The U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) awarded $1.2 million to El Paso, Texas-based Sun Metro to purchase paratransit vehicles that run on compressed natural gas (CNG).

Sun Metro will replace 14 paratransit gasoline-powered vehicles that have met the end of their useful life with new CNG paratransit buses. The new vehicles, which will be used by Sun Metro LIFT, will help further the city’s goal of transporting El Paso residents using cleaner, greener buses that reduce harmful emissions, improve fuel economy and save on operating costs.

The award is one of 27 nationwide and the only one in Texas chosen to share more than $59 million from the 2012 Clean Fuels Grant Program.

Funds are provided through the Federal Transit Administration’s FY2012 Clean Fuels Grant Program. Between FY2010 and FY2012, this program has provided a total of $211.8 million for 92 projects across the U.S.