Roughly $8.8 billion from the federal $1.2 trillion infrastructure package should head to Indiana over the next five years to improve crumbling highways, roads, bridges and more. One Indiana project likely to be expedited as a result is widening interstates 65 and 70 to six lanes the full length and breadth of the state. President Joe Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act on Monday, Nov. 15. It will deliver $550 billion of federal investments in the United States’ infrastructure over the next five years, touching everything from bridges and roads to broadband, water and energy systems. A good chunk of the nearly $9 billion Indiana is getting will go to repairing roads, highways and bridges through the Indiana Department of Transportation. Read the full story in Indianapolis Business Journal.

Round 3 of grant funding for the DieselWise Indiana with Volkswagen DERA Option program is now open for applications. The program will distribute awards ranging from $50,000-$1 million, with total available funding set at $1.8 million. Grant funds will be awarded to clean air projects that significantly reduce diesel emissions from nonroad vehicles or equipment across Indiana. Public & private entities may submit applications. The Request for Proposals deadline is Dec. 17, 2021. Additional details on this & other funding opportunities are available in the Member Center. Contact us at (219) 644-3690 to learn how we can help you achieve grant success!

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case brought by Republican-led states and fossil fuel companies asking the court to limit the federal government’s power to curb greenhouse gases.

Petitions filed by the attorneys general of 18 states, including Indiana, and the governor of Mississippi, the state of North Dakota, Westmoreland Mining Holdings LLC and North American Coal Corp. were combined into one large case that asks the court to set the limits of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s power to regulate industry-wide emissions. The court’s decision could severely limit the EPA’s power to regulate greenhouse gases. Read the full story in Indiana Environmental Reporter

One of the best ways to learn how to do something is by turning to others with experience. It’s one of the ways our nonprofit helps our members, by connecting them to their professional peers — either through one-on-one meetings or through our numerous educational events — who have already adopted sustainable transportation methods. A municipal fleet manager interested in adopting compressed natural gas for the city’s refuse trucks can turn to a fleet manager in another city and learn from their successes before embarking on their own efforts. Those with experience truly are the real experts and their knowledge, advice and proven track record of success is incredibly valuable. Read Carl Lisek's column monthly in The Times of Northwest Indiana

SSCC Executive Director Carl Lisek's weekly radio show "Green Fleet Radio" airs three times each Wednesday on Lakeshore Public Radio with generous support from NIRPC. This month, Carl welcomed Don Hadley of Bosak Nissan Ford Chevrolet and Thomas Dow of NIRPC to the show. Listeners can tune in to Lakeshore Public Radio at 89.1 FM or stream online. Catch up on past shows on our Website. 

Join SSCC March 8-11, 2022 in Indianapolis for Work Truck Week! Produced annually by NTEA – The Association for the Work Truck Industry, Work Truck Week is your once-a-year chance to see all of the newest industry products, choose from dozens of industry-focused training courses & gain access to technical engineering representatives from hundreds of exhibiting companies. South Shore Clean Cities is proud to be a supporting sponsor of Work Truck Week! SSCC members can log in to the Member Center for an exclusive registration code that provides a free trade show badge for admittance to the Exhibit Floor and Ride & Drive access! Questions? Call (219) 644-3690 for details!

Homewood Disposal, headquartered in Homewood, Illinois, has been a South Shore Clean Cities member since 2014. Since 1956, Homewood Disposal has continued building its business on the values of founder Wendell (Wendy) E. Yonker. His loyalty and integrity inspire Homewood Disposal’s ongoing commitment to provide, “the kind of service others only promise.” The family-owned company is now in its third generation of ownership and leadership and is celebrating its 65^th year in business. Homewood Disposal provides residential, commercial, industrial, special hauling, sweeping, recycling and portable restroom services to thousands of residential customers and 12,500 commercial customers in 80 communities. Learn more

Ethanol is a renewable fuel made from corn and various other plant materials collectively known as “biomass”. The use of ethanol is widespread, with more than 95 percent of U.S. gasoline containing ethanol in a low-level blend to oxygenate the fuel and reduce air pollution. Ethanol is also available as E85, a high-level ethanol blend containing 51 percent to 83 percent ethanol, depending on geography and season. The blend can be used in flexible fuel vehicles which have an internal combustion engine and run on either E85 or gasoline. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, there are more than 8 million FFVs on U.S. roads today. Learn more on our Website