Environmental Progress - Summer 2000

Chicago Area Commits to Clean Fuels and Vehicles

Funding provides several alternative fuel sites and cleaner vehicles

The IEPA Bureau of Air's Alternate Fuels Rebate Program distributed $334,479 for 90 alternative fuel vehicles this spring. Several businesses, local governments, and a few private citizens took advantage of state and federal funding available for clean, alternative fuel vehicles. Refueling sites will also be established under the program.

A look under the hood shows how the alternate fuel vehicles have been modified.

The rebate program covers 80 percent of the additional cost of an alternate fuel vehicle or conversion, up to $4,000. Anyone in the state is eligible for this program, which is effective until the end of 2002.

Vehicles that were recently funded included 54 propane, 33 natural gas, and three electric vehicles. Those receiving rebates were: Commonwealth Edison, Brookfield Zoo, Connie's Pizza, NIU, Sycamore schools, Kerrigan Plumbing, UIC, Governors State University, NICOR Gas, Lansing Cleaners, the Kane County Sheriffs Department, the village of Glencoe, and three private citizens who are members of the Fox Valley Electric Car Club.

Recipients proudly display over-sized "checks" signifying the amounts they received to help offset costs of acquiring vehicles running on non-traditional fuels.

In addition, $2 million in federal funding was granted for seven alternative fuel stations throughout the Chicago area. Local governments and private fleets using these stations will include the city of Chicago, Coca-Cola, CTA, Northwestern University, Blue Cab Company, the city of Evanston and the villages of Downers Grove, Lisle, Lombard, Skokie, Oak Park, River Forest, Elmwood Park, Berwyn, Hodgkins, Countryside, Indian Head Park, LaGrange, LaGrange Park, Western Springs, Lyons, Lake Zurich, and several park districts and villages in the far northwest suburbs.

According to the BOA's Darwin Burkhart, businesses and municipalities that want to be seen as "green" are making the switch to domestic fuels like ethanol, natural gas, propane, and electricity. "Gasoline is the most expensive fuel drivers can use right now," Burkhardt said, "and with all of the funding opportunities to cover start-up costs, businesses and local governments have figured out that clean, American-made fuels make 'green' in more than one way."