In the Press

Jackson, WY Yellowstone Teton Clean Energy Coalition (YTCEC), in partnership with Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, recently secured a grant in the amount of $547,645 to support a variety of clean transportation projects in the Greater Yellowstone Area (GYA).  As the regional designee of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Clean Cities Program, YTCEC worked with both national parks to identify and sponsor appropriate projects for funding under a new Clean Cities National Parks Initiative.  The initiative is designed to reduce petroleum use and improve air quality, as well as educate the general public about alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles.  Vehicles will begin arriving in April of 2011, and YTCEC will provide ongoing program support as the projects are implemented.

Grand Teton NP will purchase five 2011 Ford Escape hybrid vehicles totaling $146,175.00. These will replace older, less efficient vehicles used by the park’s Wildlife Brigade.  The Wildlife Brigade is a corps of paid and volunteer staff whose primary duties are to respond to wildlife jams and enforce food storage at campgrounds, picnic sites and other developed areas. These hybrid vehicles will see thousands of hours of operation in their first season of use and reduce fuel use by an estimated 30% over conventional vehicles. 

Yellowstone NP will purchase two hybrid transit buses that will perform a variety of functions, from employee shuttles to visitor transportation opportunities. Additionally, the park will purchase and deploy an electric utility vehicle, with solar charging station, to be deployed at the Lamar Buffalo Ranch. Total allocation for Yellowstone NP is $ 280,000.

The remaining funds, $121,470, will be used throughout the GYA to advance clean vehicle technologies. This will include the purchase of two additional hybrid vehicles and idle reduction technologies as well as the launch of an educational program to reduce unnecessary idling throughout the various federal agencies in the GYA.

"This innovative program supports both national parks in their ongoing efforts to create sustainable and energy efficient operations. It also offers a unique opportunity to educate park visitors about energy conservation measures," said YTCEC's Executive Director, Phil Cameron. "We appreciate the chance to promote Clean Cities programs and generate broader use of alternative fuels and vehicles while building partnerships such as those with Grand Teton and Yellowstone. After all, national parks are a perfect place for these technologies and strategies to gain national, and international, exposure.”

“The Greater Yellowstone Region has been promoting clean fuels and low emission vehicles for the past decade and the YTCEC and DOE have played a pivotal role in the success of these programs. This grant demonstrates the commitment both parks have in advancing sound environmental stewardship practices and reducing greenhouse gas emissions within the ecosystem”,  stated Jim Evanoff, Yellowstone’s environmental protection specialist.

Jackson, WY - Phillip Cameron, Executive Director of the Yellowstone-Teton Clean Energy Coalition (YTCEC), was recently recognized by the Department of Energy (DOE) as the region’s ‘Rising Star’ for work promoting fuels, technologies and strategies to reduce regional petroleum use.

YTCEC is the Yellowstone-Teton region’s designee of the DOE’s Clean Cities program. Cameron, who has been the executive director for less than a year, was recognized at the annual Clean Cities National Leadership Retreat hosted last week in Rapid City, SD. The ‘Rising Star’ award recognized his, “outstanding leadership, enterprising spirit, and achievement as a new coordinator of the Clean Cities Network.”

Cameron says, “This award was an honor that truly reflects the strong foundation laid for me by the board of directors and previous staff of YTCEC, as well as the local interest and support of stakeholders who share a commitment to cleaner transportation. These essential ingredients allow us to make strides toward a future with cleaner, more efficient transportation.”

One of 90+ Clean Cities Coalitions across the country, YTCEC’s mission is to displace the use of petroleum in the transportation sector, improve air quality through reduced harmful emissions, and increase energy security. This work is accomplished primarily through the promotion of alternative fuels and vehicles, integrated transportation systems, and related conservation strategies and technologies that benefit the public interest by reducing energy consumption. Successful efforts have resulted in increased local access to/use of biofuels, adoption of fleet policies focused on reducing fuel consumption and more robust public transportation systems.

To date, Clean Cities Coalitions nationwide have collectively displaced more than 2.5 billion gallons of gasoline and helped put close to 1 million alternative fuel vehicles on the road. Although these are impressive numbers, Cameron points out that there is more room for improvement and that each individual’s actions play an important role in creating a shift to cleaner, more efficient transportation.

YTCEC was recently selected by the Jackson, WY Town Council to administer a public education and outreach campaign to discourage unnecessary vehicle idling. Stakeholders include the Town of Jackson, WY, Teton County, WY, the City of Idaho Falls and Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.

The Coalition will host a biodiesel workshop September 29th at the Bozeman, MT Public Library and a public stakeholder meeting at the same location on the 30th.

For more information about these events or the Coalition’s work contact Phillip Cameron - (307) 413-1971 - phil@ytcleanenergy.org , visit ytcleanenergy.org , or become a "Fan" on Facebook

Jackson, WY Yellowstone-Teton Clean Energy Coalition (YTCEC) was one of 25 Clean Cities coalitions selected by the U.S. Department of Energy to receive federal funding for a summer intern to support their local petroleum reduction efforts. The internship program allows qualified undergraduate or graduate students to work with their local coalitions to build public awareness of advanced vehicle technologies and alternative fuels while working to reduce petroleum consumption.

Shaena Berlin, a native of Jackson, WY entering her second year at MIT this fall, was selected for the eleven-week internship with YTCEC. She and YTCEC’s Executive Director, Phil Cameron, will be housed at Jackson Hole Community School through mid August. Shaena’s tasks will include renovating YTCEC’s web and e-communications, assisting with outreach event planning and execution, working on regional anti-idling projects, and developing a regional catalog of organizations and individuals whose efforts, services, or products promote the YTCEC mission.

Cameron says, “This was a wonderful opportunity for our growing organization to take advantage of this funding opportunity to further establish ourselves as a regional transportation resource. Without this partnership with Jackson Hole Community School we would have been challenged to find adequate space to pull this off. JHCS’s commitment to this community at large, beyond providing an excellent educational opportunity to its youth, is apparent through this opportunity they’ve afforded us.”

One of 90+ Clean Cities coalitions across the country, YTCEC works to displace the use of petroleum in the transportation sector, improve air quality through reduced harmful emissions, and increase energy security. This work is accomplished primarily through the promotion of alternative fuels and vehicles, integrated transportation systems, and related conservation technologies that benefit the public interest by reducing energy consumption. To date, Clean Cities Coalitions have collectively displaced more than 2.5 billion gallons of gasoline and helped put close to 1 million alternative fuel vehicles on the road.

For more information contact Phillip Cameron - (307) 413-1971 - phil@ytcleanenergy.org

You can also visit ytcleanenergy.org or become a "Fan" on Facebook

The Yellowstone-Teton Clean Energy Coalition (YTCEC) was one of 25 Clean Cities coalitions across the country selected to receive funding for a summer intern. The internship program, managed by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Clean Cities and Argonne National Laboratory, allows undergraduate or graduate students to work with their local coalitions to build public awareness of advanced vehicle technologies and alternative fuels while working to reduce petroleum consumption.

One of 90+ Clean Cities organizations across the country, YTCEC works to displace the use of petroleum in the transportation sector, improve air quality through reduced harmful emissions, and increase energy security. This is accomplished primarily through the promotion of alternative fuels and vehicles, integrated transportation systems, and related energy conservation technologies that benefit the public interest by reducing energy consumption. To date, Clean Cities Coalitions have collectively displaced more than 2 billion gallons of gasoline and helped put close to 1 million alternative fuel vehicles on the road.

YTCEC Executive Director Phillip Cameron says “This funding is an excellent opportunity for our growing organization and serves to highlight one of the many benefits of our affiliation with the Clean Cities program. There is certainly no lack of potential for projects, partnerships, and collaboration throughout the region and Shaena will be critical to better addressing stakeholder and community needs. We’re very excited about the skills and enthusiasm Shaena brings to this position!”

Shaena Berlin, a native of Jackson, WY and 2009 valedictorian of Jackson Hole High School, was selected for the eleven-week internship with YTCEC. She will be involved in most of the day-to-day operations of YTCEC in order to achieve a well-rounded understanding of the organization and how it relates to the Clean Cities program. Shaena’s tasks will include organizing and updating YTCEC’s stakeholder database, renovating its web and e-communications, assisting with outreach event planning and execution, and working on developing a regional catalog of businesses, municipalities, agencies and individuals whose efforts, services, or products promote the YTCEC mission.

In anticipation of her position, Berlin says, “It would be great if everyone could ride their bikes everywhere, but sadly, that’s not always an option, so we definitely need to learn about and use alternative fuels as much as possible.”

Berlin will enter her second year at MIT this fall and plans to pursue a degree in the Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences department. She hopes to study the impacts and interactions between humans and the environment and develop methods to improve the sustainability of our actions. She has a strong technical background, having worked for Jackson Hole High School for the past three summers setting up and troubleshooting the school’s computers and currently serving as the webmaster for the MIT Triathlon Club. As a result of an active life surrounded by the mountains, Berlin, “cares deeply about the fate of the natural environment,” and wants to ensure that it can continue to be enjoyed by future generations.

For more information contact Phillip Cameron at (307)413-1971 (or) phil@ytcleanenergy.org

(Jackson, WY) The Yellowstone-Teton Clean Energy Coalition (YTCEC) has announced the addition of Phillip Cameron as its new Executive Director. A 501 [c] [3] non-profit, YTCEC has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy's Clean Cities Program, whose mission is to displace the use of petroleum in the transportation sector. YTCEC supports this program by advocating the use of alternative fuels, encouraging new technologies such as hybrid & electric vehicles, supporting public transit, and promoting idle reduction practices for all vehicles. YTCEC also seeks to reduce exhaust emissions and improve U.S. energy security by reducing dependence on imported crude oil.

“With Phil as our first full time Executive Director, YTCEC has taken a major step forward in helping the Yellowstone-Teton region build a more efficient and sustainable energy infrastructure”, according to YTCEC Board President Basil Barna of Idaho Falls. YTCEC Board members are from Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, and they represent a cohesive network of individuals and businesses dedicated to promoting clean energy choices throughout the tri-state area. Barna added, “Phil’s employment with YTCEC strengthens our network and will make it easier for local communities to get help with reducing energy costs and finding clean energy options.”

Cameron has lived in the area for nearly eight years and brings a diverse professional experience to this position with his strong background in environmental outreach and education, grant writing, community service work, and resource management. His volunteer experiences further exhibit his deep commitment to regional conservation efforts. Cameron says, “This region has long been at the forefront of conservation. The high-profile of the Yellowstone-Teton area offers an excellent opportunity to take a leadership role in defining a more efficient, diverse, and sustainable transportation future.”

A graduate of Teton Science Schools’ Professional Residency in Environmental Education, Cameron has experience, in both board and staff positions, with several local and regional conservation focused non-profit organizations. Most recently as Western Wolf Coalition’s Wyoming Coordinator, he implemented outreach efforts in support of wolf restoration throughout Wyoming. He also sits on the Board of Directors at the Murie Center and is the Board Chair for Jackson Hole Trout Unlimited. When speaking about this new position, Cameron added, “I am both honored and excited for this opportunity to build upon the strides that the Coalition has already made in addressing the efficiency and diversity of regional transportation. I look forward to working with the citizens, businesses and agencies of the region to support Yellowstone-Teton Clean Energy Coalition’s goals. “