DPW gets biodiesel fuel as part of a citywide effort to reduce emissions

By George P. Hassett

City officials visited the Department of Public Works (DPW) yard on Thursday, Sept. 27 to watch Burke Fuels deliver the first biodiesel fuel for the DPW vehicle fleet this year. 

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone said the switch to biodiesel fuel for all DPW vehicles is an important step in his administration‚Äôs effort to make the city more eco-friendly. 

He said since spring the city has replaced four aging cars in the fire department with new hybrid vehicles, purchased Renewable Energy Certificates so the energy used to power City Hall is derived from domestic wind turbines, and established one day a month to encourage commuters to find ways to cut their personal carbon footprints by using alternative transportation.

“In big ways and small ones, Somerville continues to ‘Go Green,’ as a way to save money while reducing emissions from fossil fuels,” he said.

The biodiesel alternative was made possible through an existing statewide procurement contract, which lasts through July 2008, he said. By switching from petroleum diesel to a petroleum and biofuel mixture, derived from organic plant materials, the city will significantly reduce its carbon emissions, he said. 

“We anticipate that the switch to biodiesel is going to reduce the City’s overall CO2 emissions from motor fuel by between 15 and 20 tons per year,” said Environmental Programs Manager Peter Mills in a statement. Additional benefits include improved air quality and public health, as well as a decreased dependence on foreign oil, he said.

Mills lauded city efforts to reduce emissions and address global warming.   

“Since joining the Cities for Climate Change Protection Program in 2001, the City of Somerville has made a firm commitment to addressing global warming and climate change by reducing emissions of greenhouse gasses,” Mills said. “This switch to biodiesel fuel is an important part of this commitment. Because biofuels are carbon neutral, biodiesel use will result in a measurable net reduction in municipal CO2 emissions.”