Louisiana Clean Fuels (LCF) announced the winners of their annual Clean Fuel Leader Awards, recognizing the City of Shreveport/SporTran for Best Performing Municipality (With Transit), Thursday night at a gala to celebrate the coalition’s 20th anniversary. LCF, a designated US Department of Energy Clean Cities Coalition, awards outstanding alternative fuel users in the organization’s territory each year to recognize the exceptional achievements of stakeholders who have worked tirelessly to reduce petroleum consumption and emissions.
The highest honor of Clean Fuel Champion was awarded to Republic Services for their reduction of nearly 19,000 tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2019. The refuse company also reduced 2.3 million gasoline gallon equivalent (GGE) of petroleum with the fleet of 102 compressed natural gas (CNG) trash trucks they operate within LCF’s territory. Republic Services further reduces their emissions and fuel usage through other methods, including idle reduction, vehicle miles traveled (VMT) reduction, and fuel economy improvements.
Louisiana Clean Fuels was proud to award the 2nd annual Katry Martin Award to Scott Barrios of Entergy for “his enthusiasm, thirst for knowledge, and unlimited energy [which] he puts toward helping to pave the way for clean fuels for Louisiana, especially electric technologies.” The award recognizes one person whose positive attitude, dedication, and passion for alternative fuels sets them apart from their peers. The award’s namesake, Katry Martin, served as the Executive Director of St. Landry Parish Solid Waste. The Katry Martin Award serves as a chance for LCF to honor his legacy and recognize his contributions to alternative fuels.
Other awards were given out as follows:
- Capital Area Transit System (CATS) was recognized with the Rising Star Award. The Baton Rouge transit fleet added three all-electric BYD transit buses to their fleet late in 2019 and offset 40 tons of GHGs in just a few months.
- The Media Award for Outstanding AFV Publication was awarded to Fuels Fix. The site, which features stories about alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies successes in the United States, promotes news from the US DOE Clean Cities Program as well as working partners in the alternative fuels industry.
- United Parcel Service (UPS) was honored with the Gangbusters Award for Largest Growth by Volume and Percentage for increasing their petroleum reductions by 400,000 GGEs in 2019. UPS saw a 35% increase in the use of alternative fuels across their Louisiana fleet, including a 65.8% increase in their use of Propane.
- The Progress Award for Most Improved Municipality went to the City of Lake Charles for their 43% increase in Propane usage since 2019 across their fleet of para-transit buses, trucks, and off-road equipment.
The following were also recognized for their efforts in reducing emissions and conserving fuel:
- Climate MVP: Most GHG Emissions Reduced by Municipality: St. Landry Parish Solid Waste
- Best Performing Municipality (With Transit): City of Shreveport / SporTran
- Best Performing School District: East Baton Rouge Parish School System
- Top VMT Reductions: Entergy
- Top Reductions through Fuel Economy Improvements: Republic Services
- Top Idle Reduction: Amerigas
- Top Reductions through a Diverse Portfolio: Entergy
- Most Compressed Natural Gas Used: Republic Services
- Most Propane Used: UPS
- Most Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) Used: Waste Connections
- Most Electricity Used: Entergy
LCF Executive Director Ann Vail presented the awards, sponsored by the Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO), and announced the winners. LCF is proud to honor these outstanding organizations and to recognize the achievements of clean fuel stakeholders who have gone above and beyond in reaching their environmental and transportation goals.
