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<br />. Other local and state agencies (and countries) who are using them to build an array of <br />improvements. <br /> <br />To register online or view a full conference agenda, visit wWI.'II.svIQ.oet.. For more information, <br />contact Laura Stuchinsky at Istuchinskv@svIQoet. <br /> <br />Sustainable Cities Feature: Vacaville's CNG Vehicle Program Improves Local Air <br />Quality <br /> <br />v.Ath 25 Toyota electric RA V4s, the City of Vacavilfe holds the distinction of being the city with the <br />most of that model in any municipality in the nation. The city is also the first in the country to get <br />federal money designated for air quality improvement to support the city's dean vehicle program <br />and subsidize the purchase price of compressed natural gas (CNG) running Honda Civic GX for <br />people who live or work in Vacavile. This distinction has earned Vacaville the name <br />"Voltageville. " <br /> <br />Vacaville's Vehicle Incentive <br />Program (VIP) bega'l in 1999 <br />when the city first applied to the <br />Congestion Mitigation and Air <br />Quality Improvement Program for <br />money to reduce the cost of <br />pu-chasing alternative fuel <br />vehides. Allocated through the <br />federal Safe, Accountable <br />Flexible, Efficient Transportation <br />Equity Ad. (SAFETEA-LU), the <br />funding is designated for air <br />quality improvement programs. <br />The city's mission is to help <br />rec:luce poUution in the Solano <br />County air basin by giving locals <br />an incentive to buy cleaner cars. <br /> <br />Advantages of CNG <br /> <br /> <br />Vac:avlIle transportation department dIredor Ed Huestis fills his Honda Civic <br />GX with compressed nalI..."I8l gas. <br /> <br />Running the city's transportation <br />department, Ed Huestis has become an evangelical about the benefits of cars that run on CNG. <br />VVhile the Honda Civic GX gets about the same gas mileage 8$ a traditional Civic (24 mpg in town <br />and 36 mpg on the freeway), because it is "fueled" by CNG it is 90 percent cleaner than a <br />gasoline-powered car. Greencars.org, part of the American CooociI for an Energy-Efficient <br />Economy (ACEEE), has named the GX as the most clean and green car for model years 2004- <br />2008. Visit www.qreenercars.or~ and dick on "ratings highlights" for a complete list of vehicles <br />ranked. <br /> <br />Huestis' comment on the GX sums up its extremely low emission output. "You can put your finger <br />in the tailpi~ere's nothing there'- <br /> <br />The U.S. gets all of its CNG from North America, with 85 percent coming thi$ country and Canada <br />supplying the remaining 15 percent, meaning drivers of CNG cars have no dependence foreign <br />oil. <br /> <br />T~~Iy, CNG ~ ~ ~ ~t _ th.. ~i~_ HQw$V~. wit;h ~Y'$ high..d <br />rapidly increasing gas prices Huestis says it's about 40 percent cheaper. At. PG& E refueling <br />stations, customers paid the equivalent of $2.45 per gallon in May to fill up their CNG tanks. <br />(PG&E sets its COO price once a month). Owners of CNG vehicles can also purchase a special <br />device that allows them to tap into their home natural gas supply to refuel their vehicles. <br /> <br />Civic GX drivers have access to high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes on the freeway during rush <br />hours and are also exempt from bridge tolls. <br /> <br />6 <br /> <br />8A <br />Page 6 <br />