METRO Applauds Mayor Bloomberg for Signing NYC Biodiesel Heating Oil Legislation into Law

NEW YORK, Aug. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- METRO Terminals, which is currently building one of the country's largest biodiesel processing facilities adjacent to its biofuels and petroleum terminal in Brooklyn, expressed great excitement after Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed Intro 194-A into law on August 16^th.  The law requires that all grades of heating oil sold in the City of New York contain at least 2% biodiesel starting in October 2012.

At the bill signing, Mayor Bloomberg said: "Introductory Number 194-A will significantly reduce pollution, promote the use of alternative fuels, create new 'green' jobs and vastly improve air quality throughout the City."

On July 26, 2010, Mayor Bloomberg visited METRO Terminals where he announced an agreement with City Council leadership on this landmark legislation.  He was joined by City Councilman James F. Gennaro, the bill's sponsor, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and representatives from the American Lung Association and the Environmental Defense Fund.

"We applaud Mayor Bloomberg, as well as Councilman Gennaro and Speaker Quinn, for taking this bold step toward improving air quality in New York City, reducing our country's dependence on fossil fuels, lowering our carbon footprint and supporting a local green economy," said Gene V. Pullo, President of METRO Terminals.  "METRO is looking forward to playing its part in locally processing biodiesel and helping New York become a greener place to live and work."

About METRO

Founded in Brooklyn in 1942, METRO has grown into one of the New York Metropolitan Area's largest family-owned heating oil, natural gas, diesel and gasoline terminals that employs more than 150 people.

In 2006, METRO invested in the next great heating and transportation fuel alternative – biodiesel - and METRO Biofuels was born.  METRO Biofuels became one of the first U.S. marketers to achieve BQ-9000 certification from the National Biodiesel Board and is currently one of the largest marketers of biodiesel in the New York Metropolitan Area. METRO is currently building a 110-million-gallon capacity biodiesel processing facility that is expected to open in 2011 and will create approximately 60 green collar jobs in New York State.  It will have the capability to process biodiesel from a variety of sustainable "feedstocks" including recycled restaurant grease, domestically produced soy, canola, biomass and algae.

SOURCE METRO Terminals