News Release - City Awarded U.S. DOE Clean Cities Funding

City of Rochester

News Release

(Friday, September 25, 2009) – Mayor Robert J. Duffy is pleased to announce that the City of Rochester has been awarded $26,150 as part of the U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities Alternative Fuel and Advanced Technology Vehicle Pilot Grant Program.

The money, part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will be used for six GEM electric vehicles for use at Mt. Hope and Riverside cemeteries and two compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles for use by the west-side parking monitors.      

The City submitted its application in May as part of a larger proposal by the New York State Energy Research Development Authority.     

The objectives for the Clean Cities grant program are: 

• To increase the use of alternative fueled vehicles and advanced technology vehicles as a means to reduce U.S. dependence on imported petroleum, increase fuel economy and improve emissions;

• To install infrastructure that supports alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles;

• To ensure that vehicles capable of using alternative fuel do so to the greatest extent possible;

• To provide appropriate training for individuals associated with this project and in the larger community about the benefits of alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles and provide them with strategies that will help them to maximize these benefits; and

• To collect data on the success of the project through collection of vehicle, infrastructure and training information.

The total award will fund the incremental cost of the CNG vehicles plus $2,000 per GEM vehicle.  The funding should be available after Nov. 1.

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News Media: For more information, contact Anne Spaulding at 428-7474.