1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Natural Gas Energy and Alternatives Rewards Act” or the “NGEAR Act”.
Natural Gas Energy and Alternatives Rewards Act
A BILL
To promote the domestic development and deployment of natural gas and clean energy technologies.
2. Purpose
The purpose of this Act is to establish clean energy policies that—
provide market certainty to drive private and commercial capital investment in clean energy options;
promote clean energy technologies that will—
lead to increased production, diversity, and dissemination of energy generation; and
enable the United States to bridge the gap from foreign energy imports to secure, domestically produced energy; and
contain clean energy incentives that will—
provide for ongoing increases in energy demands;
support the growth of jobs and businesses in America; and
reduce vehicular petroleum use and emissions.
3. Extension of alternative fuels excise tax credits
In general— Sections 6426(d)(5) and 6426(e)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 are each amended by striking “December 31, 2013 (September 30, 2014, in the case of any sale or use involving liquefied hydrogen)” and inserting “December 31, 2016”.
Conforming amendments for direct payments— Paragraph (6) of section 6427(e) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended—
by adding “and” at the end of subparagraph (B), and
by striking subparagraphs (C) and (D) and inserting the following new subparagraph:
“(C) any alternative fuel or alternative fuel mixture (as defined in subsection (d)(2) or (e)(3) of section 6426) sold or used after December 31, 2016.”
Effective date— The amendments made by this section shall apply to fuel sold or used after December 31, 2013.
4. Extension and modification of alternative fuel vehicle refueling property credit
In general— Paragraph (1) of section 30C(g) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended to read as follows:
“(1) in the case of property of a character subject to an allowance for depreciation, after December 31, 2016, and”
Effective date— The amendment made by this section shall apply to property placed in service after December 31, 2013.
5. Natural Gas Energy and Alternatives Rebates Program
Section 400CC of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6374b) is amended to read as follows:
“400CC. Alternative fuels bus program
“(a) Definitions—In this section:
“(1) Alternative fuel—The term alternative fuel means natural gas, liquid petroleum gas, hydrogen, or fuel cell.
“(2) Alternatively fueled bus—The term alternatively fueled bus means—
“(A) a school bus (as defined in section 390.5 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations) that operates on alternative fuel;
“(B) a multifunction school activity bus (as defined in section 571.3 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations) that operates on alternative fuel; or
“(C) a motor vehicle that—
“(i) provides public transportation (as defined in section 5302(a)(10) of title 49, United States Code); and
“(ii) operates on alternative fuel.
“(3) Eligible entity—The term eligible entity means—
“(A) a public or private entity providing transportation exclusively for school students, personnel, and equipment; or
“(B) a public entity providing mass transit services to the public.
“(b) Rebate program
“(1) In general—The Secretary of Transportation shall establish the Natural Gas Energy and Alternatives Rebates Program (referred to in this section as the “NGEAR Program”) to subsidize the purchase of alternatively fueled buses by eligible entities.
“(2) Amounts—An eligible entity that purchases an alternatively fueled bus during the period beginning on the date of the enactment of the NGEAR Act and ending on December 31, 2016, is eligible to receive a rebate from the Department of Transportation in an amount equal to the lesser of—
“(A) 30 percent of the purchase price of the alternatively fueled bus; or
“(B) $15,000.
“(3) Application—Eligible entities desiring a rebate under this subsection shall submit an application to the Secretary of Transportation that contains copies of relevant sales invoices and any additional information that the Secretary of Transportation may require.”