Drive Clean Chicago is an incentive program, which aims to increase the amount of vehicles in the city using clean energy and alternative fuels. It consists of three programs: Drive Clean Truck voucher fund, Drive Clean Taxi voucher fund, and Drive Clean Station rebate fund. The Drive Clean Truck and Taxi programs incentivize trucks, buses, and taxis to use zero and low emission vehicles through vouchers that can cover up to eighty-percent of the cost of switching to electric or hybrid vehicles. The Drive Clean Station program’s goal is to increase the number of alternative fuel stations and charging stations for electric vehicles. The program offers incentives of up to thirty-percent of the cost of station development. Six counties are eligible
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The goal of the program is to reduce the amount of air pollution from vehicle emissions. It is also part of Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s larger goal to make Chicago the most livable, sustainable, and competitive city in the world. According to the program’s website, similar federal programs have increased the number of cleaner vehicles in the city by about 400 and the number of alternative fuel stations by 220 since 2010. These increases have displaced 200,000 barrels of oil and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 2,580 tons. Drive Clean Chicago is expected to have similar impacts and continue to reduce air pollution, which makes it an effective …show more content…
If a company decides it still cannot afford to switch over to cleaner vehicles, even after the incentive vouchers, there is no penalty for not participating. The program simply makes it easier for these companies to use more environmentally friendly vehicles. By incentivizing a positive behavior, while not punishing companies that do not switch to cleaner vehicles, the program allows companies to make their own decisions. In addition, any company can apply for the program, as long as it operates at least seventy-five percent of its time in the six eligible counties. Even more importantly, this program is equitable because it has a positive impact on all the citizens of the Chicago area. It will lead to higher air quality and less pollution, which will have positive effects on public health of current and future
The goal of the program is to reduce the amount of air pollution from vehicle emissions. It is also part of Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s larger goal to make Chicago the most livable, sustainable, and competitive city in the world. According to the program’s website, similar federal programs have increased the number of cleaner vehicles in the city by about 400 and the number of alternative fuel stations by 220 since 2010. These increases have displaced 200,000 barrels of oil and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 2,580 tons. Drive Clean Chicago is expected to have similar impacts and continue to reduce air pollution, which makes it an effective …show more content…
If a company decides it still cannot afford to switch over to cleaner vehicles, even after the incentive vouchers, there is no penalty for not participating. The program simply makes it easier for these companies to use more environmentally friendly vehicles. By incentivizing a positive behavior, while not punishing companies that do not switch to cleaner vehicles, the program allows companies to make their own decisions. In addition, any company can apply for the program, as long as it operates at least seventy-five percent of its time in the six eligible counties. Even more importantly, this program is equitable because it has a positive impact on all the citizens of the Chicago area. It will lead to higher air quality and less pollution, which will have positive effects on public health of current and future