NOVEMBER 13, 2000 - Director Kathleen Wilbur announced today that the Michigan Department of Consumer & Industry Services has awarded a $20,000 matching grant to the City of Lansing to encourage purchases of new alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs).

The grant will enable the City of Lansing to offer these funds as incentives to fleet owners in Ingham, Eaton and Clinton counties to help offset the difference in costs between new light-duty AFVs and comparable gasoline vehicles. Public and private fleet owners other than federal, state or fuel provider fleets will be eligible for the incentives.

"We estimate this grant will result in local fleet owners purchasing 5 to 10 Alternative Fuel Vehicles, which they might not otherwise have considered without this type of financial incentive," Wilbur said. "Not only will this program create an estimated $120,000 in public/private investment in AFV vehicles, but will benefit the entire community by helping to reduce air pollutants and our dependence on foreign oil."

AFVs use natural gas, propane, ethanol, methanol, electricity or biodiesel as their primary fuel and are available from all major U.S. car manufacturers. This grant supports the City of Lansing efforts to be designated by the U.S. Department of Energy as a Clean City. The Clean Cities Program promotes voluntary AFV use and infrastructure development to help the U.S. achieve energy security and cleaner air with clean burning, domestically produced alternative fuels.

For additional information, please contact Liza Estlund Olson, City of Lansing Management Services Department, (517) 483-4301 or Tim Shireman, CIS Energy Office, (517) 241-6281.

Read more Michigan Department of Consumer & Industry Services press releases.