Pictured: First row: Marca Bristo, President and CEO, Access Living. Second row: Marc D. Klein, Vice President, Clean Energy Fuels. Rosemary Krimbel, Commissioner, City of Chicago, Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection. T.Boone Pickens, Co-founder, Clean Energy Fuels Corporation, Michael Levine, CEO, Taxi Medallion Management. Patton Corrigan, Taxi Medallion Management. Back row: Robert Fioretti, Alderman, 2nd Ward.

On Thursday, June 16th 2011, representatives from the City of Chicago attended the official opening of two public access compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling stations operated by Clean Energy Corporation. The event was held at one of the stations, located at 1125 S. Jefferson Street.

Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection Commissioner, Rosemary Krimbel joined T. Boone Pickens, Co-founder of Clean Energy Fuels Corporation and Michael Levin of Taxi Medallion Management (TMM) to commemorate the opening. The new natural gas station will operate 24/7 to support growing fleets of taxis, paratransit vehicles, service vans, refuse trucks and shuttle buses powered by CNG fuel. It will also be open to the public. 

The fueling stations were in part funded by a Clean Cities grant that provided $800,000. These stations will also support an incoming fleet of CNG taxi vehicles purchased by TMM, through the Chicago Taxi Industry Green Taxi Incremental Cost Allowance Program (Green Taxi Program). The Green Taxi Program helps Chicago’s taxi industry purchase greener vehicles by allotting $1 million in funding from this grant to reimburse up to a set amount of the cost of certain hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles.

The city was awarded this funding through the US Department of Energy Clean Cities ARRA Grant. The Green Taxi Program helps the City to move closer to reaching carbon emission goals as set out in the Chicago Climate Action Plan, and provide passengers with trips in modern and environmentally sustainable vehicles.

Funding is available for qualified vehicles purchased in 2011. The Green Taxi Program forms are also available at the Ogden Public Vehicle Facility located at 2350 W. Ogden.

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