The Capital District Clean Communities Coalition was established in 1999 to advance the Capital Region’s economic, environmental, and energy security by promoting the use of alternative fuels, advanced vehicle technologies and policies that reduce petroleum consumption in transportation. The Capital District Transportation Committee, the Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Capital Region, manages the coalition as part of their staff’s tasks. The Capital Region provides substantial opportunities for the expansion of the alternative fuel marketplace, through the large state and private vehicle fleets that operate in the area. CDCC members think outsode the barrell by committing to reducing their petroleum use, promoting alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies, and advocating for idle reduction policies.

Capital District Clean Communities recently visited Mulhern Gas Co. in Hudson New York to learn more about the benefits of using propane autogas as a transportation fuel. We spoke with owner Rick Cummings who chose to start transitioning the company’s medium-duty service trucks to bi-fuel propane autogas because of the cost savings and environmental benefits. We also heard from Frank Jung, owner of Precision Autogas who specializes in propane bi-fuel vehicle conversions and does most of the work on the Mulhern Gas Co. fleet. Check out the video below to learn more about propane autogas from Rick and Frank!

The Capital Region Transportation Council is the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan area.  The Transportation Council is not only our gracious host but also maintains the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for the four-county MPO area. 

The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is a multi-year program of transportation projects that implements the products of the planning process described in the New Visions Plan, the Transportation Council's long-range regional transportation plan. Federal regulations require that transit, highway and other transportation improvement projects within the Capital Region metropolitan area be included in this TIP if these projects are to be eligible for federal capital or operating funding from the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. The program should also include, for informational purposes, non-federally funded projects and New York State Thruway Authority projects located in the region.

National Grid offers incentives and opportunities to install EV charging stations, save on electricity costs for DC fast-charging stations, and convert fleet vehicles to EVs.

For more information on National Grid's EV charging station programs please visit the program webpages below, or contact National Grid at evnationalgriduny@nationalgrid.com . 

Electric Vehicle Charging Station Make-Ready Program

Fleet Advisory Services and Make-Ready Program

DCFC Per Plug Incentive Program

We are lucky to be so close to the New York State Energy Research and Authority (NYSERDA) headquarters here in Albany. NYSERDA is a public benefit corporation that aims to help New York meet its energy goals: reducing energy consumption, promoting the use of renewable energy sources, and protecting the environment. NYSERDA is primarily funded by state rate payers through the System Benefits Charge. Many of our members have benefited from NYSERDA’s funding programs. Below are links to current, upcoming and closed funding opportunities through NYSERDA.

• Current NYSERDA Funding Opportunities
• Closed NYSERDA Funding Opportunities

You can find current transportation-related funding opportunities, including Clean Cities Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) issued by the U.S. Department of Energy by clicking the link below:

• Current USDOE Funding Opportunities

Over 1,000 grant programs administered by federal government agencies are can be found online at Grants.gov

On Tuesday March 23, 2021 the Capital District Clean Communities Coalition  hosted a virtual Autogas Answers event in partnership with the Propane Education & Research Council. The webinar included presentations from fleet managers, clean air advocates, and propane industry experts and detailed the ways that propane use in your fleet can reduce emissions without increasing cost or losing efficiency. The presentation also covered available incentives for propane vehicles in New York State.

For more information on the use of propane as a transportation fuel in New York State, check out the full webinar recording below, or browse the propane autogas resources to the right!

The Capital District Clean Communities Coalition (CDCC) and the Capital District Transportation Committee’s (CDTC) Freight Advisory Committee joined to host a Multi-Modal Alternative Fuel Vehicle Showcase on Wednesday, November 9. The showcase included virtual presentations from BYD Electric Trucks, Dannar Mobile Power Systems, and Zeem Solutions on some of the latest in medium & heavy-duty alternative fuel vehicles and off-road alternative fuel vehicles available today. The showcase also featured on-site demonstrations of Firstgreen Industries’ fully electric skid steers provided by Northeast Equipment Connections, LLC and a hydrogen fuel cell van powered by technology from Plug Power. 

For more information on current medium and heavy duty alternative fuel vehicle technolgy and available funding opportunities in New York State, check out the full webinar recording below, or browse the presentations and resources to the right!