For Immediate Release
March 10, 2014
Beth Stockner
Virginia Oil and Gas Association
276-608-8224
pr.voga@gmail.com
Michael Phillips
Virginia Clean Cities
804-482-1790
mphillips@vacleancities.org
Virginia Oil and Gas Association and Virginia Clean Cities to co-host first ever large scale Natural Gas Vehicle Expo and Conference in Virginia
RICHMOND – Major auto manufacturers Volvo, Honda and General Motors will be among those speaking at the 2014 NGV Expo and Conference to be held in Richmond in April, at the Greater Richmond Convention Center.
The event, planned for April 14-16, 2014, is co-hosted by the Virginia Oil and Gas Association (VOGA) and Virginia Clean Cities (VCC). It will be the first large scale Natural Gas Vehicles (NGV) expo and conference hosted in Virginia. In its second year, the Appalachian Basin NGV Expo and Conference is a regional initiative which was hosted last year with great success in West Virginia by the West Virginia Oil and Natural Gas Association.
With topics this year ranging from City Success Stories, Policy and Regulations, Infrastructure Needs, and Why Natural Gas is Good for Business, attendees will be provided with a wide variety of information. Local community, state, and private fleets looking for a cleaner, more affordable, way to power their fleets will have the information available to help guide their decisions from among a host of exhibitors planning to take part in the Expo.
Confirmed speakers in addition to representatives from Volvo and GM include Virginia Delegates Will Morefield and Scott Taylor, who sponsored several pro-Natural Gas Vehicle bills in the Virginia General Assembly this year. Additional invited speakers include U.S. Senator Mark Warner, Congressman Morgan Griffith, Congressman Lee Terry, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones, as well as state policy leaders, current natural gas fleet owners, and city and local governments that have made the switch to natural gas.
In his 2014 State of the Union Address, President Obama touted the use of natural gas vehicles to gain both energy independence and cleaner transportation. In 2012, former Governor Bob McDonnell signed a multi-state memorandum of understanding and an executive directive advancing the effort to convert Virginia’s state vehicle fleet to alternative fuels. Until recently, the question for many in Virginia has been how to make the switch to this cheaper, abundant, cleaner fuel source.
Natural gas is not only an American fuel, but a fuel produced in Virginia for more than 80 years. Companies in Virginia directly employ more than 3,000 Virginians across the state with tens of thousands more jobs supported by the industry. Natural gas as a vehicle fuel currently sits at a third of the price of diesel and natural gas vehicles can produce significantly lower levels of emissions than traditional fuel sources. Switching one waste truck has the positive environmental impact equivalent of removing 325 cars from the road.
Interested parties may find more information about Virginia’s NGV Expo and Conference and may register by visiting www.ngv-expo.com or by contacting pr.voga@gmail.com.
Media inquiries or to receive a full access media pass: Please contact Beth Stockner, VOGA 276-608-8224, pr.voga@gmail.com or Michael Phillips, VCC, 804-482-1790, mphillips@vacleancities.org.
About VOGA
Formed in 1977, the Virginia Oil and Gas Association is a non-profit trade association representing the interests of companies, partnerships, individuals or other entities having an interest in the oil and gas industry and who are primarily engaged in the exploration, production, development, transportation and distribution of natural gas and oil in Virginia. The association currently has more than 100 member companies from throughout the state.
About Clean Cities
Virginia Clean Cities is a regional nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing our energy, economic, and environmental security through petroleum reduction and clean transportation. Virginia Clean Cities is a state and federally recognized coalition of stakeholders staffed in partnership with James Madison University. The coalition operates dozens of domestic fuel and environmental education and deployment projects for federal, state, agencies and private partners. To learn more, please visit www.vacleancities.org.
Event Sponsors
CONSOL ENERGY, EQT, Range Resources, City of Richmond, Clean Energy, ANGA, Noble Energy, Columbia Natural Gas, Virginia Natural Gas, Washington Gas, TFC Recycling, IGS, Trillium, Noah Horn Drilling, and the Department of Mines Minerals and Energy
