GALESBURG, IL – State Rep. Mike Boland, D–East Moline, wants municipalities to support alternative fuels. He recently spoke about legislation he is introducing that would require city governments to buy flex fuel, biodiesel, or hybrid cars or trucks when buying new vehicles, according to the Galesburg Register-Mail newspaper.

Illinois became the first state to pass legislation requiring state government to buy alternative-fuel cars when Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed a bill in January mandating all vehicles bought by the state be hybrid or flex fuel vehicles. Boland said his new legislation is another step to ensure Illinois is a leader in ethanol development.

Monmouth Mayor Rod Davies said he would support the idea of buying hybrid vehicles as long as the city wouldn’t have to replace its entire fleet right away. However, some critics of the legislation argue that hybrid and flex-fuel vehicles are more expensive and there are too few gas stations equipped to sell E-85.

For now, Boland’s legislation will affect only city governments, but he hopes to include other local governmental bodies, like counties and school districts, in the future, according to the Galesburg Register-Mail. Boland’s bill will require a super-majority in both chambers of the General Assembly to pass.