EPAct

Fleet Information & Regulations

State & Alternative Fuel Provider Rule Fact Sheet

Faced with serious air quality problems, Washington, 

D.C., has established an aggressive alternative fuel vehicle 

(AFV) acquisition policy that surpasses Energy Policy Act 

(EPAct) requirements. Innovative fueling system technology 

enables an even more impressive feat—100% alternative 

fuel use in the city’s AFVs. Keenly aware of its unique 

leadership role, Washington is spreading AFV use throughout its metropolitan area and setting an example of alternative fuel success for the nation.

Beyond EPAct 

EPAct requires certain state government and alternative 

fuel provider fleets to acquire light-duty AFVs as a percentage of their yearly vehicle acquisitions. As of 2001, 75% 

of state fleet light-duty vehicle acquisitions must be AFVs; 

for alternative fuel providers, the requirement is 90%. 

Although state fleets must acquire AFVs, they are not 

required to use alternative fuels. 

Washington is regulated as a state under EPAct, and, 

until recently, it used EPAct requirements to guide its AFV 

acquisitions. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

classifies the Washington metropolitan area as an ozone 

non-attainment area; motor vehicle emissions are the 

primary cause of this air pollution. The city increasingly 

has come to see the use of clean-burning AFVs as a way to 

mitigate its air quality problems. In 2004, the Washington 

City Administrator’s Office enacted a policy requiring 90% 

of the city government’s light-duty vehicle acquisitions to 

be AFVs. 

“We support being more energy independent, but our 

major concern is the environment,” says Ron Flowers, Fleet 

Management Administrator with the Washington Department of Public Works, which is responsible for fueling all 

city government vehicles. “The environment is a substantive issue to the people of Washington because they understand the impact of air pollution on respiratory problems 

and overall quality of life.”

Of the city’s fleet of 5,500 vehicles, 55% are light-duty 

vehicles and 329 are AFVs. Most of the AFVs are light-duty 

vehicles. Two thirds are compressed natural gas (CNG) 

vehicles, and one third are flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs), 

which are capable of fueling with gasoline or any mixture of 

gasoline and ethanol up to E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline). 

The city’s parking enforcement service is one of the largest 

AFV users. About 90% of light-duty parking enforcement 

vehicles are AFVs, mostly dedicated CNG Honda Civics.

100% Alternative Fuel Use

Ninety-eight percent of the city’s fleet fills up at 13 

Department of Public Works fueling stations. Alternative 

fuels are available at two of the stations. Fueling at the 

stations is controlled by an E.J. Ward card key system, 

which the city established in 2001. Every city vehicle has 

a card key that allows it to fuel. Keys assigned to AFVs 

only allow fueling with alternative fuels. This system has 

resulted in virtually 100% fueling of AFVs with alternative 

fuels, including fueling of FFVs and bi-fuel natural gas 

vehicles (vehicles capable of fueling with gasoline or 

CNG). Flowers estimates that the city fleet uses more than 

350,000 gasoline gallon equivalents of alternative fuel 

annually. 

Bold Policies Make Washington, D.C., an Alternative Fuel Leader

Washington’s AFV fl eet has grown rapidly since 1995.

Source: Washington, D.C., Department of Public Works
State & Alternative Fuel Provider Rule Fact Sheet

Prepared by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)

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Operated by Midwest Research Institute • Battelle

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FreedomCAR and Vehicle Technologies Program

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A Strong Energy Portfolio for a Strong America

Energy efficiency and clean, renewable energy will mean a stronger economy, 

a cleaner environment, and greater energy independence for America. Working 

with a wide array of state, community, industry, and university partners, the U.S. 

Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy invests 

in a diverse portfolio of energy technologies.

DOE/GO-102005-2103 • April 2005

For more information about EPAct, visit www.eere.energy.gov/vehiclesandfuels/epact.

Reaching Out

Developing partnerships has enabled Washington to 

expand the reach of its alternative fuel efforts. “A number 

of communities in the metropolitan area have taken 

major steps toward increasing their alternative fuel use, 

often independent of any outside funding,” says Flowers, 

who chairs the Metropolitan Council of Governments 

Alternative Fuels Committee. 

This committee is developing a “green policy,” a 

template to guide Metropolitan Council of Governments 

members toward instituting a major commitment to alternative fuels and environmental improvement. The committee 

also offers workshops on topics such as alternative fuel 

technology, availability of AFVs, and alternative fuel legislation. It hosts a public program at least once a year; in 

2004 the program educated the public about hybrid electric 

vehicles, hydrogen vehicles, and AFVs. Washington and the 

Metropolitan Council of Governments also collaborate on 

alternative fuel efforts with the U.S. Department of Energy’s 

Clean Cities initiative.

Keys to Success

Strong leadership from city government and public 

support have been vital to Washington’s success. The 

mayor, city administrator, city council, and other city 

officials have been active in alternative fuel policy.

Emphasizing the environmental benefits of AFVs has 

strengthened public support. Creating positive exposure 

for alternative fuel technologies has also helped. For 

example, parking enforcement personnel have become 

highly visible ambassadors for the alternative fuel 

program and have improved public acceptance of AFVs.

Strong government and public support help secure 

funding, but it’s important to be proactive as well. Flowers 

recommends aggressively seeking resources such as grants 

to start a program then seeking continued funding from the 

government. In 

2004, Washington 

obtained a grant 

from the National 

Ethanol Vehicle 

Coalition to install 

E85 tanks and 

equipment. Another 

grant, from the 

U.S. Department 

of Energy and 

Washington Energy 

Office, funded 

installation of a CNG fuel dispenser as well as alternative 

fuel promotional and educational materials.

Another key to Washington’s success is its focus not 

only on acquiring AFVs, but also on ensuring alternative 

fuel use. “I learned early on that if you did not move 

people toward using alternative fuels, their habit was to 

fill up with gasoline,” Flowers says. Washington purchases 

dedicated AFVs when possible and uses its card key fueling 

system to enforce 100% alternative fuel use in its FFVs 

and bi-fuel vehicles.

Looking to the Future

In addition to acquiring 90% of its light-duty vehicles 

as AFVs—above and beyond its state fleet requirement of 

75%—Washington is seeking opportunities to use heavyduty AFVs such as refuse trucks, dump trucks, and street 

sweepers fueled with CNG or biodiesel. It is also working 

to establish CNG fueling at privately owned stations. This 

would give city vehicles more fueling locations and 

improve the public’s access to alternative fuels. “Being the 

nation’s capital, we have a great responsibility to set the 

tone for the nation,” says Flowers. For more information, 

contact Flowers at ronald.flowers@dc.gov.

NREL/PIX 13868

Parking enforcement vehicles serve as 

alternative fuel ambassadors.