A grant awarded to the city of Lansing will aid in lowering air pollution and increasing the amount of alternative-fuel vehicles on the road.

The $20,000 grant from the Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry Services was given to offer incentives to fleet owners for buying vehicles that use the alternative fuels.

The city of Lansing’s Management Services Department applied for the grant.

“We applied in the spring and they notified us in October we had received the grant,” said Liza Estlund Olson, chair of the Greater Lansing Clean Cities Coalition. “We have a year to use the grant and money won’t be spent until the beginning of next year.”

Companies that are members of the coalition will be offered up to $4,000 as a subsidy for buying alternative-fuel vehicles to add to their fleets.

The $20,000 grant will go toward paying those rewards.

The alternative-fuel cars use natural gas, propane, ethanol, methanol, electricity or biodiesel fuel and are available from all major U.S. car manufacturers.

“The vehicles are out there,” said Jan Patrick, supervisor for the Energy Office at the Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry Services. “Ford, DaimlerChrysler and GM have a number of models using alternative fuels.

“It is up to us to coordinate where the refueling places will be and all the other support you need to develop this infrastructure.”

With a few alternative-fuel vehicles already in use in Lansing, including a garbage truck and police car, Olson is optimistic, but knows there is a job to be done.

“Places to fuel are necessary for the cars, and if there are no refueling stations, who is going to buy one?” she said.