Doe Designates First Clean Airport in Waco
WACO, Texas - The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently designated Texas State Technical College (TSTC) Airport in Waco as the nation's first "Clean Airport" during a ceremony featuring Dr. Max Shauck, director and chair of aviation sciences at Baylor University, who is a leader in researching, developing and testing alternative aviation fuels.
As the nation's first "Clean Airport," TSTC Airport will be part of a local partnership with Baylor, the city of Waco and other stakeholders, such as the Texas Department of Transportation that is committed to operating aircraft on alternative fuels.
John Russell, director of the DOE Office of Alternative Fuels, was on hand to designate the airport. "The 'Clean Airports' program is a natural consequence of the 'Clean Cities' program which now features 49 cities throughout the country," Russell said. "Right now we have more than 400,00 alternative fuel vehicles on the roads across the states and our goal is to have
1 million alternative fuel vehicles on the roads by the year 2000."
Waco Mayor Mike Morrison offered Waco's full support for the new program and to help in whatever way he can. Morrison credited Shauck with being an inspiration to the world.
"Max has a worldwide reputation based upon his pioneer work," Morrison said. "His work with new technologies has brought us to this day."
The "Clean Airports" program targets small airports, aircraft owners and pilots seeking alternatives to using current aviation gasoline. "Clean Airports is not about DFW, O'Hare or National Airports," Russell said.
By adopting the "Clean Cities" model, airports can make significant gains in the nation's efforts to diversify U.S. fuel consumption patterns and improve air quality by increasing the use of alternative fuels.