McGinty said the switch is an example of leadership by the Delaware County district that will help the nation reduce its dependence on foreign oil at a time when record-high fuel prices are draining the budgets of communities, businesses and families across the state.

“Schools, truck drivers, small businesses and families across the commonwealth are feeling the pressure of higher fuel bills on their budgets and wallets,” said McGinty. “Switching from conventional fuels to homegrown biofuels will help break our addiction to foreign oil, bring down costs, strengthen national security, and grow our economy.

“The Radnor Township School District is leading by example on this front. Rather than sending all of its diesel fuel dollars out of state, it’s making an investment in Pennsylvania.”

The district, which was awarded a $40,000 Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant in October, will purchase nearly 94,000 gallons of diesel fuel blended with 20 percent biodiesel, otherwise known as B20. The grant will help to cover the incremental costs of purchasing the alternative fuel, and will help the district prepare two storage tanks for biodiesel.

The fuel will be supplied by the Energy Cooperative. Founded in 1979, the Energy Cooperative is a nonprofit, member-owned organization providing biodiesel, home heating oil, and renewable electricity to households, businesses, nonprofits and municipalities throughout southeastern Pennsylvania.

The secretary said Governor Edward G. Rendell’s PennSecurity Fuels Initiative will help reduce the commonwealth’s dependence on foreign oil by requiring that every gallon of gasoline and diesel fuel contain a percentage of ethanol or biodiesel, respectively. Under the initiative, Pennsylvania could produce and consume nearly 1 billion gallons of biofuels by 2017—an amount equal to what the state will import annually from the Persian Gulf by that time.

The initiative is part of the Energy Independence Strategy the Governor unveiled more than a year ago. Legislation containing the provisions of the PennSecurity Fuels Initiative, House Bill 1202, was passed by the House in June but it has not been acted upon by the Senate.

“Pennsylvania needs the PennSecurity Fuels Initiative,” said McGinty. “The average price for a gallon of conventional diesel in the state yesterday was $4.23. That’s up almost 64 percent since Governor Rendell introduced his plan back in February 2007.”

“Radnor is committed to the health of its students and community, and using biodiesel is a logical place to improve our environment,” said Burt Blackburn, director of transportation for the school district, which has also instituted a “no-idling” practice for buses picking up students. “The funding from the Department of Environmental Protection and the technical support from our biodiesel supplier, The Energy Cooperative, made this an easy switch for us.”

Biodiesel provides significant environmental improvements compared to traditional diesel fuels. Running the district’s diesel-powered vehicles on the renewable fuel will result in the following emissions reductions each year, according to district calculations:

• Particulate matter, linked to asthma and respiratory ailments, 12 percent,

• Unburned hydrocarbons, 20 percent,

• Carbon monoxide, 12 percent,

• Sulfur dioxide, linked to smog and acid rain, 20 percent, and

• Carbon dioxide, the leading greenhouse gas, 16 percent.

Realizing these environmental benefits for the 4,400 students who ride Radnor Township School District buses was an important factor in the decision to switch to biodiesel, said Blackburn.

For more information, visit www.depweb.state.pa.us, keyword: Alternative Fuels Incentive Grants. For more information on the Energy Independence Strategy, visit the same site and click on the “Fueling Energy Savings” icon.

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