The city of Moline, Illinois, has been named a Clean Fuels Champion by the Illinois Alliance for Clean Transportation (IACT), formerly known as the Chicago Area Clean Cities Coalition.

The alliance recognized Moline and its fleet and facilities manager Sarah Mark with its top award at its Annual Meeting earlier this month in Wheaton, Illinois.

Running a Sustainable Fleet

The city of Moline operates 380 unique pieces of equipment powered by low-emission alternative fuels and technologies. The majority of its medium- and heavy-duty fleet -- comprised of special on- and off-road equipment, fire and rescue units, refuse hauleres, tandems, and snow plows -- are powered by B20 biodiesel year-round, with the remainder running on compressed natural gas (CNG). The city also operates its light-duty fleet of cars, trucks, police cruisers, and SUVs on alternative fuels and technologies. Those include CNG, E85 ethanol, electric, and hybrid powertrains.

Over the past 17 years, Moline’s fleet and facilities team, previously under the direction of retired managers J.D. Schulte and Dave Mallum, maintained and expanded its comprehensive alternative fuels program, including the addition of a biobased fleet and facilities program initiated by Mark. In addition to spearheading the city’s transition from a B5 winter blend to year-round B20 fuel, Mark has helped the city implement environmentally friendly soy-based tires and motor oil, as well as other sustainable fleet and facilities products.

Currently, Mark also is investigating the use of E15 ethanol (15% ethanol/85% gasoline), B30 biodiesel (30% biodiesel/70% ULSD), and B100 (100% biodiesel) fuels for the fleet. Another initiative Mark spearheaded, in her role as a facilities professional, was installing high-efficiency LED lighting technologies in public buildings throughout the city. Mark also led efforts to install a radon mitigation system at City Hall.

“The City of Moline’s fleet and facilities manager Sarah Mark and her team are to be commended,” IACT chair John W. Walton said. “Moline is an example of how a city can operate a fleet responsibly using lowemission vehicles, protecting the air we breathe while serving the community. For their efforts, Moline is a Clean Fuels Champion.”

IACT’s Clean Fuels Champion award has been presented annually since 2001 to an individual, organization, or business that champions the promotion of alternative fuels and technologies to reduce vehicle emissions and reduce petroleum usage. Recent recipients include ComEd, Forest Preserves of Cook County, Pace Suburban Bus, the American Lung Association, and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.