Capital District                                                                                               March 11, 2002

Clean Communities

 

 

Capital District Clean Communities

March 6, 2003 Meeting

Meeting Notes

 

 

Attendance

 

Lawrence D’Arco, NYSDEC

Glenn Havens, Cummins Northeast

Steve Iachetta, Albany County Airport Authority

Mary Marsh, CDTA

Jason Purvis, CDTC Staff

Carol Rodino, NY Power Authority

Matthew Shea, Interested Citizen

Deborah Stacey, CDTC Staff, CDCC Coordinator

Robert Steff, NY Thruway Authority

Marta Szewczyk, Albany County Airport Authority

Ted Thompson, NYSDOT Region 1

 

 

Summary Notes

 

Deborah Stacey opened the meeting with introductions.  Ms. Stacey initiated discussion on each agenda item:

 

 

1.     NYSERDA Clean Cities Challenge Round V Grant Application: The Albany County Airport Authority  (ACAA) submitted two grant applications to NYSERDA.  The first application is for money to pay for 75% of the incremental cost of two additional CNG Ford Shuttle vehicles.  These vehicles will be used to shuttle airport patrons from the long-term parking lots to the terminal building.  The second application is for money to pay for 75% of the incremental cost of bio-diesel.  The ACAA would like to purchase 22,500 gallons of B20 bio-diesel.  The B20 will be used in 50 percent of the ACAA’s ground support vehicles (approximately 25 vehicles).  The ACAA will collect data regarding engine performance from the vehicles that are run on bio-diesel.  Ultimately, the ACAA would like to use B20 in their entire ground fleet, if no major barriers are detected.

 

SLA Transport, a trucking firm that is located in Amsterdam, NY (and that operates trucks throughout the Capital District) also applied for a grant to cover 75% of the incremental cost of bio-diesel.  SLA Transport will operate 27 (of 43) vehicles on bio-diesel.  SLA will also collect vehicle performance data.  SLA would like to run their entire fleet on bio-diesel and will do so if the data they collect during the test period show that there are few or no drawbacks to running bio-diesel.  SLA Transport signed the CDCC’s Memorandum of Understanding and plans to become an active member of the CDCC coalition.

 

2.     USDOE: The State Energy Plan Special Projects solicitation was released in mid-February. Proposals are due May 5th.  Eligible projects include the incremental cost of AFV’s and fueling infrastructure.  Funding the Clean Communities coordinator position is also an eligible project under this solicitation. CDTC staff has decided to forego this opportunity mostly because some the required activities of a coordinator (if funded by USDOE) exceed the realistic expectations of the AFV market in the Capital District.  For example, if funded by USDOE, the coordinator would be required to organize one to two niche market events with an auto or truck manufacturer, bring one to two new fleets to the National Conference and attend at least two national Clean Cities events.  These requirements are in addition to many other coordinator responsibilities.

 

3.     NYS Thruway Authority: The ethanol station in Buffalo is fueling approximately 50 vehicles.  The storage tank has a capacity of 2000 gallons; approximately 5000 gallons have been pumped to date.  Currently only Thruway vehicles are fueling at this station, but it will be opened to all state fleets shortly.  The Thruway is looking for a vendor to supply Syracuse and Albany.  Each of these cities has a tank in place (2000 gallon capacity-- former methanol tanks).

 

4.     Other Business:

 

a.     NYSDOT Region 1 reported on the Truck Stop Idling Project that is planned for the Northway.  This project is similar to the NYS Thruway Truck Stop Electrification Project that was installed in the DeWitt Rest Area and is planned for the Chittenango Rest Area.  The Northway project will be a little different in design from the Thruway projects; but both are aimed at eliminating overnight truck idling.  A location on the Northway has not yet been identified; there is a potential to implement the test project at exit B1 of I-90 instead.

 

b.     Glenn Havens from Cummins Northeast reported that his company manufactures and installs a muffler on after production vehicles such as school buses, that utilizes a soot filter and trap that reduces particulate matter by nearly 90%.  The mufflers must be cleaned annually and have a 10 year life.  Lawrence D’Arco reported that these devices can be installed on CNG buses; this technology reduces emissions from CNG buses to negligible levels.

 

c.      Deb distributed a copy of USDOE’s Altenate Fuel News (January 2003 edition) and the Fall 2002 edition of GM’s AltFuels.

 

 

Next Meeting

 

This group will meet again on Thursday June 5, 2003 from 10:00 am to noon at CDTC's offices (5 Computer Drive West, Albany, NY 12205).