New York, Florida join Golden State Push for Hydrogen Cars

While BMW is brining Diesel back to the States, New York and Florida are joining California in a push for Hydrogen-fueled automobiles:

"Our goal is to establish Florida as one of the leading centers for the commercialization of hydrogen technology," says Allan Bedwell, deputy secretary for the state Department of Environmental Protection. Florida Gov. Jeb Bush's administration is supporting state legislation to commit $15 million for hydrogen fuel projects.

The push comes amid high gas prices — the nationwide average was $2.26 a gallon for regular unleaded, AAA said this week — and as states struggle to meet federal clean-air requirements. Failing to curb pollution can be costly, says Bedwell, who estimates businesses in the Tampa area alone could incur added pollution-control costs of $40 million a year if the region no longer meets air standards.

In California, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has vowed to build "a hydrogen highway to take us to the environmental future" and is using $90 million in state and private funds to build 200 hydrogen fueling stations by 2010.

And in New York, Gov. George Pataki has said his state would lease two hydrogen fuel-cell cars made by Honda. Pataki, who cites hydrogen vehicles' potential "to revolutionize the transportation and energy industries," has committed $1.4 million to fund the use of fuel-cell cars, construct a hydrogen fueling station and convert some state vehicles to burn hydrogen as fuel.