More than 8.35 million gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel have been displacement by alternative fuels used by school districts, transit authorities, local government agencies and private companies in Pennsylvania since 1994 thanks to federal and state agencies working with these local partners.

Nationally, the Pittsburgh Clean Cities Coalition joined the "Beyond a Billion" celebration last week to mark the nationwide displacement of more than 1 billion gallons of gasoline since 1994 through the use of alternative fuels such as compressed natural gas, liquid propane and ethanol.

The celebration took place at the compressed natural gas refueling station at the Pittsburgh International Airport Sunoco Station, with the symbolic dispensing of the billionth gallon into an Allegheny County Airport Authority vehicle. Compressed natural gas and propane vehicles, flexible fuel vehicles operating on E85, a hybrid electric/diesel and biodiesel powered bus were also showcased at the event.

Clean Cities is a national U.S. Department of Energy initiated government-industry partnership designed to reduce petroleum consumption in the transportation sector. The partnership is composed of 88 community-based coalitions, voluntary public/private partnerships that work to advance the use of alternative fuels and vehicles, infrastructure development, idle reduction technologies, hybrid electric vehicles and biofuels such as biodiesel.

Pennsylvania has two clean cities coalitions, one in Pittsburgh and the other in Philadelphia. The Department of Environmental Protection receives funding from the DOE to support coalition activities. DEP also provides grant funding under the Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant Program for alternative fuel projects in the Clean Cities regions and throughout the state.

Saving a billion gallons of gasoline is a significant contribution to Clean Cities’ mission, and it’s only the beginning. The Clean Cities’ goal is to displace 2.5 billion gallons of gasoline annually by 2020. By helping the nation use less petroleum, Clean Cities improves the energy, economic, and environmental security of the United States.

Clean Cities is part of the U.S. Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Weatherization and Intergovernmental Program.

For more information visit the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia Clean Cities webpages.

10/21/2005