|
|
 |
|
Vermont Clean Cities Newsletter
October 2012
|
|
|
|
|
|
Welcome to the VTCCC Newsletter:
Your clearing house for news, programs, and funding information related to reducing the consumption of petroleum for transportation in Vermont.
|
|
Upcoming Events
Bourne's Energy Biodiesel Blending
Plant Opening
Oct. 24, 2012, 11:00am-2:00pm
1475 LaPorte Road, Morrisville
Vermont Transportation Board Fall 2012 Public Hearings
Purpose of the hearings is for public to comment on a variety of transportation-related topics.
Oct. 24: Brattleboro
Oct. 25: Rutland
Oct. 30: White River Junction
Nov. 8: St. Johnsbury
Nov 13: Winooski
Nov 14: Montpelier
Safe Routes to School National Course
Oct. 30, 2012, 10:00am-3:30pm
Rand Memorial Library
Troy, VT
CCRPC Conference
Nov. 1 and 2, 2012
Double Tree Hotel, South Burlington
Climate Action Seminar: Responding to the New Normal
Fall 2012 Seminar Series
Sponsored by the UVM Clean Energy Fund and the UVM Environmental Program
A weekly seminar featuring guest speakers
Mondays 4:05-5:20 pm in Lafayette 207, UVM
Click here for more info.
|
|
|
DOE News
Energy Department Announces $1 Million to Evaluate Technology Pathways for Cost-Competitive Hydrogen Fuel
Funding will evaluate the most promising technology paths toward achieving $2 to $4 per gallon gasoline equivalent (gge) of hydrogen fuel or less by 2020.
DOE wants your feedback on ways to make electric vehicles more affordable to own - part of EV Everywhere Challenge.
This exciting initiative focuses on enabling U.S. companies to be the first in the world to produce electric vehicles (EVs) that are as affordable and convenient for the average American family as today's gasoline-powered vehicles by the year 2022.
|
|
Vermont News
 VTCCC Celebrates National Alternative Fuel Vehicle Day Odyssey on the Church Street Marketplace VTCCC coordinator Tom McGrath addressed the crowd and spoke about the Clean Cities mission. Special guests Vermont State Representative Kesha Ram and Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger also delivered remarks in support of alternative fuel vehicles. The overall purpose and goals of this project were to disseminate information, create dialogue, and build capacity among targeted groups of stakeholders who are vital for the mass deployment of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) in Vermont. State, Federal Officials Celebrate Rail  Line Improvements U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and Vermont officials took a train trip from White River Junction to Brattleboro on Friday to mark the completion of track repairs.
CATMA also announced the appointment of Sandy Thibault as Executive Director, effective October 15, 2012. |
National News Researchers Pursuing Home-Based NGV Refueling Technology In concert with Argonne National Laboratory, GTI and the university researchers will work toward achieving an aggressive DOE goal: reducing the cost of home refueling systems from today's $4,000 to less than $2,000.  GE, Peake Solutions Launch CNG In A Box CNG-in-a-Box is a fully-integrated fueling supply system that enables gas retailers to add low-cost compressed natural gas pumps at their current locations.
UPS to Add 40 Hydraulic Hybrid Vehicles to Its Fleet
The package cars can achieve up to 35 percent improved fuel economy and up to 30 percent CO2 emissions reduction over traditional diesel-powered vehicles that use automatic transmissions in stop-and-go applications.
ECOtality Surpasses 1 Million Charge Events 
for EV Project
The Blink Chargers also achieved another key milestone - 40 million miles of driver data recorded, and over 1.70 million gallons of gas saved.
Ryder Publishes 2011 Corporate Sustainability Report
The 2011 report outlines Ryder's sustainability strategy, which focuses on providing transportation and logistics solutions to companies of all sizes that ease complexity, increase efficiency, and keep goods and materials flowing so that the economy can grow and thrive.
|
|
International News
Electric Car Chargers Hoped to Fuel Tourism in Ontario
The installation of four electric vehicle chargers at locations between Sudbury and Toronto means drivers can now make the journey on nothing but battery power - and hopefully give a boost to tourism.
Internal combustion engines, both diesel and gasoline, can be readily adapted to use LPG as a dual fuel; converting a gasoline engine to run entirely on LPG is straightforward and not particularly costly.
The German government has pledged 1 billion euros ($1.3 billion) of federal research spending on electric cars and battery technology and is planning other steps such as granting 10 years exemption from vehicle tax.
|
|
|
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Safe Route to School Infrastructure Program
We are pleased to announce that VTrans is now accepting applications for the 2012 VT Safe Routes to School infrastructure program. The goal of the program is to remove barriers that deter students from walking and bicycling to school in Vermont through the planning, design and construction of infrastructure projects.
Eligible projects must be located within approximately 2 miles of a school that includes at least one grade in the range K-8. The school must be signed up as a Partner of the VT Safe Routes to School Resource Center and must have a School Travel Plan that has been updated within the last 3 years. Applications are due 10/26/12. For more info contact Patti Coburn or click here.
Environmental Education Regional Grants
Under this solicitation EPA is seeking grant proposals from eligible applicants to support environmental education projects that promote environmental stewardship and help develop knowledgeable and responsible students, teachers, and citizens. This grant program provides financial support for projects that design, demonstrate, and/or disseminate environmental education practices, methods, or techniques, as described in this notice, and that will serve as models that can be replicated in a variety of settings. Under this solicitation EPA expects to award environmental education grants from the 10 EPA Regional offices.
Grantees that receive awards under this solicitation must establish methods to document and report measurable results from grant projects. To ensure that grant proposals are competitive, applicants should carefully read Sections IV and V regarding how to structure a proposal and what criteria will be used to evaluate proposals. EPA receives a large number of grant applications under this program and can fund just a small percentage of those applications received. Applications are due 11/21/12. For more info contact Kristen Conroy or click here.
Go Vermont Grassroots Grants For Energy Committees
The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) Public Transit Section is offering grants to municipalities to assist in building a statewide outreach and advocacy network for the Go Vermont Program (
www.connectingcommuters.org). VTrans will provide a $500 grant to participating municipal energy committees. Go Vermont is a web-based clearinghouse for all transportation modes in Vermont, featuring an automated carpool, vanpool and public transit matching service, a vanpool program, information for State Park and Ride locations, and a link to "511" traffic conditions. The project objectives are as follows:
- Broaden Go Vermont outreach efforts
- Build relationships with local committees and advocates
- Identify local and regional transportation priorities and activities
- Increase traffic to the Go Vermont website and tools (www.connectingcommuters.org)
- Focus regional and local initiatives and advocacy efforts.
- The ultimate goal of this program is to increase program awareness, carpool registrations, numbers of van-pools and general activity on the Go Vermont website.
For more information contact Ross MacDonald or click here.
| |
Weekly Petro-Stats
| Gas at the Pump, VT Crude Oil Futures
Current $ 3.84/gallon $ 86.68/barrel
One Month Ago $ 3.94/gallon $ 91.32/barrel
One Year Ago $ 3.56/gallon $ 91.32/barrel
| Sources: Fuel Gauge Report, NYMEX
|
Best Regards, Tom McGrath
Coordinator, Vermont Clean Cities Coalition
Funding for the Vermont Clean Cities Coalition is provided by the US Department of Energy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
