Today, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) unveiled, “Energy 20/20 - A vision for America’s Energy Future”, which, NGVAmerica believes, provides excellent guidance to Congress on accelerating America away from imported petroleum in transportation.

The plan rightly points out that “the diversification of our fuel mix has been a national priority”, and further “the potential options for diversification of our transportation sector’s energy supply have perhaps never been greater.” The plan also recognizes that “modernized federal energy policies can help spur these trends, in part by removing roadblocks erected by the government itself” and recommends that Congress should “modify current fuel economy statutes and regulations to provide parity for alternative fuel technologies, including natural gas vehicles.”

“NGVAmerica agrees with these conclusions and supports these recommendations,” said Richard Kolodziej, president of NGVAmerica. “The NGV market is expanding rapidly in the US despite a number of federal government imposed barriers. If those barriers were removed, the market would grow even faster, with more foreign oil displaced and more money and jobs kept here at home.”

Among the list a barriers that NGVAmerica has identified, the most onerous is the liquefied natural gas (LNG) tax penalty, where the excise tax on LNG used in transportation is 70 percent greater than it is for diesel fuel on an energy equivalent basis. “This is impeding the adoption of natural gas by over-the-road trucks where LNG is mostly used,” said Kolodziej. “This market could increase the demand for natural gas in vehicles faster than any other.”