WASHINGTON, D.C. — Legislation in the U.S. Senate would reimburse up to $15,000 for the purchase of school and transit buses powered by alternative fuels.

Qualifying alternative fuels under the bill are natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas (aka propane or autogas), hydrogen and fuel cells.

Alt-fuel school buses and multi-function school activity buses purchased by public or private operators would be eligible for the rebate, which would be 30 percent of the price of the bus or $15,000.

The Natural Gas Energy and Alternatives Rebates program, as it would be called, would end Dec. 31, 2016.

The bill, which was introduced last month by Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, would also extend through 2016 the Alternative Fuel Tax Credit of $0.50 per gallon for the retail sale of alternative fuels.

Another provision would extend through 2016 a tax credit for installing commercial alt-fuel refueling infrastructure. The credit would total 30 percent of the system, up to $30,000.

Casey held a press conference to unveil the bill in Pittsburgh on Feb. 3. The Pennsylvania School Bus Association (PSBA) reported that one of its board members, Mark Schmitt, attended the event on behalf of the PSBA and the National School Transportation Association.

For more information on the bill, go here.