Press Release Details

SEAL BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The NAT GAS Act of 2011, a bill introduced today in the U.S. House of Representatives, would provide increased support for the critical movement to deploy large numbers of natural gas vehicles (NGVs) in the United States, according to Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (Nasdaq: CLNE).

The bi-partisan-sponsored legislation — the New Alternative Transportation to Give America Solutions (NAT GAS) Act — would provide expanded tax credits for natural gas used as vehicle fuel, as well as credits for the purchase of NGVs. The bill would also encourage manufacturers to produce dedicated NGVs, and includes tax incentives for developing natural gas fueling infrastructure.

Introduced by Reps. John Sullivan (R-OK), Dan Boren (D-OK), Kevin Brady (R-TX), and John Larson (D-CT), together with 76 co-sponsors, the bipartisan-supported NAT GAS Act is driven by the need for America to quickly reduce its dependence on foreign oil while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions and urban pollution. To achieve these goals, the bill's objective is to accelerate the production and use of natural gas-fueled vehicles.

The NAT GAS Act would restore and expand the NGV tax credit that makes NGVs eligible for a credit equal to 80% of the vehicle's incremental cost subject to caps depending upon vehicle size. It would also extend for five years the 50-cent-per-gallon alternative fuel credit for the purchase of natural gas fuel, and would expand tax credit incentives for developing natural gas fueling infrastructure.

"This backing by Congress is critical for our nation to succeed in its goal of creating a new alternate energy economy that's not dependent on imported petroleum, and we applaud efforts to achieve this most important objective," said Andrew J. Littlefair, Clean Energy President and CEO.

"Worldwide, natural gas vehicle use is expanding dramatically. Many countries are rapidly adopting natural gas vehicle solutions in an effort to reduce petroleum use and improve the environment. In the United States, transportation accounts for over 60% of petroleum use, and over 60% of petroleum is currently imported," Littlefair added.

Littlefair noted that President Barack Obama encouraged this legislation in his energy policy speech at Georgetown University on March 30, 2011.

NGVs, particularly heavy-duty vehicles for waste hauling, transit and trucking, are seen increasingly as a means to reduce dependence on foreign oil and lower harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

Costing less than diesel or gasoline, natural gas fuel produces up to 30% lower greenhouse gas emissions in light-duty vehicles, and up to 23%-percent lower greenhouse gas emissions in medium to heavy-duty applications. U.S. Department of Energy reports estimate that 98% of the natural gas consumed in the U.S. is sourced in the U.S. and Canada.

About Clean Energy Fuels — Clean Energy (Nasdaq: CLNE) is the largest provider of natural gas fuel for transportation in North America and a global leader in the expanding natural gas vehicle market. It has operations in CNG and LNG vehicle fueling, construction and operation of CNG and LNG fueling stations, biomethane production, vehicle conversion and compressor technology.

Clean Energy fuels over 21,200 vehicles at 224 strategic locations across the United States and Canada with a broad customer base in the refuse, transit, trucking, shuttle, taxi, airport and municipal fleet markets. Clean Energy del Peru, a joint venture, fuels vehicles at two stations and provides CNG to commercial customers in Peru. We own (70%) and operate a landfill gas facility in Dallas, Texas, that produces renewable natural gas, or biomethane, for delivery in the nation's gas pipeline network. We have agreed to build a second facility in Michigan. We own and operate LNG production plants in Willis, Texas and Boron, Calif. with combined capacity of 260,000 LNG gallons per day and that are designed to expand to 340,000 LNG gallons per day as demand increases. NorthStar, a wholly owned subsidiary, is the recognized leader in LNG/LCNG (liquefied to compressed natural gas) fueling system technologies and station construction and operations. BAF Technologies, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary, is a leading provider of natural gas vehicle systems and conversions for taxis, vans, pick-up trucks and shuttle buses. IMW Industries, Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary based in Canada, is a leading supplier of compressed natural gas equipment for vehicle fueling and industrial applications with more than 1,200 installations in 24 countries. www.cleanenergyfuels.com

Forward Looking Statements — This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including statements about the NAT GAS Act and, specifically, the provisions of the legislation that provide for increased federal tax credits for the purchase of natural gas vehicles and natural gas used as vehicle fuel, and tax incentives for the development of natural gas fueling infrastructure and the potential impact any such legislation might have on Clean Energy should it be passed into law. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward looking statements as a result of several factors, including the inherent uncertainty of the legislative process, continuously changing political conditions, the price per gallon of natural gas relative to diesel and gasoline and the performance, availability and price of natural gas vehicles relative to gasoline and diesel vehicles. The forward-looking statements made herein speak only as of the date of this press release and, unless otherwise required by law, the company undertakes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

Clean Energy Fuels
News Media
Bruce Russell, 310-559-4955 x101
brussell@cleanenergyfuels.com
or
Investors
Ina McGuinness, 805-427-1372
ina@mcguinnessir.com

Source: Clean Energy Fuels

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