Mission and Background

What is Clean Cities? Fact Sheet (PDF 2 MB) Download Adobe Reader.

Thumbnail of Clean Cities Goals, Strategies, and Top Accomplishments Fact Sheet

Clean Cities: Goals, Strategies, and Top Accomplishments (PDF 3 MB) Download Adobe Reader.

The mission of Clean Cities is to advance the energy, economic, and environmental security of the United States by supporting local decisions to adopt practices that reduce the use of petroleum in the transportation sector. Clean Cities coordinators lead local geographically-based coalitions composed of local fleets, fuel providers, and decision-makers that focus on a united goal: petroleum reduction. There are nearly 90 coalitions covering areas where 229 million U.S. citizens live—approximately 78% of the country's total population. Since its inception in 1993, Clean Cities and its stakeholders have displaced more than 2 billion gallons of petroleum.

Graph depicts cumulative gasoline gallon equivalents displaced by Clean Cities from 1994 to 2008. The curve starts at zero point zero one billion gallons in 1994. By 1995 the cumulative amount was zero point zero four billion gallons; by 1996 the cumulative amount was zero point zero 9 billion gallons; by 1997 the cumulative amount was zero point one three billion gallons; by 1998 the cumulative amount was zero point 20 billion gallons; by 1999 the cumulative amount was zero point 28 billion gallons; by 2000 the cumulative amount was zero point 37 billion gallons; by 2001 the cumulative amount was zero point 49 billion gallons; by 2002 the cumulative amount was zero point 63 billion gallons; by 2003 the cumulative amount was zero point 78 billion gallons; by 2004 the cumulative amount was one point zero two billion gallons; by 2005 the cumulative amount was one point zero 27 billion gallons; by 2006 the cumulative amount was one point 63 billion gallons; by 2007 the cumulative amount was two point zero billion gallons; and by 2008 the cumulative amount was two point four billion gallons.

While initially focused solely on alternative fuels, Clean Cities expanded to include other relevant technologies. The five Clean Cities technologies are:

Alternative fuels and vehicles
Hybrid electric vehicles
Idle reduction technologies
Fuel economy measures
Low-level fuel blends

Clean Cities coalitions determine which combinations of the five technologies will best help their cities and regions reduce petroleum consumption. The U.S. Department of Energy provides direction for coalitions by establishing goals that can be achieved within the framework of these five technologies.

Clean Cities also developed and maintains the Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center, a robust Web site that features information and tools related to Clean Cities' transportation technologies areas.

Goals

The goal of Clean Cities is to expand and stimulate alternative fuel and advanced technology markets to reduce petroleum consumption by 2.5 billion gallons by 2020. Clean Cities is focusing on three primary methods to achieve this goal:

Replacement: Replacing petroleum used in the transportation sector with alternative fuels and low-level blends of non-petroleum replacement fuels.
Reduction: Reducing petroleum use by promoting energy efficiency in vehicles through fuel-efficient, advanced technology vehicles.
Elimination: Eliminating petroleum or other fuel use by promoting idle reduction, greater use of mass transit systems, and other congestion mitigation approaches.

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