What is Clean Cities?

Clean Cities is a program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, which is designed to encourage the use of Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFV's) and their supporting infrastructure throughout the nation. By encouraging AFV use, the Clean Cities Program will help achieve energy security and environmental quality goals at both the national and local levels. Unlike traditional command-and-control programs, the Clean Cities program takes a unique, voluntary approach to AFV development, working with coalitions of local stakeholders to help develop the AFV industry and integrate this development into larger planning processes.

• Promote the use of AFVs
• Increase fuel blends use: diesel/biodiesel, ethanol/gasoline, CNG/hydrogen
  
• Accelerate sales of hybrid vehicles
• Promote informed consumer choice on fuel economy
• Encourage the use of idle reduction technologies for heavy duty trucks and other vehicles
• Facilitate public/private projects
• Income tax deductions
• Investment tax credits for AFVs and infrastructure
• Fuel and vehicle sales tax credits and exemptions

Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFVs) In order to increase energy security, we must reduce our dependence upon foreign sources of petroleum. The stability of our transportation future, and perhaps even the nation's economy, depends upon our ability to diversify our fuel sources and types.

Norwich can help reduce vehicle emissions, provide domestic economic benefits and increase energy security by using Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFVs), which run on alternative sources including:

• Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)
• Ethanol
• Propane
• Electricity
• Biodiesel
• Methanol
• Hydrogen

We encourage the displacement of petroleum using the latest proven technologies. There are a large selection of vehicles, from sedans, vans, pickup trucks, and SUVs to heavy duty dump trucks, street sweepers and buses that qualify as Alternate Fuel Vehicles.

Although Clean Cities is a voluntary effort, there are specific steps to become a designated coalition. The first step is to form a coalition of community stakeholders.

Stakeholder participation is essential to the success of a Clean Cities coalition. There are several strategies new coalitions can use to attract and maintain stakeholders. Read more...

For more information about Clean Cities, please visit...