Navigating New York Metropolis’s Waterways to Change into Cleaner and Greener as Staten Island Ferries and NYC Ferry Start Testing Renewable Diesel.
New York Metropolis Division of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, New York Metropolis Division of Citywide Administrative Companies (DCAS) Commissioner Louis A. Molina, and New York Metropolis Financial Growth Company (NYCEDC) President and CEO Andrew Kimball right now introduced that the Staten Island Ferry and NYC Ferry will start testing using renewable diesel gasoline, a petroleum-free various to conventional diesel gasoline. Renewable diesel reduces carbon emissions by 60 p.c or extra and its use within the ferries will assist practically 30 million annual riders navigate the town’s waterways in a extra sustainable manner. NYC Ferry can even launch a short-term plan to improve engines on its largest vessels to scale back emissions and different pollution. Use of the gasoline in choose Staten Island Ferries and NYC Ferry vessels builds on the town’s current announcement that one hundred pc of the town’s 12,500 heavy-duty and off-road automobiles have accomplished the transition to renewable diesel, making New York Metropolis the primary main East Coast metropolis to implement this inexperienced expertise at such a big scale.
Maria Torres-Springer, First Deputy Mayor, stated:
As New Yorkers, we perceive the pressing must fight local weather change, and right now’s announcement is one other vital step ahead in that combat.
“In using renewable diesel for our ferry fleets, we’re demonstrating our dedication to decreasing dangerous emissions and reaffirming our dedication to creating each nook — and present — of our metropolis more healthy and extra sustainable,”
“Whether or not it’s by way of progressive applied sciences or daring investments in inexperienced infrastructure, we’re constructing a cleaner, greener New York Metropolis for all our residents—one which prioritizes the environment, enhances high quality of life, and units an instance for cities world wide.”
Ydanis Rodriguez, NYC DOT Commissioner, stated:
The Staten Island Ferry is the busiest municipal ferry service within the nation, and we’re thrilled to scale back its carbon footprint through the use of a petroleum-free various to conventional diesel gasoline.
“The transportation sector is answerable for practically 28 p.c of greenhouse fuel emissions in our metropolis, however meaning it may also be a key a part of the answer. Decreasing dependence on fossil fuels affords a key step in direction of a greener and more healthy New York Metropolis.”
Louis Molina, DCAS Commissioner, stated:
Increasing renewable diesel to the Staten Island Ferry and piloting it with NYC Ferries marks a major step in our efforts to make our fleet extra environmentally pleasant for the good thing about all New Yorkers.
“This groundbreaking initiative not solely cuts greenhouse fuel emissions through the use of renewable sources, but additionally aligns with our bigger imaginative and prescient for a greener municipal fleet. We’re proud to work alongside our sister businesses as we chart a brand new course for the town, and transition to cleaner sources of energy.”
Andrew Kimball, New York Metropolis Financial Growth Company (NYCEDC) President & CEO stated:
New Yorkers love their ferries, and right now we’re making an enormous step ahead in delivering a greener and extra sustainable harbor.
“As we proceed to interrupt ridership information at NYC Ferry, it’s vital that we not solely take rapid steps to scale back the emissions from our vessels however assume strategically and holistically on find out how to create a extra sustainable system throughout the board.”
Staten Island Ferry Renewable Diesel Transition
NYC DOT is now testing using renewable diesel on the Marchi Staten Island Ferry boat. The renewable gasoline serves as a direct substitute to Extremely Low Sulfur Diesel at present used within the ferry fleet. The company plans to increase renewable diesel to the complete Staten Island Ferry fleet in 2025. With an estimated 60 p.c discount within the Staten Island Ferry’s CO2 emissions; this transfer is vital to reaching a 50 p.c discount in these emissions by 2030.
The Staten Island Ferry is the busiest municipal ferry service within the nation, with roughly 45,000 passengers on a mean weekday, carrying practically 24 million passengers every year. It operates 24 hours per day, 12 months per 12 months, between Staten Island and Decrease Manhattan. Staten Island Ferry emissions characterize 15 p.c of municipal authorities transportation emissions and emissions from gasoline use for ferry vessels characterize 94 p.c of the Staten Island Ferry system’s greenhouse fuel emissions.
NYC Ferry Renewable Diesel Pilot & Quick Vessel Upgrades
NYCEDC and NYC Ferry will launch a 6-month pilot program of renewable diesel fuels on choose vessels. Following a profitable pilot, the objective shall be to transition your complete fleet to renewable diesel in 2025. Moreover, NYCEDC and NYC Ferry will start the method of upgrading 13 350-passenger vessels, the system’s largest vessels, to satisfy the EPA’s most stringent Tier IV emission requirements. These conversations will scale back pollution like nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) by as much as 65 p.c.
These rapid upgrades shall be a part of a broader sustainability technique that can goal to transition the NYC Ferry fleet towards zero-and reduced-emissions vessels. As a part of this technique, NYCEDC will start a research specializing in each the vessels themselves and adjustments to shoreside infrastructure essential to help their operation and NYCEDC anticipates this research concluding in late 2025. The research will present helpful perception into services and vessel operators all through the harbor. It should additionally function a helpful instrument to draw elevated grant help.
The NYC Ferry system offers greater than 7 million riders yearly with secure, reliable, inexpensive, and accessible transit throughout the 5 boroughs. With six routes that contact each borough, 25 landings, and 38 vessels, the system spans 70 nautical miles and has the biggest passenger-only fleet within the nation. NYC Ferry has additional confirmed to be amongst New York Metropolis’s most resilient transit community with the quickest ridership restoration of any metropolis transit system for the reason that pandemic.
For the reason that launch of ‘NYC Ferry Ahead,’ NYCEDC and NYC Ferry has seen document ridership, whereas decreasing the per passenger subsidy over 30 p.c from its peak. As well as, the plan has efficiently launched and expanded the NYC Ferry Low cost Program, elevated monetary transparency, and enhancing its service in cost-effective methods by way of the Rockaway Rocket, the Rockaway Reserve, and South Brooklyn Sooner Connections.
In September 2023, the Metropolis of New York grew to become the primary metropolis to start transitioning to renewable diesel on the East Coast of america. For the reason that begin of the transition in September 2023, renewable diesel has changed greater than 12 million gallons of fossil diesel, and already has been used to energy the town’s fleet of rubbish vehicles, ambulances, work vehicles, emergency turbines, and extra. Renewable diesel can scale back life cycle greenhouse fuel emissions by 60 p.c or extra in comparison with common diesel, all whereas assembly the identical working specs as common diesel. In contrast to biodiesel, which is restricted to make use of in blends of 5 p.c to twenty p.c with common diesel, renewable diesel can be utilized as a full substitute of fossil diesel whereas nonetheless delivering the identical environmental advantages as biodiesel. The DCAS provide of renewable diesel has been sourced largely (98%) from waste animal fat and used cooking oil. The transition will forestall 162 million kilos of world carbon dioxide emissions from getting into the air yearly, and it’ll function an essential bridge gasoline as viable electrical variations of those automobiles are developed and positioned into the market. DCAS expects to bid a contract for the renewable diesel within the upcoming weeks.
In the present day’s announcement builds on the town’s efforts to scale back emissions from the transportation sector. In April 2024, the administration received $77 million in federal grants to affect 180 college buses and construct a first-in-the-nation electrical truck charging depot on the Hunts Level Meals Distribution Heart. In Might 2024, DCAS launched its Clear Fleet Replace, highlighting that the town had surpassed 5,000 plug-in electrical automobiles and put in 2,000 electrical charging ports. Thus far, over 70 p.c of the town’s fleet — greater than 21,000 fleet items — now use sustainable fuels, together with electrical, hybrid electrical, photo voltaic, and biofuel automobiles. In December 2023, the New York Metropolis obtained $7.5 million in federal funding to electrify the Governors Island Ferry. In August 2024, the administration received a $15 million federal grant from the U.S. Division of Transportation’s Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program to construct the nation’s largest curbside electrical car charging program. Moreover, the town has invested lots of of thousands and thousands of {dollars} to make it simpler for New Yorkers to make use of extra sustainable modes of transportation. That features increasing Truthful Fares for half-priced subway fares and creating an analogous program for the NYC Ferry, constructing document ranges of motorbike lane mileage and a historic enlargement of the town’s outer-borough greenway community, advancing generational transit-oriented housing growth tasks, and extra.
Donnell Rehagen, CEO of Clear Fuels Alliance America, stated:
By using confirmed sources like renewable diesel right now, New York Metropolis is taking rapid motion to scale back emissions.
“Transitioning one hundred pc of the municipal fleet to renewable fuels was a exceptional achievement. Now, with renewable diesel powering the long-lasting Staten Island Ferries, New York Metropolis is charting a course to a cleaner future for all.”
Julie Tighe, president of the New York League of Conservation Voters, stated:
Decreasing emissions from our transportation sector is important to combating the local weather disaster and decreasing air air pollution.
We applaud Mayor Adams, Commissioners Rodriguez and Molina and NYCEDC President and CEO Andrew Kimball for transitioning the Staten Island Ferries and the NYC Ferries to renewable diesel. Renewable diesel offers rapid environmental and well being advantages, which is why we needs to be doing every little thing we will to encourage its use, together with passing a clear gasoline normal on the state stage in 2025.
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Navigating New York Metropolis’s Waterways to Change into Cleaner and Greener as Staten Island Ferries and NYC Ferry Start Testing Renewable Diesel. supply
