Special Pre-Conference Issue Inside:

San Diego

Regional

Clean Cities

Coalition

ALTERNATIVE FUEL NEWS

U. S. DEPARTMENT of ENERGY

Vol. 3 - No. 1

The New Millennium

Spotlight on Niche Markets

National Parks:

Working to Reduce Pollution by Using Alternative Fuels

What’s in Store for 

Alternative Fuels and 

Advanced Technology 

Vehicles?

An Official Publication of the Clean Cities Network and the Alternative Fuels Data Center

From the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

NT

Y

A

U

E OF ENERG

DEPARTM

E

NITED STAT S OFA

ERIC

M
ear Clean Cities Stakeholders:

This is an exciting time to be a part of the Clean Cities Program. Not only did we recently celebrate the

designation of our 70th Clean Cities coalition, but we are also preparing for the Fifth National Clean Cities

Conference, which is right around the corner. It promises to be an excellent conference.

I would like to thank Lieutenant Governor Stephen L. Henry, Mayor David L. Armstrong, and the City

of Louisville for hosting this important event. I would also like to emphasize that under my leadership, the

Department of Energy will continue to support your efforts as Clean Cities partners, and we will continue

to promote the expanded use of alternative fuels.

The experiences of our first 70 Clean Cities coalitions have demonstrated that the grassroots partnership

approach of Clean Cities can work, and this is exactly the type of activity that continues to lay the foundation for our mutual goals of energy diversification to protect our energy security, enhance environmental

protection, and promote economic development.

You can be proud that your coalitions together operate more than 240,000 alternative fuel vehicles in

both the public and private sectors and have access to more than 4,000 alternative refueling stations. It is

through your outstanding efforts that those numbers continue to grow. 

Building on the momentum of our previous successes, we are forging ahead into the new millennium

with great expectations. I would like to take this opportunity to personally announce Ms. Shelley Launey 

as the new Clean Cities Program Director. Ms. Launey has a long and productive history at the Department.

I am confident she will help to make great strides in the development of a stronger and more viable 

national alternative fuel vehicle market.

As you will see in our cover story, the future is full of promise for the continued success of the Clean

Cities Program and the alternative fuels industry. Keep up the good work, enjoy the upcoming Clean Cities

Conference, and of course, enjoy reading this issue of the Alternative Fuel News.

Sincerely,

2

Printed with a renewable-source ink on paper containing 

at least 50% wastepaper, including 20% postconsumer waste 

BR-540-25913

May 1999

D

CONTENTS

Cover Story: The New Millennium—What’s in Store for Alternative Fuels?. . . . . . 3

Feature Story: Sustaining National Parks—A Smart Niche Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Departments: From the Automakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Federal News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

From the Hill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Focus On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Clean Cities Roundup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

At the Pump . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Hot off the Press . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

On the Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Upcoming Conferences and Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Bill Richardson

Secretary of Energy

The Office of Energy Efficiency

and Renewable Energy

Cover Photos:

Jeep Commander and Toyota Prius

courtesy of Wieck Photo DataBase

Car image on page 3:

Ford P2000 courtesy of Wieck Photo

DataBase
The countdown has begun, and the year 2000 is less than 250 days

away! Anticipation and excitement surround the approach of the

new millennium, and questions about our future abound, ranging

from the real impact of the Y2K bug to the importance of education,

and from the health of Social Security to how best to ensure livable

communities. What will be the hot issues for the next generation?

Certainly climate change is one issue that is gaining momentum. 

In the final State of the Union address of the 20th century, President

Clinton clearly indicated that clean air issues and alternative technologies are among the nation’s top priorities. “Our most fateful 

new challenge is the threat of global warming,” he said. “Last year’s

heat waves, ice storms, and floods are but a hint of what future generations may endure if we don’t act now...I propose a new clean air

fund to help communities reduce pollution, and tax incentives and

investments to spur clean air technologies. And I will work with

Congress to reward companies that take early, voluntary action 

to reduce greenhouse gases.” 

Although these incentives are still on the table with the

President’s other budget recommendations, it’s clear that the White

House sees advanced technologies and alternative fuels as important

components of our transportation future. Are there other legislative

agendas to help propel the alternative fuels industry into the 21st

century? What is the Administration planning, and what does it

mean for Clean Cities stakeholders? What are industry groups doing

to make alternative fuels and vehicles more viable? It’s been almost 

7 years since the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) was signed into law—

will there be a local government and private fleet mandate? And 

we must not overlook the vehicles that will drive us into our cleaner

future. Hybrid electric and fuel cell vehicles are quickly becoming a

reality; some are commercially available this year. How will the

introduction of these vehicles affect the Clean Cities Program, and

what directions will Clean Cities take in the new millennium?

3

What’s in Store for Alternative Fuels

and Advanced Technology Vehicles?

Clean Air Fund Partnership

The President’s budget proposal, showcased in the State of 

the Union Address, includes a fund established to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants. The Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) would administer the Clean Air

Partnership Fund, which would be used to provide state and

local governments with grant money for voluntary projects to

curb emissions. The fund is intended to stimulate cost-effective

pollution control strategies, spur innovation, and help to leverage

resources and investment in air quality improvements.
4

As many Clean Cities coalitions can attest to,

encouraging voluntary actions and investments in

energy efficiency and clean air practices can sometimes be difficult. However, certain members of

Congress have recognized the value of early action

to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and have

stepped up to the plate to provide incentives for private businesses to do so. Senator John Chafee (R-RI)

introduced a bill on March 4 that provides early regulatory credit to companies that voluntarily cut their

greenhouse gas emissions. The Credit for Voluntary

Reductions Act of 1999 would encourage emissions

reductions in return for early recognition if a domestic policy were to mandate mitigation of greenhouse

gas emissions before the year 2008. Credits would

be awarded based on reductions below a predetermined baseline of current emissions, an annual

average of 1996–1998 emissions, or as far back as

1990. (See “From the Hill,” page 14, for more information on this legislation.)

Income tax credits for the purchase of fuelefficient vehicles are being proposed under the

President’s fiscal year 2000 budget, submitted in

early February. Currently, these tax credits are available only for qualified electric and fuel cell vehicles.

The electric vehicle (EV) tax credit is for 10% of the

vehicle up to $4,000, but this credit begins to phase

down in 2002. Because the transportation sector

accounts for approximately 33% of our nation’s

greenhouse gas emissions, the proposed credits

would encourage early introduction and purchase 

of vehicles with fuel-efficient technologies. The proposal would extend the present tax credit for EVs

and also provide tax credits for fuel-efficient hybrid

vehicles. Cars, minivans, sport utility vehicles, or

pickup trucks would be eligible for the tax credit.

Additionally, the budget proposal requests $264 million in federal spending on work related to the

Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles, a joint

effort by domestic automakers and the government

to develop a 5-passenger car that gets 80 miles per

gallon by 2004.

Encouraging 

Early Action

Tax Credits for

Advanced Vehicles

Legislative and Regulatory Actions

Since EPAct was signed in October 1992, there

have been amendments and significant changes to

related and supporting legislation. Last year, the

highly lauded legislation, TEA-21, established new

AFV programs and extended ethanol tax credits.

And changes that equalized fuel taxes for alternative fuels on an energy basis were made to the tax

code. However, many in Congress believe it’s time

to do more, and so the 105th Congress ended with

encouraging momentum for the alternative fuels

industry. Various members of Congress, including

Senator John Rockefeller (D-WV) and former

Congressman John Ensign (R-NV), drafted legislation that called for stronger federal incentives to

promote alternatives to conventional gasoline and

to reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign oil.

Congress also passed legislation that allows fleets

facing AFV acquisition mandates under EPAct to

meet up to 50% of their requirements through the

biodiesel fuel use credit. This credit awards one

AFV acquisition for every 450 gallons of neat

biodiesel purchased to be used in biodiesel 

blends of 20% or higher in vehicles weighing 

more than 8,500 lb. 

In the current 106th Congress, we anticipate

Senator Rockefeller (possibly along with Senator

Orrin Hatch [R-UT]) to sponsor legislation that

would propose tax deductions for installing 

alternative refueling stations and a $0.50 tax credit

per gasoline-gallon equivalent at the point of distribution to a vehicle. The alternative fuels to be

covered under this legislation include compressed

natural gas, liquefied natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, hydrogen, and any liquid that is at least

85% methanol. This legislation would also provide

various tax credits for purchasing EVs and extend

the sunset date for the current EV tax credit (10%

of the vehicle purchase price, up to $4,000) to 2010,

with additional incentives for EVs that meet an

extended range.

Improving the quality of service at airports has

become a very hot topic, especially in the nation’s

capital, with legislation proposed to increase the

number of flights at large commercial airports and

to support funding increases for airport improvements. Airport facilities are an important niche

market for AFVs, and Congressman Sherwood

Boehlert (R-NY) saw this as a perfect time to incorporate AFVs into the mix. Congressman Boehlert,

who was a featured speaker at last year’s National

Clean Cities Conference, introduced the Airport

Air Quality Improvement Act on March 10, to

encourage the use of low-emission vehicles and

supporting infrastructure at airports in non-attainment areas. (See “From the Hill,” page 14, for

more details on this legislation.)
Alternative fuel and vehicle use helps more than just

the AFV industry; the air quality and energy security benefits gained from alternative fuels are far reaching. We all

breathe the cleaner air and reap the benefits of energy

security. In an effort to expand the call to Congress for

alternative fuel and vehicle tax incentives, a diverse set of

organizations is coming together to support the use of

alternative fuels. As a first step toward creating a stronger

and more unified voice to Congress, the Natural Gas

Vehicle Coalition (NGVC) has expanded its membership to

include other interest groups concerned with environmental protection and energy security. In addition to the

NGVC, the Electric Vehicle Association of the Americas

(which now includes the former Electric Transportation

Coalition), the American Methanol Institute, propane and

hydrogen providers, environmental groups, and fleet associations have united to support alternative fuel legislation.

Upcoming regulatory proposals for light-duty vehicle

emissions standards, gasoline sulfur levels, and diesel fuel

quality make this a critical time for alternative fuel stakeholders to articulate their viewpoints. 

Alternative fuels and vehicles should be an integral part

of the solution to meet the new standards. Because additional alternative fuel legislation will help to clean the

environment and promote energy security, everyone will

reap the benefits, not just the alternative fuel industry.

According to NGVC President Rich Kolodziej, “Congress

needs to act. We as a country need to support the alternative fuels industry.”

As discussed in AFN Vol. 2, No. 2, the Advanced

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANOPR) for local

governments and private fleets was released in April

1998. Throughout the year, public hearings were held

and DOE received many comments to consider. DOE

is currently working on the proposed rule, which

should be published by late spring. Although the

direction of the final rule is not yet known, possibilities discussed in the ANOPR include a replacement

fuel program, private citizen credits for AFV purchases, and more. AFN will keep you posted on the

progress of the rule.

5

The Clean Cities Game Plan 1998/99 is well underway; the tools are in

place, and many coalitions are using their “Preferred Fleets Databases”

and holding “Advancing the AFV Choice” events. What’s next? Helping

to develop the answer to this question will be Ms. Shelley Launey, recently designated as the Clean Cities Program Director. 

Many Clean Cities stakeholders will remember Launey, for as the very

first Clean Cities Program Director, she was on hand at the first designation ceremony in Atlanta, and the second in Denver. After a long history

with DOE, Launey has come full circle. She has worked for several DOE

assistant secretaries and in several different sectors within the Office of

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. A true Clean Cities pioneer, she

led the program in its infancy, from the development of the early concept

of the program through the first official designations. In 1994, she parted

with Clean Cities to take charge of the DOE-sponsored student competitions—the Ethanol Vehicle Challenge and the FutureCar Challenge. As

part of DOE’s Office of Advanced Automotive Technologies, Launey also

designed and managed several small business and university programs in

transportation. But now she’s back with Clean Cities, and leading a much

larger and stronger network of coalitions. 

AFN: How does it feel to be back with Clean Cities?

Launey: I am physically back in the same office now as I was when I first

worked for Clean Cities, so I’ve truly come full circle in many ways.

Industries Unite

Local Government 

and Private Fleets

New Leadership for Clean Cities

Shelley Launey was recently 

designated as the Clean Cities

Program Director.

PIX 07038
Some things don’t change, but some things do,

and for the better. The program has changed enormously. There is so much grassroots and local support now that wasn’t there 5 or 6 years ago. There

really has been a ground-swelling enthusiasm that

has become a part of this program, which makes it

great to be back.

AFN: What challenges do you see for Clean Cities 

coalitions?

Launey: Certainly one of the biggest attributes 

of Clean Cities is the enthusiasm, but it’s also a

challenge to maintain that enthusiasm and drive. I

think to keep up that momentum, we need more

Congressional support for laws and incentives that

are beneficial to AFVs. One of the challenges for

Clean Cities, as a powerful grassroots coalition, is

to make progress in the legislative area...to capitalize on the potential of the Clean Cities network.

AFN: Clean Cities coalitions are well on their way

through the Game Plan 1998/99. What’s the next

big step? In what direction is Clean Cities headed?

Launey: Clean Cities will have to grow by building

success in niche markets where AFVs make sense.

Then, to keep up with the times, I think one of the

next big steps we’ll take is to expand Clean Cities

membership to include advanced-technology, lowemission, high-fuel-efficiency vehicles.

AFN: Where would you like to see Clean Cities 5 years

from now?

Launey: I’d like to see AFVs have a much more

obvious presence. Right now they’re known in

fleets and niche market communities, but they 

are not recognized by the general public. I’d like to

see obvious signs of AFV acceptance; for example,

actual signs in gas stations that advertise fuel alternatives to gasoline and diesel, or signs in auto dealerships that indicate the options or alternatives that

are available. Right now, alternative fuels are a hidden movement. When the average citizen knows

there are options, then Clean Cities will really be a

success. Furthermore, when we begin introducing

ATVs into the Clean Cities network, we may find a

greater role for the average driver because some of

the ATVs available are not just for fleets. My vision

is that in 5 years, we have very obvious signs of

alternatives to conventional vehicles.

6

Which way should we go—alternative fuel

vehicles (AFVs) or advanced technology vehicles (ATVs)? With all the recent announcements about new models of AFVs and flashy

concept cars and trucks using hybrid or fuel

cell technology, many buyers are wondering

whether to buy now or wait. Here are some

factors to consider:

Your Needs: AFVs are available in a wide variety of models: small, large, car, truck, van,

and bus. Although some ATVs may become

available very soon, it will take several years

before the model variety expands. If you

bought an AFV this year, you still might not

be able to replace it with an ATV at the end

of its useful life. So don’t wait! Buy the vehicle that meets your needs now.

Costs: As a potential buyer, you must balance

the costs of using AFVs or ATVs. We try to

provide decision-making tools (visit the Fleet

Buyer’s Guide at www.fleets.doe.gov) to

help assess life-cycle cost for vehicles, fuels,

and maintenance. For the near term, AFVs

should cost less than ATVs. So if cost is a concern, look more carefully at the AFVs for the

next 3–5 years.

Motivation: What’s motivating you? Clean

air? Convenience? Fuel economy?

Responding to a regulation? Many of the

conceptual ATVs offer fuel economy savings

and low emissions, but use petroleum-based

fuel. Many AFVs offer oil substitution and

low emissions, but at conventional fuel economy levels. Choose the vehicle/fuel combination that matches your goals.

Alternative 

Fuel Vehicles or

Advanced Technology Vehicles?

DOE recently announced the selection of 

15 proposals that will receive just under $1.7

million in financial assistance to help expand

DOE’s information dissemination and public

outreach efforts for alternative fuels and

advanced transportation technologies. The 

projects represent a diverse set of fuel and

vehicle technologies that are being used across

the country in Clean Cities to reduce reliance

on petroleum and to improve air quality (see

table, next page). These projects were selected

from many high-quality proposals submitted

during DOE’s recent competitive solicitation.

Stay tuned to future issues of AFN for details

on these and other upcoming projects and

solicitations.

New Projects

Selected to Help

Clean Cities Reach Success
7

Organization Project Objective/Description

American Council for an Energy To further develop ACEEE’s Green Guide to Cars and Trucks, which provides high-quality 

Efficient Economy (ACEEE) consumer information on the energy efficiency and emissions performance of these vehicles

California Energy Commission To launch a consumer awareness campaign to advance the development of a mainstream

market for EVs

Clean Vehicle To target information dissemination and outreach to the commercial passenger transportation 

Education Foundation sector served by light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles, including airport shuttles, taxis, and

shuttle vans

Clean Airport Partnership To develop and disseminate technical information on alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles for introduction into airport niche markets

Coloradans for Clean Air To help support the Western Biomass Consortium (WBC) in 1999. The WBC supports and seeks

to expand the use of biomass for energy production using small-diameter forest material 

Environmental and Energy To develop an educational campaign for the environmental community about the 

Study Institute environmental benefits of ethanol, the greenhouse gas reduction benefits of corn ethanol, 

and the role of corn ethanol as a transition to a cellulosic ethanol market

Gladstein & Associates To support the continued implementation of the Interstate Clean Transportation Corridor 

project and to design and implement supporting outreach activities and workshops on

expanding AFV use in transit and school bus fleets, and in other niche markets

Governor’s Ethanol To support the public outreach activities of the GEC, as well as those of the National 

Coalition (GEC) Ethanol Vehicle Coalition 

Metropolitan Washington To support the council’s Advanced Technology Vehicle (ATV) Program, which aims to replace 

Council of Governments existing high-mileage/high-fuel-use vehicles from the highway with ATVs that result in

reduced vehicle emissions

National Conference To put forth a series of initiatives to promote the continued discussion of AFV use, including 

of State Legislatures an analysis of state AFV incentives, publications about AFVs, continued involvement with the

Clean Cities Program, AFV presentations and roundtables with new state legislators, and

technical assistance to states on AFV issues

Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition To support the 1999 17th National Natural Gas Vehicle Conference

Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition To publish, print, and distribute an updated directory of U.S. natural gas refueling stations

Northeast Sustainable Energy To support the Northeast Tour de Sol Program, and a 20-month public education campaign 

Association (NESEA) in the Northeast

Propane Education To support a grant program that provides visibility and media coverage to promote propane 

Research Council vehicles as a clean-burning option for EPAct compliance

RP Publishing To support the 2000 Propane Vehicle Conference and Exposition

FOR THE NEXT MILLENNIUM? The answer is a

resounding “yes”! Momentum is growing

behind the alternative fuels industry, and much

of that momentum is attributed to the continued

efforts of stakeholders throughout the Clean

Cities network. The lasting partnerships

between government and industry are helping

to make AFVs a commercially viable transportation option as we head toward the year 2000.

Our nation’s transportation future is under construction right now, and Clean Cities coalitions

are paving the way! 

Selected 1999 Awards for Information Dissemination

So, Are We

Ready?
Sustaining National Parks—

A Smart Niche Market

What happens if you mix trucks, snowmobiles, cars,

and lots of people? Pollution! Every year millions of

tourists from around the world tour our nation’s pristine

national parks. With the number of visitors and vehicles

increasing rapidly, protecting the parks from environmental degradation has become more and more challenging,

and the increased congestion and pollution are making

new air quality control measures necessary. Alternative

fuel and vehicle use fits well into many niches, and the

environmental benefits alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs)

will bring to national parks make them a perfect fit. After

all, the government designated these lands to preserve

their natural beauty and wonder. What better reason to

incorporate alternative fuels?

The National Park Service (NPS) is making great strides

to correct the air quality and transportation problems created by heavier tourism. Various projects are underway 

in the nation’s parks to decrease emissions and preserve

the natural environment as the number of park visitors

continues to increase. The projects range from running

trucks on biodiesel, to fueling snowmobiles with E10 

(10% ethanol/90% gasoline), to operating buses and trams

on alternative fuels. All produce similar results—cleaner 

air for national parks.

Yellowstone National Park

Three million people and nearly 900,000 vehicles 

visit Yellowstone National Park each year. And during the

winter months, more than 85,000 snowmobiles traverse

Yellowstone. Snowmobile engine emissions, combined 

with dense, cold air, result in unacceptable health and

environmental impacts. The two-cycle snowmobile

engines emit 20% to 33% of their fuel unburned, and 

produce high levels of hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide,

and particulate matter. To address this problem, staff at

Yellowstone designed a program to evaluate the potential

emission benefits of using biomass-based fuels and lubricants in snowmobile engines. The program’s results (see

side box) led to an agreement on June 1, 1998, which permits only E10 to be used in gasoline-powered Yellowstone

National Park service vehicles. The agreement also includes

plans to offer E10 to the surrounding areas for the

1998/1999 winter season. According to Howard Haines

from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality,

“several bio-based lubrication oils and fuels already 

exist and may find a niche market in tourist-related 

applications.” 

As a first step toward reducing the congestion and pollution produced by vehicles in the park, Yellowstone staff

conducted the “Truck in the Park” project, which aimed to

reduce the impacts from diesel-fueled trucks. This project

formed partnerships among the Department of Energy, the

states of

Montana

and

Wyoming,

NPS,

regional

businesses,

8

Spotlight on Niche Markets

• Ozone formation potential was reduced by 15%. 

• Hydrocarbons were reduced by 16%.

• Carbon monoxide was reduced by 9%.

• Particulate matter was reduced by 25%.

[Montana Project Summary of Biomass Alternatives for

Snowmobiles: “Emissions Testing and Demonstration

of Bio-based Options for Emissions Reduction in 2-

Stroke Snowmobile Engines in Yellowstone National

Park.” For a copy of the project summary, visit the Web

site www.deq.state.mt.us/ppa/biofuels/biofuels.htm.]

Emission results from the use of E10

and synthetic lubrication oil

(Above) Snowmobilers, west of

Madison Jct. in Yellowstone

National Park. (Right) The “Truck 

in the Park” is featured in front.

The other trucks, operated by the

Idaho Dept. of Water Resources or

the University of Idaho, run on a 

combination of rapeseed, rapeseed

methyl ester, and diesel.

Howard Haines /PIX 07370
regulators, DaimlerChrysler, Cummins, and JR Simplot. It

resulted in data on the safety, performance, emissions, and

benefits of using regionally produced 100% neat biodiesel

fuel in a diesel-powered vehicle.

The truck was driven more than 92,000 miles without

any major fuel-related problems, and additional benefits

emerged: reduced toxicity, emissions, smoke, and unpleasant odors, along with increased safety and biodegradability. And because the park must ensure public safety when

implementing a new fuel, participants conducted a “bear

attraction test” that dispelled the notion that the “frenchfry" smell of biodiesel would attract bears. 

This project’s findings helped to define a market for

biodiesel, and also pointed out the challenges inherent in

moving to such a regionally produced alternative fuel. In

addition, it provided “lessons learned” data on emissions

and performance that land managers, regulators, and

providers of commercial tourism transportation can use. 

The park and its partners also implemented the

“Greening of Yellowstone” initiative, which encompasses

all facets of the park—transportation, energy use and

acquisition, green power purchases, waste management,

cleaning products, laundry, and facility maintenance. In

addition, the Green Gateway Corridors Project, which

includes nearby areas such as Grand Teton and Glacier

National Park, was formed through the program. These

surrounding areas use and sell environmentally friendly

products at service stations along the highways that lead

to and from the park. For more information on the

“Greening of Yellowstone,” visit the Web site: 

www.greening.org/ystn/update.html.

Grand Canyon National Park

Many visitors will soon find themselves touring the

Grand Canyon National Park on an alternative fuel transportation system. A combined light rail and alternative

fuel bus system, designed to cut vehicle congestion and

reduce air pollution, is planned along the South Rim of the

Grand Canyon. The alternative fuel bus system has been

operating during visitor seasons. The light rail will run

from a local gateway community to the park, and from

there, visitors will ride alternative fuel shuttle buses

through the park.

Park administrators have grown increasingly concerned

about the environmental impacts from the nearly 5 million

annual visitors and their vehicles along the canyon rims.

This amount of traffic, which is well above the level that

the roads and facilities are equipped to handle, has caused

gradual degrading. The NPS plans to expand the current

visitor transit system through a concessions contract,

which will design, build, finance, operate, and maintain

the light rail and alternative fuel bus transit service. 

Plans for the transit system include light rail service,

which will require 9 miles of track and accommodate

approximately 4,200 passengers per hour during peak

times. The transit system will operate year-round, with

fixed routes for the transit system and a tour bus service,

which plans to provide exclusive guided tours within the

park. NPS expects that the alternative fuel buses will run

on natural gas or electricity, and will be designed to

reduce noise and exhaust emissions. Currently, the Grand

Canyon shuttle bus fleet has 3 electric buses, 5 40-foot

CNG buses, 7 diesel buses that are being converted to

LNG, and an additional 7 diesel buses that will be

replaced by natural gas buses. Plans are to expand the

fleet to 100% alternative fuel by 2000.

According to Jim Tuck, the Grand Canyon park ranger

responsible for the alternative fuel fleet, “our prime

resource is the view of the canyon, and the air quality is

part of keeping the view clear.” The ultimate goal of these

transit changes is to restore the environmental experience

and improve air quality. Alleviating the hassles of parking

emerges as a side benefit. Currently, the proposed transit

system is being analyzed for cost and feasibility, with

hopes that the project will be implemented by 2002. For

more information about these projects, visit the Web site:

www.nps.gov/grca/transit/.

Zion National Park 

Utah’s Zion National Park, which also has millions of

visitors each year, is being renovated. Spring of the year

2000 will usher in many new features, including alternative fuels, to Zion. To help educate the visitors about the

new ways to tour the park, a Visitor Transit Center is

being built. At the center, visitors will learn how to

incorporate the new transit system into their

visit, making it a more environmentally

friendly experience for

both the visitor and

the park.

9

Buses used at Gand Canyon National Park include (L-R) CNG

New Flier, Chance 26 ft. converted to LNG by Stewart and

Stevenson, and a battery-powered electric by APS Systems.

Grand Canyon National Park/PIX 07330

Howard Haines /PIX 07371
10

Beginning in 2000, a shuttle fleet of 31 propane vehicles

will operate in Zion Canyon. Ten 30-passenger shuttles

will transport visitors to and from the local town of

Springdale. Additionally, 21 power shuttles with trailers

will operate within the park. The propane vehicles,

ordered from the manufacturer El Dorado National,

should begin arriving soon. 

In addition, a new parking lot for visitors, propane bus

maintenance building, shuttle stop, and intersection to

regulate traffic in the most environmentally sensitive areas

will be built. At one particular 6-mile portion of the

canyon, only AFVs will be permitted. 

New Partnerships 

As you can see, national parks are taking matters into

their own hands. The millions of visitors have brought

human impact to a point of excess on these fragile lands.

Rather than force mandates, park managers, businesses,

communities, industry, and state and federal governments 

are working together to control and prevent the degradation of our national parks and improve the visitors’ 

experience. DOE recently signed a Memorandum of

Understanding and implementation plan with the

Department of Interior (DOI) and the NPS to further

develop these important niche markets. Secretary of

Energy Bill Richardson joined DOI’s Donald J. Barry,

Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks, in an official signing ceremony held at the Presidio on April 27. In

addition, DOE, through the Office of Transportation

Technologies’ Clean Cities and National Biomass programs, has committed $500,000 for fiscal year 1999 to the

national parks’ alternative fuel efforts. “This is a great

opportunity for partnership between the agencies,” said

DOE’s Ernie Oakes, Clean Cities Denver Region Program

Manager. “And what better place to showcase our clean air

efforts than in our pristine national parks?” he added.

Stay tuned to future issues of AFN for details on the

DOE/DOI partnership. For more information on Zion

National Park, visit the Web site www.nps.gov/zion/, or to

access all NPS locations, visit www.nps.gov.

Original Equipment Manufacturer

Sponsors Look Forward to the Clean

Cities Conference

NISSAN

Nissan North America, a first-time sponsor of the Clean

Cities Conference, will have two Altra EVs at the conference in Louisville. One will be displayed at Nissan’s

exhibit, and the other will be available at the Ride &

Drive. Nissan Management Associate Todd Solan explains

the company’s involvement with the development of

AFVs as “supporting the efforts of improving the environment while meeting [California Air Resources Board, or

CARB] regulations.” According to Solan, Nissan “just

wants to be a player, committed to the environment.”

Solan continued, “the Clean Cities Conference will give

Nissan a chance to promote and show its capabilities to

this important group of industry leaders.” He added that

Nissan looks forward to working with the Clean Cities

coordinators and providing additional Altra EVs as battery technology advances and the EV market expands. 

DAIMLERCHRYSLER

DaimlerChrysler continues its commitment to AFVs in

the 1999 model year, and will feature a CNG Ram wagon

and a CNG Champion bus at the conference. Currently,

flexible-fuel minivans, dedicated compressed natural gas

(CNG) Ram vans and wagons, and the state-of-the-art

“EPIC” electric minivan (which uses nickel-metal hydride

batteries) are 

available from

DaimlerChrysler.

Freightliner Custom

Chassis, part of the

DaimlerChrysler

group, also provides

several dedicated

CNG chassis for

adaptation with several body manufacturers, such as

Champion and Goshen Coach. The company is looking

forward to working with each of the Clean Cities coalitions as they conduct their “Advancing the AFV Choice”

events throughout the country in the coming months. 

FORD

Ford Motor Company will have at least 6 different 

vehicles (one of each fuel type) at the Ride & Drive, and

two vehicles on hand at its exhibit. The LPG Excursion and

TH!NK electric city vehicle are among the new AFVs Ford

is highlighting at the conference—both will be available 

for conference participants to test drive. You can stop by

Ford’s exhibit booth for a look at the new U.S. Postal

Service flexible-fuel vehicle and CNG Econoline van 

From the Automakers

(Left) Nissan Altra

electric vehicle

(Below)

DaimlerChrysler’s

CNG Ram wagon 

Wieck Photo DataBase

Nissan
and to learn about

Ford’s other offerings,

such as the NGV

Expedition and

Ranger EV. In addition

to showcasing its latest AFV offerings,

Ford also wants to

highlight the strong partnership between Ford and Clean

Cities, and between Ford and its customers. 

TOYOTA

Toyota’s conference lineup of AFVs will include its

RAV4-EV, CNG Camry, and hybrid Prius. The RAV4-EV

and CNG Camry are currently available to U.S. fleet customers. The hybrid-system-powered Prius, which is currently being sold in Japan, will be available in the United

States in late 2000. The Prius uses its gasoline engine, 

nickel-metal hydride batteries, electric motor, and electric

generator to achieve nearly double the fuel efficiency of

conventional gasoline engine vehicles, resulting in a fuel

economy of 66 miles per gallon. “Toyota has been actively

involved in reducing the automobile’s effect on the environment for more than 30 years, ” said Dave Illingworth,

Senior Vice President of Planning and Development for

Toyota Motor Sales. “Our work on advanced technology

vehicles has included electricity, clean-burning internal

combustion engines, and hybrids, as well as alternative

fuels such as CNG, hydrogen, and propane.” 

HONDA

Since last year’s Clean Cities Conference in Washington

D.C., where a GX was driven from California to the

nation’s capital, Honda Civic CNG GXs continue to find

homes in fleets from coast to coast. The state of California

acquired its first 40 GXs after an initial trial purchase, and

the state of New York put 50 additional Civics to work

after trying 15, and finding that they performed beyond

expectations. 

Now, the East Coast will benefit from two other fleet

acquisitions of the “Cleanest on Earth” Civic GX.

The District of Columbia Department of

Public Works just added 24 GXs to its fleet.

And the Yellow Cab Company is helping to

clean up the airport area of Hartford,

Connecticut, by operating a fleet of 31 bright

yellow Civic GXs. Because of its 100% alternative fuel use and sub-ultra-low-emissionvehicle emissions, the Civic GX remains an

EPAct and Clean Air Act compliance specialist.

Honda recently introduced the first gas-electric hybrid

vehicle to go on sale in the United States. Available later

this year, it will become the world’s most fuel-efficient

gasoline-powered automobile. Initially code-named “VV,”

it will achieve 70 miles per gallon in combined city/highway driving and meet California ultra-low-emission-vehicle standards. As a two-passenger car, it is not targeted for

fleet use, but it is very suitable for commuters.

GENERAL MOTORS

General Motors (GM) Advanced Technology Vehicles

(ATVs) is a sponsor of this year's National Clean Cities

Conference. GM plans to display several alternative fuel

and electric vehicles from GM's Advanced Technology

Vehicle Portfolio. The EV1, CNG bi-fuel Chevrolet Cavalier,

CNG bi-fuel Chevrolet C/K, and CNG bi-fuel GMC Sierra

will be at the conference and available to test drive.

GM will also be promoting its alliance with Fuel Maker

and Mangecharge, which supports the fueling infrastructure

for alternative fuel products. GM continues to be dedicated

to product development and supporting infrastructure

development. Th automaker welcomes the opportunity to

unite with the other original equipment manufacturers and

to display a solid commitment to a product portfolio and

general market support. GM also hopes to gain an

improved perspective on consumers’ needs, satisfactions,

and concerns toward the alternative fuel industry and GM’s

products. GM’s representatives look forward to meeting

industry officials, competitors, fleet managers, and other

AFV purchasers.

Currently, GM’s ATV product portfolio includes: 

- EV1

- Chevrolet S-10 electric pickup truck

- Chevrolet CNG bi-fuel pickup truck (2-wheel and 

4-wheel drive, and 4 wheel-drive crew cab options) 

- GMC Sierra CNG bi-fuel pickup truck (2-wheel and 

4-wheel drive, and 4 wheel-drive crew cab options) 

- Chevrolet/GMC medium-duty propane dedicated

truck.

GM’s team of experts will be available at the conference

to answer questions and discuss products.

11

(Right) Ford

Th!nk electric

city vehicle

(Below) Toyota

Prius hybrid

vehicle

(Left) Honda “VV”

hybrid vehicle

(Above) Chevy S-10

electric pickup truck 

Ford Motor Company/PIX 07368

Toyota Motor Sales/PIX 07331

General Motors /PIX 05552

American Honda Motor Company/PIX 05552
12

DOE’s EV Loaner Program Expands to

New Areas

DOE recently awarded contracts to 5 electric utilities as

part of the next phase of the Federal Fleet Electric Vehicle

Loaner Program. Originally a pilot program that partnered

DOE with Ford Motor Company and Potomac Electric

Power Company (PEPCO) in Washington, D.C., the EV

Loaner Program allows federal fleets to try an EV at no

cost for 30 days. Fleet managers are then offered a sweet

deal to keep the EVs permanently: utilities will assist the

fleets in leasing additional EVs, and DOE will provide

these fleets with 50% of the incremental cost of the EVs.

Fifteen federal fleets in the D.C. area have used loaner EVs

from PEPCO, and 4 have signed a 3-year lease agreement

for Ford Ranger EV pickups.

Building on the success of the pilot program, the 5 

new contracts will expand the program to include federal

fleets in San Diego, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Boston, and

Norfolk/Richmond/Northern Virginia. “We’re very

pleased with the success of the EV Loaner Program,” said

DOE’s Federal Fleet AFV Program Manager Lee Slezak.

“It’s important for federal fleets to have a low-risk, firsthand experience with these vehicles, so they can see for

themselves that EVs can successfully meet many of their

vehicle mission requirements. DOE is helping to make that

happen and make choosing alternative fuels easier."

Energy$mart Schools

More than 70% of our nation’s 110,000 K-12 schools

were built before 1960. For many students, then, their

school building is older than their

parents! With inadequate heating,

ventilation, and air conditioning

systems, these schools desperately

need repairs, and their inefficiency

wastes large amounts of energy

and valuable taxpayer dollars.

Overcrowding simply adds to the

problem, resulting in additional

budgetary strains. It’s estimated

that 6,000 new schools will be

needed to accommodate the 

growing student enrollment over

the next 10 years. 

But not to worry...DOE is working to introduce clean,

energy efficient technologies to our nation’s schools. By

using these technologies to reduce their energy bills, the

money saved can be redirected where it belongs—to the

students and their education. DOE’s Energy$mart Schools

partnership promotes a community approach that integrates different energy efficiency programs, including

Clean Cities, Rebuild America, the President’s Million

Solar Roofs Initiative, and Energy Star (a joint DOE/EPA

program) for school associations and administrators. 

The goal is to create schools that are “smart” about

energy—from the way the buildings are designed and

operated, to the way administrators, teachers, and 

students understand how school buses and buildings 

use energy. The program operates an information 

Federal News

On January 20, 1999, Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson visited

the Southface Energy and Environmental Center in Atlanta

where students from Woodland Middle School were on a field

trip learning about energy-efficient and renewable technologies. Richardson reinforced President Clinton's commitment to

quality education through Energy$mart Schools. William

Dahlberg, Chief Executive Officer of Southern Company, joined

Richardson at Southface as the newest partner of the

Energy$mart Schools team. Richardson also recognized the

Clean Cities - Atlanta, the very first official member of DOE’s

Clean Cities network.

The goal of the

Energy$mart Schools

partnership is to reduce

school energy bills by

25% by the year 2005.

That’s $1.5 billion in savings each year that could

buy 40 million new textbooks, 1.5 million new

computers, or hire 30,000

new teachers!

Secretary Richardson Supports Energy$mart

Schools Partners

Secretary Bill Richardson visited Southface Energy and

Environmental Center in Atlanta to promote Energy$mart 

Schools and recognize the Clean Cities - Atlanta. 

Pictured from left to right are Jim Powell (DOE), Dennis Smith

(Atlanta Gas Light), George Walkosky (Ford Motor Co.), Kent

Igleheart (Clean Cities - Atlanta), Secretary Richardson, Michael

Anderson (Georgia Power), John Wilson (Southern Coalition for

Advanced Transportation), Steve Horton (DOE-ARSO), and

Yolanda Jones (DOE-ARSO).

DOE-Atlanta Regional Support Office/PIX 07367
13

clearinghouse, and Energy$mart School partners work

with school officials and organizations to identify and

address legislative, policy, and financial barriers that 

prevent them from investing in energy improvements. 

All that adds up to increased savings and more money 

for education. “Energy$mart Schools is about partnerships

between federal, state, and local governments and the private sector, all working together to help schools reduce

their energy costs and create a better learning environment,” said DOE’s Joan Glickman, Special Assistant to

Assistant Secretary Dan Reicher. “School buses that pollute less are an important part of being an energy-smart

school. DOE is excited to work with our Clean Cities 

partners to help bring cleaner, more efficient fleets to

school districts across the country.”

To inspire the Energy$mart Schools spirit among Clean

Cities stakeholders, additional funds have been made

available in the alternative fuel school bus projects category of the State Energy Program (SEP) Special Projects

grants. The funds are part of an additional $1–$2 million

that has been added to the total amount available for SEP

Special Projects grants for school-related projects. “Schools

are a highly visible area of our communities,” said DOE’s

Energy Technology Specialist Dorothy Wormley. “The

additional funding for the school bus category will dramatically increase the awareness, use, and penetration of

alternative fuels into this important niche market.”

For more information about the Energy$mart Schools

partnership, call 800-363-3732, or check out the program’s

Web site: www.eren.doe.gov/energysmartschools.

DOE Goes Over the Top

DOE has emerged as a leader among federal fleets in

the acquisition rate of more than 100% AFVs, with plans to

achieve an AFV acquisition rate of 107% in FY 1999 by

adding more AFVs than required by the Energy Policy Act

of 1992 (EPAct). Approximately 900 AFVs will be acquired

this year, which will bring the DOE AFV fleet to nearly

1,400 vehicles—15% of the total DOE fleet! Of the new

vehicles for FY 1999, about 50 will be EVs, 300 will be E85

flexible-fuel vehicles, and 600 will be powered by natural

gas. “Our stakeholders have been looking to DOE to take

the leading role in the acquisition and use of alternative

fuel vehicles,” said Lee Slezak, DOE’s Federal Fleet AFV

Program Manager. “We’re doing just that by surpassing

our EPAct goal for AFV acquisitions, and hope that by setting the example, other fleets will follow.”

The Post Office Goes Electric

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has issued the largest EV

fleet solicitation in history—for 6,000 EVs. A purchase of

this size can have a great impact on the entire EV industry,

because a significant increase in the volume of EVs manufactured will not only decrease the production price, but

will also lower the purchase cost. 

Here are some of the guidelines and requirements outlined in the solicitation. 

Solicitation Requirements

• Suppliers must have an established national service 

network capable of servicing and maintaining EVs 

with minimum disruption to USPS mail delivery.

• Suppliers must provide assurance that trained technicians and service facilities are available through an

established national dealer network.

• EV chassis must be in production and available commercially.

• Suppliers are responsible for installing charging stations

for the EVs at the USPS offices.

Solicitation Options

A-Provide new carrier route EVs that conform to the specifications. 

B- Convert gasoline long-life vehicles to electric.

C- Offer a full-service EV lease with maintenance, demonstrating the advantages of leasing over purchasing.

If a proposal is submitted for A, B, or C, the bidder is

also responsible for the following: 

D-Installing charger stations at post offices where EVs will

reside.

E- Maintaining the vehicles and charging stations.

The 6,000 EVs will be delivered in stages. The plan 

currently includes 500 EVs, with subsequent deliveries of

1,000, 1,500, and 3,000 initial EVs over 4 years. At any

time, the vehicles purchased may be subject to a

test/acceptance program conducted by DOE and USPS.

Should the vehicles not meet performance or support

expectations, USPS may delay further acceptance of the

vehicles until agreed-on acceptance criteria are met, or

may terminate the contract for default. 

As you can see, the USPS has created a very ambitious

program. Proposals were originally due by March 1, 1999,

but that deadline has been extended to May 31. The award

will probably be announced in late summer. For more

information on this solicitation, please contact Peter

Schwind at 202-268-4121.

Manufacturer Engine Used Contact

APS System—Electric AC induction motor Tim Foley, 805-984-0300, x22

Blue Bird John Deere 8.1L, 6.8L Roland Gray, 912-757-7108

Corporation—CNG/LPG Cummins B5.9G

Thomas Built Buses, Inc.—CNG Cummins B5.9G, C8.3G Vinod Duggal, 812-377-2029

Alternative Fuel School Bus Providers
From the Hill

Congress is now back in session, and new legislation

introduced by both House and Senate members may 

greatly benefit the alternative fuels industry and help to

reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to legislation

being proposed by Senator Rockefeller (see page 4),

Senator John Chafee (R-RI) and Congressman Sherwood

Boehlert (R-NY) have created environmental legislation on

different issues that, if enacted, may have a positive impact

on the alternative fuels industry. 

In the House...

Congressman Boehlert introduced the

“Airport Air Quality Improvement Act”

(HR 1035), to promote inherently lowemission vehicles (ILEV) and the infrastructure to accommodate these vehicles

at airports in metropolitan areas in nonattainment for federal air quality standards. The substance of the bill was then

incorporated into a larger measure, HR

1000, called the Aviation Investment and

Reform Act (AIR-21) and sponsored by

Representative Bud Shuster (R-PA).

According to a press release from

Congressman Boehlert’s office, the measure will promote

the use of low-emission vehicles at the nation’s largest airports to reduce air pollution. The Secretary of

Transportation will award grants of up to $2 million each to

10 public-use airports for the acquisition of AFVs, such as

natural gas and electric vehicles. According to Congressman

Boehlert, “The operation of cars, vans, trucks, buses, and

other vehicles at America’s largest commercial airports contributes significantly to air pollution. Because airports are

often the single largest point source of air pollution within

their region, they present real problems for state and local

officials charged with improving air quality.”

Funds may be used (1) to acquire materials and construct infrastructure facilities necessary for using ILEVs 

at airports; (2) to pay the incremental cost of acquiring

such vehicles (over that of conventional vehicles used for

the same purpose); or (3) to acquire technology or equipment necessary for using ILEVs. Under this measure, the

Secretary of Transportation will provide a report evaluating the effectiveness of the pilot program to the House

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and 

the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and

Transportation. HR 1035 is supported by many organizations, including the Electric Vehicle Association of the

Americas, the Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition, Southern

California Edison, the Union of Concerned Scientists, 

the American Gas Association, and the U.S. Conference 

of Mayors. 

In the Senate...

Senators John Chafee (R-RI), Joseph Lieberman (D-CT),

and Connie Mack (R-FL) introduced the “Credit for

Voluntary Reductions Act” (S 547), designed to help curb

the threat of global warming by providing early regulatory

credit to industry for voluntarily reducing greenhouse gas

emissions. This piece of legislation, which has been re-introduced from the 105th Congress, is different in that the bill is

now a free standing Act, rather than an amendment to the

Clean Air Act. The crediting period has also been modified. 

While climate change issues are debated in Congress,

Senator Chafee stated, “The least our government can do

is to protect those companies who have decided on their

own to make voluntary contributions to the general goal of

climate mitigation.” As S 547 currently reads, the President

would have the authority to establish “binding” agreements with businesses. The credits would be based on

reductions below a predetermined baseline of current

emissions, and the companies would be awarded onefor-one credit for voluntary cuts below the baseline, 

which could be sold or traded. According to co-sponsor

Senator Lieberman, “The credit for early action bill we are

introducing again is an attempt to change the climate on

climate change here in Washington. Our appeal today to

our colleagues and all who have a stake in this debate is to

work with us, to help us improve this bill, and raise the

quality of the climate change debate in general, and build

the common ground necessary for preserving the common

planet we inhabit.” For a copy of either bill, visit the Web

site thomas.loc.gov (see below) and enter the bill number

(HR 1035 or S 547).

This may be just the beginning of the legislative discussions on climate change and greenhouse gas emission

reductions. The differing perspectives seem to include some

reservations that early action will negatively affect the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol. Stay tuned to the AFN for

updates on this and other pending legislative actions.

14

PhotoDisc
15

Focus On

AFN Focus On. . .

The San Diego Regional 

Clean Cities Coalition 

Want to know the key to a successful organization? Just ask Steve

Bimson, Chair of the San Diego

Regional Clean Cities Coalition. “You

have to have dedicated people,” said

Bimson. “It can’t be because your boss

told you to do it. You have to have

people who believe in your cause, who

are emotionally charged, and who

believe the right thing to do is to drive

vehicles that save the air and promote

energy security—that’s the trick.” 

It seems to have worked so far. The

coalition was first created in January

1995 with the strong support of San

Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E); today

there are nearly 65 members, all

actively involved in projects to

increase the number of AFVs on the road and spread 

the word about alternative fuels.

One of those projects is the San Diego Regional

Transportation Center (RTC)—a virtual “one-stop shop”

for your every alternative fuel need. Want to buy an AFV?

The RTC has one for you. Do you have an AFV, but need a

tune-up? The RTC can service your vehicle. Simply need

to refuel? You can fill up at the RTC. The RTC is also an

excellent resource for the future drivers of America. The

RTC educational center will teach more than 30,000 middle

and high school students about alternative fuels—and

that’s in its first year of operation alone. 

The RTC, slated to open next spring, is a joint venture

among San Diego Regional Clean Cities partners, including Ford Motor Company; Miramar College; the city of

San Diego; the state of California; and RTC-1, Limited

Liability Company (the developer). The project also

received funding through a 1998 DOE State Energy

Program Special Projects grant.

But the RTC is just one of the San Diego Regional Clean

Cities stakeholder projects. Others include an incentive

program for AFV purchases and infrastructure development, an EV Solar Chargeport, and educational workshops

for schoolteachers (see box next page). Coalition stakeholders are also busy working with niche market fleets, including several area transit agencies, airline support vehicles at

the San Diego International Airport-Lindbergh Field, local

military installations, and the U.S. Postal Service.

Sounds like a full plate, but San Diego Regional Clean

Cities stakeholders have a strong foundation of support.

The coalition, which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization,

maintains a formal structure that includes a Board of

Directors and recognized standing and ad-hoc committees.

“We have a very active, task-oriented board,” said Bimson.

“Each board member has ongoing responsibilities...it’s 

a really mixed group, from all different entities—fuel

providers, the auto industry, the port authority, the air 

pollution control district, the college system—everybody

has something different to bring to the table,” he said. 

“We meet on the first Thursday of each month; that way

our meetings are on the calendar for the entire year. Board

members must be dedicated and attend the meetings—

there can’t be any dead weight. You have to have dedicated people to make it work.” 

One of those dedicated individuals is San Diego’s

Regional Clean Cities Coordinator, Kim Cresencia, Senior

Engineer in Marketing at SDG&E. As the founding coordinator of the coalition, Cresencia has been actively involved

in developing and managing the coalition from its preliminary organization to bylaw development, through Clean

Cities designation and incorporation, to its current status

today as a recognized non-profit organization. Cresencia,

who is also the coalition’s secretary, says that in addition

to dedicated stakeholders, one of the secrets to their success is organization. “We’re very organized. We manage

the coalition in a formal manner, with an established 

structure, and we hold regular coalition meetings.” 

Name: San Diego

Regional Clean Cities

Coalition

Designation date:

December 18, 1996,

Clean City #50

Incorporated as a

501(c)(3) nonprofit

organization

Membership:

Approximately 65

members

Meetings: General

Membership, meets

quarterly; Board of

Directors, meets monthly; Standing

Committees, meet monthly; Ad-Hoc

Committees, meet as needed. 

Web site: www.sdrafvc.org

Current number of vehicles: ~1,800

Projected number of vehicles by the

year 2000: More than 2,000

Just the Facts

San Diego Regional Clean Cities Coalition

San Diego Regional Clean Cities Coalition/PIX 07050
This organization helps the coalition’s board stay in tune with the

general membership, including the types of services offered to stakeholders to help facilitate AFV projects. One such service is a rapidresponse funding information system. An Internet filtration/notification system alerts the coalition’s community relations chair almost

immediately when a request for proposals or grant availability notice is

posted on the Web. If the grant requirements are appropriate to any of

the coalition’s stakeholders, a notice is sent to the public relations chair,

who then immediately passes it along to all the San Diego Regional

Clean Cities stakeholders. And the coalition provides its stakeholders

with even more support by offering grant-writing seminars to help

them ensure successful proposals. “We receive a lot of very positive

feedback on the proposal writing seminar,” said Cresencia. “It’s helped

our members become more proficient at proposal writing so they can

go after outside funding sources to support their projects.” 

Although the San Diego Regional Clean Cities has been fortunate,

with approximately 50 organizations and individuals already committed

to AFVs, the coalition constantly reaches out to recruit new members.

Not only does expanded membership contribute to increasing AFV 

numbers, it also increases the coalition’s resources, and the ability to

remain proactive through partnerships between stakeholders. More than

1,800 AFVs are already on the road in the San Diego area, and the coalition expects that number to jump to 2,000 by the year 2000.

One way the coalition markets its program is through its Clean

Cities booth. “Our table-top display is never folded up,” said Bimson.

“It’s never in its case in someone’s office. If it’s boxed up, it doesn’t do

us any good. That’s why it’s always on location somewhere—at a private business, a shopping mall, the airport, the college—it’s a great way

to outreach.” Handouts and business cards are always available at the

booth, so anyone can learn a little about alternative fuels and call the

coalition for more information. “These are the little things that make it

work,” he said. “We need to always be out in the public somewhere.” 

For more information on the San Diego Regional Clean Cities

Program, check out its Web site: www.sdrafvc.org.

16

Incentive Program—With the help of a DOE State Energy Program grant, the

coalition offers an incentive program to its stakeholders to help cover the

incremental costs of AFV purchases, as well as refueling and recharging

station development.

EV Solar Chargeport—San Diego Gas & Electric recently unveiled an EV

Solar Chargeport along the San Diego waterfront at the County

Administration Center. The chargeport is a cooperative effort between the

County of San Diego and SDG&E. The California Energy Commission also

contributed funds toward

data collection and monitoring. The chargeport,

which offers three inductive and three conductive

EV chargers, is accessible

and free to the public. 

Vehicles and Stations

Education

Teacher Education—Coalition stakeholders

are working together to hold educational

workshops for middle and high school

teachers. The workshops are intended to

facilitate the introduction of air quality and

alternative fuels issues into the school

curriculum. Teachers are given EV model

kits and the opportunity to drive and ride

in an EV. In addition to coalition support,

stakeholders include SDG&E, the San

Diego Office of Education, the San Diego

Air Pollution Control District, the California

Energy Commission, the California Air

Resources Board, General Motors, and

Saturn retailers. The American Lung

Association also provided materials and

support for the projects. 

Products

Incentive Information—The coalition provides comprehensive information on the

alternative fuel incentives available to its

members, which helps to paint a full

financial picture for AFVs. Some incentives are available only to San Diego

Regional Clean Cities Coalition members,

so membership is a definite plus. 

Technical Guide—The coalition’s technical

committee is developing a full-color guide

for AFV users and enthusiasts. It will

include fueling reference information,

information on CNG training courses at

the local college, and coalition membership forms.

Web Site—In addition to general information about the benefits of AFV use, the

Web site (www.sdrafvc.org) includes

direct links to board members and coalition membership information. And to show

San Diego’s citizens just how easy it is to

make the AFV choice, the site also

includes an AFV product list with vehicle

photos; a list of local refueling stations,

including addresses and access information; and a list of local dealerships with

contact information.

Alternative Flash—This monthly communications tool is either faxed or e-mailed to

the San Diego Regional Clean Cities membership. It provides the latest information

on coalition business and happenings in

the AFV industry. Additional issues of the

newsletter are also distributed as needed

to alert members to late-breaking news,

such as grant information. 

San Diego Regional Clean Cities Coalition/PIX 07051

SolarChargeport dedication
17

Denver Takes Charge!

Denver, Colorado, recently added

three Bombardier Neighborhood

Electric Vehicles (NEVs) to its fleet.

The vehicles, affectionately named

Charge I, Charge II, and Charge III,

are available to city employees for

business travel in and around

Denver. Before he retired from office,

former Colorado Governor Roy

Romer was so charged by the NEVs

that he signed a bill allowing their

use on Denver city streets. The vehicles only cost about $6,200 each, and

each is equipped with a global positioning system that monitors location

and battery charge. Operating

between 20 and 25 miles per hour,

the vehicles range between 35 and 40

miles per charge—quite a deal at approximately 38 cents

per charge!

And the savings don’t stop there! The city also offers

free metered parking for NEV drivers on downtown

streets. According to Ernie Oakes, DOE’s Clean Cities

Denver Regional Program Manager, the vehicles have

become very popular among city employees. Each has

accumulated more than 125 miles in the first month of 

use alone. “There isn’t a city around that couldn’t be doing

this,” said Oakes. “There is a practical use for this type of

vehicle in any metropolitan area. These vehicles are great

for short distance trips to meetings around town or any

number of other applications, like parking enforcement,

for example.”

Clean Cities Designations

• Indianapolis. The number of Clean Cities coalitions

grew to 68 on March 4, as the Central Indiana Clean

Cities Alliance (CICCA) was officially designated a

member of the program. DOE’s Tom Gross, Deputy

Assistant Secretary for Transportation Technologies,

returned to his home state to join Indiana Lieutenant

Governor Joseph E. Kernan and Indianapolis Deputy

Mayor John Hall in signing a Memorandum of

Understanding with CICCA stakeholders. The coalition

serves the city of Indianapolis and surrounding eight

counties in the Central Indiana region. CICCA has been

working closely with the neighboring Evansville, TriState, and Central Kentucky (Louisville) Clean Cities

coalitions on clean corridor development. The “Clean

Crossroads” partnership is working to enable AFV 

travel between the metropolitan areas in the OhioKentucky-Indiana region. Approximately 850 AFVs are

now operating in the Central Indiana region, and future

plans include an additional 400 AFVs by the year 2002.

• Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Ann Arbor Area Clean Cities

Coalition was designated the 69th member of the Clean

Cities Program on April 19. Ann Arbor Mayor Ingrid B.

Sheldon was on hand to accept the Clean Cities plaque

from DOE. The coalition plans to place more than 300

AFVs into operation in the next 3 years, and is working

to develop the necessary public refueling infrastructure 

to support the additional AFV acquisitions. Plans are 

currently underway to install CNG refueling sites at

Eastern Michigan University, Meijer department stores,

and the Ann Arbor Area Transit Authority bus station.

• Schenectady, New York. The Clean Cities Program 

celebrated its 70th designation in Schenectady, New York, 

on April 26. DOE’s Dan Reicher, Assistant Secretary for

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, signed a

Memorandum of Understanding with Capital District

Clean Communities stakeholders to officially designate

the coalition a member of the program. Capital District

Clean Communities, the sixth Clean Cities coalition in the

state of New York, serves the counties of Schenectady,

Albany, Rensselaer, and Saratoga. Coalition stakeholders

plan to acquire more than 200 additional AFVs and build

17 additional alternative refueling/electric recharging 

stations in the next 3 years. The coalition has been 

featured in previous issues of AFN for its logo contest for

school children, as well as for several stakeholder efforts,

including the Shenendehowa Central Schools CNG alternative fuel school bus acquisitions and the Schenectady

County Job Training Agency’s alternative fuel vans.

Clean Cities Roundup

Downtown Denver

Indiana Lieutenant Governor Joseph Kernan addresses the audience at the Central Indiana Clean Cities Alliance designation.

PIX 07356

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Refueling Made Easier

Thanks to FuelMaker, refueling your natural gas vehicle

(NGV) just got a lot easier and more affordable. NGV drivers can now refuel conveniently on site without the substantial investment required for new station construction.

The FuelMaker Vehicle Refueling Appliance (VRA) uses 

the existing gas line at any business or residence and compresses the natural gas for use in the pressurized fuel cylinders of vehicles. The system is capable of accommodating

both time-fill and fast-fill requirements, and once installed, it

couldn’t be simpler—just connect the hose nozzle into the

vehicle and press the start button. When refueling is complete, the system automatically shuts off. Any remaining gas

pressure in the hose is retrieved and stored inside the unit,

so there are no evaporative emissions before, during, or after

the refueling cycle. 

Other benefits of VRAs are that they can be used with a

storage system, enabling vehicles to refill in 3 to 4 minutes,

and that they are easily transferable, so if you move, the

FuelMaker can move with you. Units can also be added to

accommodate a growing fleet, and should you need to

downsize, units can easily be removed. “FuelMaker Vehicle

Refueling Appliances can be installed virtually anywhere

that there is a natural gas pipeline,” said John Lyon,

President of FuelMaker. “The FuelMaker system is safe, 

reliable, and inexpensive relative to large public refueling

stations. In fact, many companies are able to increase the

productivity of their fleets due to the convenience of an 

on-site natural gas refueling system.”

Sales and marketing alliances with original equipment

manufacturers are making the FuelMaker option even more

attractive. In an effort to promote the use of natural gas 

vehicles, FuelMaker has partnered with DaimlerChrysler,

Ford, General Motors (GM), and Honda to offer additional

savings on the VRA. DaimlerChrysler, Ford, and GM customers purchasing a dedicated or bi-fuel NGV will receive a

10% discount off the manufacturer’s suggested list price of a

FuelMaker VRA (~$4,500). American Honda has earmarked

$100,000 to help with the cost of FuelMaker refueling systems for Honda Civic GX customers. 

Partnering with Clean Cities is another way in which

FuelMaker plans to encourage fleets to choose alternative

fuels. “Our number one objective is to participate with

Clean Cities programs in each of the cities through our

network of FuelMaker dealers,” said Rod Crawford, vice

president of Sales and Marketing at FuelMaker. “We have

over 55 independent dealers trained in sales, installation,

and service.” For more information, check out 

www.fuelmaker.com.

At the Pump

Clean Cities Preferred Fleets 

Database Update

After months of planning and preparation, the Clean

Cities Game Plan 1998/99 is underway! (see AFN Vol. 2,

No. 4 for the Game Plan Overview). All designated coalitions have received their Preferred Fleets Databases and

many are starting to put them to use, recruiting those fleets 

listed as inclined or interested in alternative fuel use. The

Delaware Clean State Program used the database to invite

area fleets and other potential stakeholders to its Fifth

Anniversary Celebration event. The response was overwhelming. More than 60 attendees gathered to learn about

alternative fuel activities in the area, including the AFV

rebate opportunities offered by the coalition through 

a 1997 DOE State Energy Program (SEP) award and 

construction of a new CNG/propane station, also supported by SEP funds. Participants also heard from local fuel

providers and several of the automakers. The media also

took an interest in the event, which was covered by a local

television station.

Delaware Clean State Coordinator Sue Sebastian

remarked, “The database was really easy to use—the 

information was accurate and we didn’t get many returns.

The vendors that attended our event were very impressed

with the audience because people were actually interested

in purchasing vehicles,” said Sebastian. “The database

helped us reach our target audience—people who have an

interest in alternative fuels—so it was not only beneficial

to our coalition in terms of increasing membership, but it

helped our vendors as well.”

FuelMaker

FuelMaker's refueling systems offer both time-fill and fast-fill

refueling. Here a forklift refuels using the fast-fill method, 

allowing the driver to be back to work in 2 minutes with a full

tank of CNG.
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Enhanced Interactive Refueling and

Recharging Site Map Now Available

afdcmap.nrel.gov/nrel

Locating convenient alternative refueling stations is now 

a mouse click away! The National Renewable Energy

Laboratory’s Interactive Alternative Refueling Site Locator

is now live on the World Wide Web. The application

allows for searches based on fuel type, city, state, and zip

code, and provides detailed maps of particular stations

and station locations, as well as addresses. The software 

is Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc.’s

ArcView GIS.

Model Year 1999 Fuel Economy Guide

www.eren.doe.gov/feguide or

www.epa.gov/omswww/mpg.htm

The Model Year 1999 Fuel Economy Guide has arrived at dealerships nationwide and is also on the Web! For the first time,

the guide includes estimated city and highway mileage for

AFVs in addition to the gasoline and diesel vehicles available. On the Web site, you can download the entire 

document or search for vehicles by fuel type. Also, the EPA

Web site has extensive sorting and searching features that

provide comparisons among all the vehicles. 

To order hard copies of the guide, please contact the

National Alternative Fuels Hotline by e-mail at

hotline@afdc.doe.gov or call 800-423-1DOE.

New and Used NGVs for Sale

www.ngvc.org/mktexch.html

Are you in the market to buy or sell a used natural gas AFV?

The Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition (NGVC) has added a new

section to its Web site called “Market Exchange,” which

includes a listing of used natural gas vehicles. NGVC welcomes any visitors to its site to submit classifieds for posting.

The categories include equipment for sale; vehicles (new and

used); and “In Search Of,” which lists parties looking to purchase NGV-related products. 

If you are interested in posting or need more information,

please contact Susan Jacobs at sjacobs@ngvc.org.

New Vehicle Evaluation Program

afdc3.nrel.gov/demoproj/ldv/nve

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) evaluates and tests AFVs entering the market, along with their

conventional gasoline counterparts, for performance, handling, and emissions. Once the data are collected, NREL

organizes the information into fact sheets and posts them

online. Results are posted for the E85 Dodge Caravan and

the dedicated CNG Honda Civic GX.

On the Web

Hot off the Press

Ethanol versus Gasoline

What are the benefits of using ethanol instead of 

gasoline, exactly? According to a study recently released

by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), using 1 gallon 

of cellulosic ethanol would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 84%–144%, fossil energy use by 87%–126%, and

petroleum use by 86%–108%. Using corn-based ethanol

would result in slightly lower results—a 12%–35% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, a 40%–55% reduction in

fossil energy use, and a 90% reduction in petroleum use. In

some cases, reductions of more than 100% are possible

because the biomass processes generate electricity and

other co-products in addition to ethanol.

The study, Effects of Fuel Ethanol Use on Fuel-Cycle Energy

and Greenhouse Gas Emissions, was funded by DOE’s Office

of Technology Utilization and is an interagency effort in

partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and

the EPA. The study compares the per vehicle-mile fuelcycle petroleum use, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy use effects of using ethanol blended with gasoline in a

mid-size passenger car to those of using gasoline only in

the same car. The analysis includes petroleum and energy

use, along with the emissions associated with chemicals

manufacturing, corn and biomass farming, and ethanol

production and combustion.

For a copy of the full report, call 800-CCITIES, or visit

ANL’s transportation Web site: www.transportation.

anl.gov/ttrdc/publications/pdfs/wang.pdf
1999 Ethanol Vehicle Challenge

May 19-26, 1999

From Milford, Michigan, to Springfield, Illinois

Contact: Cindy McFadden, 630-252-1353

1999 FutureCar Challenge

June 1-10, 1999

From Auburn Hills, Michigan, to Washington, D.C.

Contact: Cindy McFadden, 630-252-1353

National Parks Transportation Alternatives and

Advanced Technology for the 21st Century

June 2-5, 1999

Big Sky, Montana

Contact: Shelley Fleming, 406-994-6724

Windsor Workshop on Transportation Fuels

June 7–9, 1999

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Contact: Susan Metcalf, 905-822-4111, ext. 515

7th Annual Environmental Vehicles and Alternative

Fuels Conference and Exposition (EnV99)

June 13-16, 1999

Ypsilanti, Michigan

Contact: Geraldine Robak, 248-355-2910, ext.117

Sunrayce 99

June 20-29, 1999

From Washington, D.C., to Ocala, Florida, ending at

the EPCOT Center in Orlando, Florida

Contact: Bryan Arnold, 800-606-8881

15th Annual International Fuel Ethanol Workshop

and Exposition

June 22-25, 1999

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Contact: Bryan and Bryan, Inc., 719-942-4353

Upcoming

Conferences 

and Events

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National Alternative Fuels and 

Clean Cities Hotline

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

1617 Cole Blvd., MS/1633

Golden, CO 80401-3393

Are you getting what you need in the

Alternative Fuel News?

Would you like to subscribe to the Alternative Fuel

News? Or do you need to cancel your subscription?

Would you like to receive an e-mail message when

it’s posted on the Web, instead of getting a copy in

the mail? It’s usually available online before the 

regular distribution at www.ccities.doe.gov or

www.afdc.doe.gov (look under “What’s New.”)

Please let us know your wishes by e-mailing the

Clean Cities Hotline at ccities@nrel.gov, or by calling

us at 800-CCITIES! We also welcome your comments

and suggestions.

New national alternative fuels 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to educating the public about

alternative transportation fuels and their effect 

on the environment and health is seeking a DCbased Executive Director/Fundraiser. Fundraising

and alternative transportation fuels experience

required. Starting salary $45k with additional compensation possible as funding increases. Send

cover letter and resume by June 11 to: BDA, Inc.;

8720 Georgia Ave., #1000, Silver Spring, MD 20910;

fax 301-588-1035.

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT