Capital District February 2, 2006
Clean Communities
Capital District Clean Communities
February 2, 2006 Meeting
Meeting Notes
Attendance
Mark Austin, NYS Thruway
Authority
Patricia Boudreau, National
Grid
Greg Cuda, Saratoga ARC
Lawrence D’Arco, NYSDEC
Tom Garrett, Siemens Building
Technologies
Ken Goewey, Interested
Citizen
Glenn Havens, Cummins
Northeast
Jeff Mirel, Manchester
All-Mobile
Craig Johansen, Siemens
Building Technologies
Steve Iachetta, Albany County
Airport Authority
Jerry King, NYSOGS
Mark Riley, Clean Energy
Carol Rodino, NY Power
Authority
Paul Rogers, Siemens Building
Technologies
Mike Scarpino, USDOE—Northern
Regional Office
Deborah Stacey, CDTC Staff,
CDCC Coordinator
Robert Steff, NY Thruway
Authority
Suna Stone-McMasters, SUNY
Cobleskill
Ted Thompson, NYSDOT R-1
Michal Vojtisek, Atmospheric
Sciences Research Center
SUMMARY NOTES:
1. ACAA:
a. Monies granted under the Phase 1 VALE program are
being used to electrify baggage tugs, to expand the CNG fueling facility and to
replace two diesel parking lot shuttles with CNG shuttles.
b. The Albany County Airport Authority has been notified
of a $300,000 Phase 2 grant award under the VALE program. Projects will be
identified shortly.
2. USDOE:
a. USDOE’s Boston regional office is closing in June
2006. Six offices are being consolidated to two. The Clean Cities program has been folded into
USDOE’s Freedom Car Program.
b. USDOE will release a funding opportunity notice shortly
for State Energy Plan Special Projects (SEP). The budget for this program has been cut in
half which means that project selection will be very competitive; projects that
displace large quantities of petroleum will be looked upon more favorably.
c. Mike reported that emphasis on plug-in hybrids was beginning
to emerge; a “Sprinter” van has been produced which will be circulating on a
demonstration tour for three years.
3. NYSERDA and NYSOGS:
a. NYSERDA expects to release the Project Opportunity
Notice (PON) for the Clean Cities Challenge Grant within a few weeks. Because of reduced funding, this program
might be significantly reduced in scope.
b. Governor Pataki has issued Executive Order 142. Under
the Executive Order, state agencies and public authorities will be required to
purchase and utilize biofuels for use in boilers, heating/cooling plants and in
their motor vehicle fleets. In 2007, at
least 2 percent of fuels used in the State fleet must be bio-diesel, with this
percentage rising to 10 percent by 2012.
By 2012, at least 5 percent of the heating fuel used in state buildings
will be bio-diesel. The Governor’s Clean
Fueled Vehicle Council, directed by OGS, will develop and implement plans to
increase the number and accessibility of ethanol refueling stations.
c. Governor Pataki announced a series of measures in his
2006 executive budget which will help the state reduce its dependence on
foreign oil. The measures include tax
credits for hybrids, competitive grants for the production of flexible fuel
plug-in hybrid vehicles, funds for advanced vehicle research and development,
production tax credits for renewable fuel producers and resources to construct
a pilot cellulosic ethanol production facility in the state. The budget proposal also offers a $2000
income tax credit to help defray the incremental costs of purchasing a
hybrid-electric vehicle.
d. The Governor also plans to work with retail fuel
suppliers to develop legislation allowing stations to dispense renewable fuels
regardless of contractual agreements with gasoline fuel providers. This effort will
address a barrier to the widespread use of biofuels—agreements that retail
service stations have with fuel providers requiring them to use a specific
brand of fuel. If that brand does not
offer a renewable fuel, the retailer is prevented from dispensing renewable
fuel from another source.
e. Ethanol—two ethanol plants will be built in the state.
The Governor has requested that the Thruway make ethanol available to the
public at the rest area stations.
4. OTHER NEWS:
a. Siemens Building Technologies: Siemens has entered into an agreement with the City
of Albany to develop a project that will convert landfill gas to CNG. Siemens has formed a partnership with Sysco,
which has the largest diesel fleet in the US.
Through this project, Sysco will convert 108 diesel vehicles to dual
fuel technology (diesel/CNG). Approximately 1 million gas gallon equivalents of
CNG will be produced annually; Sysco will purchase all of the CNG. . Dry ice will also be produced as a by-product
of the process. Nitrogen will be sold to Albany Nanotech and 1-2 megawatts of
electricity will also be produced annually.
b. NYSTA: The Thruway
Authority has all the pieces in place to start dispensing E85. E85 is available in Nyack, Newburgh, and
Buffalo. Equipment is being installed in
Syracuse as well. Troop T is beginning
to use E85 in some of their fleet.
c. Tour de Sol: Ken Goewey has rejoined the Clean Communities coalition
after a several year hiatus. Ken is
working on the 2006 Tour de Sol event. The
Tour de Sol will be held May 10-14th. Many events and activities are in the works.
d. SUNY Cobleskill: SUNY Cobleskill will be hosting a sustainability conference in
April. Suna is looking for
speakers/topics for the conference.
e. Saratoga ARC (Bridges): The ARC moves 400 people per day and drives 800,000
miles per year. The ARC is building a
“green” building and would like to explore the possibility of switching to
bio-diesel. Mike Scarpino will research whether nearby suppliers (i.e.
Brattleboro) can supply the ARC.
National Grid is also interested in a supply for their local fleet.
f. Cummins: Glenn
Havens reported that Cummins is revisiting the warranty issue regarding B-20. Basically, Cummins will warranty an engine
using B-20 when the spec of B-20 fuel becomes standardized.
g.
Clean Energy: Mark Riley introduced himself to this Clean
Communities coalition, having transferred from the Phoenix region
recently. Clean Energy has signed an
agreement with Hallahan Truck Sales on LI to build a natural gas refuse truck
which will meet NYC specs. The truck
will be demonstrated for eight months and will be shown in the Capital District
at some point. Clean Energy also has a
finance arm which aids in the financing of alternative fuel vehicles. This division of Clean Energy also helps
applicants with tax incentives, tax codes, etc.
Next Meeting
This
group will meet again on Thursday May 4, 2006 from 10:00 am to noon at
CDTC's offices (1 Park Place Main Floor, Albany, NY 12205).