Gov. Jennifer Granholm introduced a new plan on Tuesday to improve the environment while boosting Michigan's economy.

The governor said a $250,000 grant program will be used to either produce new or convert old pumps into what she hopes will be 1,000 alternative fuel pumps by 2008.

In order to initiate this new form of environmentally friendly fuel and make it a feasible option for people to access, government support is necessary.

Granholm is doing an exceptional job encouraging and introducing this new fuel option to our state.

Just this July, she signed a bill that lowered the state tax for both ethanol fuel and biodiesel fuel. Both fuels now have a 12 cents per gallon tax as opposed to the 19 cents per gallon for regular gasoline.

Flex-fuel vehicles, which can run on ethanol- or gasoline-based fuels, soon will be more accessible as well. The Big Three automakers have pledged to double production of these vehicles.

With more cars ready to utilize alternative fuels, Michigan will need more than 19 stations carrying E85, and pumping $250,000 toward this effort is just the right step.