The Ohio State Legislature has passed legislation that allocates $5 million in grants for compressed natural gas (CNG) and propane conversions in vehicles.

The changes to a municipal utility tax exemption measure (HB 390) include an amendment making the allocation to the Alternative Fuel Vehicle Conversion Program. The grants will be available to both public and private fleets, according to Clean Fuels Ohio.

Two central Ohio fleet managers support the grants, including Kelly Reagan, fleet administrator for the City of Columbus.

“The City of Columbus is excited to see the state take action to make Ohio more competitive,” Reagan said. “As we are seeing in other states, incentivizing fleets to make this transition to natural gas and propane helps to spur adoption and to keep this industry on a steady pace as we continue to drive forward.”

Darryl Syler, fleet manager at City of Dublin Fleet Management, may increase the city's investment in cleaner-burning vehicles.

“The City of Dublin is interested in investing more in deploying a cleaner, less expensive, domestic fuel source,” Syler said. “Even though most of the natural gas and propane is coming out of the ground in eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania, Ohio is the only one of our surrounding states that does not currently have some form of financial incentive. As a result, areas that offer these are drawing the biggest investments.”

The bill will now go to the governor’s desk for his signature in the next couple of weeks.