For Immediate Release: February 5, 2018
Collaborative Gunnison County and Gunnison Valley Rural Transportation Authority (RTA) Project Expected to Reduce Green House Gas (GHG) Emissions by Over 800 Tons Annually
Gunnison County, Colo. – On 1/31/18, the State of Colorado and the Compact of Colorado Communities presented the Colorado Communities Award to the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Fleet project, a collaborative effort between Gunnison County and the Gunnison Valley Rural Transportation Authority’s (RTA), during the Colorado Communities Symposium in Aurora, Colo. Gunnison County Sustainable Operations Director John Cattles and Gunnison County Commissioner John Messner were present to accept the award. “We are honored to be recognized for our efforts to reduce emissions and improve air quality in a responsible way. Small communities face unique challenges of market scale and lack of resources when working to implement projects like this. Our partnership with the Colorado Energy Office and Trillium to secure a long term fuel price as well as renewable fuel credits made this possible,” said Sustainable Operations Director Cattles.
The Gunnison County CNG Fleet project was selected for recognition from an array of submissions representing a diverse range of applicants. Colorado Communities Awards were presented during the Colorado Communities Symposium to recognize programs and initiatives that reflect one or more of these actions:
- Climate Preparedness and Resilience Planning
- Clean Energy Deployment
- Energy and Water Efficiency Initiatives
- Greenhouse Gas Reduction
- Economic Development Initiatives Aligned with Any of the Above
The County’s CNG efforts began in 2013 with the completion of feasibility studies and related research, as well as the establishment of relationships with partnering fleets, governments and private entities. In 2016, a private developer, Trillium CNG, was awarded a $500,000 construction grant by the State of Colorado to build a publically accessible CNG station on Hwy 50 in Gunnison. The County secured 10-year fixed-fuel pricing with Trillium, which includes renewable gas credits, and facility construction was completed in mid-2017. The County forecasts GHG reduction of over 800 tons annually once the fleet is fully built out in two or three years, all while securing a lower-than-diesel fuel price. This reduction equates to a 41% reduction in GHG, compared to 2015 fleet-wide emissions.
For more information about the County’s CNG program or other local sustainable environmental efforts, contact Gunnison County Sustainable Operations Director John Cattles at jcattles@gunnisoncounty.org or (970) 641-8560. For more information about the Colorado Communities Symposium or the Colorado Communities Award Program, visit https://www.coloradocommunities.org.
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Pictured above (left to right): Colorado Department of Local Affairs Executive Director Irv Halter presenting the Colorado Communities Award to Gunnison County Sustainable Operations Director John Cattles and Gunnison County Commissioner John Messner