NEWPORT NEWS, VA – The City of Newport News has converted 22 fleet vehicles to run on propane autogas, expected to save the fleet $22,000 annually on fuel costs and eliminate more than 11 tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

The Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality recently visited Newport News to highlight the City’s energy efficiency investments, which include the propane autogas fleet vehicles converted under the Southeast Propane Autogas Development Program (SPADP).

Nancy Sutley, the President’s principal environmental advisor, along with U.S. Representative Bobby Scott, Mayor McKinley Price and other local officials, toured the Newport News Vehicle & Equipment Services Department to get a firsthand look at the 12 propane-powered Ford Crown Victorias and 10 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 trucks. They also visited a recently constructed city fire station with several water conservation and energy efficiency features. 

“It’s exciting to see one of our Program ‘success stories’ in the spotlight, and we thank federal and local partners for their support,” said Alleyn Harned, executive director of Virginia Clean Cities, which administers the Southeast Propane Autogas Development Program. “Program fleets running on autogas have eliminated nearly 2,000 tons of greenhouse gases total and displaced around a million gallons of gasoline so far. It’s important to highlight initiatives like SPADP that are encouraging U.S. fleets to use domestically produced clean fuel.”

Newport News is one of more than 35 regional fleets participating in SPADP, which is helping fleets in 10 Southeast states, Denver, and Pittsburgh switch to clean, American-made propane autogas.

“Autogas is a good fit for our fleet,” said Vehicle Services Director Bob McElheney. “We’re saving on fuel costs, reducing vehicle emissions, the infrastructure cost is lower than for other alternative fuels, and vehicle performance has actually improved. We were fortunate to receive some funding assistance with SPADP. However, because of the significant fuel savings we’re seeing with autogas, we intend to purchase more propane autogas-capable vehicles in the future.”