AUGUSTA (AP) – Religious leaders appealed to the state Thursday to use more fuel-efficient vehicles in the name of conservation, economics and God.

The Maine Council of Churches presented a report to state officials urging the state to replace 30 percent of its vehicles electric-gas hybrids within 10 years.

The report, titled “What Should Government Drive?,” is part of a national effort calling for federal and state policies on energy conservation and climate protection.

The coalition said using more hybrid vehicles would achieve high gas mileage and low emissions while helping “protect God’s creation.”

Rabbi Susan Bulba-Carvutto of Temple Beth El in Augusta said protecting the environment falls in line with the Jewish belief that God commanded his people to guard the earth and prevent waste.

Anne D. Burt, director of the council’s Environmental Justice Program, said using more hybrid vehicles would save the state more than $1 million in gasoline costs and benefit the environment.

“The pollution savings is the equivalent of taking 2,000 cars off the road,” Burt said.

Dwain McKenney, director of Maine’s central fleet, applauded the group’s goal, but said it isn’t feasible to replace 30 percent of the state’s 1,372 vehicles with hybrid models in the next decade.

He said the only hybrids that are mass-produced by car makers are compact sedan hybrids, which make up a fraction of the fleet. Most of the pickups and public safety vehicles used by the state don’t yet have widely produced hybrid counterparts.

Maine Energy Director Beth Nagusky praised the council’s report, saying it builds on the state’s existing pollution-reduction policies – which include the introduction of hybrid vehicles in recent years.

When spring orders arrive in the coming weeks, just over 2 percent of the fleet will be made up of hybrid vehicles.

They include 17 Toyota Priuses, 12 Honda Civics and one Honda Insight.

The fleet also has ordered three full-size hybrid GMC pickups as part of a three-year trial lease agreement.

But McKenney said the fleet’s existing hybrids for the most part do not save enough in gas to make up for the higher sticker prices.

He said the Honda Civic hybrid, for example, costs about $7,700 more than a gas-powered Dodge Neon, another type of compact sedan the state uses, he said.

McKenney said Civics average 40 miles per gallon, while the Neons get 30.

“Until these prices come down, it’s not economical,” McKenney said.

AP-ES-03-12-04 0217EST