Clean Cities
Encyclopedia
Clean Cities is a government-industry partnership in the United States that provides regional coalitions with information and incentives from the United States Department of Energy
(USDOE), a large collection of technical data and resources, and coordinated strategies and resources they can leverage to obtain maximum petroleum reduction. The Clean Cities partnership consists of 87 coalitions that work with 5,700 local stakeholder programs that have helped avoid the usage of over 2 billion USgals (7,570,824 m³) of petroleum, put more than 500,000 AFVs on the road, and played a role in the construction of over 3,000 alternative refueling stations since 1993.
(AFV) events in over 60 locations across the nation.
, Vice President Joe Biden
announced the availability of $300 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for state and local governments and transit authorities to expand the nation's fleet of clean, sustainable vehicles and the fueling infrastructure necessary to support them. The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel and Advanced Technology Vehicles Pilot Program will support at least 30 projects involving alternative fuels or advanced vehicles. Technologies eligible to be funded include a number of different light- and heavy-duty vehicles, including hybrid, plug-in hybrid electric, hydraulic hybrid, electric, fuel cell, and compressed natural gas vehicles. In addition, projects can support refueling infrastructure for alternative fuels, including biofuels and natural gas. Other efforts eligible for funds include public awareness campaigns and training programs on alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles and infrastructure. The program requires a 50% cost share from participants.
The Southeast Propane Autogas Development Program is the largest Clean Cities alternative fuel vehicle conversion deployment program in history. The Program is administered by Virginia Clean Cities at James Madison University and the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy. The Program is converting fleet vehicles from gasoline to autogas
in the Southeastern United States. The project received an $8.6 million grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
es and Metro plans to have nearly 500 more hybrid-electric buses by 2012. Vice Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, who last year committed to convert the entire Maryland Transit Administration bus fleet to hybrid-electric buses by 2014. Maryland has already accelerated its purchase of hybrid-electric buses with the help of Recovery Act funds (Clean Cities).
, and Clean Cities of Middle Tennessee. Both were designated in 2004. A third coalition--the West Tennessee Clean Cities Coalition--is forming. Many fleets in Tennessee use alternative fuels like the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Eastman Chemical Company, cities like Memphis, Sevierville, Chattanooga and Kingsport, and the Tennessee Dept. of Transportation. As of Fall 2010, Tennessee has about 35 public stations where E85 is available, and the same where B20 is available. Tennessee's first public CNG station opened in Wartburg, Tennessee in late 2010.
The East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition holds quarterly open meetings in Knoxville, Chattanooga and the Tri-Cities area, and holds quarterly fleet manager meetings in Knoxville. These meetings are a key way the coalition works to 1) invite the community to come sit at the table and learn what is going on locally, and 2) find out how they can get involved using alternative fuels or collaborating on a community or regional project.
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
(USDOE), a large collection of technical data and resources, and coordinated strategies and resources they can leverage to obtain maximum petroleum reduction. The Clean Cities partnership consists of 87 coalitions that work with 5,700 local stakeholder programs that have helped avoid the usage of over 2 billion USgals (7,570,824 m³) of petroleum, put more than 500,000 AFVs on the road, and played a role in the construction of over 3,000 alternative refueling stations since 1993.
National Alternative Fuel Vehicle Day Odyssey
USDOE's Acting Assistant Secretary, John Mizroch, with the National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium and the Clean Cities partners from Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., launched the 2008 kickoff of the Clean Cities National Alternative Fuel Vehicle Day Odyssey. Also known as "Odyssey Day," the event is dedicated to promoting petroleum-free choices in transportation. The September 30 event is the first of more than 80 alternative fuel vehicleAlternative fuel vehicle
An alternative fuel vehicle is a vehicle that runs on a fuel other than "traditional" petroleum fuels ; and also refers to any technology of powering an engine that does not involve solely petroleum...
(AFV) events in over 60 locations across the nation.
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
On 2009 Earth DayEarth Day
Earth Day is a day that is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's natural environment. The name and concept of Earth Day was allegedly pioneered by John McConnell in 1969 at a UNESCO Conference in San Francisco. The first Proclamation of Earth Day was by San Francisco, the...
, Vice President Joe Biden
Joe Biden
Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr. is the 47th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President Barack Obama...
announced the availability of $300 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for state and local governments and transit authorities to expand the nation's fleet of clean, sustainable vehicles and the fueling infrastructure necessary to support them. The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel and Advanced Technology Vehicles Pilot Program will support at least 30 projects involving alternative fuels or advanced vehicles. Technologies eligible to be funded include a number of different light- and heavy-duty vehicles, including hybrid, plug-in hybrid electric, hydraulic hybrid, electric, fuel cell, and compressed natural gas vehicles. In addition, projects can support refueling infrastructure for alternative fuels, including biofuels and natural gas. Other efforts eligible for funds include public awareness campaigns and training programs on alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles and infrastructure. The program requires a 50% cost share from participants.
The Southeast Propane Autogas Development Program is the largest Clean Cities alternative fuel vehicle conversion deployment program in history. The Program is administered by Virginia Clean Cities at James Madison University and the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy. The Program is converting fleet vehicles from gasoline to autogas
Autogas
Autogas is the common name for liquefied petroleum gas when it is used as a fuel in internal combustion engines in vehicles as well as in stationary applications such as generators. It is a mixture of propane and butane....
in the Southeastern United States. The project received an $8.6 million grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Maryland
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority. Better known as simply "Metro," the authority provides transit services to the metropolitan area in and around Washington, D.C. The authority has a fleet of 1,500 buses, including 74 hybrid electric busHybrid electric bus
A hybrid electric bus combines a conventional internal combustion engine propulsion system with an electric propulsion system. These type of buses normally use a diesel-electric powertrain and are also known as hybrid diesel-electric buses....
es and Metro plans to have nearly 500 more hybrid-electric buses by 2012. Vice Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, who last year committed to convert the entire Maryland Transit Administration bus fleet to hybrid-electric buses by 2014. Maryland has already accelerated its purchase of hybrid-electric buses with the help of Recovery Act funds (Clean Cities).
Tennessee
The State of Tennessee contains 2 designated Clean Cities coalitions: the East Tennessee Clean Fuels CoalitionEast Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition
The East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition was founded in February 2002 by Jonathan Overly with funding from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, Energy Division, and the University of Tennessee...
, and Clean Cities of Middle Tennessee. Both were designated in 2004. A third coalition--the West Tennessee Clean Cities Coalition--is forming. Many fleets in Tennessee use alternative fuels like the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Eastman Chemical Company, cities like Memphis, Sevierville, Chattanooga and Kingsport, and the Tennessee Dept. of Transportation. As of Fall 2010, Tennessee has about 35 public stations where E85 is available, and the same where B20 is available. Tennessee's first public CNG station opened in Wartburg, Tennessee in late 2010.
The East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition holds quarterly open meetings in Knoxville, Chattanooga and the Tri-Cities area, and holds quarterly fleet manager meetings in Knoxville. These meetings are a key way the coalition works to 1) invite the community to come sit at the table and learn what is going on locally, and 2) find out how they can get involved using alternative fuels or collaborating on a community or regional project.
Criticism
While Clean Cities includes a scattering of funding for electrification and charging stations, most of it is for carbon-based liquid fuels or non-pluggable hybrids. Clean Cities federal funding in 2010-2011 was setup with a majority of the funding favoring plug-in EVs and HEVs. However, the amount of funding and focus of that funding ebbs and flows between the alternative fuels over time due to advances in technology and interest in those fuels. CNG and propane were more popular in the early '00s, the biofuels ethanol and biodiesel took center stage in the mid '00s, and electric vehicles have taken the limelight most recently (2010-2011).See also
- EPA SustainabilityEPA SustainabilityThe United States Environmental Protection Agency was established in July 1970 when the White House and the United States Congress came together due to the public's demand for cleaner natural resources. The purpose of the EPA is to repair the damage done to the environment and to set up new...
- Greenhouse gas emissions by the United StatesGreenhouse gas emissions by the United StatesUntil 2006, the United States was the largest emitter of carbon dioxide emissions. China has been the top emitter since 2006. However both the emissions as a result of manufacturing exports and the emissions avoided by product imports are not considered...
- Yellowstone-Teton Clean Energy CoalitionYellowstone-Teton Clean Energy CoalitionYellowstone-Teton Clean Energy Coalition's mission is to displace the use of petroleum in the regional transportation sector, improve air quality through reduced harmful exhaust emissions, and increase energy security and sustainability...
- Nashville Auto Diesel CollegeLincoln Group of SchoolsThe Lincoln Group of Schools is a group of for-profit vocational institutions consisting of 43 campuses in the United States. Each campus is owned and operated by Lincoln Educational Services Corporation...
- Ohio Technical College
- Tarrant County CollegeTarrant County CollegeTarrant County College ' or Tarrant County College District is a community college serving the Fort Worth area in Tarrant County, Texas and providing degree programs toward an Associate of Arts, an Associate of Applied Science or Associate of Arts in Teaching...
- Traviss Career Center
- West Virginia UniversityWest Virginia UniversityWest Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
- York Technical CollegeYork Technical CollegeYork Technical College or simply York Tech is a 2-year community college in Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA. The president of the college is Greg F. Rutherford. It is also a part of the South Carolina Technical College System and one of three colleges in the city of Rock Hill. York Tech was...
External links
- Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE) News
- EERE News: Clean Cities
- Yellowstone-Teton Clean Energy Coalition (YTCEC)
- East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition (ETCleanFuels)
- Clean Cities of Middle Tennessee
- National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium (NAFTC)
- Southeast Propane Autogas Development Program (SPADP)