South Shore Shorts &
 Clean Cities Clips
J u l y  2 0 0 9                                                                                                                                                                                              V o l u m e  3,  I s s u e  4
Upcoming Events
 8/5
Partners for Clean Air @ Railcats Stadium Event
8/13
Tweaks in Tech @ NIRPC
8/20
SSCC Board Meeting
9/4-9/5
REV Event Elkhart
9/15
Fair Oaks Dairy
"Fueling the future"
9/17
Midwest Clean Diesel Initiative Leadership
Group Meeting in Chicago at USEPA Region 5
10/15
SSCC Board Meeting
10/19-10/20
Green Fleet Conference
11/19
SSCC Board Meeting

Upcoming events with dates TBA:
  • Tweaks in Tech Electric Edition
  • Tweaks in Tech Natural Gas Edition
DERA Program
Reauthorized in Climate Bill     The American Clean Energy & Security Act of 2009 which   recently passed the House of Representatives included a     provision which extends the authorization for the Diesel   Emissions Reduction Act for an additional five years until   2016 from its current expiration in 2011.
Recovery Act Announcement
 
DOE Small Business Research Programs Funding Opportunity Announcement Emphasizes Investment in Clean Energy Technologies and U.S. Jobs
 
The Department of Energy will soon accept Phase I grant applications from qualified small businesses for an upcoming Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program Solicitation.  A total of $37M in Recovery Act funds will be made available for SBIR and STTR Phase I and Phase II grants through the end of FY 2010.  An emphasis will be placed on near-term, clean energy technology commercialization potential and U.S. jobs creation.  A detailed Funding Opportunity Announcement describing research areas in which applications are sought will be available August 5, 2009.

The deadline for submission of grant applications is September 4, 2009, at 8:00 p.m. EST.  Applications will only be accepted electronically through www.grants.gov . Successful applicants (approximately 60) may receive up to $150,000 for a Phase I grant for a period of six months to demonstrate the feasibility of the idea.
What is Partners for Clean Air?
Partners for Clean Air
The Indiana Partners for Clean Air (PCA) Program is an outreach program for Northwest Indiana established by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM). The primary goal for the Partners for Clean Air Program is to increase the public's awareness of the impacts that their individual choices can have on local air quality.  The overall objective is cleaner air that aids in ensuring improved environmental and economic health for residents in Northwestern Indiana.
Asthma Awareness Event at Railcats Stadium Wednesday August 5th gates open 6 .p.m.
Save the Date
Black Tie & Barefoot
10th Anniversary Event
Marina Shore At Dune Harbor
Saturday, August 15th, 2009
7pm-11pm
Tickets $75/per person

The night will feature wonderful Polynesian culture, an open bar and live band. Join us in commemorating the success of the past 10 years and help the Dunes Learning Center to continue for years to come. Casual dress appropriate with a Polynesian twist!

For additional information or to secure your seat; Please contact Jim Flannery at 219.455.8663 or events@duneslearningcenter.org

SSCC Partners with the Green Fleet Conference 

Receive $50 off the regular conference rate. 
The South Shore Clean Cities has teamed up with the Green Fleet Conference, an event dedicated to helping fleet professionals find truly green, truly practical, and truly affordable solutions, to offer a substantial registration discount to members and friends. 

The Conference, scheduled for October 19-20 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, is loaded with a variety of training sessions and roundtable discussions including topics such as: 

Which Alt-Fuel is Best for Your Fleet?
How to Create a Customized Approach to Improving your Fleet's Environmental and Operational Performance
How the City of Chicago is Reducing Its Fleet Carbon Footprint
The Good, Bad and the Ugly of Environmental Regulations
What Money is Available? How to Stay Up to Date on Available Grants
Heavy-Duty Fleets Reveal GHG Reduction Strategies that Work
And More!
 
To learn more about the Green Fleet Conference visit www.GreenFleetConference.com or click here to register with your $50 off discount code SSCC50.

Small Business Administration program
is taking place at Ivy Tech in South Bend on Tuesday, August 4th  from 8:00-10:00 a.m.  Congressman Donnelly will be in attendance as will officials from the Small Business Administration, The Chamber of Commerce of St. Joseph County, The Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce, Business Development Corporation and small businesses that have utilized the SBA's 504 loan program.  The event is free and open to the public.









This months featured member is Jennifer Kharchaf. Who represents the Clean Air Car Check vehicle emissions testing program. She is the Public Information Manager/Envirotest Systems. She has been a member of SSCC for three years. When asked why she became a member of SSCC Jennifer said "My predecessor was an active board member and though she left to pursue other opportunities, I did not want to give up the impact she has had on SSCC so I assumed her spot on the board.  Because our company oversees Indiana's vehicle emissions testing program, our participation with SSCC is a perfect fit." When asked what the  greatest accomplishment of SSCC is she stated "Being a small not-for-profit presents many challenges for an organization. The fact that South Shore Clean Cities has made a name for itself and is being recognized not only in Northwest Indiana, but in broader arenas is a huge accomplishment in and of itself."
She feels that SSCC will continue to grow as more and more companies and individuals realize the importance of our mission.

A fun green fact about Jennifer is...
"I taught my daughter the importance of respecting and protecting our planet so much so that she leads our family on walks through our town to pick up litter."