At a time when government entities are more obligated than ever to enhance efficiencies and utilize clean, renewable sources of energy, the state fleet is demonstrating a cavalier disregard for the public interest.

Any fleet director concerned about sustainability and responsible financial stewardship would aggressively expand the use of vehicles powered by clean-burning natural gas. Natural gas used in Utah is domestically produced, emits almost none of the pollutants that cause most of our air quality problems in the Salt Lake Valley, emits 40 percent fewer global warming pollutants than conventional gasoline and is far less expensive, at 73 cents per gallon, than gasoline.

Salt Lake City government has 89 compressed-natural-gas vehicles in its fleet. All of the airport shuttle buses run on natural gas. Thirty-one percent of the city's vehicle fleet operates on alternative fuels, including 62 percent of our heavy vehicles.

Natural gas is a widely available, sustainable source of fuel that government leaders and policymakers should embrace and encourage the public to utilize.

Incredibly, the state fleet division has closed public access to all of its own natural gas refueling stations. It has scrapped the natural gas-capable vehicles in its fleet, after having rarely used them. The state fleet division has decided to replace these cars with flex-fuel vehicles capable of using either ethanol or gasoline.

Since there are only five ethanol stations statewide, and none in Salt Lake City, these cars will be filled almost certainly with conventional gasoline. Margaret Chambers, the state fleet director, cynically admits that this state of affairs meets "the letter of the law, not its intent" when it comes to the mandates of the 1992 Energy Policy Act on the use of renewable fuels in state fleets.

The state cannot credibly claim to be promoting sustainable, energy-efficient policies when its fleet, totaling some 7,500 vehicles, is inefficient, polluting and wasteful.

Few state workers have utilized the state's existing fleet of natural gas vehicles. The former state administrative services director, D'Arcy Dixon Pignanelli, made the false excuse that it is too difficult to find natural gas refueling stations. ("Clean-air cars sit idle in state's lot," Dec. 2, 2005).

With 63 stations, Utah ranks second in the United States in the number of natural gas stations statewide. My personal vehicle runs on compressed natural gas. If the mayor and city staff can easily refuel natural gas vehicles at any number of stations throughout Utah, then state officials and staff should have no problem finding and utilizing compressed natural gas refueling stations, particularly if the state's fleet manager would help.

Utah's persistent and worsening air quality problems threaten the lives of our residents and pose perhaps the greatest long-term obstacle to economic development. Wasteful, inefficient modes of transportation continue to endanger the public health and consume financial and material resources desperately needed to solve pressing challenges in healthcare, education and other vital social interests.

The prospect of catastrophic climate change threatens our quality of life at home and the lives of millions around the world.

At such a critical juncture, Utah residents need sensible governmental policies to improve efficiency and encourage alternative energy use, implemented by government officials who are informed and care about the public interest.

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* ROCKY ANDERSON is mayor of Salt Lake City.