Initiative Helps Municipalities Cut Pollution, Costs

Energy Minister Andrew Younger today, Sept. 2, announced funding to help municipalities add alternative fuel vehicles into their fleets.

"We are proud to partner with the Clean Foundation on this project which is intended to directly reduce environmental impact and costs to municipalities, and in turn, property taxpayers," said Mr. Younger. "Fuel consumption is becoming an increasingly larger issue for municipalities, both from a cost and environmental perspective.

"This project will help Nova Scotia municipalities integrate clean technology into their fleets."

The foundation will receive $27,314 for the Municipal Fleet Efficiency project.

This project supports a broader aim to increase the use of clean technology and fuel-efficient transportation options in the province. The funding will help the foundation provide support to municipalities looking to add alternative fuel vehicles to their fleets.

"Transportation currently produces about 25 per cent of the province's greenhouse gas emissions," said Clean Foundation executive director Chris Morrissey. "Nearly half of these transportation-related emissions are coming from vehicle and light-truck road use.

"This project will help lay the groundwork for the wider adoption of alternative fuel vehicles in public and commercial fleets, which will support our shared goal of reducing emissions rates in Nova Scotia."

As part of this project, the foundation will partner with two municipalities in Nova Scotia to assess their vehicle use and needs, and help develop strategies on how to take advantage of new technologies in their fleets.

Once completed, the foundation will release case studies to help other organizations learn how to improve fleet efficiency.

This initiative is supported by the Department of Energy, Nova Scotia Power, the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities, Service Nova Scotia and FleetCarma.

Funding provided by government comes from the Department of Energy in support of the Province's Sustainable Transportation Strategy.