Will city and private fleets have to use alternative fuels?

Will alternative fuels be coming soon to a vehicle fleet near you?

The U.S. Department of Energy wants state legislators to help make a decision that could increase the use of alternative fuel vehicles in their states and boost the market for the fuel. Such a requirement has the potential to clean up the air, but it also requires major investments. DOE wants lawmakers and citizens to comment on whether municipal and private fleets should be required - under the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPACT) - to buy alternative fuel vehicles. EPACT defines alternative fuels as methanol, ethanol, natural gas, propane, hydrogen, coal-derived liquid fuels, fuels derived from biological materials and electricity.

EPACT was passed in the wake of the 1991 Persian Gulf War to conserve as well as increase the portion of energy supplied domestically. It was designed, in part, to replace imported petroleum with domestic sources. The goal is to replace. 10 percent of the gasoline used by the year 2000 and 30 percent by 2010 with alternative fuels. The federal government started to use alternative fuel vehicles in its fleets with the model year 1993. Their use is to increase annually until 2001 when 75 percent will operate without gasoline. The requirement for fleets run by state governments and utility businesses started in model...