Beyond a Billion: Detroit Area Clean Cities Coalition to Celebrate Nationwide Petroleum Savings

DETROIT, Oct. 14, 2005 -- The Detroit Area Clean Cities Coalition led by NextEnergy in partnership with the City of Taylor, Meijer, and DTE Energy joined Clean Cities coalitions across the country Friday, October 14, to celebrate displacing more than a billion gallons of petroleum.

The Clean Cities Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Office. The mission of the Clean Cities Program is to advance the nation's economic, environmental and energy security by supporting local decisions to adopt practices that contribute to the reduction of petroleum consumption. Clean Cities carries out this mission through a network of 88 Clean Cities coalitions focused on alternative fuels and alternative fuel vehicles, hybrid vehicles, fuel blends, fuel economy and idle reduction.

Since 1994 the Clean Cities Program has reached the milestone of displacing one billion gasoline gallon equivalents of petroleum, enough gas to fuel two million cars for a year. By using less oil, the Clean Cities coalitions have improved the nation's energy, economic, and environmental security.

Clean Cities coalitions held simultaneous events nationwide today to commemorate the "billionth gallon saved." The Detroit Area Clean Cities Coalition held a press event at the Pardee Road Meijer Fueling Station in Taylor, Michigan. The City of Taylor proactively embraced alternative fuels beginning in 2000 by utilizing compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles in the city fleet in partnership with DTE Energy, who supplies the city's CNG at the Meijer station in Taylor. The City of Taylor will soon add four Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles to its fleet having been selected by Ford as a partner in a demonstration program.

The ceremonial "billionth gallon" of alternative fuel was pumped by Taylor Mayor Greg Pitoniak as he filled a city vehicle with compressed natural gas, currently priced at $1.229/gal. The event showcased examples of the next generation of alternative energy vehicles. Among those on display, a Ford Focus Hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, biodiesel and ethanol (E-85) powered vehicles.

"I am proud that our city is on the cutting edge in the advancement of alternative fuel vehicles," said Mayor Pitoniak. "It is a high compliment to our vehicle maintenance operation that we have been selected once again to help pilot another new alternative fuel technology. Our environment and our tax payers are benefiting from this partnership."

"By passing the billionth gallon milestone, Clean Cities coalitions have shown they are making a difference on a local and national level," said Clean Cities Coordinator Rachel Kuntzsch. "To improve our economic and energy security, Clean Cities coalitions across the country are demonstrating options that work."

  About NextEnergy
  The Detroit Area Clean Cities Coalition is facilitated by NextEnergy.

NextEnergy is a non-profit corporation founded to advance business and community development by promoting technologies that strengthen the nation's energy security and Michigan's economy. For more information, visit http://www.nextenergy.org/ .

For more information on the "Beyond a Billion" event contact Detroit Area Clean Cities Coalition Coordinator, Rachel Kuntzsch at detroitcleancities@nextenergy.org or Bonnie Cowell, Public Information, City of Taylor at bcowell@ci.taylor.mi.us .

For more information on Clean Cities, visit the web site: http://www.eere.energy.gov/cleancities