7/17/14 Webinar on Including AFVs in State Emergency Planning for Resiliency

Don't miss this educational opportunity to learn about an important area for
alternative fuels-emergency planning for communities hit with disasters.

We have talked about the devastation from Hurricane Sandy in the Northeast and
how alternative fuel vehicles carried out critical functions such as debris
removal and assistance to stranded citizens at a time when conventionally
fueled vehicles succumbed to gasoline and diesel shortages. If we can help
states and localities to strategically plan with AFVs we can promote the
benefits of locally diversifying fueling options.

This webinar will focus on state energy assurance planning which supports a
robust, secure, and reliable energy infrastructure that is also
resilient-able to restore services rapidly in the event of a disaster. The
continued growth of the alternative fuel vehicle (AFV) market and increasing
coordination between state energy offices and local Clean Cities
stakeholders offer an opportunity to enhance, augment, and update the
planning process, with the goal of promoting resiliency via increased
deployment of AFVs in times of emergency.

Please join the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) for a
webinar on July 17 at 4pm Eastern Time to explore the benefits and
opportunities of integrating AFVs in energy assurance planning. Panelists
Linda Bluestein, National Clean Cities Director for the U.S. Department of
Energy, and Jeff Pillon, Energy Security Director for NASEO, will help
participants examine strategies to promote information sharing and
stakeholder coordination among state energy offices and Clean Cities
coordinators. An interactive Q&A following their presentations will focus on
how collaboration can support the effective deployment of AFVs to meet
critical public needs during energy supply disruptions.

To register for this webinar, please visit
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/767577054.

NASEO has developed a fact sheet and briefing document containing 
background information about the link between energy assurance planning 
and alternative fuel vehicle deployment, available at 
http://naseo.org/committee-transportation under the "Resources" tab.

Nearly $3.8 billion in Funding and Technical Assistance Available for State, Local, and Tribal Governments

Nearly $3.8 billion of funding and technical assistance is available for state, local, and tribal governments from the Department of Transportation (DOT), Federal Transit Administration (FTA), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Energy (DOE), Department of the Interior (DOI), and the Department of Commerce (DOC) that can be used to support climate and energy initiatives, including economic development, sustainable communities, green infrastructure, and water efficiency. For full eligibility and application details, please visit the links provided below.

In addition, please visit the calendar of 2014 EPA grant opportunities that may be of particular interest to communities.

Special Announcement: DOE Notice of Intent to Issue Funding Opportunity Announcement for State Energy Program 2014 Competitive Awards

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) has released a notification of intent to issue a funding opportunity announcement for the State Energy Program 2014 Competitive Awards. DOE seeks to fund projects in two areas of interest: 1) State Energy Planning, and 2) Opportunities for Innovative Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Practices. EERE plans to issue the funding opportunity announcement on or about April 21, 2014, via FedConnect and Grants.gov. Please note that only states are eligible to apply for these awards.
                     
INVEST Implementation Projects – Round 2 ~ $150,000 (with a 100 percent Non-federal match)

• Letter of Interest Due: March 28, 2014
• Eligible Entities: State DOTs, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), and federal lands. 

The Department of Transportation is making available funds to support INVEST (Infrastructure Voluntary Evaluation Sustainability Tool)—a practical, web-based, collection of voluntary best practices and criteria designed to help transportation agencies integrate sustainable practices into their projects. Funding will support eligible entities using INVEST to review operations and maintenance programs at the district or statewide level. Additionally, funding will help assess and improve the sustainability of specific transportation projects under development, or learn from projects already completed. The intent of this research funding opportunity is to develop case studies and analysis showing sustainability improvements from INVEST.
For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.
    
Resilience Projects in Response to Hurricane Sandy– $3 billion

• Application Due: March 28, 2014
• Eligible Entities: Eligible applicants must be located in or provide public transportation service in one of the areas affected by Hurricane Sandy, which are defined as areas for which President Obama declared a major disaster under the Stafford Act in response to Hurricane Sandy. Eligible entities include state and local governments, federally recognized tribes, authorities and public transportation agencies that receive funding through FTA formula programs, other entities responsible for an eligible public transportation capital project that enter into a sub-recipient arrangement with an existing FTA grantee, and entities that provide intercity passenger rail service.

The Federal Transit Administration is soliciting proposals for resilience projects, defined as those projects designed and built to address current and future vulnerabilities to a public transportation facility or system due to future occurrence or recurrence of emergencies or major disasters that are likely to occur in the geographic area in which the public transportation system is located. This resilience funding is intended to protect public transportation infrastructure that has been repaired or rebuilt after Hurricane Sandy or that is at risk of being damaged or destroyed by a future natural disaster.
For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.

Vehicle Technologies Program – $51.4 million

• Application Due: April 1, 2014
• Eligible Entities: State and local governments, federally recognized tribes, public nonprofit institutions/organizations (includes public institutions of higher education and hospitals) and private nonprofit institutions/organizations (includes private institutions of higher education and hospitals) located in the United States and U.S. territories or possessions.

The Vehicle Technologies Office from the Department of Energy supports a broad research, development, and deployment technology portfolio focused on reducing the cost and improving the performance of a mix of near- and long-term vehicle technologies including advanced batteries, power electronics and electric motors, lightweight and propulsion materials, advanced combustion engines, advanced fuels and lubricants, and other enabling technologies. Specifically, activities are aimed at improving vehicle technologies such as powertrains, fuel, tires, and auxiliary systems. This Funding Opportunity Announcement contains a total of 14 areas of interest in the general areas of advanced light-weighting; advanced battery development; power electronics; advanced heating, ventilation, air conditioning systems; and fuels and lubricants.
For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.
         
Coastal Resilience Networks Grant– $300,000

• Application Due: April 11, 2014
• Eligible Entities: Nonprofits, federally recognized tribes, state and local governments, small businesses, for-profit organizations other than small businesses, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education.

The Department of Commerce is soliciting grant proposals from eligible organizations to implement activities that enhance resilience of coastal communities to natural hazard and climate risks through a local, regional, or national network. Proposals submitted in response to this announcement shall provide beneficial public outcomes for coastal communities related to addressing existing and future risks to the natural environment, infrastructure, local economies, and vulnerable populations. Proposals must also leverage, enhance, or create a human or technical network in which one or more coastal hazard issues can be addressed through partnerships to enhance communication, cooperation, coordination, and/or collaboration.
For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.

Pollution Prevention Information Network (PPIN) Grant– $700,000

• Application Due: April 15, 2014
• Eligible Entities: State governments, federally recognized tribes, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, any territory or possession of the United States, any agency or instrumentality of a state, and state colleges and universities.

The Pollution Prevention Information Network (PPIN) grant program funds regional centers that serve both regional and national pollution prevention information needs. Grantees determine audience needs and then supply quality information and training on source reduction and related pollution prevention practices. Grantees provide assistance and training to businesses whose lack of information may be an impediment to implementing source reduction, preventing pollution or adopting sustainable practices.
For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.

National Infrastructure Investment “TIGER” Program – $600 million

• Application Due: April 28, 2014
• Eligible Entities: State and local governments, federally recognized tribes, U.S. territories, transit agencies, port authorities, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), other political subdivisions of state or local governments, and multi-state or multi-jurisdictional groups applying through a single lead applicant.

The Department of Transportation is making available $600 million under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014 to national infrastructure investments. This appropriation is similar to the program funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 known as the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, or “TIGER Discretionary Grants,” program. Eligible projects include highway or bridge projects eligible under title 23, United States Code (including bicycle and pedestrian related projects); public transportation projects eligible under chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code; passenger and freight rail transportation projects; port infrastructure investments; and intermodal projects. FY 2014 TIGER also allows for up to $35 million (of the $600 million) to be awarded as grants for the planning of eligible transportation facilities. Eligible planning project include activities related to the planning, preparation, or design of a single surface transportation project, or activities related to regional transportation investment planning, including transportation planning that is coordinated with interdisciplinary factors including housing, economic development, stormwater and other infrastructure investments, and/or that addresses future risks and vulnerabilities, including extreme weather and climate change. Note: Applications open on April 3, 2014.
For more information, visit the Federal Register Funding Notice.

Tribal Climate Change Grant – $600,000

• Application Due: April 30, 2014
• Eligible Entities: Tribal governments

The Department of Interior is making available grants to support tribes that are addressing challenges of climate change in tribal communities. The grants will support planning for, and adapting to, future climate impacts on the entire range of tribal government functions and traditional use.
For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.

Commercial Building Technology Demonstrations Grant – $10 million

• Application Due: May 19, 2014
• Eligible Entities: For-profit entities, educational institutions, nonprofits, state and local governments, federally recognized tribes.

The Department of Energy is making available grants to enhance and accelerate the deployment and adoption of a broad range of competitively solicited high-impact energy saving technologies as well as new technology integration approaches. Technologies selected under this funding opportunity will be ready for market adoption but may be underutilized due to market barriers, including perception of risk, gaps in information, and data on performance as well as cost.
For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.

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State and local officials interested in additional information about developing and implementing cost-effective climate and energy strategies that help further environmental goals and achieve public health and economic benefits may visit EPA’s State and Local Climate and Energy Program site. 

Stakeholder Meeting 3.19.14

Today we held one of our Stakeholder meetings. The agenda is posted below.

At our meetings we inform our stakeholders of how the alternative fuel industry is active in our territory of New Haven County.

This meeting covered the CT DOT Clean Fuels Program grant and the AFLEET tool that helps estimate petroleum use, greenhouse gas emissions, air pollutant emissions, and cost of ownership of light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles using simple spreadsheet inputs. We talked about IdleBox, an idle reduction tool, gaseous fuel taxes, the bi-fuel ruling, as well as other topics.

From the meeting, we posted the AFLEET presentation and the IdleBox information below.

February 2014 Question of the Month

Question of the Month: What driver behaviors can help reduce petroleum consumption?

Answer: There are many simple changes fleet managers and individual drivers can adopt to improve vehicle efficiency, decrease fuel consumption, save money, and reduce emissions. In fact, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory found that improved driving behavior can reduce fuel consumption by an average of 10% and up to 20% for aggressive drivers; see the final report. Below are strategies fleet managers and individuals may consider to improve fuel efficiency.

Fuel Conservation Techniques for Drivers

Both fleets and individual drivers can save fuel by implementing the following practices:

• Reducing Speeding: Though different vehicles reach optimal fuel economy at different speeds, fuel efficiency generally decreases significantly at speeds above 50 miles per hour. This is because at high speeds, more fuel is needed to overcome resistance from aerodynamics and tire rolling. The fuel economy benefit of reducing your speed is 7% to 14%. The FuelEconomy.gov “What is the speed penalty for my vehicle?” tool allows drivers to calculate the fuel economy reduction for their specific vehicle and typical driving behavior.

• Conservative Driving: Gradual braking and accelerating can improve a vehicle’s fuel economy by 33% on highways and by 5% on city roads. Driving conservatively not only helps conserve fuel and save money, but it is also a safe practice for drivers.

• Combining Trips: Using one trip for multiple purposes, rather than making multiple trips, can save fuel, time, and money by reducing driving distance and avoiding unnecessary cold starts. When the engine is cold, starting a vehicle can use twice as much fuel.

• Reducing Load: By offloading unneeded items from the vehicle, drivers can reduce the amount of fuel consumed by up to 2% for each 100 pounds.

• Vehicle Maintenance: Proper and regular vehicle maintenance can improve fuel economy by 40%. This includes keeping the engine properly tuned, maintaining proper tire inflation, and using the recommended grade of oil. For more information on vehicle maintenance techniques used to conserve fuel, see the Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC) Vehicle Maintenance to Conserve Fuel page. 

Fuel Conservation Strategies for Fleet Managers

Fleet managers can adopt the following fuel conservation strategies to maximize their fleet’s fuel efficiency:

• Train Drivers: Driver training courses can teach new and veteran fleet drivers basic fuel conservation techniques (see the above Fuel Conservation Techniques for Drivers section) that they can use to improve their individual fuel economy. These courses teach ways to minimize the negative impacts of idling, speeding, aggressive or frequent accelerating or breaking, improper shifting, and taking unnecessarily long routes. National Clean Fleets Partner Coca-Cola has a successful “eco-driver” training program.  

• Employ Advanced Technologies: Technologies, such as telematics systems, can greatly increase efficiency and fuel savings in fleets. These tools allow fleet managers to:       

• Give Feedback: Fleet managers can use fuel-tracking devices or GPS-based telematics systems to track fuel economy, idle time, vehicle routes, and driver performance to provide drivers with feedback on how to improve. Some systems even provide drivers with instantaneous alerts when they are exhibiting inefficient driving behaviors, such as speeding. Some fleets pair drivers with coaches to critique driver behaviors. Driver feedback may improve fuel economy by 3% to 10%.

• Optimize Routes: Route optimization technologies help drivers plan routes that can reduce mileage, stops, acceleration events, number of vehicles needed, and time spent in traffic. Fleet managers can view data for individual drivers or for the entire fleet to view their progress and target areas of improvement.

• Provide Incentives: Incentives, including driver recognition, special privileges, and monetary rewards, encourage drivers to use efficient driving behaviors. Polk County, Florida, provides an excellent case study of a fleet that developed a successful incentive program for its employees. 

• Implement Policies: Corporate policies that require drivers to participate in training courses, meet fuel-efficiency targets, comply with a maximum speed limit, and set goals can reduce emissions and improve driving efficiency. 

• Use Fleet Fueling Cards: Fleets that use fueling cards can monitor, control, track, and manage fuel and maintenance costs based on card transactions. One example is the WEX (formerly Wright Express) card.    

More information on adjusting driver behavior to improve fuel efficiency can be found on the AFDC Efficient Driving Behaviors to Conserve Fuel page and on FuelEconomy.gov.



Clean Cities Technical Response Service Team
technicalresponse@icfi.com
800-254-6735

January 2014 Question of the Month

Question of the Month: What are the key terms to know when discussing propane vehicles and their fueling infrastructure?

Answer: It is important to know how to “talk the talk” when it comes to propane vehicles and infrastructure. Becoming familiar with the terms below will help you better understand these vehicles and the associated fueling infrastructure so you can ask the right questions and make informed decisions.

Fuel
Propane is a clean-burning, domestically produced alternative fuel that can power light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles. The fuel is a colorless, odorless liquid that is stored under pressure. An odorant, ethyl mercaptan, is added to the fuel for leak detection. Propane is also known as liquefied petroleum gas or liquefied propane gas (LPG), or propane autogas. In the United States, these terms are used interchangeably.

Vehicle Types
Propane vehicles work much like spark-ignited gasoline vehicles. The fuel is stored as a liquid in a relatively low-pressure tank (about 150 pounds per square inch). There are two types of propane fuel systems:

• Vapor-Injected Systems: Liquid propane travels along a fuel line into the engine compartment. The supply of propane to the engine is controlled by a regulator or vaporizer, which converts the liquid propane to a vapor. The vapor is then fed to a mixer located near the intake manifold where it is metered and mixed with filtered air before being drawn into the combustion chamber and burned to produce power, similar to gasoline. An example is the Alliance AutoGas Prins bi-fuel system.

• Liquid Propane Injection Systems: Propane is not vaporized. Instead, it is injected into the combustion chamber in liquid form. Examples are the CleanFUEL USA and Roush CleanTech technologies.

Propane vehicles are available in the following configurations:

• Dedicated Vehicle: These vehicles are designed to run on only propane and are used in light-, medium-, and heavy-duty applications. 

• Bi-Fuel Vehicle: These vehicles are able to run on either propane or gasoline because they have two separate fueling systems. Bi-fuel vehicles include light-duty models and, more recently, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.
• Please note that some agencies may use the term dual-fuel to describe bi-fuel vehicles. However, Clean Cities uses dual-fuel to describe vehicles that have fuel systems that run on alternative fuel and use diesel fuel for ignition assistance. By this definition, there are not currently any dual-fuel propane systems available.

The power, acceleration, and cruising speed of propane vehicles, whether they are dedicated or bi-fuel, are comparable to those of gasoline vehicles.

Fueling Infrastructure Components
Propane fueling infrastructure is very similar to gasoline equipment, including:

• Storage Tank: Propane is brought to the station via a transport truck and put into on-site storage—traditionally an aboveground storage tank on a concrete pad.

• Pump and Fuel Dispenser: The main difference between a propane fueling dispenser and a gasoline dispenser is that propane is delivered to the vehicle under pressure so it remains a liquid. When the vehicle tank is full, the dispenser stops automatically just like a gasoline dispenser.

• Credit Card Reader: A card reader is necessary for a public station accepting payment. Note that federal regulations require a “competent attendant” to fuel propane vehicles, so drivers may need to be trained before they can use an unmanned pump (Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 1910.110; National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 58 and 54). 

Fueling stations may fall into one of the following categories:

• Skid-Mounted: The storage tank, dispenser, pump, and any additional piping or controls are mounted to a portable concrete or steel frame that can be installed easily, removed, or relocated. Skid-mounted systems tend to be more affordable than stationary equipment.

• Stationary: In a stationary system, the storage tank may be underground, and the station may include additional features not available on a skid-mounted system, including spill-proof pumps and additional metering capabilities. 

More information on propane vehicles and infrastructure can be found on the Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC) Propane website and the Propane Education & Research Council website.  

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Federal Tax Credit Update
On December 31, 2013, a number of federal tax incentives expired, including:

• Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Tax Credit
• Alternative Fuel Excise Tax Credit
• Alternative Fuel Mixture Excise Tax Credit
• Biodiesel Income Tax Credit
• Biodiesel Mixture Excise Tax Credit
• Second Generation Biofuel Producer Tax Credits
• Second Generation Plant Depreciation Deduction Allowance 

While tax incentives have been extended retroactively after their expiration date in the past, Congress has not passed legislation to do so.

Full descriptions of these incentives can be found on the AFDC Federal Laws and Incentives page. The descriptions will remain posted there until the federal tax filing deadline.


Clean Cities Technical Response Service Team
technicalresponse@icfi.com
800-254-6735