Natural-Gas Vehicles To Get Electric-Car Tax Credit In Transportation Bill?

As another Congressional session winds down, the two houses are working to pass a long-overdue transportation funding bill.

And the natural-gas industry hopes certain provisions in the House's long-term transportation bill will survive the reconciliation process.

Congress passed an interim funding bill last week, to keep transportation funding flowing through December 4 and allow more time for negotiations on a longer-term bill.

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At stake in that bill are certain provisions that would benefit natural-gas vehicles, according to NGT News.

The six-year transportation funding bill (H.R. 3763) passed by the House earlier this month includes two such provisions.

One would provide for regulatory parity between natural-gas vehicles and electric cars.

It would require the Environmental Protection Agency to ensure that any "preference or incentive provided to an electric vehicle is also provided to a natural gas vehicle."

That would likely mean a Federal tax credit for natural-gas cars, just like the $2,500 to $7,500 credit offered to buyers of new plug-in cars (both battery-electrics and plug-in hybrids).

A tax credit for natural-gas cars and other lower-emission vehicles was proposed in a White House budget submission earlier this year.

MORE: White House Budget Asks For $10K Electric-Car Credit, Natural-Gas Cars Added