City of Fort Wayne press release:
City of Fort Wayne wins statewide award for use of alternative fuels
Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman recognizes City at Central Indiana Clean Cities Alliance meeting
The City of Fort Wayne earned statewide recognition of its use of alternative and biofuels when it won the Indiana Department of Agriculture’s Paul Dana Excellence in Bioenergy Leadership Award.
Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman presented City Fleet Director Larry Campbell with the award Wednesday at the Central Indiana Clean Cities Alliance’s 10-year anniversary luncheon at the Governor’s Mansion in Indianapolis.
The City started using alternative fuels in 2005 with a blend of B20 biodiesel into the diesel fleet and began fueling what was 37 flex-fuel police vehicles at Lassus Bros.’ Wallen Road location. Since then the City has used more than 180,000 gallons of biodiesel in blends from B2 to B20 and are on track to use over 50,000 gallons of biodiesel in 2009.
Mayor Tom Henry has expanded the City’s commitment to alternative fuels with 379 vehicles that can use the E85 ethanol-gasoline blend. Fort Wayne is one of nine partners in the CICCA and Office of Energy Development Clean Cities Grant application funded from the American Reinvestment and Recover Act to add three additional E85 stations in Fort Wayne and a $2,000 reimbursement for each purchase of hybrid vehicles, up to $18,000.
“The use of biofuels creates a win-win for Fort Wayne and Indiana,” Mayor Tom Henry said. “Renewable fuels and hybrid vehicles are the future of energy use yet the City is doing it right now and reducing our dependence on foreign oil. Indiana is also a leading producer of corn and soybeans, which is used to produce ethanol and biodiesel, so we are supporting Hoosier farmers too.”
The Paul Dana Excellence in Bioenergy Leadership Award is named after Indianapolis Racing League driver and biofuel advocate Paul Dana, who was killed in a car-racing accident in 2006.
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