Queen Anne's County vehicles to use biodiesel fuel

With the help of a $100,000 state grant, Queen Anne's County will become the first in the state to convert its fleet of 180 vehicles, including 20 county-owned school buses, to soy biodiesel fuel.

County officials who announced the initiative last week said vehicles running on the diesel alternative produce fewer emissions, require less fuel, reduce reliance on foreign fuel sources and create another revenue source for the county's many soybean farmers.

"This conversion will be made at no extra cost to taxpayers," said County Administrator Paul Comfort. "At the same time, it will benefit our farmers by creating more demand for...