Is Maryland’s hybrid truck initiative benefiting an anti-environment company?
The Maryland Energy Administration received a $5,924,190 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy for the “Maryland Hybrid Truck Goods Movement Initiative.” This initiative provides financial and technical assistance to corporate truck fleets so they can transition to hybrid-electric trucks. The goal of the initiative is to bring 150 hyrbid trucks onto Maryland’s highways, displacing an estimated 461,400 gallons of petroleum each year. The companies receiving the funds include ARAMARK, UPS, Sysco, Effeciency Enterprises and Nestle Water Company. The controversial aspect of Maryland’s program is the selection of Nestle Water Company as one of the recipients of this hybrid truck funding. Nestle currently controls greater than 30% of the bottled water market. Bottled water has been the subject of debate recently as cities across the country work to move consumers away from bottled water to tap because of the incredible environmental impact caused by transporting huge volumes of water acro
