Alternative Fuels

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on: (1) tunnel restrictions for gaseous-fueled vehicles in Baltimore, Boston, and New York; (2) the implications of Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations requiring recertification of compressed natural gas (CNG) cylinders; and (3) the consistency of provisions for alternative-fuel tax benefits in recently proposed legislation. GAO noted that: (1) regulatory agencies in Baltimore, Boston, and New York have recently supported relaxing their regulations that block access for gaseous-fueled vehicles and have been working with the CNG and liquified petroleum gas industries to resolve potential safety issues associated with gaseous fuels; (2) DOT requires CNG cylinder recertification only for those vehicles involved in commerce, but some state and local governments require all CNG vehicle users to maintain DOT certification; and (3) inconsistencies among the proposed legislation's provisions for tax deductions could result in some acceptable fuels' not receiving tax benefits.