Four federal agencies agree to buy more alternative fuel vehicles

[Thom Little]

Four federal agencies have settled a lawsuit with environmental groups and have agreed to buy thousands of vehicles that run on natural gas, electricity, ethanol, propane and other alternative fuels.

Under Wednesday's settlement, the Commerce, Labor, Transportation and Veterans Affairs departments admitted that they violated the federal Energy Policy Act and agreed to buy enough alternative fuel vehicles to meet the law's requirements.

Signed by President Bush's father in 1992, the Energy Policy Act requires that 75 percent of the new cars and light trucks bought by federal agencies run on alternative fuels. The law was intended to reduce dependence on foreign vehicles, reduce air pollution, spur technological innovation and stimulate the market for such vehicles.

"These purchases will help these technologies mature into the mainstream so that eventually the consumer has a broader choice of alternative fuel technologies," said Peter Galvin, conservation director for the Center for Biological Diversity. "The public deserves environmentally sound technology that will allow us to have clean air and stem the tide of global warming."



http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051201/AUTO01/512010441/1148