The Federal Government’s plan of building their fleet as alternative fuel may be in jeopardy. According to the Washington Post, for the past 16 years they’ve acquired about 112,000 vehicles that can burn something other than fossil fuels. The vehicles are purchased, however, the fuel is difficult for them to find.

“I call it the ‘Field of Dreams’ plan. If you buy them, they will come,” said Wayne Corey, vehicle operations manager with the U.S. Postal Service. “It hasn’t happened.”

Congress has mandated that Federal agencies increase their number of alternative fuel vehicles. Many of the vehicles which have been purchased are E85 compatible, but many of the vehicles were sent to locations in which the fuel is not available. By law, the vehicles must use the alternative fuel should the fuel be available within five miles or 15 minutes from the pump. At this time, 92 percent of the vehicles are not using these such fuels.

The National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition (NEVC) assists in locating the appropriate location for E85 fueling stations. NEVC Executive Director Phil Lampert added, “While the preceding article is factually correct, the NEVC has successfully worked with a number of regional offices of the USPS, Dept. of Defense, and General Services Administration to locate FFVs in areas where fueling infrastructure exists. Certainly much can be done to increase the use of E85 in FFVs, but it should be noted that some federal agencies, (particularly regional offices) have been successful in placement of FFVs in areas with fuel.”