Sustainability

Purchasing Standards
Through the 2008 Climate Action Resolution, the Skagit County Commissioners imposed interim rules that prohibit departments from purchasing passenger cars or SUVs that achieve EPA 2008 highway fuel economy ratings of less than 34 mpg, and pickup trucks with less than 24 mpg. At average 2008 fuel prices, that small increase in mileage might save $1500 or more per vehicle over three years.

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Fleet Management

Skagit County is moving quickly to improve the fuel economy of its entire vehicle fleet. Following the preliminary recommendations of the Climate Action and Sustainability Taskforce’s Green Purchasing Workgroup, Skagit County is considering contracting with a fleet management consultant for analysis and recommendations on how to efficiently manage the 200 road vehicles the county owns, and is developing permanent rules on fleet purchasing.

Electric Vehicles

Skagit County has allocated money from our Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant and from our vehicle expansion fund to purchase two new all-electric vehicles: one passenger car for mail delivery between the several office county buildings in Mount Vernon, and one cargo van for the facilities maintenance department to use to transport tools and equipment. (The department had been using a former coroner car that was long overdue for replacement.) The EECBG grant should also fund the construction of solar charging stations for each vehicle; one at the administrative campus on Continental Place, and one at the courthouse complex downtown Mount Vernon.

Skagit County retained Steve Hennessey, from Hennessey Fleet Consulting, in late February 2010 to provide an analysis of Skagit County's Equipment Rental & Revolving ("ER&R") Fund Division. Hennessey examined the County's current business practices and maintenance, fuel, and budget history in order to: develop a business plan with equipment life cycles, vehicle use policies, and rate methodology; review current rate calculation methods with an eye toward incentivizing departments and users to reduce vehicle and fuel use facilitate downsizing and facilitate purchasing more energy-efficient vehicles; and review vehicle life cycles and the reserve account. Download the final Vehicle Fleet Review 2010 (2MB).