The South Fork of the Catawba River is the largest tributary in the Catawba River System and flows through Gaston, Lincoln and Catawba counties. This river is beloved by the communities it touches, offering miles of natural landscapes, great fishing spots, endless hours of kayaking within a moments’ drive and acts as home to a variety of wildlife, such as the great blue herons, osprey, bald eagles and deer. Unfortunately, population growth and development in the South Fork basin area over the years have resulted in adverse impacts on the river’s health and on the communities themselves. Frequent flooding of nearby municipalities and a decline in the water quality influenced former Mayor of Cramerton, Will Cauthen, to develop and prioritize a plan to improve both the health of the river and address its impact on the community.

2023 marks 30 years since the establishment of the Clean Cities Program through the Department of Energy (DOE). Centralina Clean Fuels Coalition (CCFC) is one of over 75 coalitions nationwide that work at the local level to advance clean, affordable transportation fuel technologies and systems along with energy-efficient mobility systems. This past month, our CCFC team was out and about in our region and beyond, championing issues surrounding clean energy and enhanced mobility.

As innovations in transportation and energy advance, it is important to ensure all communities can benefit from these new developments. Historically, discriminatory zoning and lending practices have forced residents of color and low-income residents to live closer to sources of toxic pollution, such as highways and industrial sites. The impacts of systematically excluding communities of color and low-income communities from planning and decision-making around transportation and energy are still seen and felt.

For decades, the United States has been working to move past its dependence on fossil fuels. This article highlights the efforts made on the state level to help promote cleaner transportation and how Centralina Clean Fuels Coalition is furthering these initiatives in our region.

Stormwater management has been identified as a critical component of hazard mitigation plans across the Centralina region and beyond. Natural and manmade disruptions will continue to emerge, threatening the health, safety, and economic vitality of our communities.

The Centralina Clean Fuels Coalition (CCFC) is the designated Clean Cities Coalition for the greater Charlotte region through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). This year saw CCFC redouble our efforts through a variety of innovative, collaborative projects. As 2022 draws to a close, let’s look back at the top five successes for clean, equitable transportation across the region over the last year.

In March 2022, Centralina awarded the Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) Electric Vehicle (EV) Bus Fleet the Clean Cities Award. The CLT EV Bus Fleet provides sustainable solutions to employees, tenants, passengers, the local community and region.

MacLeod Construction is a concrete and construction company with a penchant for progress. Customers are served by MacLeod’s concrete flatwork, poured walls, foundations and most recently, its ready-mix supplies. Increasing demand for concrete and construction services coupled with industry investments and government incentives has allowed MacLeod to capitalize on alternative fuel vehicles such as compressed natural gas vehicles.