The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recognized both the Port of Seattle and Metro Transit with Clean Air Excellence awards for their constructive efforts to improve air quality.
The Port - the first Port Authority ever to be accorded this distinction - was recognized for measures taken to reduce diesel emissions at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and in the Seattle harbor. The Port was nominated for the award by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency.
Metro was saluted for using hybrid buses, which significantly diminish greenhouse gas emissions. The hybrid program also was applauded for its use of ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel.
King County Metro Transit, the first agency in the nation to invest in articulated hybrid buses, now operates one of the biggest fleets in the country.
General Motors, the manufacturer of the hybrid drive system, is crediting King County's hybrid initiative with stimulating other governments to invest in the clean-burning buses, including a California consortium of governments, Hawaii and the cities of Albuquerque, Reno and Shanghai.
We appreciate it. Really.
Politics is local
Recently chided for failure to pay sufficient attention to the segment of our neighborhood that identifies with the Republican Party, we have assiduously attempted to gather information about the impending G.O.P. caucus for the 36th Legislative District.
At least, we assume one is impending. The Democrats are having theirs. We know, because the Dems e-mail us and tell us. So we figure the Reps are, too.
Only ... we use the "Contact" edress on the 36th District G.O.P. Web site to e-mail them. And nobody writes back.
So we e-mail the edress that we have dutifully published in the Bulletin Board for several years now, as part of the announcement of the 36th District Republicans monthly meeting. This time we get an answer, prompt and to the point: Sorry, folks, writes the individual who had volunteered his e-mail contact, I haven't lived in the 36th District for 18 months.
OK, we finally get it. A tad late for April Fool's, but not a bad joke, and it's on us.
There is no Republican Party in the 36th District. Do we feel silly!
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