National Parks Initiative
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) partners with the National Park Service (NPS) through the Clean Cities National Parks Initiative. The initiative supports transportation projects that educate park visitors on the benefits of shifting to affordable, domestic alternative fuels, advanced vehicles, and fuel-saving technologies and strategies. Since 2010, VTO and Clean Cities and Communities coalitions have partnered with NPS on 35 projects to put alternative fuel and fuel-efficient vehicles on the road, reduce vehicle idling, and improve vehicle efficiency. These actions support and coincide with NPS's efforts to reduce vehicle congestion, air pollution, and resource degradation, and to preserve the long-term quality of the parks.
Mammoth Cave National Park
Frozen Niagara formation inside Mammoth Cave. Courtesy of NPS
Mammoth Cave National Park started using E85 in 1999 and today runs all its vehicles on alternative fuels. Thanks to funding in 2011, the park added four propane-powered school buses, two propane-powered pickup trucks, and one electric utility vehicle to its fleet. In addition, park personnel partnered with the Kentucky Clean Cities Partnership to enhance efforts to educate visitors, employees, and the media about the benefits of using alternative fuels.
See how the Clean Cities National Parks Initiative supports parks transportation projects.