South Carolina Governor Jim Hodges

Coalition member Governor Jim Hodges of South Carolina attended the grand opening ceremony of United Energy Distributors, Inc.'s new biofuels fueling station in Aiken, S.C. The station is the first public fueling site in the nation to offer both E85 and biodiesel. At the ceremony, Governor Hodges signed an Executive Order, the text of which follows:

"Whereas, the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the US clearly demonstrate the fragility of the international oil distribution system, and political instability will be a hallmark of the Middle East for years to come; and

"Whereas, the National Energy Policy Act of 1992   identified a need for increased availability of indigenously produced alternative fuels as part of an overall effort to reduce dependence on foreign oil and improve air quality; and

"Whereas, the Act    mandates that alternative fuel vehicles must constitute 75% of annual state fleet purchases; and

"Whereas, the Act    identifies, among others, ethanol and biodiesel fuels as alternative fuels, and United States Department of Agriculture research revealed that South Carolina can produce both; and

"Whereas, ethanol and biodiesel fuels can become a viable industry to diversify crop production and offer financially lucrative alternatives for South Carolina farmers; and

"Whereas, South Carolina's Clean Cities Coalitions surveyed government agencies and private companies in their regions, and identified over one thousand alternative fuel vehicles but only one publicly available refueling station.

"Now therefore, I do hereby: Strongly support the efforts of South Carolina's Clean Cities Coalitions and private business to increase the use of alternative fuels in South Carolina. Whenever practical and economically feasible, require all state agencies operating alternative fuel vehicles to use alternative fuels."