Maryland Officials to Invest in Green Cars

Maryland officials are exploring ways to make the state's fleet of 9,000 vehicles cleaner, possibly by buying more hybrid cars and vehicles that use biodiesel fuel.

The state has 30 hybrid vehicles in its fleet. To accelerate state efforts to reduce pollution, Comptroller Peter Franchot pushed to encourage the state to buy more hybrids during a recent meeting of the Board of Public Works. Franchot asked about the feasibility of making hybrid vehicles comprise 20 percent of new car purchases for the state. He said the state should try to lead by example and set a goal "without breaking the bank."

Despite legislation and pronouncements aimed at cutting pollution and saving energy, Franchot said he believes the state isn't moving fast enough to pursue an "ongoing desire to make Maryland the greenest state in the country."

Gov. Martin O'Malley signed a measure this year that requires cars sold in Maryland to meet stricter emissions rules starting in model year 2011.

"The goal, when we look at this, it'll be reducing our carbon footprint from the 9,000 vehicles that do the work of the people of our state through their state government," O'Malley said.

[source: AP]