State Agency Sustainability Plan and Requirements

Each state department or agency must prepare a biennial sustainability plan, that includes ways to modify vehicle use practices, and report annually on progress towards implementing their plan. Each state agency plan must prioritize the purchase of on-road vehicles that use alternative fuels. Vehicle purchasing priority is as follows:

1. Electric vehicles
2. Hybrid electric vehicles
3. Vehicles that use alternative fuels, including biodiesel blends of 20% (B20) or greater, compressed or liquefied natural gas, ethanol blends of 70% (E70) or greater, hydrogen, or propane
4. Gasoline or diesel vehicles

High priority vehicle types may be rejected if the vehicle type is incapable of carrying out its purpose or the total cost of ownership is more than 10% higher than the next vehicle in the preference list. Emergency and law enforcement vehicles are exempt from this requirement. State agency plans must also, among other things, encourage state employees to fuel vehicles with alternative fuels when available and increase the use of renewable fuels derived from agricultural products or waste products.

(Reference Minnesota Statutes 16C.135 and 16C.137)