CLEAN CITIES PROGRAM

 
   

What Is It?

Clean Cities is a voluntary program administered by the US Department of Energy that promotes, accelerates, and expands the use of alternative fuels in the transportation sector. Working through locally-based government and industry partnerships, the Clean Cities Program promotes the use of alternatives to traditional gasoline and diesel fuel. Alternative fuels can be produced domestically and include: biodiesel, electricity, ethanol, hydrogen, methanol, natural gas, propane, and solar energy. Virtually all of these fuel sources also have air quality benefits.

Shared Impact and Benefits

  • Alternative fuels can help reduce emissions from mobile sources such as particle pollution and/or the pre-cursors to ozone formation. As such, they can help to improve air quality.

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  • Improving air quality has a direct effect on health. Particle pollution, for example, is a likely carcinogen and ground-level ozone can cause severe coughing, shortness of breath, pain when breathing, lung and eye irritation, and greater susceptibility to respiratory illnesses.

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  • Use of domestically-produced fuels ensures that the money spent on fuels remains in this country. Additionally, jobs and expenditures related to fuel and vehicle production help to augment investment in the domestic economy.

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  • Some alternative fuels like ethanol, bio-diesel, and hydrogen come from renewable sources which further support agriculture and other industries.

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  • The region's shift from foreign to domestically-produced fuels would make the area less vulnerable to fluctuations in global petroleum prices.

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Costs

The costs associated with this program include staff time, as well as implementation costs. Assistance with the"incremental" cost of alternative fuels and vehicles may be paid for through currently available federal and state grant money. Additionally, private funding from fuel suppliers and vehicle manufacturers may often be leveraged for specific projects. Funding is typically awarded through a competitive process and is not guaranteed.

   
 

This Action Item can be implemented as a

POLICY
ORDINANCE
PROGRAM

 

How long does this take to implement?

Participation in the local Clean Cities Coalitions in our region can begin immediately by contacting the coordinator of the Palmetto State Clean Fuels Coalition in South Carolina or the Centralina Clean Fuels Coalition in North Carolina. Use of alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) and alternative fuels will vary depending on availability of fueling infrastructure and fuels. Hybrid gas-electric vehicles are available today and need no special infrastructure for fueling or charging.

   

  • Clean Cities will reduce dependence on foreign petroleum used for transportation fuels and can play a role in air quality improvement. Furthermore, a strong local AFV market will help create jobs in fuel production and vehicle manufacturing.
  • Joining the coalition is voluntary and can be done at relatively low cost. Designated coalitions are exclusively eligible to apply for the millions of dollars of annual federal funding that support vehicle and infrastructure development. Additional state dollars often are available through the State Energy Offices.