2009

For Release: Immediate


CONTACT:    Sal Graven, NYSERDA
                    518-862-1090, ext 3331
                    sg2@nyserda.org

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GOVERNOR PATERSON ANNOUNCES NEW YORK ALTERNATIVE FUEL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS AWARDED STIMULUS FUNDS

$28 million to reduce petroleum use, greenhouse gases, and create jobs

Governor David A. Paterson announced today that New York has been awarded two U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grants totaling more than $28 million through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to assist school districts, local governments, public universities, and private businesses in purchasing clean fuel and alternative fuel vehicles and associated infrastructure.

The $13.3 million Department of Energy Clean Cities grant to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) will be matched with $18.8 million in cost-share from the Authority’s partners to purchase 307 alternative fuel vehicles and eight infrastructure projects across the State.  This investment will lead to reduced petroleum consumption by displacing an estimated 302,000 gallons of petroleum per year and thus cut greenhouse gas emissions.   

The Greater Long Island Clean Cities Coalition (GLICCC) was awarded a grant of $14.99 million to deploy five alternative fuel stations and 179 alternative fuel vehicles in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. DOE estimates the program will displace 351,000 gallons of petroleum annually.

“These awards fit perfectly with our plan to grow New York’s clean energy economy, which is a central part of our New Economy Jobs Plan. This funding will help create the infrastructure for alternative fuels and help local governments, school districts and businesses around the state convert to alternative fuel vehicles and demonstrate that these vehicles are practical and cost effective. And these projects will help New York address the very real threat of climate change,” Governor Paterson said.

Francis J. Murray Jr., President and CEO of NYSERDA, said, “NYSERDA and our partners are committed to investing in the latest transportation technologies that protect our environment, improve local air quality, and reduce dependence on foreign oil; all part of Governor Paterson’s comprehensive clean energy strategy. In particular, school districts will now have the resources to purchase equipment to transport our young children in environmentally-friendly ways that will minimize the adverse effects that air pollution has on the health of young children.  I commend each entity awarded funds for rightly placing environmental stewardship at a high priority.”

Rita Ebert, Program Director for the GLICCC, said, “Through the Long Island Regional Energy Collaborative, GLICCC will help Long Island transform into a fuel independent, efficient and environmentally responsible region. By increasing the demand for clean fuels and technologies, Long Island will benefit from a growing economy, cleaner air and a sustainable future. I would like to thank Congressman Steve Israel for his ongoing support to the Greater Long Island Clean Cities Coalition and other Clean Cities throughout the nation.”

NYSERDA Award

NYSERDA partnered with the Clean Communities of Western New York, Genesee Region Clean Communities, Clean Communities of Central New York, Capital District Clean Communities, and the New York City and Lower Hudson Valley Clean Communities organizations to compile and submit one competitive proposal to the DOE for alternative fuel vehicle and infrastructure development funds.
 
Funds were awarded for vehicles for utility companies, local and county governments, school districts, universities and other private companies.  In addition, various advanced vehicle technologies were included in the application, such as compressed natural gas (CNG), liquid propane gas (LPG), electric vehicles (EV) and neighborhood electric vehicles (NEV), hybrid-electric vehicles (HEV) and plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles (PHEV).  The vehicles will be deployed throughout the State and will provide data to NYSERDA and the DOE on how these technologies operate in diverse driving and weather conditions.

Projects that will be awarded funds include:
Central Hudson Gas & Electric: 4 PHEVs, 4 HEVs, Charging stations
Chemung County: 10 LPG vans, pick-up trucks
City of Albany: 1 heavy-duty HEV, 1 heavy-duty hydraulic hybrid, 10 light-duty HEVs
City of Rochester: 6 NEVs, 2 light-duty CNG vehicles
City of Syracuse: 5 heavy-duty CNG vehicles, 24 light-duty CNG vehicles, 2 light-duty HEVs
Coca-Cola: 20 HEV delivery trucks
Corning-Painted Post CSD: 3 LPG school buses
Cuse Car: CNG, electric fueling stations
East Greenbush Central School District: 1 PHEV school bus
Fairport Central School District: 2 PHEV school buses

Ferrario Ford: 5 LPG pick-up trucks, LPG fueling station
Gilboa-Conesville Central School District: 1 LPG school bus
Harbec: 1 HEV delivery truck
Hoosic Valley Central School District: 3 LPG school buses, LPG fueling station
Malone Central School District: 5 LPG school buses
Monroe County: 4 LPG pick-up trucks, LPG fueling station
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation: 2 HEV buses
Praxair: 1 HEV delivery truck
Republic Service Inc.: 4 heavy-duty CNG trucks
Southern Tier News: 6 light-duty LPG vehicles, LPG fueling station
Village of Warwick: 3 HEV school buses, electric charging stations
SUNY Albany: 3 NEVs, 5 HEV buses
Tompkins County: 3 light-duty HEVs
Trumansburg Central School District: 3 LPG school buses
Village of Minoa: 1 heavy-duty CNG vehicle
Wayne Central School District: 2 LPG school buses
Palmyra-Macedon Central School District: 1 HEV school bus
National Grid: 11 heavy-duty CNG vehicles, CNG fueling stations
Bard College: 1 HEV bus, 2 light-duty HEVs, 1 NEV, 1 light-duty EV van
Manhattan Beer: 1 HEV delivery truck
NYS Department of State: E85 Firefighter Training Program
Verizon: 120 CNG vans
NY Institute of Technology: 20 light-duty PHEVs Charlotte Valley Central School District: 2 LPG school buses

Long Island Award

The DOE grant funding comes from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (H.R.1) and was awarded as part of the Department of Energy’s Clean Cities program. On Wednesday, the DOE announced grants that will establish 542 refueling locations and deploy 9,000 vehicles nationally. The vehicles and infrastructure being funded include the use of natural and renewable gas, propane, ethanol, biodiesel, electricity, and hybrid technologies. 
 
Rep. Israel also introduced the Clean Cities Authorization Act (H.R.3488), which directs the Secretary of Energy to carry out the Clean Cities program to encourage and accelerate the use of non-petroleum based fuels, alternative fuel vehicles and other advanced vehicle technologies to reduce the overall use of petroleum in the transportation sector. 

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