Fuels Fix, Fall 2015 Edition

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Great smoky mountains national park celebrates alternative fuels

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Plus: Hy-Vee Stores add clean Fuel CHoices idle free utah’s idle-free buses | Electrify heartland!

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contents

Hy-Vee Stores Expand in Minne Add Clean Fuel Choices | p. 24 Twin Cities Clean Cities Coalition

Idle Free Utah Goes Back to Its Roots with Idle-Free Buses | p. 23 Utah Clean Cities Coalition

Electrify Heart

Central Kansas Clea

A Summer of Electric Vehi Education in North Texas Dallas-Fort Worth Clean Cities

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esota,

Chicago-Based Produce Company Green

by Nature, Greener by Choice | p. 10 Chicago Area Clean Cities Coalition

tland! | p. 22

an Cities

icle | p. 12

Hotel Executive Building Electric Shuttles in Kentucky | p. 16 Kentucky Clean Fuels Coalition

Cover Story: Great Smoky Mountains National Park Celebrates Alternative Fuels | p. 8

East Tennessee Clean Fuels & Land of Sky Clean Vehicles Coalition

Plugged In: Port of New Orleans Races Ahead in Environmental Sustainability | p. 20 Southeast Louisiana Clean Fuels Partnership

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contents cover story Great Smoky Mountains National Park Celebrates Alternative Fuels

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special features Question of the Month | 14 Drive Shaft | 17 Clean Cities TV | 18 American Beauty | 27

advertisers index publisher / senior editor Jonathan G. Overly East TN Clean Fuels Coalition jonathan@etcleanfuels.org designer / editor Kristy Keel-Blackmon East TN Clean Fuels Coalition kristy@etcleanfuels.org Twitter: @fuelsfix Fuels Fix is published quarterly by the East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition in collaboration with the creative and groovy DOE Clean Cities coalition coordinators across the USA. Email info@etcleanfuels.org for additional information.

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AFV Resale Alt Fuels Data Center BBI International Birch Studio Icom North America REGI US Gas Vehicles

26 25 1, 11, 26 22 15, 26 2 26

editor’s letter

National Parks Set the Bar We are so lucky to have many national parks spread across the U.S. From Sequoia to Everglades to Acadia, we’ve got a landscape full of history and beauty waiting to be explored.

But not only are these national treasures a place to get away and get fresh air, they are becoming role models and game changers. In total, 29 national parks have signed up to be a part of the Clean Cities National Parks Initiative, or CCNPI. CCNPI projects help national parks to reduce petroleum use and greenhouse gas emissions while also educating park visitors on these important issues.

Our cover story in this edition pays tribute to a CCNPI project with Great Smoky Mountains National Park, my neighboring national park! You can read all about the recent festivities that were held there on page eight, and find out why Smokies employees say that their new mowers “KICK GAS!” Don’t make the mistake of missing out on the dozens of other CCNPI projects that are happening, though! Visit the Department of Energy’s CCNPI projects page to find out what’s happening in the park nearest you.

Jonathan Overly Editor

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cover story

Great smoky mountains national park celebrates alternative fuels

On September 30, 2015, Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM) held two ribbon‐cutting cer‐ emonies to unveil over 10 new pieces of alternative fuel equipment. The events were held at Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee, North Carolina, and at Sugarlands Visitor Center near Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

GRSM has completed the implementation of three new facets of the Park’s Climate Friendly Parks program with funding from a joint U.S. Departments of Interior (DOI) and Energy (DOE) initiative called the “Clean Cities National Park Initiative.” And in this case the new equipment does not just help the Park leave a smaller footprint—it allows the public to join in the effort.

In partnership with its two neighboring DOE Clean Cities coalitions—East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition and Land‐of‐Sky Clean Vehicles Coalition—GRSM has put new pieces of equipment into use to improve air quality in the Smokies. This equipment includes: 8

• Five gasoline mowers that were converted to run on propane autogas. The new mowers performed so well over the summer that the Park has already purchased two additional propane mowers.

• Three new, low‐speed electric vehicles for localized use. These vehicles replaced larger gasoline vehicles and emit no tailpipe pollution in the Park.

• Two kinds of electric vehicle (EV) recharging equipment were installed on both sides of the Smokies. Both 220V Level 2 charging and 208V DC Fast Charging (DCFC) equipment are now available to visitors at the Sugarlands and Oconaluftee Visitor Centers.

GRSM Superintendant Cassius Cash said during the event, “Putting this equipment in use will help us meet our goal of reducing our greenhouse gas emissions from 2006 levels by 20% by 2020, and you will hear more from us in 2016—the 100th anniversary of the National Park System—on our continued efforts towards this goal.”

East Tennessee Clean Fuels Director Jonathan Overly noted, “We really enjoy doing anything we can to help the Smokies. We are even more proud of this partnership now that we have enabled Smokies visitors to get in the game by using the EV charging equipment, or even reducing their idling time.” GRSM has also added signage in certain parking areas requesting that visitors not idle their personal vehicles unless necessary.

Bill Eaker, Coordinator of Land of Sky Clean Vehicles Coalition said, “Air quality has greatly improved in the park and region due to emission reductions from power plants, industries and motor vehicles. The Park is a clean transportation leader within the National Park Service and is setting a great example for other parks and fleets across the nation. We are thrilled to be a part of this partnership.”

The joint DOI/DOE funding is helping multiple national parks across the country advance goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from park operations and maintenance vehicles and improving air quality in and around the parks.

Opposite page: GRSM staff and partners show off one of their new low-speed electric vehicles (Vantage GreenTrucks) that replaced gasoline-powered vehicles. Above: GRSM Superintendent Cassius Cash addresses a crowd at Sugarlands Visitor Center.

did you know?

GRSM has become the first national park to install public electric vehicle fast charging equipment.

Jonathan Overly | East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition | jonathan@etcleanfuels.org | 865-974-3625

bill eaker | Land of Sky Clean Vehicles Coalition | bill@landofsky.org | 828-734-7434 9

Chicago-based Produce Company

Green By Nature, Greener by Choice A family-owned Chicago company is leading the way when it comes to being green, and there is a lot of green at this company—as in, vegetables.

Testa Produce, based in Chicago for 103 years, operates out of one of the greenest facilities you will ever see—as in, eco-friendly. The company’s threeyear-old, 91,300 square-foot LEED® Platinum Certified facility features a wind turbine, solar panels and a 45,000-square-foot green roof.

Owner Peter Testa says going green always sounded like a good idea, but sounding and doing are two different things. It took a real commitment.

“As a produce company, we’re naturally a green company,” Testa says. “So, using renewable energy and environmentally friendly fuels, it all kind of fits together.”

Testa Produce provides foodservice to restaurants, hotels, hospitals, country clubs, sports venues and catering services.

The Chicago Area Clean Cities member has 15 delivery trucks that are powered by clean-burning, low-cost domestic compressed natural gas (CNG).

The company is adding five additional CNG trucks to its fleet in November.

“We’re always looking for innovative, cost-effective ways to reduce our carbon footprint,” said Barbara Daly, Facilities and Quality Assurance Manager at Testa Produce. “Our 24- and 26-foot refrigerated CNG trucks have replaced our biodiesel trucks, helping us to lower our carbon footprint even more and bringing us closer to our goal of zero dependence on foreign oil within five years.”

Prior to piloting electric and CNG trucks, Testa Produce was one of the first companies in the Chicago area to convert its entire delivery fleet to biodiesel, as well as all of its company cars to hybrids.

All told, Testa believes that their green initiative has saved the company another kind of green, lowering costs by 10% to 15% each year.

Above: Testa Produce’s CNG-powered delivery truck.

Background: Testa Produce’s facility complete with a windmill, green roof, and solar panels.

Joe Koenig | Chicago Area Clean Cities Coalition | joe@chicagocleancities.org | 708-414-1065 10

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A Summer of Electric Vehicle Education in North Texas

This summer in North Texas, electric vehicles (EVs) took center stage as several events took place to educate employers about recharging, teach students about EVs and to show vehicles to the public.

Workplace Charging has been a hot topic lately and Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) was happy to be part of the Texas Workplace Charging Roadshow. As the last location on a tour that stopped in Houston, San Antonio and Austin, the DFW event educated attendees on the benefits, opportunities and availability of workplace EV recharging. Presentations from the Department of Energy (DOE), Chargepoint, Nissan and DFW Clean Cities informed those who were unfamiliar with the technology and encouraged them to learn more. Many local entities are now considering installing the technology for their employees.

The nationally renowned Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas invited DFW Clean Cities to participate in their “discovery days� initiative. DFW

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Top: DFW Clean Cities hosted a large NDEW event with 116 EVs! Above: Students interacted with DFW Clean Cities at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. Right: The NDEW event embraced social media and encouraged attendees to do the same.

Clean Cities staff was on hand to answer questions about alternative fuel vehicles, interact with students about transportation and even provide students with the chance to see an EV. Thousands of students had the opportunity to learn about this emerging technology.

After nearly a year of planning, the DFW Clean Cities Coalition hosted a terrific National Drive Electric Week event. Located at a local shopping center in Grapevine, Texas, the event brought out approximately 116 EVs, smashing the previous North Texas record for the most EVs in one location. Dozens of Tesla, LEAF, Volt and other EV owners showed off their vehicles proudly, despite the rain. Several prizes were donated from the exhibiting organizations and included a weekend with the LEAF and a weekend with the Volt. After a robust marketing campaign that included billboards, radio, online and social media advertising, the DFW National Drive Electric Week event was a tremendous success. A special thanks to EV owners, partners and local entities who helped spread the word via social media; it couldn’t have been done without their support.

To finish out strong and celebrate the beginning of fall, the North Texas Renewable Energy Group (NTREG) is hosting their Solar Tour in October.

Attendees will have the opportunity to go from home to home to see different types of solar power installations. At select locations, EVs will be on hand and available for test drives. Combining solar power with EVs is one of the best ways to completely eliminate emissions. DFW Clean Cities is proud to be the sponsor of the DFW Solar Tour as they continue to find innovative ways to improve air quality and reduce petroleum use.

Kenny Bergstrom | Dallas-Fort Worth Clean Cities | Kbergstrom@nctcog.org | 817-704-5643

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question of the month From September 2015

Are fuel taxes equal for all fuels?

In theory, if all motor fuels were taxed equitably it would ensure tax consistency among jurisdictions and reduce consumer burdens. In practice, motor fuel taxes vary widely between jurisdictions and across fuel types. This is largely because federal and some state highway excise taxes are based on volume, not on energy content, resulting in significant tax inequity among fuels. As discussed in the July and August Questions of the Month blogs, motor fuel taxes are used to fund transportation infrastructure. The number of vehicle miles traveled on a specific amount of fuel is linked to the amount of energy in the fuel.

Therefore, energy content provides a more accurate measure of a vehicle’s impact on a roadway.

Before we go any further, let’s make sure you understand some basic keywords and phrases regarding energy content: BTU: British thermal units, the unit of measure to show an amount of energy.

Heating value: A measure of energy content in BTUs, which represents the amount of heat released during combustion. Typically, we use the lower heating value when comparing fuels.

Gasoline gallon equivalent (GGE): The amount of fuel that has the equivalent energy to a gallon of gasoline. Similarly, diesel gallon equivalent (DGE) is the amount of fuel that has the equivalent energy to a gallon of diesel. GGE is used for alternative fuels that typically replace gasoline (e.g., ethanol), whereas DGE is used to measure fuels that replace diesel (e.g., liquefied natural gas, or LNG).

Federal Excise Taxes Last month, the President signed H.R.3236 (Public Law 114-41), the Surface Transportation and Veterans Health Care Choice Improvement Act of 2015, which

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assesses the federal fuel excise tax levied against LNG and propane on a BTU basis relative to diesel and gasoline, respectively, beginning on January 1, 2016. Compressed natural gas (CNG) is already taxed based on an energy content basis relative to gasoline.

Prior to Public Law 114-41, the federal excise taxes for LNG and propane were higher than the conventional fuel counterpart. This is still the case for biodiesel and ethanol, leaving these fuels at a tax disadvantage compared to diesel and gasoline, respectively.

State Excise Taxes Motor fuel tax variations within and between states are even more complex. Many states have some of the same tax equity issues that we see at the federal level. Plus, there are many different fuel definitions and measures, which create an undue burden for interstate fleets that must comply with the International Fuel Tax Agreement. For example, only some states tax CNG and LNG on a GGE or DGE basis.

Though a number of states are currently evaluating legislative proposals to tax fuels this way, others states are waiting for a decision by the National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM). And if NCWM does adopt a standard, states will still have to individually adopt the standard into their laws or regulations before it can be implemented.

Taxes on Electricity as a Transportation Fuel Other motor fuels, such as electricity and hydrogen, do not have federal excise tax requirements.

Although plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) currently represent a very small portion of the total vehicle population, it is likely PEV and FCEV registrations will continue to grow in coming years. Any effort to collect taxes on electricity to pay for highway infrastructure would need to account for the fact that PEVs are capable

of fueling at home. In addition, some plug-in hybrid electric vehicle owners pay taxes on their gasoline use. Making the situation even more complicated, electricity is already taxed in ways not tied to highway funding. Some states have implemented annual PEV fees through registration or vehicle decal programs to account for lost revenue from motor fuel taxes, which we discussed in the August Question of the Month blog.

Refer to the following for more information on motor fuel taxes: • Alternative Fuels Data Center’s Laws and Incentives • National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s A Primer on Motor Fuel Excise Taxes and the Role of Alternative Fuels and Energy Efficient Vehicles

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Hotel Executive Building Electric Shuttles in Kentucky Two miles from Cincinnati, in the town of Wilder, Kentucky (population 3,500), a need is being met by hotel owner and CEO William Yung III. In 2011, Yung established Zenith Motors LLC to address his interest in electric shuttles for his 50 upscale and midscale hotels across the U.S. under branded names such as Hilton, Marriott, Doubletree and Starwood Westin. Zenith quietly began testing their electric shuttle technology in a small manufacturing plant in Wilder.

Today, Zenith is providing shuttles and cargo vans for airport parking in San Diego, city operations in Alameda, California, and most recently, 45 units to DHL Express in New York and more.

The Zenith delivery vehicles are powered by the UQM PowerPhase Pro® 135 propulsion systems. The UQM PowerPhase Pro 135 provides a peak torque

of 340 Nm (newton metre, the metric unit of torque) peak power of 135 kW and 80 kW of continuous power.

UQM also offers the production-ready PowerPhase HD® automotive systems for heavier commercial vehicle and electric bus applications. GSA Certification is anticipated within weeks.

Lisa McGhee, Operations Manager at the San Diego Airport Parking Company (SDAP) noted, “After seeing the Zenith vehicle at a conference, and I liked what I saw, I started my research to see how it would meet our requirements. SDAP made its decision and was delivered its first EV Zenith shuttle in May, and the second was delivered in July. So far, we love the shuttles and so do our customers. The goal now is for SDAP to have three operating by the end of this year.”

Zenith Motors LLC is a member of the Kentucky Clean Fuels Coalition (KCFC) and a leader of the KCFC EV Team.

melissa howell | Kentucky Clean Fuels Coalition | mhowell@kentuckycleanfuels.org | 502-452-9152 16

a l l s ta r s ! l e u f e iv t a e s e a lt e r n h t w o n k o get t in Each edition this year, Drive Shaft will introduce you to Clean Cities coordinators and our working partners of all kinds across the U.S.!

Bill eaker

lisa thurstin

tony bandiero

Passionate, determined, thorough

Passionate, Creative, Inspired

Resourceful, Determined Outgoing

Make: Land of Sky Clean Vehicles Coalition

Make: Twin Cities Clean Cities Coalition (TC4)

model: Coordinator

model: Coordinator

Make: Eastern Pennsylvania Alliance for Clean Transportation (EP-ACT)

year: Working with alternative fuels since 2004

year: Working with alternative fuels since 2001

stat: I love to fish, camp, travel and play in the water.

Founder of non-profit water protection organization. Huge Miami Dolphins fan. (What you can’t see is that Bill was wearing a Dolphis shirt in this photo!)

stat: Traveling in my FFV with hubby visiting family/friends and finding antique shops to bring our 100 year old house back to its glory days. learn more: www.CleanAirChoice.org

model: Executive Director year: Working with alternative fuels since 2006 stat: Good family + good friends + good music + good food + good drinks = Good times! learn more: www.ep-act.org Twitter: @EP_ACT linkedin.com/in/tonybandiero

learn more: cleanvehiclescoalition.org

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clean cities tv Clean Cities TV is the educational video channel of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Clean Cities program, which advances the nation’s economic, environmental, and energy security by supporting local actions to reduce petroleum consumption in transportation.

Kern County Schools Expands CNG Station for Bus Fleet and Public Use

Yellowstone Park Recycles Vehicle Batteries for Solar Power

youtube.com/Cleancitiestv

Plugged In:

The Port of New Orleans races ahead in environmental sustainability The Port of New Orleans reignited its commitment to environmentally sustainable practices two years ago. In that brief time, major goals have been accomplished, and two recent successes show it’s on a winning streak.

In July, the Port of New Orleans launched the first public fleet of Nissan Leaf electric vehicles in the state of Louisiana.

This innovative move is a result of its efforts on reducing greenhouse gasses and air pollutants. Nissan donated two charging stations to the Port, which were installed in the fleet parking lot. The two vehicles serve Port employees who travel the wharfs, canal and metro New Orleans on Port business, and replace older vehicles with clean, zeroemission transportation. The Port held a special training for employees who access the motor pool to acquaint them with the special features of the electric cars.

“Adding the two electric cars to the Port fleet of vehicles is a big gain for us toward our clean air strategy,” says Ryan Bylsma, Port Manager of Facility Services. “We’re grateful for the leadership and support of the Board of Commissioners, Nissan, the Regional Planning Commission and all Port staff involved in procuring the vehicles.”

The Port will be leasing the cars for four years through its capital equipment budget. At the end of the lease term, the Port plans to replace the cars with newer models.

Additionally, there are plans to eventually replace two conventional sedans currently in the Port’s fleet with hybrid model vehicles, furthering the work of the clean air strategy. As part of the clean air strategy, the Port is also developing a clean fleet policy to guide purchasing into the future, and an anti-idling policy to limit unnecessary engine idling and emissions.

This story was originally published in the Port Record: Official Magazine of the Port of New Orleans, used with permission by the Port of New Orleans. Story by Jennifer Gibson Schecter. Photos by Tracie Morris Schaefer. For more information on the Port of New Orleans’ Environmental Program please visit: http://portno.com/EnvironmentHome.

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Clean Fuel Partnership Recognizes 2014 Clean Fleet Leaders, Celebrates Reducing Traditional Fuel Consumption by over 2.9 Million GGEs In 2014, Southeast Louisiana Clean Fuel Partnership (SLCFP) fleets eliminated the equivalent of 2.9 million gallons of gasoline through a variety of alternative fuels, fuel saving technologies, and innovative programs, a 58% improvement from the previous year. At our Clean Fleet Awards held on July 14, 2015, SLCFP recognized the fleets and organizations that contributed to the growth of alternative fuels and fuel-saving projects and policies in our region.

Highlights and winners from our 2014 Annual Report categories include: Transit Buses & Biodiesel: • New Orleans Regional Transit Authority • Jefferson Parish Transit • Wood Resources Railroad Idle Reduction and Engine Right-Sizing: • New Orleans Public Belt • CSX Transportation

Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)/ Propane: • UPS • Airport Shuttle • Limousine Livery Compressed Natural Gas (CNG): • Metro Disposal • Progressive Waste • Dr. Pipe • Park ’n Fly • Atmos Energy Hybrid & Electric Vehicles: • Coca-Cola Refreshments • Jefferson Parish • Solar Alternatives • Nissan North America Programs & Policies: • The City of New Orleans • Regional Planning Commission (where the Clean Fuel Partnership is housed)

rebecca otte | Southeast Louisiana Clean Fuel Partnership | rotte@norpc.org | 504-483-8513

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Electrify Heartland!

Wichita, Kansas, was electric at the 10-year Spirit Aerosystems Open House event September 20. After months of planning and working closely with Spirit’s event planning committee, Central Kansas Clean Cities was fortunate enough to participate in the open house with a major National Drive Electric Week (NDEW) event.

Spirit Aerosystems employs 12,000 people, earning the designation of the largest employer in the state of Kansas. Every 5 years, Spirit gives back to its employees and their families in the form of a large-scale open house. This year’s event included musical performances, health and wellness vendors, opportunities to fly a B-52 in a flight simulator and a showcase of electric cars available to consumers.

about the advantages of workplace charging, just days after Black & Veatch (in Overland Park, KS) announced its new status as a U.S. DOE Workplace Charging Challenge partner.

Central Kansas Clean Cities Coalition is finalizing a marketplace assessment in preparation for its designation application under DOE’s Clean Cities program. The developing coalition is managed by Metropolitan Energy Center, which also hosts the Kansas City Regional Clean Cities Coalition.

The NDEW exhibit included a privately owned Tesla Model S, a 1918 Detroit Electric, plug-in hybrids from Ford and Chevrolet, a plug-in fleet vehicle from Westar Energy and all-electric vehicles from BYD and Nissan. With the help of local EV dealers and Telefonix, a charging station provider, Central Kansas Clean Cities’s Shawn Schmidt exposed the 25,000 attendees to EVs (working up a very sore throat!) and began the education of an emerging EV market. With Wichita being a late adopter, this event was the first opportunity for most attendees to touch an EV in person.

Fellow exhibitors Telefonix and area utility Westar also spoke with vendors, employees and executives

Shawn Schmidt | Central Kansas Clean Cities | shawn@metroenergy.org | 316-712-5051 22

Left: McKinney Family and Utah Clean Cities Tammie Bostick-Cooper. Right: Second grader Olivia McKinney for Idle Free Utah.

Idle Free in Utah Goes Back to its Roots with Idle-free Buses Utah is a national leader in Idle Free Awareness and for good reason. Utah’s most populated Salt Lake valley is surrounded by the majestic Wasatch Mountains; home to world class skiing and some of the nation’s worst inversionproducing winter conditions. Utah’s Governor’s Gary Herbert offered his support by issuing the 5th Idle Free in Utah Declaration which was signed by the state’s mayors and supported by the Utah State Board of Education.

Support from school Superintendent Brad Smith was drawn from the original Idle Free allies, the school bus drivers.

“Idle Free awareness will further our education with the pubic to protect our most precious resources, our children, from the idling that occurs at school loading zones. What we are trying to do is to change behavior.” Utah bus drivers are 100% committed to Idle Free and will directly promote awareness at schools and bus stops; after all, they too are breathing diesel emissions.

State Representative Steve Handy observed school “hot spots” noting, “Parents often leave their vehicles idling while waiting...in some cases blowing smoke right in our children’s faces!” Air pollution touches the lives of the most vulnerable; our children. One passionate second grader, Olivia McKinney, rallied her entire school to support the Idle Free Initiative.

“Children are what make the Idle Free movement so powerful for Utah Clean Cities! Who could ignore the request for clean air from a child?” remarked Tammie Bostick-Cooper of Utah Clean Cities. Senator Ted Wilson and UCAIR director encouraged Utah saying, “Let’s work together. Let’s make our skies bluer, and do everything we can to make this winter season inversion free.”

Tammie Bostick-Cooper | Utah Clean Cities Coalition | tammie.cooper@utahcleancities.org | 801-535-7736 23

Hy-Vee Stores Expand In Minnesota, Add Clean Fuel Choices The Iowa-based Hy-Vee grocery chain recently expanded into the MinneapolisSt. Paul region, opening two new stores in the suburbs of New Hope and Oakdale, and it will soon add a fourth store in Rochester. Along with amenities that include a sit-down restaurant, in-store dietitians and expansive fresh produce and HealthMarket sections, the new Hy-Vee stores also offer E85 fuel for customers at their adjacent convenience stores.

“We are constantly striving to lessen our impact on the environment, as well as look for ways to help our customers do the same,” said Tom Hobt, Hy-Vee’s group vice president of convenience stores. “In recent years as we’ve added more convenience stores, we’ve focused on providing customers with access to cleaner fuel and transportation energy options.”

Seven Hy-Vee stores now offer E85 fuel. Other locations with E85 include another store in Rochester, Minnesota, and stores in Ames, Newton and West Des Moines, Iowa. Hy-Vee also has dedicated parking and Level 2 charging for electric vehicles at these Twin Cities and Rochester locations. In all, the supermarket chain has 32 stores across its eight-state region that offer electric vehicle charging stations.

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Opposite page: Dedicated EV charging spaces are available at many Hy-Vee stores. Left: As they expand in Minnesota, Hy-Vee provides customers with choices at the pump.

Placing a high priority on sustainability, Hy-Vee’s own truck fleet uses biodiesel blends and propane autogas and utilizes conservation practices like reduced idling.

According to Lisa Thurstin, coordinator for Twin Cities Clean Cities Coalition, Minnesota has more E85 outlets than any other state. Minnesota also has a growing number of blender pumps offering E30 for flex fuel vehicles and E15 gasoline. “By offering E85 and electric vehicle charging as well as traditional petroleum fuels, Hy-Vee is offering more choices to Minnesota drivers” she said. “This is a welcome trend as more grocery retailers are providing fuel as well as food.”

Lisa Thurstin | Twin Cities Clean Cities Coalition | lisa.thurstin@lung.org | 651-223-9568

Do you know about the that are

tools available to you?

Check out the Alternative Fuel Data Center’s Tools page to help assist fleets, fuel providers, and stakeholders.

Click here to get started!

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October 20-22, 2015 Cocoa, Florida

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Charging Leafs and changing leaves at the ribbon cutting event for GRSM’s new EVSE.

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