Pictured above – MTNG VP of Engineering Matt Stennett, DOT Representative Damond Smith and MTNG CEO Mike Davidson.
MTNG was one of only 37 recipients selected from one-hundred-79 nationwide applicants
Upper Cumberland – Middle Tennessee Natural Gas Utility District (MTNG) has been awarded a $311,845 grant through the Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s first-ever Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization (NGDISM) grant program. The grant award was presented by U.S. Department of Transportaion (DOT)/Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) Representative Damond Smith in a small ceremony at the MTNG Administrative Center in Smithville Friday, April 21.
MTNG was one of only 37 recipients selected from one-hundred-79 nationwide applicants. MTNG says they will utilize the grant funds to purchase safety equipment, including four Remote Methane Leak Detectors (RMLD) which utilize lasers to detect natural gas leaks and Fifty-seven Sensit Gold G3 methane and carbon monoxide detectors to replace older equipment on every MTNG service truck and five calibration units.
According to MTNG, the equipment upgrades through the NGDISM grant will enhance its ability to eliminate natural gas leaks and carbon monoxide issues, building on a nationally recognized safety management program.
MTNG Executive vice president and CEO Mike Davidson thanked DOT, PHMSA, U.S. Representative Scott DesJarlais, U.S. Representative John Rose, U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn and taxpayers who made the grant possible.
“This funding will significantly assist MTNG’s continuous efforts to keep our system safe and reliable, and we are grateful for the assistance of our legislators and everyone who helped make this grant possible,” said Davidson.
On Nov. 15 2021, President Biden signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The law included the Pipeline and PHMSA first ever Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization (NGDISM) grant program. The legislation designated $200 million a year in grant funding, totaling $1 billion over the next five years.
The Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization Grant funding was made available to a municipality or community-owned utility (not including for-profit entities) to repair, rehabilitate or replace its natural gas distribution pipeline systems or portions thereof or to acquire equipment to reduce incidents and fatalities and avoid economic losses.
