Clean Communities of Central New York Coordinator Barry Carr, Kansas City Regional Clean Cities Coordinator Kelly Gilbert, and Massachusetts Clean Cities Coordinator Steve Russell are the newest inductees to the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Clean Cities Hall of Fame, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the Clean Cities mission of reducing petroleum use in U.S. transportation.
National Clean Cities Director Dennis Smith and Co-Director Linda Bluestein inducted the trio into the Clean Cities Hall of Fame on August 24, 2017, while in Golden, Colo., where representatives from nearly 100 coalitions from across the nation gathered for the annual Clean Cities Coordinator Training.
Under the leadership of the new inductees, their three coalitions averted more than 65,000 tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions combined through use of alternative fuels, advanced vehicles, and fuel efficiency measures in 2016 alone. Those same efforts saved more than 21.9 million gallons of petroleum in 2016. These accomplishments have contributed to the Clean Cities program’s ability to save more than 8.5 billion gallons of petroleum since its inception in 1993.
Carr, Gilbert, and Russell are well known as stellar performers and have each earned the respect of industry and their stakeholders for their dedication and vast knowledge of alternative fuels and vehicles, as well as their hard work building successful coalitions.
Specifically, Carr was recognized for his commitment to increasing the use of compressed natural gas vehicles and infrastructure. From 1995 to 2006 he assisted the New York State Clean Fueled Vehicle Council, helping state agencies grow their compressed natural gas fleet to more than 3,000 vehicles and expand CNG infrastructure to 60 locations in the state. Carr’s tenacity during almost three decades working in the alternative fuel industry has established him as a leader.
Gilbert’s ability to build relationships with stakeholders and fellow coordinators has opened doors for alternative fuels in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. The four-state team was awarded funding for the Mid America Collaborative for Alternative Fuels Implementation project, which grew vehicle adoption and infrastructure and established a new fleet recognition program in Missouri, Iowa, and Kansas. She also assembled partners to create a new training initiative supporting compressed natural gas and propane and working with two University Fire Institutes in Kansas and Missouri in their “Safe Alternative Fuels Deployment in Mid-America” award, aka (The SAF-D Project). Gilbert’s many years of success have helped stakeholders build the local alternative fuel market and provide essential training.
Russell is a pioneer in the alternative fuel industry. He is known for introducing biodiesel to the City of Keene, New Hampshire’s fleet during his time as their fleet manager, a standout move in the extreme cold of New England. He’s been vital to the proliferation of electric, propane, and natural gas vehicles in the Northeast. Russell is a prime mover in Massachusetts’s annual Alt Wheels, an alternative fuel vehicle event that has been running for more than 10 years. He is an expert collaborator and a leader among his fellow coordinators.
To read more about Carr, Gilbert, and Russell’s accomplishments, visit the Clean Cities Hall of Fame.