| VERMONT CLEAN CITIES COALITION
Hosted by UVM Transportation Research Center
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eNewsletter 8.12.08
Your clearinghouse for news, programs, and funding related to
reducing the consumption of petroleum for transportation in Vermont |
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Events
- "CNG or LNG Vehicle Safety Training" Downey, CA. August 20-22. More info
- "Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT) 2008 International Conference" Atlanta, GA. August 24-27. More info
- "Northeast
Renewable Energy Conference" Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center,
Pennsylvania, August 26 - 28, 2008. More Info
- "Best
Practices in Telework: How Technology Enables Government Telework" Free
Webcast, Wednesday September 17, 2008 1:00-2:00. More Info
- "Human Powered Vehicle Burlington Bikefest" Burlington and Shelburne, October 4-5. More info
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Interactive Vermont Clean Cities Blog Here
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Funding
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Driving declines reduce Highway Trust Fund
 The
nation's drivers have reduce their driving by 40 billion miles to cope
with high fuel prices. They drove 3.7% fewer miles in May of this year
than May of last year, more than double the drop off seen in April.
However
fewer miles driven mean that fewer fuel taxes are collected, which is
one of the primary ways the Highway Trust Fund is replenished. The
Highway Trust Fund provides the money for all national transportation
programs including road maintenance, bridge repair, and mass transit;
current estimates show that the Fund will have a deficit of $5 billion
by 2009.
DOT officials are trying to develop alternative
funding mechanisms. The House recently approved an $8 billion transfer
from the general fund into the highway fund; however, similar
legislation in the Senate was stalled by filibuster soon after.
Anecdotes show that Vermonters are also driving less.
[Sources: Wall Street Journal 7/28 & 7/24, International Herald Tribune, Land Line Magazine]
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Public Transit
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Federal transit money comes to the state
 More
than $1.5 million in federal grants will help fund more buses in 8 of
the 12 transit-serviced areas in Vermont, covering the areas of
Addison, Chittenden, Washington, Franklin, Grand Isle, Orange and
Windsor Counties, along with Dover, Wilmington, and the Northeast
Kingdom.
[Source: Rutland Herald]
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Consumption trends
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NRDC ranks states on 'oil addiction'
The
Natural Resources Defense Council ranked Vermont the 31st most 'oil
addicted' state in the nation, based on the percentage of income its
residents spent on gasoline last year. The average amount Vermont
motorists spent on gasoline was $1,856. It also ranked 16th in terms of
taking action to reduce this dependency on oil, including smart growth
policies and support for regional planning commissions. Full report
available here.
[Sources: Boston Globe, Fox News 44]
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Policy Watch
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Public Transit forums conclude
 The
Vermont Agency of Transportation has concluded its statewide public
forums to inform its Short Range Public Transportation Plan. Average
meeting turnout has been around 40. Tentative plans will be created
based on the feedback, which will then be presented at another set of
forums held in late August or October. At that point top priorities
will be identified.
Public input is still welcome at the VTrans website here.
[Source: Rutland Herald]
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Alternative Modes |
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Carshare Vermont launches website
The
nonprofit Carshare Vermont (formerly Green Mountain Car Share) has
launched its website that explains how the program works, where its
cars are located, how much it costs to participate, and explains
benefits of car sharing as well. Organizers anticipate a September
launch of the program itself. All locations are currently in Burlington
but if the first stage is successful, the organization hopes to
expand in the future.
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Alternative Fuels |
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Pennycress explored as Northeast biodiesel crop  An
Albany-based developer of alternative fuels will be planting oil-rich
pennycress at three sites in New York this fall. Soybean, a popular
biodiesel crop, is 18% oil; the seed of pennycress is 36% oil.
Pennycress grows over the winter and is often a weed in soy fields, so
farmers could produce fuel in the winter and food in the summer
planting pennycress and soybeans in short rotation.
[Sources: Times Union, Biofuels Journal]
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Alternative Fuels
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Biofuel policy recommendations from Harvard Kennedy School researchers
 A
new policy report provides recommendations as to how biofuels policies
can best promote their economic and environmental benefits and minimize
their drawbacks. Among the conclusions are that governments should
avoid simplistic changes to current policies, for example eliminating
biofuels mandates and incentives. Instead, the report urges governments
to initiate an orderly, innovation-enhancing transition towards
incentives that coordinate the multiple goals of biofuels development.
Development
of an international market to couple supply and demand is encouraged,
as well as incentives for large scale R&D, and biofuel production
centered in those regions where feedstocks can be grown most
efficiently and where undesirable impacts are the smallest.
Further,
the report warns that the potential benefits of an international market
could be outweighed by the risks of damage to food and environmental
systems unless adequate protective measures are simultaneously
introduced. These protective measures will likely include the explicit
recognition that sustainable production of biofuels cannot be expanded
indefinitely. There are intrinsic limits on the productive capacity of
ecosystems, constraining yields per unit of available area and the
amount of area that can be dedicated to sustainable biofuels production.
[Source: Harvard Kennedy School of Government]
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In Other Vermont Transportation News...
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Bike-Ped planning
Chittenden County Metropolitan Planning Organization updating Regional Bicycle-Pedestrian Plan. [CCMPO]
Pedestrian needs on South Burlington's front burner. [Burlington Free Press]
Public transit
CCTA
is planning to cut service on two Burlington routes and raise the fare
on the its Middlebury LINK Express route to counter rising fuel costs.
[VPR, CCTA, Burlington Free Press]
Advance
Transit may have to detour two routes to New Hampshire as weight limit
for corroded Lebonan-White River Junction bridge is lowered. [Union Leader]
Policy watch
Vermont's Congressman weighs in on his plans for the energy future. [Rutland Herald]
Schools feel the pinch
Milton School District facing 27% increase in transportation costs this year [Burlington Free Press]
Telecommuting future
Vermont
Telecommunications Authority hopes to increase broadband coverage by
including mobile broadband technology on cell towers it constructs [Bennington Banner]
POST A COMMENT |
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A Glimpse into Transportation at Large... |
The Candidates
The Associate Press compares McCain and Obama energy plans. [Associated Press]
Walking is gaining
Google Maps and AOL Maps have added "Walking Directions" their "Get Directions" tools. [Business Week]
Cellulosic ethanol advances
University of Georgia researchers make efficiency gains in producing cellulosic ethanol. [University of Georgia]
Idling soon a thing of the past?
Executives
at Ford, GM and Chrysler say that hybrid technology to eliminate gas
consumption during engine idling will be the standard within 10 years. [Examiner.com]
RFS retained
EPA denies Texas request to waive Renewable Fuels Standard. [New York Times, CNN Money, Dallas Morning News]
Impacts of gas prices
Gas
prices have increased online sales, reduced grocery and unnecessary
purchases, increased efficient driving by trucking companies, and may
even be reducing traffic fatalities. [NPR]
Big oil vs. Big Ag
Big
Oil is apparently losing ground to Big Ag groups like Archer Daniels
Mindland Co. in their influence over U.S. energy policy. [Bloomberg]
Electric cars for India?
Indian auto manufacturer gain TATA to develop electric car. [Newstrack India]
Britain's electric role model
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to replace official Jaguar with electric limo. [Sunday Mirror]
Compressed air to displace gas as fuel?
A compressed air car that gets 100 miles per gallon? [CNN]
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Guest Contributor
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Become a Vermont Clean Cities Guest Contributor!
Send us your article with sources!
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Best regards,
Elaine Wang, Graduate Assistant
Vermont Clean Cities Coalition,
University of Vermont Transportation Research Center
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| Funding |
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Closing date |
Coverage, description, eligibility. |
9/15/08
[View]
9/21/08
[View]
9/30/08
[View]
Rolling
[View] |
Federal: Rail capcacity improvement study.
Public entities eligible.
State: Biodiesel supplier.
Federal:
Research, Development, and Demonstration of Fuel Cell Technologies for
Automotive, Stationary, and Portable Power Applications
Regional: New England Grassroots Environment Fund Small Grants
Federal: Clean diesels emerging technologies program
Federal: Capital Assistance to States - Intercity Passenger Rail Service
Federal: Economic Development Assistance Programs
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Weekly
Petro-
Stats
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Gas at the Pump, VT Crude Oil Futures
This Week
(Aug
4-10)
$3.925/gallon
$118.876/barrel
Last Week
(Jul 28-Aug
3)
$3.972/gallon
$124.574/barrel
This Week $2.891/gallon
Last Year |
Sources: Gas VT, Crude Oil
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