CMAQ Project Summary and Justification
Introduction
The City of Olathe has made a concerted effort over the years to operate an environmentally aware and
efficient Solid Waste Program. The City of Olathe Solid Waste Division operates progressive residential and
commercial solid waste programs, as well as recycling and compost programs. The city’s recycling efforts divert
38.29% of waste from landfills in 2013.
The City of Olathe has also pursued an additional number of initiatives within the Fleet Management
Program to address fuel consumption, reduce vehicle idling and polluting emissions from the city’s fleet. The
critical moment in this ongoing process took place in 2011 with a comprehensive review of the city’s fleet and fleet
policies. That review resulted in 11 vehicles or pieces of equipment being removed from the fleet and the
repositioning of an additional 43 vehicles in a more efficiently managed and utilized Central Motor Pool. City fleet
policies faced a higher level of attention and a conscious effort to move away from polluting diesel trucks to more
environmentally friendly Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles. 2013 saw the purchase of Olathe’s first 4 CNG
Solid Waste Trucks (with help from CMAQ funds). The City of Olathe is anticipating the continued replacement of
diesel Solid Waste Trucks with cleaner burning CNG vehicles, with the goal of complete Solid Waste fleet
conversion to compressed natural gas over a ten year period.
Project
The City of Olathe 2015-2018 Fleet Emissions Initiative: CNG Fueling Station project seeks to improve
regional air quality by providing the infrastructure to support the fueling of fifty (50) compressed natural gas Solid
Waste Trucks with timed fill (slow fill) fueling posts. This project will speed the replacement of diesel Solid Waste
Trucks with CNG trucks by providing timed fill fueling infrastructure where the trucks are housed, providing an
operationally convenient and cost effective means of fueling the Olathe Solid Waste Fleet.
The City of Olathe has purchased 4 Solid Waste Trucks in 2013 and is planning for the replacement of 18
diesel powered Solid Waste heavy trucks with cleaner burning and more environmentally sensitive CNG heavy
trucks by 2018. The City of Olathe has entered into a three year inter-local agreement with Johnson County to
utilize the quick fill CNG station located at the Johnson County Public Works facility for the fueling of CNG Solid
Waste Trucks. This station, even when doubled in size, cannot support the full conversion of the Olathe Solid
Waste fleet and the County’s CNG needs. It is for this reason the city has included $2,265,500 in the approved
2014-2018 Capital Improvement Plan for the construction of timed fill (slow fill) compressed natural gas fueling
infrastructure. This project includes $222,000 for design and utilities in 2014; $1,583,500 for construction in 2015
and $460,000 for building modifications in 2016. The total cost of this project is $2,265,500. Olathe is seeking
CMAQ funding to cover 80% of the construction costs (80% of $1,583,500 or $1,266,800). The City of Olathe’s
Solid Waste Division will cover the remaining 20% ($316,700) of construction costs and $682,000 in project design
and building modification costs. This project has been approved by the Olathe City Council.
Although these project costs are significant, the promised results are substantial. This fueling
infrastructure allows for the accelerated replacement of diesel Solid Waste Trucks and the full conversion of the
Solid Waste Fleet from DIESEL to COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS. The City of Olathe Solid Waste Division currently
operates 39 Diesel Solid Waste Vehicles. By 2018 it is anticipated that 21 of those vehicles will be running on
cleaner burning CNG. With this fueling infrastructure the replacement of the remaining 18 trucks can be
accelerated due to the convenience of fueling after hours within the Solid Waste Division’s complex at 1415 S.
Robinson Drive Olathe Kansas. The full conversion of the Olathe Solid Waste fleet provides DRAMATIC harmful
diesel emissions reductions and greatly reduces the number of gallons of diesel fuel consumed.
Olathe seeks to be an active participant in the quest to reduce pollutants within the region. The World
Health Organization recently added diesel fumes to its list of known carcinogens. Studies have indicated those
working around diesel fumes for extended periods of time over a long career may face seven times the normal
lung cancer risk of non-smokers. Pollutants such as diesel emissions, CO2 and NOx contribute to ground level
pollution and are particularly harmful to those with respiratory ailments like asthma. Replacing polluting diesel
Solid Waste trucks within the City of Olathe’s fleet allows for real opportunities to reduce municipal and regional
levels of pollutants and participate in MARC’s efforts to address air quality.
The City of Olathe’s 2015-2018 Fleet Emissions Initiative: CNG Fueling Station project allows for
opportunities to reduce pollutants and meet regional goals as set forth in MARC’s Clean Air Action Plan.
Transportation Outlook 2040 envisions a transportation system that considers environmental within its
framework. MARC’s Complete Streets Policy provides for a regional vision for a sustainable Kansas City region that
increases the value of our society, economy and environment now and into the future. Olathe’s 2015-2018 project
provides opportunities to advance the Complete Streets Policy, most notably within the goals of Climate Change
and Energy Use, Environment, and Public Health. The annual reduction and/or elimination of damaging
greenhouse gases and potentially cancerous diesel emissions will provide real benefits to the Kansas City region.
Measuring Results
The following reports will be generated by Olathe’s Fleet Management ProgramGreenhouse gas emissions reduced monthly
Gallons of diesel fuel/fuel costs eliminated by CNG vehicles
Outcomes
As the City of Olathe continues to move its fleet from polluting diesel fueled vehicles to cleaner burning
compressed natural gas, Olathe Fleet Management will utilize industry benchmarks to continuously monitor the
outputs proposed above. The economic and environmental savings will be provided to operating departments, the
City Manager and Council and will ultimately be provided to Olathe citizens. Providing this information to the
public will spur discussions on the use of foreign-sourced fossil fuels (diesel and gasoline) and the impacts of the
use of these fuels on public health.