BLOOMINGTON, ILL – December 3, 2020 – The B20 Club recently welcomed its newest member, the Lake County Division of Transportation (LCDOT).
LCDOT is responsible for the procurement and maintenance of all fleet vehicles owned and operated by Lake County, Ill. and for the upkeep of more than 550 unique vehicles and pieces of equipment that are needed to respond to emergencies, plow county highways in the winter, conduct health inspections, and perform many other essential county functions.
Lake County is committed to delivering financially and environmentally responsible services and is proud to operate its fleet on alternative fuels and technologies such as B20 biodiesel.
“We are proud to fuel our fleet of more than 70 diesel vehicles with B20 biodiesel in support of our commitment to delivering financially and environmentally responsible services that promote a safe, affordable, healthy, and resilient community for the residents and visitors of Lake County,” said Josh Wallace, LCDOT Fleet and Facilities Manager.
According to figures calculated by the American Lung Association, LCDOT’s annual lifecycle CO2 reduction is 54.4 tons, or 108,800 pounds. This is equivalent to planting 822 trees, consuming 115 fewer barrels of oil, driving 123,350 fewer miles, or charging over 6 million smartphones. LCDOT has also implemented technology that helps with overall reduction and has reduced carbon emissions by over 300 tons annually, not including its electric vehicles.
“Joining the B20 Club is really going to help us continue efforts to reduce our overall carbon emissions and help with efforts and steps we’ve already taken to do that,” said Wallace.
“Illinois Soybean is excited to partner with Lake County Division of Transportation as a member of the B20 Club. In joint partnership we can reduce carbon emissions in our urban areas right now using a cleaner and better fuel that is grown right here in Illinois,” said Andrew Larson, ISA Director of Public Policy and Market Development.
A partnership between the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) and the American Lung Association, the B20 Club recognizes a select group of Illinois-based organizations with strong commitments to run fleets on biodiesel blends of 20 percent or greater. For more information on the B20 Club, visit www.b20club.org.
The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) checkoff and membership programs represent more than 43,000 soybean farmers in Illinois. The checkoff funds market development and utilization efforts while the membership program supports the government relations interests of Illinois soybean farmers at the local, state, and national level, through the Illinois Soybean Growers (ISG). ISA upholds the interests of Illinois soybean producers through promotion, advocacy, and education with the vision of becoming a market leader in sustainable soybean production and profitability. For more information, visit the website www.ilsoy.org.
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For more information, contact:
Rachel Peabody
Director of Communications
peabodyr@ilsoy.org
217-825-7654
