Tulsa World

House approves Sullivan's bill to reauthorize natural gas vehicle research program

by: JIM MYERS World Washington Bureau
Tuesday, July 21, 2009


WASHINGTON — The U.S. House approved a bill Tuesday by Rep. John Sullivan to reauthorize a research program on natural gas vehicles.

Passed by a vote of 393 to 35, the bill would keep the program going another five years.

“In 2008 alone, natural gas vehicles (NGVs) displaced 300 million gallons of petroleum in the United States,’’ said Sullivan, R-Okla. “I believe that natural gas must continue to play an important role in decreasing our dependence on foreign sources of oil and leading America to greater energy security.’’

He said about 97 percent of natural gas used in the U.S. is produced in North America.

“My legislation undoubtedly helps our state as we are one of the top natural gas producers in the nation, typically accounting for almost one-tenth of the total U.S. production,’’ Sullivan said.

In addition to cutting U.S. dependence on foreign oil, he said, other advantages linked to his bill would be environmental.

Sullivan cited a study that said natural gas vehicles produce up to 20 percent less greenhouse gases than diesel vehicles and up to 27 percent less than gasoline vehicles.

Natural gas vehicles produce less air pollutants, he said, adding they can reduce tailpipe emissions by up to 90 percent.

“To reach these goals, NGV research, development, demonstration and deployment is vital,’’ Sullivan said.

“There are over 150,000 NGVs on U.S. roads today and over 10 million worldwide.’’ Increased research would only increase those numbers, he said.

An amendment by Rep. Dan Boren, D-Okla., that was attached to a major spending bill would provide $5 million to fund the program at the U.S. Department of Energy for one year.

That bill passed the House last week.