Austin wins $5M grant for earth-friendly fleet
Austin Business Journal
Date: Friday, February 11, 2011, 9:27am CST - Last Modified: Friday, February 11, 2011, 2:10pm CST
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.The city of Austin won a state grant to buy 27 alternative fuel vehicles that will save about $355,000 annually.

The Austin City Council accepted the $5 million Texas Commission on Environmental Quality grant during its regular meeting on Thursday. The money will cover about 66 percent of the cost to buy the vehicles. The city will pay for the rest, or about $3.2 million.

The new fleet includes 18 compressed natural gas refuse trucks for Solid Waste Services; five CNG sweepers for Solid Waste Services, Public Works and Aviation; two diesel hybrid bucket trucks for Austin Energy; and two electric trucks for the Parks and Recreation Department.

The city estimates the switch will prevent 9.62 tons of nitrogen oxide from entering the atmosphere every year, as well as save $355,000 in fuel costs annually. Officials also set the goal to reach carbon neutrality by 2020.

The city won a $198,090 grant from the same program last year to outfit certain fleets with auxiliary power units that allow workers to plug in power tools and other equipment for up to eight hours without having to keep the engine idling.

Austin's Fleet Services division employs about 200 people and maintains more than 45,000 city vehicle orders annually.
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Read more: Austin wins $5M grant for earth-friendly fleet | Austin Business Journal

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