Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) are leading a revolution to provide clean, environmentally-friendly fuel for vehicles.

Why? Because other fuels are part of the problem for a greener America, not part of the solution. We've learned the hard way that gas- and diesel-powered vehicles are a major source of greenhouse gases. For instance, CO2 emissions from U.S. gasoline-powered cars and trucks are about 1 million tons a day. Plus, the surging demand for oil world-wide and its ever-depleting supply keeps gasoline prices high -- to say nothing of our continued dependence upon foreign resources. The U.S. imports almost 70% of the oil we use, which makes us vulnerable in many ways.

Many people hoped that electric vehicles (EVs) would solve these problems. But we're learning that EVs create their own set of issues with little overall gain. 60% of the electricity to recharge EV batteries is generated from coal, another major source of greenhouse gases. Another significant problem is the supply of the lithium needed for EV batteries. Ninety-two percent of the world's lithium resources are outside of the U.S., from countries with little regard for the environmental damage of their open-pit mines. Plus, lithium-ion batteries irreversibly lose 20% capacity a year, which raises the problem of their disposal. With the use of EVs, the U.S. is still left vulnerable to the whims of foreign governments.

That's why the time is now for Natural Gas Vehicles (NGVs). NGVs produce 23% less greenhouse emissions than gasoline vehicles, and natural gas on average costs about one-third less than gasoline at the pump. Natural gas is the All-American fuel because the U.S. natural gas resources are huge. We have enough natural gas to fuel our vehicles for the next 200 years which guarantees our energy independence for generations to come.

NGVs also help America stay strong by supporting job creation and economic growth -- so important during these trying times. In 2008, for instance, natural gas contributed $385 billion annually to the U.S. economy and supported more than 2.8 American jobs. American ingenuity is improving older drilling techniques to enable us to unlock vast new reserves of natural gas, some of them right beneath our feet, which brings more high-paying jobs to communities across the country. A 2010 Penn State study shows that these new technologies in Pennsylvania alone could generate nearly 100,000 new jobs in 2011. These jobs extend beyond the gas industry to include truck drivers, steel workers, and others whose work touches upon this clean, abundant domestic resource.

NGVs are not a wait-till-we-get-it-developed technology, they're here today. In the U.S. you'll see 110,000 NGVs on our roads, and there are more than 12 million worldwide -- with the numbers growing every year. About 30 manufacturers in the U.S. -- including GM and Ford -- produce 100 models of light, medium, and heavy-duty vehicles and motors.

NGVs -- they're American, Cleaner, Cheaper, and a lot more fun! Which is why we say, "Go Natural Gas!"