According to a study by San Diego-based SustainLane, Las Vegas ranks first among the 50 largest cities in the United States in implementing alternative fuels programs.

"Today we have a very diversified alternative fleet of vehicles and equipment," said Dan Hyde, fleet and transportation service manager for the city. "The city of Las Vegas encourages innovation."

The Las Vegas fleet's No. 1 ranking was part of a larger study of sustainability in America's largest cities.

"The rankings explain how people's quality of life and city economic and management preparedness are likely to fare in the face of an uncertain future," according to the SustainLane Web site.

SustainLane is a one-stop information source site for cities, counties and states on sustainable development issues and is currently advising 200 state and local governments, according to Warren Karlenzig, its chief strategy officer.

"These kind of programs and policies reduce ... global carbon emission that affect climate change and they help build stronger regional economies with production of fuels developed locally," Karlenzig said. And sustainability programs like Las Vegas' alternative fuels efforts help cities grow "without impacting the health of the population or the global climate, and to have sustainable economic development that's based on jobs the the United States ... It's about energy security."

Karlenzig also said cities without alternative fuels programs will be harder-hit economically as oil prices continue to rise.

The for-profit company also launched a site in 2005 with sustainable living tips for individuals and families.

In the larger study, Las Vegas was judged based on 14 categories - such as energy and climate change policy, innovation, green buildings and planning and land use - and ranked 27 out of 50.

Issues of serious concern for the city included tap water and air quality, public transportation and lack of affordable housing. Las Vegas is performing well on metro congestion, innovation, natural disaster risk and green building.

Hyde said Las Vegas has pursued a stainable fleet plan since 1993 as a way of mitigating air pollution by carbon and particulates in the city.

Las Vegas even has its own fueling station on Ronemus Drive, which powers 87 percent of the city's 1,500 vehicles with compressed natural gas (CNG), biodiesel, hydrogen enriched compressed natural gas, high-oxygen unleaded gasoline and hydrogen. At the time the SustainLane study was completed the city has only 63 percent of its fleet running on alternative fuels.

Since, the city has purchased 85 hybrid vehicles, which replaced small pickup trucks that got 13 miles per gallon. The new vehicles average 26 miles per gallon and have been a hit with city workers.

"We love them. We put them to high use," said Hyde. "I drive one myself for the city. The reliability has proven to be very good. We're very optimistic about it."

Hyde said none of the fuels except hydrogen are perfectly clean, but they are better options than traditional gasoline or diesel fuel.

Hyde said some of the credit for the innovative program goes to a public-private partnership called Las Vegas Clean Cities Coalition, a group of businesses that has partnered with Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Henderson and Clark County to advance the use of alternative fuels.

Hyde said one partner, Las Vegas-based Haycock Patroleum, has been instrumental in bringing alternative fuels into wider use in the area. The company built a biodiesel production plant in the city and partners with Clean Cities members, who buy the fuel.

Hyde said John Haycock, chief executive of the petroleum company, has said the promotion of alternative fuels is not only a good moral decision but also a sound business model.

"That's the key to the success of alternative fuels not only in this market, but across the country," Hyde said. "It's a good, sound business model that we need to allow to take root over time to start changing our way of doing business with transportation fuels."

For information on SustainLane or the study, visit www.sustainlane.us.