On Wednesday, July 10 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium (NAFTC), a program of West Virginia University, will host the West Virginia Clean State Program Stakeholder Meeting.
The event, held at the NAFTC facility in Morgantown, will focus on natural gas and propane, with the theme “Making it Happen in West Virginia.”
The stakeholder meeting will feature a roundtable discussion on gaseous fuels (natural gas and propane) and gaseous fuel vehicles, which will include updates on activity in the state. NAFTC Acting Director Bill Davis explains, “This will continue the process of providing education and information to stakeholders and the public about the use of gaseous fuel vehicles in the state. To succeed in the transition of state and private vehicles to gaseous fuels, education is key. Users of the vehicles must have knowledge and be comfortable with the technology to embrace it.”
Speakers will include:
• Chris Weikle, deputy director of public policy for Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin
• Mike Romano, Harrison County commissioner
• Kelly Bragg, coordinator for the West Virginia Clean State Program
• Bret Chandler, managing director of Propane Fuel Technologies
• Bill Davis, acting director of the NAFTC
• Rebekah Hogue, special projects coordinator for the West Virginia Oil and Natural Gas Association
• TJ Meadows, CNG business manager at IGS Energy – CNG Services
• Michael Moore, president of CNG Innovations of WV
Following the roundtable discussion, attendees will tour the NAFTC facility and view displays of various alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles.
The NAFTC, which provides program management, curriculum development, training, and education and outreach activities about alternative fuel vehicles, is a stakeholder of the West Virginia Clean State Program, and was recently appointed to the Governor’s Natural Gas Vehicle Transition Team. .
The appointment to the Transition Team was recommended as part of the Governor’s Natural Gas Task Force final report, released in February of this year. In the report, the Task Force urged that the NAFTC—along with representatives from state Division of Highways, Division of Energy, Tax Department, Fleet Management Office, Purchasing Division, the Governor’s Office, and Board of Education—form a Natural Gas Vehicle Transition Team.
The Transition Team will review agency plans to accomplish Tomblin’s call to have 25 percent of the state fleet fueled by natural gas in four years.
-WVU-
jm/07/09/13
CONTACT: Judy Moore, National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium
304.293.7882 (o); 304.669.4870©; Judy.Moore@mail.wvu.edu
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