BISMARCK, N.D. – North Dakota lawmakers introduced a bill this week offering incentives for natural gas-powered vehicles and fueling stations in the state. If passed, HB 1446 would set aside $1 million toward cost-sharing on the construction of natural gas fueling stations and $3 million for cost-sharing on the conversion of vehicles to natural gas.

Elsewhere in the region, Colorado and Utah already have similar incentives and Minnesota has 10 fueling stations open to the public. Under HB 1446, the natural gas fueling station incentive program will provide a maximum of $250,000 per retail location for equipment and installation.

In Centre County, Pennsylvania, a $642,894 grant from the state will help fund a new compressed natural gas station in College Township. With the closest CNG station currently 30 miles away, the new station will be available to the public, and the Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority will use the station to fill up company vehicles.

Meanwhile, at the New England International Auto Show, the president of the Massachusetts Hydrogen Coalition said that people should expect to see fuel cell cars on the road in Massachusetts by the end of this year. While the state currently has only one hydrogen fueling station, two more will be open by April, with more to come. In 2013, Massachusetts — along with Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New York, Maryland, California and Oregon — began to develop a Multi-State Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) Action plan. Their goal is to have 3.3 million ZEVs by 2025 – 300,000 of those vehicles being in the Bay State.