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 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.
Cedar Breaks National Monument
Cedar Breaks Amphitheater. Courtesy of NPS
Through its partnership with Zion National Park, Utah Clean Cities worked with park officials to expand Zion’s electric vehicle initiative to neighboring Cedar Breaks National Monument. Cedar Breaks installed one electric vehicle charging station and deployed one plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. The project is helping to expand the availability of electric vehicle charging stations throughout National Park Service units in the Southern Utah region. The project also included an idle-reduction education and outreach initiative.
See how the Clean Cities National Parks Initiative supports parks transportation projects.