State governors are advocating growth of natural gas vehicles as a more environmentally friendly fuel source at about half the cost. Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, Oklahoma Secretary of Energy Michael Ming and Oklahoma Secretary of Commerce Dave Lopez visited Detroit on Monday to meet with automakers and push for CNG vehicles in a multi-state compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicle initiative.
In April, governors from 13 states sent letters to automakers in the U.S expressing commitment to explore ways to purchase more CNG vehicles for state fleets. Governors visiting Detroit were seeking to establish demand and incentives for makers to design and sell CNGs for use by public fleets and consumers. Several states are looking forward to growth in natural gas vehicle sales and fueling infrastructures for job growth, emissions reductions, and reducing foreign oil imports.