SANTA FE, NM – The City of Santa Fe Council approved the grant awards and purchase of eight compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles for the City’s fleet at an Oct. 30 meeting. Four of these are Honda Civic sedans, and four are refuse trucks, according to City documents.

City Council approved the grant award and procurement of two CNG side-loader refuse trucks and two CNG front-loader refuse trucks for the Solid Waste Division. The State of New Mexico Energy Mineral & Natural Resources awarded the City a $100,000 grant, with ARRA funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, toward the purchase of vehicles; the City’s share is $913,471. The City will purchase the vehicles using the State of New Mexico contract.

The City was also granted $31,060 toward the incremental cost of four CNG Honda Civic sedans for use in the Santa Fe Ride Program for the Transit Division. The 2013-MY sedans cost $105,840; the Transit Division will pay $74,780 out of existing Transit Division funds. The grant covers the incremental cost of the CNG vehicles. The Santa Fe Ride program provides curb-to-curb paratransit service for those unable to use the local bus service.