HARRISONBURG, VA -- Virginia Clean Cities announced that an additional nine fleets and more than 160 vehicles are joining the Southeast Propane Autogas Development Program for vehicle conversions to propane autogas and the installation of on-site fueling stations. 

The fleets include Airport Shuttle of Baton Rouge, La.; Virginia Premier Health of Richmond, Va.; the city of Sandy Springs, Ga.; Community Counseling of Miss.; Buncombe County, N.C.; the city of Carrollton Police Department in Georgia; Pearl River County, Miss.; Lee County, Ala.; and the Jackson County Sheriff's Office in Jefferson, Ga. 

Several fleets already have autogas fueling stations, while four organizations will receive a new station under the program.

"We're excited to extend the final round of program funding to help these fleets shift to an environmentally friendly, affordable fuel like propane autogas," said Peter Denbigh, a coordinator at Virginia Clean Cities, which administers the program. "As the latest vehicle conversions get underway, we'll be educating the local communities about the benefits of this domestic fuel."

With the new fleet additions and the final allocation of project funding, the program will convert nearly 1,200 vehicles from gasoline to propane autogas. Using autogas can lower organizations' fuel and maintenance costs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and enhance U.S. energy security.

The program received funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and the U.S. Department of Energy's Clean Cities Program. The program is administered by the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy and Virginia Clean Cities at James Madison University. The total program award was $8.6 million. But with partner contributions at more than 50 percent, the total project funding is more than $19 million.