North Hempstead Sets Standard for Saving the Environment and Tax Payer Dollars
with New Hybrid Vehicles
Immediate Release | Contact: David Chauvin (516) 869-7794|February 25th, 2005
Manhasset, NY- Supervisor Jon Kaiman and Councilman Tom Dwyer announced the purchase of seven Ford Escape hybrid electric vehicles as a part of a new clean vehicle initiative for the Town of North Hempstead. They were joined by Town Clerk Michelle Schimel and Bob Muldoon and Marie Pendzich from the Sierra Club. In addition, the Supervisor and Councilman Dwyer announced that they will be cosponsoring a resolution at next week’s Town Board meeting that will help promote cleaner transportation options for the future through transitioning the Town’s fleet of vehicles toward hybrid technology and offering incentives through license and permit fees to companies that use cleaner, fuel efficient transportation options.
"North Hempstead is setting the standard with this new clean vehicle effort. This initiative will save money on fuel costs while saving a piece of our environment for the future. We will strive to purchase vehicles that get the best mileage and pollute the least. This will lower our fuel costs, dramatically reduce pollution from our fleet and lower our nation’s dependence on oil. This is the kind of investment we need for the future of North Hempstead and for our nation,” stated Supervisor Kaiman.
Councilman Dwyer added, “This is just one initiative where the town can set an example with the use of alternative energy cars or hybrid cars to increase awareness of the possibilities of alternative energy concepts. The town will continue to research other possibilities where alternative energy and utility efficiencies can play a part in North Hempstead.”
“We applaud Supervisor Kaiman and the Town of North Hempstead for setting a new standard for Long Island by committing to buy the cleanest vehicles,” said Bob Muldoon, an Associate Regional Representative with the Sierra Club. “These hybrid electric vehicles are among the most fuel efficient vehicles on the market. We will reach out to the 12 other towns and county governments of Long Island to follow North Hempstead’s example,” he added.
The Town of North Hempstead has a history of generating a variety of environment victories. From purchasing seven hybrid electric vehicles and welcoming fifteen clean-fuel taxicabs to annual spring clean-ups for parks and roads, the town is garnering recognition as an environmental leader among municipal governments.
"This effort is part of a long term commitment to an aggressive, progressive environmental platform for our town government,” concluded Michelle Schimel. “I look forward to working with the Town Board on establishing town licensing and permit fee incentives for companies that use alternative energy vehicles.”
Hybrid electric vehicles get much higher gas mileage than standard vehicles by combining a gas engine with an electric engine. Hybrids run on gasoline like a standard car. They switch easily from electric to gas, running entirely on electric at low speeds and shutting down when at a full stop. The batteries never need to be plugged in; instead, they recharge internally, by the gas engine and by capturing energy from braking and coasting. The result is a highly fuel efficient vehicle with low emissions.
The Ford Escape hybrid has an EPA rating of 36 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city and 31 mpg on the highway. It has achieved the best EPA emissions rating for its class of medium size SUV’s. According to a Sierra Club report, if the town’s entire fleet were hybrid electric, the fleet would double its fuel efficiency.