AUSTIN, TX - The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) announced it is offering up to $4.5 million in grants for government entities, businesses, and individuals for natural gas fueling stations. The Commission said the grant money is designed to “support the development of a network of natural gas vehicle fueling stations to serve as a foundation for a self-sustaining market for natural gas vehicles in Texas.”

The TCEQ Clean Transportation Triangle grants are part of the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan. Fueling stations funded by these grants must be located no more than three miles from the interstate highways and be made available to the public.

The TCEQ said it will give preference to applications that plan to build stations that will provide liquefied natural gas and compressed natural gas at a single location, and stations located not more than one mile for an interstate highway system.

To help applicants, the TCEQ plans to conduct a grant application workshop to review CTT grant requirements and application procedures. It plans to hold the workshop on Feb. 9, 2012, 1:30 p.m. at TCEQ headquarters, which is located at 12100 Park 35 Circle, Building E, Room 201S, Austin, Texas 78753.

The TCEQ said it will accept grant applications until April 16, 2012, 5:00 p.m. CST.