Wednesday, October 9th 2014

From StateImpact PA:

The Pennsylvania Turnpike turns 74 years old today. The vast majority of the roughly 190 million drivers who travel the toll road every year rely on gasoline for fuel just as they did when it first opened on October 1, 1940.

This week, StateImpact Pennsylvania has been taking a journey across the turnpike, exploring the state’s energy past and present and a future that may be shaped by efforts to fight climate change and cut down on greenhouse gases. 

According to the federal Environmental Protection Agency, about one-third of the nation’s carbon dioxide emissions come from the transportation sector, ranking second behind power plants. Yet, cars that run on natural gas, electricity and other lower-carbon alternatives haven’t become mainstream.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is trying to offer new options – in part, to lower its own carbon footprint, but also because the state is offering millions of dollars in grants to create new markets for alternative fuels.

Read more at StateImpact PA.