Winter 2008
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Ecology Center Helps Ann Arbor Adopt Green Fleets Policy

By Ted Sylvester
August/September Issue, 2004

The City of Ann Arbor has become the first in Michigan to adopt a comprehensive “green fleets” purchasing policy. The ordinance, passed by City Council in June, requires the City to take into account emissions, fuel economy, and other environmental impacts before purchasing any vehicle. The policy aims to reduce emissions of CO2, a key global warming pollutant, by 10% by 2012. A 10% reduction in fuel use will also result in a direct savings to the City of over $40,000 per year.

The Ann Arbor Green Fleets Policy resulted from more than four years of effort by the Green Fleets Policy Workgroup, composed of fleet managers from every city department, the city’s Energy Office, and the Ecology Center. The Workgroup and policy were established pursuant to an Ann Arbor City Council resolution passed in August 2000.

In terms of impact, the policy will help assure that the City is moving toward the cleanest fleet possible. The City of Ann Arbor fleet contains over 400 vehicles, typically replacing 20-30 per year. The fleet in 2003 emitted about 7 million pounds of CO2 per year from the use of approximately 350,000 gallons of fuel. By achieving the 10% emission reduction target, the City will be reducing its CO2 emissions by 702,000 pounds over the next 10 years. Also targeted are a range of other tailpipe emissions and pollutants from automobile production and end-of-life disposal.

The Ann Arbor Green Fleets Policy is not unique. It is part of a larger international effort to “green” public fleets and transportation systems. The International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, of which Ann Arbor is a member, is coordinating similar efforts in communities around the world. Other U.S. places that have adopted green fleets policies include Denver, Ft. Collins, San Francisco, Sacramento, and Miami-Dade County, Florida. The Ecology Center will continue to encourage the adoption of green-fleet policies by other cities and states in the Midwest.

For more information about the Ann Arbor Green Fleets Policy, contact Jeff Gearhart or Charles Griffith at the Ecology Center (734) 663-2400, or Dave Konkle, Energy Coordinator, City of Ann Arbor (734) 996-3150

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