Developing Railway Markets for Montana BiodieselOpportunity Link, Inc.

Opportunity Link•Non-profit agency founded in 2004 to reduce poverty and build economic assets in 11 counties and 3 Indian reservations in Northcentral Montana

FOCUS AREAS:•Employment Training•Accessible Transportation•Asset & Wealth Creation

Opportunity Link assisted in the establishment of four new public transportation systems in Northcentral Montana.

Northern Transit Interlocal (March 2008)

Fort Belknap Transit Service (March 2009)

North Central Montana Transit (August 2009)

Rocky Boy Transit (September 2009)

North Central Montana Transit, 2009 to present•Fleet using biodiesel blends

• One 35-passenger 1995 Gillig Phantom (20% blend)

• Two 24-passengers 1998 Orion II (20% blend)

• One 15-passenger 2009 Dodge Sprinter van (5% blend)

• Leased buses from Glacier National Park (approved up to 5% blend)

BNSF Railway, 2010-2011•Locomotive switch engine, BNSF 1928

Model: EMD SD40-2 Horsepower: 3,000

Fuel Cap: 4010 Gallons Sand Cap: 40 cu ft

Length: 65 feet Height: 16 ft Width: 10 ft

Engine: 16 cylinder 645E3B, 2008 Tier-0 Certificate

Weight: 391,500 lbs

Biodiesel Demonstration ProjectsBiodiesel Demonstration Projects

Opportunity Link’s North Central Montana Transit has three lines with daily fixed routes services that average 630 miles a day.

NCMT ridership has been estimated at 250 a month but has a 1,600 monthly average in 2010 – six times more than projected.

Opportunity Link’s North Central Montana Transit buses piloted the use of locally grown and produced biodiesel.

A 5% to 20% biodiesel blend, processed by Montana State University Northern Bio-Energy Center, is used by

the buses year-round.

Regular riders are a mix of ages, abilities, income levels, communities of origin, and final destinations. They include low-income individuals, non-drivers, employed commuters, recreational travelers, tribal and

university college students, medical patients and shoppers.

Photo courtesy of Havre Daily News

• Commendation from the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) based in

Brussels, Belgium• Selected as one of twelve communities for Mobility Planning Services by Easter Seals

Project ACTION based in Washington, D.C. • Received two Transportation Planning

Excellence Awards by FTA/FHWA on Planning & Leadership and Tribal Transportation

Planning• Invited as panelist to “Keeping Kids Moving”,

a national roundtable discussion held in Washington, D.C. by Policy Link and the Robert

Wood Johnson Foundation for Childhood Obesity

BNSF Biodiesel Demonstration Project is funded by the Montana Department of Agriculture’s Growth through Agriculture Program to

Bear Paw Development Corporation and by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality’s Alternative Energy Development Program to

Opportunity Link

DEVELOPING RAILWAY MARKETS FOR

MONTANA BIODIESEL

•Use of Montana biodiesel produced from locally grown oilseed crops

•Assess engine performance including regular emissions testing and locomotive engine maintenance (oil analysis, injector evaluation, engine performance, fuel consumption and durability)

•Promote oilseed and biodiesel production

• Oilseed farmers

• Biomass refiners

• Transport and storage businesses

• User industries

• Municipal and county governments

• Economic development agencies

• Education institutions and job training agencies

• State and Federal agencies

• Consumers

REGIONAL PARNTERS IN OILSEED & BIODIESEL

PRODUCTION

• Possibly multiple smaller facilities

• Value-added production

• Local workforce is trained

• Ancillary industries

• Agriculture policy supports farmers

• Existing infrastructure is used, improved

• Local biodiesel users are rewarded

STRATEGIES THAT FIT NORTHCENTRAL

MONTANA

• Assist in coordination

• Seek public input

• Help secure funding

• Provide administration during funding process

• Help train and transport workforce

• Educate public and policy makers

• Advocate and promote

WHAT CAN OPPORTUNITY LINK DO?

For more information, contact:

Barbara Stiffarm, Executive DirectorOpportunity Link, Inc.Phone: (406) 265-3699E-mail: bstiffarm@opportunitylinkmt.orgwww.opportunitylinkmt.org

Jessica Windy Boy, DirectorBio-Energy CenterMSU NorthernPhone: (406) 265-4199E-mail: j.alcornwindyboy@msun.edu www.bioenergytestingcenter.com

Beau Price, SuperintendentBNSF Railway Havre Diesel ShopPhone: (406) 265-4199E-mail: beau.price@bnsf.com www.bnsf.com