two local organizations among 18 in the state that the Department of Environmental Protection has awarded part of $7.3 million in grant monies for the companies to purchase vehicles that run on compressed natural gas. The third dispersal of Act 13 funding could also be the last of tax-subsidized awards for natural gas vehicles.

“This was probably the final award package you’ll see (from Act 13 drilling impact fees) unless the incoming governor and his administration decide to redirect the program and fund it again,” said DEP spokesperson Lynda Rebarchak.

Waste Management is using their $500,000 award to purchase 25 CNG vehicles, with six stationed in Washington County. The refuse and recycling company will then have 55 CNG vehicles stationed at their headquarters at 200 Rangos Lane, according to Waste Management spokesperson Erika Deyarmin.

“Our company has made a nationwide commitment to convert our fleet to cleaner-burning, natural gas vehicles. We currently have over 3,500 trucks across the country that run off of compressed natural gas, making us the largest in our industry,” she said.

Giant Eagle will use their $400,000 allocation to help purchase 16 vehicles for use in distribution in the grocer’s Allegheny County stores. The added vehicles will be 16 trucks, including Volvo and Freightliners models, according to DEP.

“We now have 91 CNG vehicles in our fleet, with 50 in (the Pittsburgh region) and 51 in Cleveland,” said Giant Eagle spokesman Dick Roberts, “and we’re excited to expand our compressed natural gas fueling initiative that includes … a Pittsburgh-based publicly-accessible fueling station.”

For drivers who own their cars, there is some modest help for those looking to purchase a new CNG-powered vehicle. According to the DEP, there are still 122 rebates up to $1,000 available as of Jan. 10, 2015. The rebates – offered through the DEP’s Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant program – dictate that the vehicle must be new and have less than 500 miles at the time of purchase.

But until fueling stations become commonplace, it appears CNG is best left to commercial fleets and those near a quick fill-up station. A 2010 Honda Civic with a four-cylinder 1.8-liter CNG engine would cost $25,340, according to the federal government’s Alternative Fuels Data Center. The listed fuel economy was 24 miles per gallon in a city and 36 on the highway. The data center listed average natural gas price in the state as $2.16 per gallon.