Feds settle lawsuit over alternative fuels

Four federal agencies settled a lawsuit with environmental groups Wednesday and agreed to buy thousands of vehicles that run on natural gas, electricity, ethanol, propane and other alternative fuels.

Signed by President Bush’s father in 1992, the Energy Policy Act requires that 75 percent of the new cars and light trucks bought by federal agencies run on alternative fuels. The law was intended to reduce dependence on foreign vehicles, reduce air pollution, spur technological innovation and stimulate the market for such vehicles.

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