(Miami-Dade County, FL) -- A resolution sponsored by Commissioner Barbara J. Jordan could lead to the use of alternative fuel sources by Miami-Dade Transit. On Tuesday, December 9, Miami-Dade County’s Governmental Operations and Environment Committee unanimously voted to approve the ordinance, which directs the County Mayor to develop an implementation plan for modifying County vehicles currently using diesel to allow them to use other fuel sources, like biodiesel and vegetable oil.

Biodiesel is a clean burning alternative fuel, produced from domestic and natural renewable oils, such as soybean oil. According to the National Biodiesel Board, biodiesel contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to create a biodiesel blend in compression-ignition (diesel) engines with little or no modifications. Other modifications made to engines can also help them run on straight vegetable or animal fat oils. The Mayor’s Office has also been directed to research any other viable sources of fuel, such as algae-based fuel and compressed natural gas.