Legislators want state's auto fleet to use less fuel
By ROB SPAHR
Staff Writer, 609-978-2012
Published: Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Three area legislators have introduced a bill that, if made law, would force the state to increase the fuel efficiency of its motor vehicle fleet.The legislation, introduced by Sen. Christopher J. Connors and Assemblymen Brian E. Rumpf and Daniel M. Van Pelt, all R-Ocean, Burlington, Atlantic, would require the state Department of Treasury, Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Transportation to work together to calculate the miles per gallon average for the state's entire motor vehicle fleet.This would include all diesel and gasoline vehicles, with the exception of those used for law enforcement purposes."We are seeking a comprehensive plan (to) be formulated for achieving reductions in fuel usage over a four-year period, beginning with the first year of implementation," said Connors in a news release. "Tangible results are desperately needed in the near future. Otherwise, it is only a matter of time before higher fuel costs for the state fleet are shifted to the taxpayer in one form or another."Van Pelt said the law would establish a series of benchmarks for those agencies to follow during the next several years.
"By 2010, for example, it would call for a certain percentage of the state's fleet to be environmentally friendly and for those agencies to work out a plan to make that happen," said Van Pelt, a member of the Assembly's Environmental and Solid Waste committee. "Certainly there is an environmental motivation to do this. But when we started talking about this, gas' price was around $3 a gallon. Now that it is around $4, it just highlights the need for this even more."Rumpf, the ranking Republican member of the Assembly Transportation, Public Works and Independent Authorities Committee, said the current record-setting fuel prices demand the state reduce the amount of fuel consumed by it's 15,500-vehicle fleet."Almost certainly, this will entail a multi-faceted approach, including increasing the overall miles per gallon in these vehicles," Rumpf said in the release.Erin Phalon, a spokeswoman for the DOT, said the department already has spent the last few years, at least, focusing on making its vehicles more fuel efficient. This includes the addition of hybrid vehicles as well as smaller and generally more fuel-efficient vehicles.But Van Pelt said the state should aim higher."I understand that there is a number of environmentally friendly vehicles already on the road, but the goal should always be 100 percent," he said. "The state needs to lead by example here."Elaine Makatura, a spokeswoman for the Department of Environmental Protection, called the legislation "reasonable and sensible." "It is cost effective, but it's also helpful from an environmental standpoint," Makatura said.The Assembly version of the bill, A-2976, is assigned to the Assembly State Government Committee, while the companion measure in the Senate, S-2117, is still waiting to be assigned to a committee.Van Pelt hopes both measure will be heard when the state legislature is back in session in the fall."I think the timing is right for this," Van Pelt said. E-mail Robert Spahr:RSpahr@pressofac.com
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