City of Longmont, Coloarado

manage the methane and find a viable use for the biofuel,” Kamenides adds. “This RNG project was determined to be the most beneficial over- all to the environmental, social, and economic values of the community. It also coordinated well with the life-cycle of our truck replacements.We intend to replace the remaining sanitation col- lection vehicles to CNG as we reach replacement cycles.” Across the country, methane reuse is becoming a topic of consideration for larger cities and orga- nizations, but Longmont’s progressive thinking to mitigate methane release and create alternative fuel is ahead of the game.What makes the Long- mont project truly unique is its indoor fueling fa- cility. It is one of possibly two plants in the U.S. to have that indoor fueling capability. Longmont is extremely grateful for regional financial support for the project. The Regional Air Quality Council granted the City $385,000 to offset the cost of transitioning from diesel to CNG vehicles. The difference in price is close to $40,000 per truck. DOLA (Department of Local Affairs) also granted Longmont $1 million to help make the program happen. Sustainability creates opportunity and benefits for all and is broadly defined as meeting the needs of the present generation without com- promising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The City of Longmont is setting a prime example for all communities looking to become more sustainable. “We have so many positive things going on in the realm of sustainability,” Knoblauch says. “We’re making significant plans to take care of the environmen- tal, social, and economic needs of our community. It’s an exciting time to be in Longmont!” PREFERRED VENDOR Circle Graphics - www.circlegraphicsonline.com