ELKHART - Significant achievements in clean air and sustainability were honored Wednesday in Elkhart at Michiana Area Council of Governments’ (MACOG) 2025 Partners for Clean Air Awards Luncheon.
Award winners included South Bend Bike Garage, Cultivate Food Rescue, The Tire Rack and the city of Nappanee.
“Each of the awardees has demonstrated a commitment to innovating to reduce their footprint, save money, and contribute positively to their community,” MACOG Executive Director James Turnwald said.
City of Nappanee is recognized for piloting electric vehicles in their municipal fleet. The city obtained grant funding for two all-electric vehicles and fleet charging through the Indiana Office of Energy Development's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program.
The first vehicle, a Chevy Silverado EV Work Truck, is used by building maintenance staff and a Chevy Equinox EV is used by the planning department. The project is estimated to avoid over 11,000 gallons of gasoline, with net savings of over $1,100 per year after factoring in electricity costs. The vehicles also promote clean air by reducing particulate matter and nitrogen oxides, an ozone precursor. The city has also committed to adding public charging downtown, where none is currently available.
MACOG is a metropolitan planning commission serving Elkhart, Kosciusko, Marshall and St. Joseph counties in northern Indiana. The voluntary organization of local governments studies and attempts to resolve, for the benefit of each member and the region, areas of interlocal issues, which includes but is not limited to transportation, transit, economic development, environment, and other issues that impact the region. To learn more, go to www.macog.com.