Environmental Progress - Spring 2001

BOA Launches Illinois Green Fleets Program

A new mobile source initiative is underway in the IEPA's Bureau of Air.

The Illinois Green Fleets program recognizes businesses and government units throughout Illinois that have implemented clean, alternative fuels into their fleet operations. A Green Fleet is one that acquires vehicles using ethanol (E-85), natural gas, propane, electricity, hydrogen, or other alternative fuel. In order to qualify, a fleet must have alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) as a portion of its vehicles and the alternative fuel must be used.

"Green" has two meanings in this program. First, fleets using alternative fuels and vehicles help provide significant reductions in motor vehicle emissions, improving air quality in the state. Second, the alternative fuels typically cost less. Generally, AFVs require less maintenance, providing economic advantages and saving money in the fleet's transportation budget. With the Illinois Alternate Fuel Rebate Program providing rebates up to $4,000 for acquisition or conversion of a vehicle to an AFV, fleets that use alternate fuels are not running in the red but are running green.

One, three and five-star levels

A fleet becomes designated as a "Green Fleet" through a scoring system where points are awarded for current and past AFV acquisitions.

Green Fleet vehicles are checked out by visitors to a recent event at a Motorola plant in the Chicago area.

A minimal number of points must be achieved to receive Green Fleet designation. There are three tiers of designation levels: 1-star, 3-star, and the highest level, 5-star Green Fleets. The criteria include the percentage of new AFVs acquired during the past year compared to newly acquired vehicles, the percentage of the total applicable fleet that consists of AFVs, the percentage of vehicles that use alternate fuels 100 percent of the time, the arrangements for refueling, actual fuel usage, and the level of commitment. Fleets can move up from one tier to another as their alternate fuel program progresses.

Designated Green Fleets will benefit from the recognition and marketing inherent in the program.

The Green Fleet Program will feature its own website, a periodic newsletter, informational materials, and fleet recognition events. A list of businesses and government units in Illinois that are green fleets will be highlighted, along with feature stories on how certain fleets became green fleets and their experiences in using clean, alternative fuels.

The program will provide excellent marketing opportunities for businesses and local governments. Green Fleets can highlight progressive environmental and domestic energy initiatives in delivering goods and services with significantly less environmental impact, while emphasizing the fleet operators' status as "good neighbors."

For more information about the Green Fleets program, to request an application package or to be placed on the Green Fleets mailing list, call Darwin Burkhart, Mobile Source Programs, at 217-524-4343.