General DNR News

BATON ROUGE DESIGNATED "CLEAN CITY" TODAY

Community takes part in awareness and environmental efforts

The Riverside Centroplex was the site today for activities designating the City of Baton Rouge (Greater Baton Rouge Area) a "Clean City" under a program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Mayor-President Tom Ed McHugh joined forces with state and federal officials, and business and community leaders in a campaign for clean air and the use of alternative transportation fuels in Baton Rouge and five surrounding parishes.

The DOE Clean Cities program encourages and supports the conversion of public and private fleets to alternative fuels, such as natural gas and propane. The program is a voluntary partnership between local governments, state agencies, business, industry and the federal government. Federal grants for funding and program initiatives will be pursued under the program.

The Greater Baton Rouge Clean Cities Coalition and the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) began developing the program several years ago, recruiting over fifty stakeholders including representatives from East and West Baton Rouge, Livingston, Iberville and Ascension parishes. Baton Rouge is the first city in the Gulf Coast region that includes Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama to achieve this designation.

DNR Secretary Jack Caldwell said, "Corporate and state fleet operators are ready and eager to participate in this important environmental effort and our actions pave the way for cleaner air by reducing pollution levels in our metropolitan area." He also said that the Clean City stakeholders have demonstrated their strong commitment to the goals of the program since today they sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) outlining doable strategies and pledging increased public awareness. The MOU insures that objectives of the Energy Policy Act and the Clean Air Act amendments will be followed.

Mayor McHugh explained, "This federal designation complements the work of the Clean Air Coalition and its voluntary ozone action program. We are closer now to a cleaner environment, improved economic opportunities, and energy security and we wholeheartedly support this public-private initiative."

DOE's Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Transportation Technologies Thomas Gross delivered the keynote address for the designation day ceremony.

Also taking part in the ceremony were three East Baton Rouge Parish schools; Tara High, St. Thomas More, and Broadmoor Elementary schools. Tara High music director and senior choir presented patriotic songs commemorating the day, while Broadmoor's fifth-grade class produced and displayed artwork promoting community awareness and the need for a healthy environment. A national award-winning "City of the Future" model designed by eighth-grade students from St. Thomas More was exhibited and explained by teacher Shirley Newman and her three students. A number of alternative fueled vehicles were presented for attendees to learn and see how efficiently they operate.

The Coalition's executive director Mike McDaniel concluded the activities with comments on how the program will be administered and a description of the action plan.

Editors: For more on this topic, please contact DNR Public Information Officer Phyllis Darensbourg at 225-342-8955.