On July 8, 2009, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., Sens. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., and Orrin G. Hatch, R-Utah, held a news conference with T. Boone Pickens, chairman of BP Capital Management, to introduce the "New Alternative Transportation to Give Americans Solutions (NAT GAS) Act."

Driven by America’s need to reduce its dependence on foreign oil and reduce urban pollution, the bill’s objective is to accelerate the production and use of more natural gas-fueled vehicles.

Some basic provisions of the bill include:

Extending NGV tax credits to “bi-fuel” natural gas vehicles (50% of the vehicle’s incremental cost), as well as dedicated NGVs (80% of the vehicle’s incremental cost)
Increasing the consumer tax credit to $12,500 for purchasing light-duty NGVs
Increasing the refueling property tax credit to $100,000 per station
Allowing state and local government entities to issue tax-exempt bonds to finance NGV projects
Granting a new tax credit to auto manufacturers for producing dedicated and bi-fuel NGVs domestically
Providing research and development grants for light- and heavy-duty NGVs and engine development
Requiring a percentage of new vehicles in service by the federal government fleet to be capable of running on dedicated alternative fuels