STEP ONE:

Establish the Basis for the Ordinance or Executive Order

The basis for the ordinance or executive order should be established first. The language should include reference to:

• • Air pollution problems in the city or county
  • Energy use attributable to the fleet
  • The global impacts of climate change
  • Saving money from fleet operations

The prologue section should make the point that improving fleet energy efficiency saves money, helps clean the air, and is a step in the right direction toward helping to protect the earth’s climate.

Click Here for the next step.

Examples:

From Denver

1. The City’s total energy bill in 1991 was $20.8 million and is projected to increase, by 40-50 percent to about $30.5 million by 1994.
2. This increased use of energy results in additional air pollution emissions.
3. The City has shown progress in making its existing and new buildings more energy efficient and desires to step up a similar effort with its fleets.

From Sacramento:

We recognize that the region has an air quality problem which is related to vehicle operations, especially the operation of heavy-duty vehicles;

We recognize that public agencies in Sacramento County operate large vehicle fleets which have significant numbers of heavy-duty vehicles.

We recognize that public agencies have a significant role to play in improving air quality by reducing the emissions from their fleet operations, especially their heavy-duty vehicles.