VERMONT CLEAN CITIES COALITION
Hosted by UVM Transportation Center
eNewsletter 10.2.07
Your clearinghouse for news, programs, and funding related to
reducing  the consumption of petroleum for transportation in Vermont

In This Issue
Clean Cities Survey
Fuels
New Vehicles
Rail
Survey
Quick Links
Clean Cities Survey
Do you have an opinion as to what the Vermont Clean Cities Coalition should be doing? Please click here to participate in our 4-question survey. Thank you!
Fuels
The last day to register online at the reduced rate for next week's Vermont Biodiesel Workshop is this Wednesday, Oct. 4.

Vermont Biodiesel Workshop
"Delivering An Affordable Energy Solution"
October 10, 2007
  • Join other commercial, municipal and institutional fuel users, fuel suppliers, fleet and facilities managers, state personnel and policy makers and renewable energy professionals.
  • Learn how biodiesel is being used in Vermont today as a transportation and heating fuel.
  • Find out about fuel performance and environmental issues from the people who are using and distributing biodiesel.
Presented by Vermont Biofuels Association, Vermont Clean Cities Coalition and Vermont Fuel Dealers Association.

To register, click here.
For conference agenda, click here.
Fuels
UVM students building hybrid race car
UVM students from many different disciplines have rallied together to design and build a Formula 1 hybrid racing car. Their vehicle will be entered into the May 2008 Formula Hybrid International Competition for college and graduate school students at New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon. [Source: Burlington Free Press]
New Vehicles
Partial Zero Emission Vehicles (PZEV)
If you've shopped for a car in the last three years, you may have noticed that some sport a 'PZEV', or Partial Zero Emission Vehicle, label. This label means that the vehicle is 90% cleaner than the average new vehicle and has zero tailpipe or other evaporative emissions. 'PZEV' is a very good rating in the California vehicle emissions rating scale, just behind Alternative Technology PZEVs, the ratings that most hybrids have:
CA vehicle emissions ratings scale
(click image for exaplanation of acronyms)

The key things to remember about PZEVs is that they achieve their low emissions rating by tightly controlling the pollution they release to the air, and by completely burning fuel. They do NOT achieve them by getting high miles per gallon.

Below is a list of 2008 and 2007 model year vehicles which have the PZEV rating:

Make

Model (2008/7)

Type

Chevy

Cobalt PZEV

car

Pontiac

G5 PZEV

car

BMW

325Ci

car

Ford

Fusion

car

Hyundai

Elantra

car

Kia

Spectra

car

Mazda

3

car

 

6

car

Mercedes-Benz

E350

car

Mercury

Milan

car

Nissan

Altima 2.5

car

 

Altima 2.5s

car

Subaru

Legacy 4D

car

 

Legacy Wagon

station wagon

 

Outback Wagon

station wagon

Volkswagen

Golf

car

 

Jetta

car

 

New Beetle

car

Volvo

S40 2.4l

car

 

S60 FWD

car

 

V50 2.4l

station wagon

 

V70 FWD

station wagon


For vehicles from other model years, or vehicles with other emissions ratings, click here and use the 'Program Links' menu at the right of the page. [Source: California Air Resources Board]
Rail
Some progress on rail
Passenger rail service in western Vermont will not be viable until more than 70 crossings are upgraded to handle higher speeds safely. Improvements to several railroad crossings in Bennington County began this month, but many more await along the Albany, Bennington, Rutland, and Burlington stretch. [Source: Bennington Banner]
Best regards,

Elaine Wang, Graduate Student Research Intern
Vermont Clean Cities Coalition

Funding

Closing date

Coverage, description, eligibility.

10/4/07
[View]

Statewide: Consultant services.
Short range public transportation plans.


10/15/07 [View]


Regional: Environment.


11/2/07
View
[see page 77]


Federal: Biobased products and bioenergy production research.
Letter of Intent due 11/2/07. Applications due 1/17/08.


11/27/07
[View]


Regional: Sustainable Communities.
Non profits, instiutions and municipalities eligible.


4/11/08
[
View]


Federal: Agriculture. Enhancing the competitiveness of specialty crops. State governments eligible.


Events 

10/2, Tue
Colchester

Route 15 Walk/Bike Committee Meeting
St. Michael's College Alliot Student Center
Info: 652-2453


10/3, Wed

Middlebury


Transportation Brainstorming Meeting

Ilsley Library
Info: 388-2812


10/9, Tue
Burlington


Bernie Sanders Global Warming Town Meeting
University of Vermont
Info: 800-339-9834


10/12-13
Manchester, NH


Global Warming & Energy Solutions

Radisson Hotel
Info here


10/17
Burlington


2007 Renewable Energy Conference

Sheraton Burlington Hotel
Info here


10/3-25
Burlington


Community Matters

Main Street Landing
Info here


Weekly
Petro-
Stats

Gas at the pump, VT [Source]

Crude oil futures [Source]

This week        (Sep 26-Oct 2)

$2.794/gallon

$80.832/barrel

Last week        (Sep 19-25)

$2.778/gallon

$80.946/barrel