Two Republican congressmen have introduced three natural-gas bills that could increase the use of the fuel in the trucking industry.
The bills call for designated natural-gas corridors for longhaul trucks and for exemptions from current weight limits to accommodate the heavier fuel tanks. One of the bills would create a task force to evaluate the barriers to carriers transitioning from diesel to natural gas.
The bills are sponsored by Reps. Lee Terry from Nebraska and Sam Graves from Missouri. They were introduced the same day President Obama called for greater use of natural gas in trucks in his State of the Union address.
“Learning everything we can about barriers to natural-gas use and removing those barriers should be common sense in our quest for an all-of-the-above energy strategy,” Terry said.
Because natural gas is less expensive than diesel, consumers will see savings in their shopping bills, said Graves, chairman of the House Small Business Committee. “It also has the ability to substantially reduce emissions.”
American Trucking Associations is backing the bills.
“They’re all aimed at advancing natural gas in the trucking industry as an alternative fuel and as a bridge fuel,” said Glen Kedzie, ATA energy and environmental counsel.
