Albany -- New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli Thursday signed an executive order aimed at reducing energy use and implementing green practices in the Office of the State Comptroller. He also directed his auditors to evaluate whether state agencies, public authorities and local governments are complying with environmental and energy requirements.

DiNapoli’s executive order directs his auditors to evaluate whether state agencies, public authorities, local governments and school districts are complying with existing environmental and energy requirements. Currently, state agencies are required to purchase 10 percent of their electricity from renewable sources, increasing to 20 percent by 2010; purchase products with recycled content and equipment with the Energy Star label; and develop measures to use electricity more efficiently in state buildings.

By 2010, all of the new light duty vehicles purchased by the state must use alternative fuel.

School districts are required to purchase environmentally sensitive cleaning products to protect students from exposure to hazardous cleaning products, under legislation sponsored by DiNapoli when he was the chair of the Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee.