From purchasing hybrids vehicles for its fleets to improving the energy efficiency in its buildings, the Journal News is reporting that Westchester County is leading the effort to "green government."

Among the projects cited:

• By the end of 2008, all public buses will have a diesel particulate filter that will dramatically cut back on dirty tailpipe emissions; in 2009 the county will replace 95 conventional diesel buses with hybrids.
• Of the county's motor pool of 320, about 130 of the vehicles now include hybrids; the county has two vehicles that run on biodiesel as well as 10 electric-powered carts that it uses to transport luggage between the terminal and aircraft at the county airport.
• By next year, the county will replace the single-pane windows in its main office building in White Plains.

Other Westchester local leaders in area of energy conservation include the cities of New Rochelle, White Plains and Yonkers as well as the towns of Cortlandt, Greenburgh and Mamaroneck.

Neighboring Rockland and Putnam counties are also cited as getting into the act.