The failure of Congress to give America the energy plan it deserves has done little to deter a bipartisan group of governors intent on ending the country’s dangerous dependence on foreign oil.
Following this weekend’s National Governors Association meeting in Williamsburg, Gov. Mary Fallin and Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper traveled to Detroit to meet with the Big Three automakers. The Republican and the Democrat are members of a bipartisan group of governors who are determined to use the buying power of their states to change the course of American history, as Forbes reports:
Washington has been unable to adopt a national energy policy, so Fallin, a Republican, and Hickenlooper, a Democrat, are leading a bipartisan commitment by 13 states to purchase thousands of natural gas vehicles for their fleets as both a cost-saving measure and as an incentive for the industry to develop them. With the combined purchasing power of 13 states, Fallin and Hickenlooper hope to create enough momentum to justify the investment as a win-win for everyone.
The timing of this initiative couldn’t be better. Natural gas prices are at rock bottom. In addition, many states have delayed their fleet purchases because of budget shortfalls.
Oklahoma this year plans to replace about 500 of the vehicles in its aging fleet of more than 11,000 cars and trucks, Fallin said. If every state did the same, the demand would be substantial, she said. Participating states include: Oklahoma, Colorado, Wyoming, Pennsylvania, Utah, Maine, New Mexico, West Virginia, Kentucky, Texas, Ohio, Mississippi and Louisiana.
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