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Formerly Alternative Fuel News Clean Cities News Vol. 8 - No. 1 Official Publication of the Clean Cities Program and the Alternative Fuels Data Center Clean Cities Unveils Expanded Program Focus What is Clean Cities News? In response to feedback from Clean Since 1993, the Clean Cities Cities coordinators, Alternative Fuel March 2004 Program’s more than 80 coalitions News (AFN) has been redesigned and have steadily increased the number of refocused. Its successor, Clean Cities alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) on our News (CCN), will more closely track the nation’s highways, with gains averag- efforts of Clean Cities coalitions and In This Issue ing around 17% in recent years. But coordinators and feature even more more can be done, and Clean Cities is program news. CCN will also cover the Clean Cities Unveils Expanded taking charge by expanding the tech- evolution of the Clean Cities Program Program Focus . 1 nologies and practices it will support as it grows to include fuel blends, as it strives to displace petroleum. idle reduction, hybrid vehicles, and What Is Clean Cities? . 2 Alternative fuels will remain the cor- fuel economy. Success Stories . 2 nerstone of Clean Cities, but, in addi- As you can see, CCN is shorter than tion, the program will now work to: Coalition News . 3 AFN. We’re trying to trim costs, while } Increase the use of fuel blends still delivering value. We’ll do that by Upcoming Events . 5 (diesel/biodiesel, ethanol/gasoline, increasing our news and supplement- EPAct Update . 5 and compressed natural gas (CNG)/ ing our print stories on the Clean Cities hydrogen), Web site, which is also undergoing a Coordinator Profile . 6 } Accelerate sales of hybrid electric redesign. vehicles, Industry News . 6 It is, indeed, a year of change—an } Promote informed consumer choice Resources . 7 expanded Clean Cities Program, a rede- on fuel economy, and signed Web site, and the new Clean Technical Assistance. 8 } Encourage the use of idle reduction Cities News. And, we hope, a year of technologies for heavy-duty trucks improved Clean Cities coverage. and other vehicles. These four additions to the Clean Cities portfolio will help the program hydrogen and biofuels research and realize its mission of advancing the development programs to advance national, economic, and energy secu- technology and disseminate San Francisco rity of the United States by supporting information on ethanol, biodiesel, and coordinator local decisions to reduce the use of hydrogen blends. Rick Ruvolo’s petroleum fuel in vehicles. work takes him all The potential impact is clear, but Hybrid vehicles over the world. how will the program actually increase To promote the use of hybrid For details, see p 6. the use of these technologies and vehicles, Clean Cities will work with encourage these practices? The details purchasing organizations and facili- are outlined in the new Clean Cit- tate wide-scale fleet purchases. The ies Roadmap, which is due out this program will also increase consumer spring. However, the following strate- outreach at the local and state levels. gies are currently being discussed. Fuel economy Fuel blends To advance informed consumer To promote fuel blends, Clean choice and increase fuel economy Cities will work with coalitions to awareness, Clean Cities will expand U.S. Department of Energy encourage regional and state-level fuel economy outreach activities in Energy Efficiency incentives and policies. The program partnership with other federal pro- and Renewable Energy will share best-in-class policies across grams, such as the U.S. Environmental Bringing you a prosperous future the nation and collaborate with the Protection Agency (EPA), the Federal where energy is clean, abundant, U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Highway Administration (FHWA), and reliable, and affordable Cover Story - p 7 } What Is Clean Cities? Success Stories The mission of DOE’s Clean Cities Program is to advance the economic, environmental, and energy security of the United States by supporting local decisions to adopt practices that con- Sister Mary Schrader refuels one of her tribute to the reduction of petroleum congregation’s 13 CNG Honda Civic GXs. consumption in the transportation sector. Clean Cities carries out this mission through its network of more than 80 volunteer, community-based coalitions, which develop public/private partner- ships to promote alternative fuels and vehicles, fuel blends, fuel economy, hybrid vehicles, and idle reduction. Stephanie Strong/formerly of Northeast Ohio Clean Fuels Coalition For more information, visit www.ccities.doe.gov. Clean Cities Program Contacts } Shelley Launey, Director [email protected] 202-586-1573 } Marcy Rood, Deputy Director “Green Sisters” Drive CNG Hondas [email protected] 202-586-8161 The Congregation of St. Joseph in Sister Mary Schrader. “We look upon } Dennis Smith, Technical Assistance Cleveland, Ohio, is steeped in history. this as getting an important message [email protected] This order of Catholic nuns is nearly out to the people.” 202-586-1791 350 years old, but its well-respected But their commitment goes beyond } Dorothy Wormley, SEP Funding traditions have not kept the sisters driving AFVs. They check labels for [email protected] from driving boldly into the 21st cen- animal testing and have initiated a 202-586-7028 tury in Honda Civic GXs, which run recycling program that has halved on CNG. the amount of trash generated on Program Tools & Resources The sisters, who are active members their grounds. } Alternative Fuels Data Center of the Northeast Ohio Clean Fuels They have also established pro- www.afdc.doe.gov Coalition, purchased their first Civic grams on ecology, eco-spirituality, } Coordinator’s Toolbox GX for one of their most travel-inten- and eco-justice for the convent’s high www.ccities.doe.gov/toolbox sive programs: providing seniors with school and the public, and have raised rides to and from doctors’ offices. a 130-foot tower to monitor wind } Clean Cities Hotline Since then they have purchased 12 direction and velocity to determine 800-CCITIES additional Civic GXs for other activi- the feasibility of wind energy for www.afdc.doe.gov/hotline.html ties that require significant travel. the convent. } Station Locator and Route Mapper But they didn’t stop there. In 2003, The sisters even have an environ- www.afdc.doe.gov/refueling_ the congregation received roughly mental facilitator who works with the mapsite.shtml $26,000 in DOE funding and a grant leadership team, the justice commit- } Vehicle Buyer’s Guide from the Gund Foundation to install tee, and a 14-member environmental www.ccities.doe.gov/vbg a slow-fill FuelMaker CNG pump at committee to ensure that environ- } Fuel Economy Guide the convent. The dispenser, which is mental issues and practices are con- www.fueleconomy.gov working well, enables the sisters to sidered in all decisions and choices. travel without worrying about run- Finally, and maybe most notably, they Subscriptions ning out of fuel. have a long-term goal of developing a If you would like to sign up to receive The sisters’ main motivations model for other religious communities CCN, or need to change or cancel your for driving CNG vehicles are to help to follow. subscription, contact [email protected], clean the air and educate people about For more information, contact 800-CCITIES. AFVs. “For us it’s a moral imperative Sister Mary Schrader at mschrader@csj to live out what we believe,” says cleveland.org, 216-252-0440, ext. 402. 2 Clean Cities News - March 2004 Clean Cities News - March 2004 3 Coalition News This card-access propane pump offers Bakersfield-area Connecticut’s Greater New Haven fleets the convenience of fueling 24 hours a day, seven Clean Cities Coalition was recognized days a week. in January on a newscast by WTNH Delta Liquid Energy News Channel 8. The two-minute story featured New Haven’s first natural gas vehicle, a Ford Crown Victoria operated by the city’s director of traffic and park- ing. Also mentioned were the city’s bat- tery-powered trucks and electric trolleys. New Haven coordinator Lee Grannis appeared as a source in the story. South Carolina’s Palmetto State Clean Fuels Coalition held its Clean Cities designation ceremony on January 28, 2004. The East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition in Knoxville and the East Texas Clean Cities Coalition in Tyler have been approved for designation. The Northwest Riverside County Clean Cities Coalition recently opened a 24- 24/7 Propane Pump Opens in Bakersfield hour public/private CNG station in River- side, California. The fueling site accepts If you live or work near Bakersfield, propane vehicles, and about 100 are MasterCard, American Express, Discover, California, and you drive a propane based in the Bakersfield area. Having Wright Express, and Voyager. vehicle, you’re in luck. Delta Liquid the new pump so well located means The Tucson Regional Clean Cities Energy, a California-based partner of drivers can fuel their trucks without Coalition in December received Gov- Texas-based CleanFuel USA, now hosts returning to their home facilities. ernor Janet Napolitano’s 2003 Pride in a self-serve propane pump in Bakers- The Bakersfield pump is one of 13 Arizona Award for Pollution Prevention field that is accessible 24 hours a day, projects funded jointly by Delta and for its achievements in expanding the seven days a week. the California Energy Commission’s use of AFVs and building local alterna- The Bakersfield facility, which is Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Pro- tive fuel infrastructure. located in the region of the San Joa- gram. Eight such propane pumps are quin Valley Coalition, has always been currently operational. Delta is apply- Clean Cities Coachella Valley Coalition open regular hours to anyone, but ing for an additional 30 propane and the College of the Desert’s Energy in September 2003, Delta added the pumps at gasoline stations from San Technology Center are hosting an event propane pump and extended its hours Diego to the Bay Area for 2004, and on the College of the Desert campus to to attract area commercial and govern- plans to have 50 pumps in place by educate students about the importance ment fleets.