Snohomish County's vehicle fleet recently became one of the first in the Puget Sound region to be certified as a "green" fleet through the Evergreen Fleets program.  Evergreen Fleets is the first green fleet certification program of its kind in the nation, and was created by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency and the Puget Sound Clean Cities Coalition in collaboration with a consortium of public fleet managers.

"It is great to be recognized as a regional leader in this effort," said Councilmember Dave Gossett.  "We are setting the standard for environmental performance.  I commend our Public Works staff for their leadership in moving toward a more sustainable future for our region."

Evergreen Fleets is a voluntary, tiered certification program that recognizes fleets for making smart, environmentally responsible choices that save fuel, improve operational efficiencies, and reduce air emissions.

"Evergreen Fleets sets rigorous standards for fleet performance, awarding one-to five-star ratings for fleets based on the best practices and green fleet technologies they have adopted," said Gossett.  

Snohomish County received a three-star rating. Under its green fleet program, Snohomish County recently purchased over 100 "green" vehicles, retrofit more than 50 percent of its diesel fleet, and also consumed over 34,000 gallons of biodiesel - thereby offsetting the amount of conventional diesel used, and emissions of nearly 350 tons of carbon dioxide.

"This program isn't just about retrofitting tailpipes, but rather recognizes fleets for making changes in how we do business," stated Gossett.  "The result is more efficient fleets, less pollution, and added savings for the taxpayer."

The Snohomish County fleet has won numerous environmental awards including an Environmental Leadership Award in 2009 from Government Fleet Magazine, a 2009  Green Fleet Award from the National Association of Fleet Administrators, and was ranked as the #4 Government Green Fleet in the United States in 2009.