Pennsylvania and Ontario, Canada, have gotten a boost to advance natural gas vehicle (NGV) fleets and fueling stations.

The Alternative Fuel Incentive Grants (AFIG) program of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection approved more than $1.6 million to support 19 projects using natural gas and other alternative fuels, such as propane and biodiesel.

“These grants will not only help put more alternative fuel vehicles on the road, but also expand the infrastructure needed to drive Pennsylvania forward by reducing air pollution from cars, trucks and buses,” said Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf. “With rollbacks on fuel efficiency coming from the federal government, grants like AFIG to encourage smarter and cleaner fuels are critical to reducing air pollution from transportation in Pennsylvania.”

Eleven grants from under $10,000 to nearly $500,000 were provided for vehicle purchases, fueling stations and technology advances.

Meanwhile, Clean Energy Fuels Corp. is building three compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling stations in Ontario for Union Energy Solutions LLP, an unregulated affiliate of Enbridge Inc.’s Union Gas. The stations in London, Windsor and Napanee would bring CNG fueling to part of Highway 401, one of the busiest highways in North America and the main route from the Windsor border at Detroit, to Quebec City on the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Separately, Clean Energy inked a contract to supply renewable natural gas (RNG) to 118 of CalPortland Co.’s Catalina Pacific ready-mix concrete trucks that operate in Southern California. CalPortland CEO Alan Hamblen said the switch to zero emission engines with RNG is “a real game changer.”

Hamblen said the cement hauler/supplier would continue to seek alternatives “that will make a positive impact on the environment and demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the community.”

The Coalition for RNG reported earlier this month there are now 76 RNG production sites in the United States and Canada, an 85% growth from 41 projects built between 1982 and 2014. The coalition has set a goal of doubling production facilities by 2025 from 51 facilities in early 2015.

Elsewhere, a coalition of more than 100 companies in Mexico has joined the newly formed Mexican Association of NGV, CNG, LNG and Biogas (AMGNV) to promote gas use in transportation.

AMGNV officials are predicting “tremendous growth” in the NGV market in the coming years.